A Deluxe Lunch at Tatsuya, Goodwood Park Hotel, Singapore

Sushi lunch set, $90

I was having a casual lunch at Tatsuya by the sushi counter almost two years ago when I saw a lady stroll into the restaurant in a t-shirt and sweat shorts. Juxtaposed with the row of dolled up, glamorous women seated at the sushi counter, she looked completely out of place but appeared unfazed. Then she sat down beside me, full of dignity and grace, whispered her order to the staff, and proceeded to enjoy an omakase by herself. Sushi after premium sushi landed on her plate from the chef's hands, which she savoured in a sort of quiet joy, unperturbed and completely at peace. Just watching her (mostly from the corner of my eye), I have to say, she changed my life.

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HY California - Awesome Lunch Bentos!

Sleek interior of HY California

I'm a food nerd. I had a professor who once confessed that he enjoys trawling through IPO prospectuses and company annual reports in his free time. I thought he was crazy. The thing is, I'm not all that different, except the things I trawl through are online restaurant menus, food review sites, food section of lifestyle sites, food blogs... you get the drift. According to yelp, HY California is no great shakes, so I never thought to try it. That is, until Y and I were out of time and desperately looking for a lunch spot and I thought the place did look decent. This is, I suppose, a classic example of how reviews (including my own) are not gospel...

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Lunch @ Dinings, London - Remarkable Sushi

Dinings, London

Dinings, for a sashimi-phile like myself, is a god sent. There is an emphasis on quality ingredients and just the right mix of traditional and the more say, contemporary creations. It's a quaint, tiny set-up owned by ex-Nobu chef Tomonari Chiba, with a sushi counter on the ground level and a small, minimalist dining area in the basement. Since it was a breezy summer when I visited, dining at the sushi counter where we had a clear view of the chefs working their magic was a no-brainer. I didn't know then, but I was about to be blown away by some of the best sushi I've ever had.

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Lunch at Teppei/ Hana Hana, Singapore - It's the Bara Chirashi

Bara Chirashi, $17.60

It's the Bara Chirashi that keeps me coming. I've had the exact same thing five or six times, and I know I'm still going to come for more. Is it a perfect bowl of Chirashi? No. It's carelessly seasoned, too liberally so, every time. But still, the generous chunks of sashimi fish are sweet, fresh and no doubt the best I've been able to lay my hands on at this price point (sans the maguro... then again that's always tricky). Aoki's a fantastic place for chirashi and my favourite, but also twice the price.

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Keyaki, Pan Pacific Hotel - Elegant Japanese Kaiseki

Elegant Japanese fine dining

Keyaki, from the ambience down to the food, has a wonderful, traditional elegance not commonly found these days. Walking through the garden to the restaurant, I felt just as though I'd escaped to a sanctuary safe from all the troubles of the day. The restaurant offers kaiseki (traditional multi-course sets) from upwards of $150, as well as special sets based on seasonal offerings. What's great about Keyaki is the lack of hard rules for at least two diners to order the same kaiseki set - I just love enlightened restaurants.

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Omakase at Teppei, Orchid Hotel - a (Japanese) Whirlwind Ride

Teppei

Omakase is the next thing to go mass market, right? All of a sudden Japanese shops are all serving "omakase" meals (literally meaning "I'll leave it to you"), what was once offered only by the best restaurants in town. Perhaps the decadence and meaning in "omakase" is slipping somewhat, or perhaps decadence is now offered to more - I suppose it's how you see it. Now, not all omakase meals live up to expectations, especially at the more competitive price points (see, it's a lot easier to impress when you give the chef, say, $200 to please you, than say, $60) but Teppei manages to give a helluva ride at a price that seriously won't burn your pocket. Obviously everyone knows this already, or their dinner reservations won't be full till April next year, eh?

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Omakase at Sushi Kuu, Palais Renaissance - A Sashimi Affair

Sushi Kuu

Ah, omakase. Where we simply let loose and see where the cards fall, where the roads lead, where the chef takes us. What could be more therapeutic? You don't even need to think, it's all been done for you. I spend a lot of my time thinking way too much, so omakase meals tend to be a huge relief. Besides, I never got the chance to try Sushi Kuu in Hong Kong, so I was really thrilled to finally check this place off. I wasn't disappointed - Sushi Kuu's ingredients were impeccably fresh, and the servings, generous. Easily one of the top dogs in town.

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The Sushi Bar, Singapore - Fantastic Chirashi!

The Sushi Bar

It's incredible, the "affordable" Japanese scene in Singapore has really burgeoned over the last year. Remember when people used to flock to Japanese buffets because they presented the most compelling value proposition at enough price points to satisfy both the masses and the discerning? Not anymore. I never dreamt that Japanese cuisine and 'affordability' would ever come together but it seems like the gap is fast narrowing. And The Sushi Bar is coming up tops in this category.

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Fat Cow, Singapore - Amazing Kikaku Menu

Fat Cow

When, exactly, did steak gravitate so heavily from diner grub to gourmet chow? No answers here, just buckets of gratitude because these days I still feel like a lady even after working through my meats. Steak and sophistication are not mutually exclusive. Probably not that new a phenomenon, but still, how nice. At this sophisticated end of the spectrum lies Fat Cow, a veritable Japanese inspired steakhouse that applies the Japanese obsession with perfection on the American steak. Boy, as you can imagine, what a meal.

