Last but not least, the meal ended on a high with a juicy wedge of sweet melon with creamy Hokkaido milk ice cream, and their signature Matcha Financiers. I dare say one of the best matcha bake I have tried, the texture was amazing - crisp-crunchy on the outside and moist within. There was also the umami fragrance, earthy savoury tea flavour, and the warm caramelised exterior.
Part of the Takayama’s Spring Omakase Lunch Menu ($150).
For the main, my friend and I got the Sakura Trout and Kagoshima Wagyu (+$30) to share. Presented with the same lovely cabbage purée as well as a single crunchy deep-fried Shiso Leaf, the wagyu was so well-executed. Tender and flavourful, the sliced marbled beef offered more punch with the onion sauce. Meaty, melty and satisfying.
Part of the Takayama’s Spring Omakase Lunch Menu ($150).
For the main, my friend and I got the Sakura Trout and Kagoshima Wagyu (+$30) to share. Fork-tender, flaky, and fairly firm, the grilled trout peeking out from under the fried shiso leaf was nicely seasoned and well complemented by the bed of sweet spring cabbage puree (slightly starchy and jelly-like).
Part of the Takayama’s Spring Omakase Lunch Menu ($150).
Then came a bowl of Somen in a chilled corn soup. Lusciously coated with the broth made using sweet corn, soy milk, and dashi; the noodles were fine and slurpy. And adding to the creamy delight, the salty burst from the caviar certainly elevated the decadence of the dish while the edamame lend some bite.
Part of the Takayama’s Spring Omakase Lunch Menu ($150).
Next was the Otsukuri, where we saw the deft knifework of the chef and were greeted by the seasonal line-up that was the sea bream, amberjack, and chutoro. Served with powdered sea salt flakes, the sea bream was real fresh, thinly sliced, and subtle in flavour. Though intimating, the heap of salt was not as salty as I thought. The amberjack, on the other hand, was paired with yuzu daikon oroshi and yuzu kosho on the side. Lightly seared with binchotan charcoal, the fish had a delicate smoky kiss and went well with the citrusy-sweet flavour of yuzu. The chutoro was kept simple and would be my pick if I were to choose between the three, as I love a fattier almost melty texture for my sashimi. The thicken homemade soy sauce plated together was really pleasant too.
Part of Takayama’s Spring Omakase Lunch Menu ($150).
Before dessert, their Donabe will have you rolling out the kappo-style restaurant with a full belly. Packed with Usuimame (Japanese green peas), deep-fried Sakura-ebi and vibrant pops of ikura, the steaming pot of rice screamed comfort food. The seasoning was light so the individual flavours, as well as textures of the ingredients, were able to shine. Though I would certainly prefer more briny roe, the mix was rather well-balanced.
Part of Takayama’s Spring Omakase Lunch Menu ($150).
On my wish list for the longest time, Takayama’s Spring Omakase Lunch Menu ($150) certainly delivered. And so kicking things off was a delicate piece of sweet scallop stacked on crunchy asparagus topped with a raw aka gai (arc shell clam) and shungiku, covered in savoury dashi jelly with bamboo shoots. Followed closely behind was their bomb-diggity Monaka. Lined with tiny dollops of fruit ham to counter the richness of the creamy foie gras mousse, the signature snack was undoubtedly one of my favourite items as it was the perfect union of sweet and savoury. The burst of flavours in the mouth together with the airy-crunchy bites of the wafer was so good (really liked the refreshing yuzu jam)!
Lunch Omakase consisting of the following:
Yuba and Uni
Fish cake with bamboo shoots and shiso
3 seasonal sashimi
- Ika with powdered sea salt flakes
- Aburi snapper
- Chutoro and otoro
Monaka, Foie gras ice cream with orange/crisp rice wafer
Palette cleanser of wasabi ice cream with tomato and cauliflower emulsion
Grilled fish with sweet potato and asparagus
(Added $30 for Wagyu beef instead)
Baked rice with sakura shrimps/miso soup
Japanese Strawberry with radish and ice cream
Sakura financier
It’s a relatively nice meal but I still prefer a sushi focused Omakase.
One of the constants I look forward to when having the Omakase at Takayama is their Monaka wafer. Its airy crispness a luggage of foie gras ice-cream, ginger flower, pickled watermelon and yuzu marmalade to take your senses on a trip to the land of delectability.
Seasonal Lunch Menu: $150++ per head.
Available for takeaway on Saturday lunch only. Order must be placed in advance.
When I saw such a beautiful box of Bara-Chirashi, I just had to order one for myself. Unlike the usual bara chirashi, these sashimi pieces were orderly arranged.
Uncommon & different kind of fresh ingredients were used weekly for this affordably priced don. Had such a special experience while dining home.
Delivery: -
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Bara-Chirashi $38++
Pretty value for money lunch box considering you get a good portion of fresh and creamy uni.
As immaculately prepared as I expect of @taro.chef’s food, his #GuerillaBento this week was infinitely more WOW than I could imagine, especially since it cost only $38! The #Barachirashi Takayama-style boasted much bigger-than-normal cuts of fish, scallop and seafood and they were all superb in quality and taste. There was a freshly-baked mini Burnt Matcha Cheesecake with Strawberry Sauce for dessert as well. You bet I was wreathed in smiles as I ravished my set meal.
For the benefit of those who DM-ed me, Chef Taro’s “Guerilla Bento” is available only on Saturdays and it changes every time. He prepares only 20 sets, and you never know what is going to be in there until he shares a snippet of what’s coming in his Instagram Stories, sometime in the middle of the week. These meals are inspired by moments in his life, such as a favourite childhood dish or something he recalls enjoying at a point in his travels. Therefore, his Guerilla Bentos are really quite special because of that emotional connection you’ll have to him.
To book one for yourself, please follow @taro.chef on Instagram since ordering is only via DM to him (not @sgtakayama restaurant).
G I F T E D
To my surprise, Chef Taro packed a special bento in with the rest of my orders. He calls this his “Guerilla Bento”, of which there he makes only 25 sets a day.
What goes into it is based on his whim as the inspirations are his own food memories. For eg. the charming box I received was meticulously packed with Japanese rice topped with salmon cutlet and Japanese fish cake tempura with Aosa seaweed; alongside it, a jar of fresh ikura. Then from what I read, come this Saturday (April 25th), a 98% Wagyu Hamburg will star in the “Guerilla Bento”.
By the way, you won’t find these Bento sets listed on @sgtakayama’s official takeaway / delivery website. To get your hands on one (yes, they are very stealthy, like Ninjas 😆), you must DM @taro.chef on Instagram (haha - I really do love the fun behind this 😄).
I decided to purchase from one of my favourite Japanese Kappo-style restaurants where I’ve had some spectacular meals. To be honest, it is impossible to capture the dine-in experience at @sgtakayama in a takeaway but Executive Chef Taro and his team are doing their best. One thing’s for sure though - all the ingredients they use and the level at which they are preparing them, are uncompromised.
My favourite from amongst what I had is the Kagoshima Wagyu Don ($83). The beef, which comes in large slices, is buttery-soft and a little sweet from the sukiyaki sauce it’s cooked quickly in. Love that the set is completed with seasonal side dishes and a soft-cooked egg.
If you are into Japanese curry, the mildly spicy Kagoshima Wagyu Curry Don ($53) is a good pick. What I like is the beef in here comes in chunks rather than slices and that the set is also accompanied by a soft-cooked egg that you crack in prior to eating.
The Wagyu Katsu Sandwich ($53) features a slab of breaded and deepfried A5 Kagoshima Wagyu with a lovely sweet-tangy sauce. If you are particular about the cutlet being crunchy, then this might not suit you as travel time leads to a slight softening of the fried coating. However, I should stress that the Wagyu beef remains exquisitely tender, smooth and tasty.
As the world grapples with the COVID-19 virus, travel is now out of the question (if you are still planning to, DON’T! It is not worth the risk to yourself, your loved ones and everyone in your community). So since a trip to Japan is not about to happen anytime soon, a meal at @sgtakayama can help satisfy that craving for Kappo-style cuisine should you have one.
Set in the heart of Singapore, the restaurant is helmed by Executive Chef Taro who use to be the Master Chef at the residence of the Japanese Ambassador to Singapore. I am a big fan of his food; specifically his Omakase Menus. The 8-course Seasonal Lunch ($130/150++ depending on your choice of main) was what I had most recently. It comprises of a fantastically delicious parade of dishes that included Hokkaido scallop sashimi covered in turnip and Szechuan peppercorn leaf, crunchy Katsu of steamed Japanese abalone and asparagus with “green pea soup”, a series of fresh sashimi accompanied by Chef Taro’s creative housemade condiments, an airy-light Monaka wafer filled with foie gras, Japanese bayberry and pickled watermelon rind, a palate-cleansing sea salt ice-cream with Oscetra caviar and sakura flower dashi stock sauce, and finally, grilled A5 Wagyu (shown above) with Japanese onions and local micro herbs served with a bowl of fish and Japanese lotus root rice. The dessert was Japanese pomelo and strawberry from Kumamoto.
For an even more indulgent feast, I recommend the Monthly Omakase Dinner ($280++). Seasonal ingredients feature in both menus and are prepared in a variety of ways that run the gamut from raw to different ways of cooking. What I also love about dining at this elegant restaurant is the peaceful ambience it offers, whether you choose to sit at the counter or in one of their two private rooms.
In this age of Tinder and hook-ups, the relationship I have with @sgtakayama is considered old-fashioned because it’s been a long and sweet courtship. It began with a lunch shortly after they opened almost two years ago, then an dinner event held in conjunction with a Japanese glass artisan company, and late last year, I attended a 4-hands pop-up with Executive Chef Taro’s friends from Osaka. This slow and steady pace of discovering what he and his team are capable of, has finally led to me declaring that my heart is well and truly won. Sealing the deal with a kiss was the Omakase dinner I had a few days ago. Here is what was served:
- A stunning cold appetiser of Japanese hairy crabmeat with yuzu zest and chopped Japanese yam, crowned in marinated Oscetra caviar and served with Japanese yam ice-cream.
- Deepfried spring roll filled with creamy #Shirako (cod sperm sac) that proved a dazzling study in contrasts.
- A parade of different sublime Sashimi including raw Snow Crab leg (a first for me), each given a little extra kick in flavour with housemade condiments such as cured red fish roe, soya sauce, radish with ponzu sauce, cured egg yolk.
- Airy-light Monaka Wafer (Japanese rice biscuit) sandwiching a marvelous combo of foie gras ice-cream, turnip with yuzu skin, pickled watermelon rind, chopped ginger flower and roasted chilli.
- A huge boiled Japanese abalone sliced and plated with plump tempura-style Tottori shiitake mushrooms, abalone liver cream and abalone stock sauce.
- Palate-cleansing Somen in clear dashi (seasoned with a pinch of salt) and served with juicy, sweet Japanese pear and a splash of matcha-infused oil.
- A fantastic beef course showcasing A5 Wagyu poached in a dashi flooded with Japanese leeks, then dressed in a housemade sauce of sesame, vinegar and soya milk, plus a dash of chilli oil. Two helpings were absolutely necessary.
- Superb Snow Crab and Uni Claypot Rice that was exceedingly fragrant, fluffy and sweet-in-seafood-flavour. It was accompanied by a bowl of miso soup with clams and some assorted pickles.
- Dessert of Japanese pomelo with housemade orange ice-cream and orange bits (with rind still attached) mixed in honey wine jelly. This was paired with a Mikan-flavoured Sake for maximum enjoyment.
- Piping hot Houjicha financiers that was simply mind-blowing.
Profoundly delicious, this was a meal that has made an indelible impression, and has me pining for more.
Located right smack in the CBD of Singapore - small dainty spot, great for business meetings for a quiet spot. Food was great.
Lunch sets were available, Omakase as well. Got the Omakase with black cod miso as a main ($130 ++)
Interesting beverage choices like sake of the day and homemade ginger ale. Worth the little splurge during a crazy work week.
There are a couple of Japanese places that pairs negitoro with yolk, but Chef Taro executed it perfectly. It's not just any yolk hidden within the negitoro, but one that he pasteurized in house, lending it a rich, aged, creaminess to the clean omega-3 oils of tuna.
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The omakase here was good, it's Kappo style and I enjoyed it. I'll post my meal (throwback) here as ig stories and save it under highlights - Takayama.
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