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Omakase at Hachi, Mohamed Sultan, Singapore

Hachi

Omakase at Hachi was simply one of my best meals this year. There's nothing quite like surrendering your night to the able chops of a Japanese chef, letting him surprise you course by course, assembled with only the freshest seasonal produce, of course. The omakase I had that night, two months back (still as vivid as yesterday, honest!), showcased all of my favourite ingredients too, would you believe it? Sashimi? Checked. Oyster? Uni? Otoro? Wagyu? Checked!

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Aoki - Sublime Lunch Sets

Maze-chirashi, Aoki

Everyone serious about Japanese food has been to Aoki, right? Or at least heard of it. Surely it's the kind of restaurant that needs no introduction. For years, from an inconspicuous corner of Shaw Centre (literally), the kitchen has been responsible for some of the best experiences of Japanese cuisine to be found within the 723.2 square kilometres of our food-crazed island.

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Tanuki Raw - Best Happy Hour, Ever.

Happy hour oysters, $1 a pop

This is cheesy but I don't know what I'd do if happy hours didn't exist. Good thing for me, all of us, I mean, happy hours are one of those rare things in life that are never short in supply (and probably never will be). See, life doesn't always throw us lemons, sometimes life can be kind enough to throw us $1 oysters too! Along with a few wedges of lemon, usually, and some tabasco.

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Ryoshi Sushi Ikeikemaru, Liang Court - Real Fish at Real Prices

Hokkaido Scallop Nigiri Sushi, $4.80, Jizakana Rayu Gunkan Maki Sushi, $2.80

Every now and then, a restaurant appears out of nowhere and completely shakes up the scene. Ryoshi Sushi Ikeikemaru is one of them. Really, who would expect good sushi out of a conveyor belt restaurant? Especially when the steepest plate of sushi is $6.80! Stoked?

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Wasabi Tei, Far East Plaza - Good Sashimi, Fiery Service

Wasabi Tei

Wasabi Tei - the kind of place where service is curt and practically non-existent. Where the entire vibe is no nonsense. Where you are expected to scoot the minute you're done eating. And yet, I am pleased enough with the sashimi to cast all these to the wind.

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Kilo at PACT, Singapore - Edgy Simplicity

Citrus Iced Tea, $4

K.i.s.s. - keep it simple, stupid - that's my current philosophy when it comes to food. If I had it my way, all excesses should be trimmed out, seasonings kept to a minimum, ingredients employed only when necessary, their roles carefully planned and calibrated for that elusive balance and element of interest. The food at Kilo's new offshoot "at PACT" is exactly that - simple yet edgy.

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Kuriya Penthouse, Singapore - Sexy Yet Traditional

Rooftop Dining

A couple of weeks ago, M and I found a really good reason to visit Kuriya Penthouse - they were running a June promotion dinner set for $78 (the Kuriya dinner course goes for $98, and the July course is a hefty $150). In case you haven't heard, chef Yoshihiko Koezuka who helms the kitchen had the honour of whipping up dinner for Emperor Hirohito and Empress Nagako during his time at Hotel New Omi in Japan. Now that's something not every chef has on their resume. As you can expect, I was very excited about dinner...

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Kilo - Soulful Food, Breezy Music

Laidback Decor

What a gorgeous space. The elevator doors opened to light, breezy music playing in the background, directly to the restaurant. I loved the clean, wooden furniture and minimalist approach. The raw concrete floor was especially edgy. The longer tables caught my attention too - this is a place for friends, good food and conversations. I can't stress how much I'm enjoying the trend towards communal dining these days.

Salmon Roll with Crispy Chicken Skin, $11

Decor aside, the food is what makes a restaurant and Kilo really excelled here. The kitchen serves up a mix of Japanese and Italian inspired comfort food, including Ebi Capellini, Avocado-wasabi Tuna Tatare and Jamon Iberico Pizza. M and I started things off with a Salmon Roll with Crispy Chicken Skin. It was incredibly satisfying, hitting all the right notes - the salmon slices were fresh and plump, the chicken skin crispy and wonderfully light.

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Tatsuya, Goodwood Park Hotel, Singapore - Irresistible Lunch Deals

Sashimi Unajyu Set, $30.90

How was your weekend? I just hopped off a 4 days 3 nights weekend cruise with Royal Caribbean (two days ago) and I'm still feeling blissfully sun kissed! Also, the wonderful people behind "The View From Fez" recently published my post on Moroccan street food here. Do check out their site - it's incredibly informative!

During the cruise, we dropped by Penang and Malacca, which were absolutely delicious destinations. Before I blog about the cruise and our day excursions though, here's a lip-smacking post on Tatsuya. Remember how I resolved to squeeze in better lunches this year? Tatsuya was right on my agenda and I couldn't be more pleased when my best friend, S, brought me there for a birthday treat! I had the Sashimi Unajyu set, which was pretty much the best of not one, not two, but three worlds - marrying luscious sashimi cuts (including a slice of Mekajiki) with excellent unagi and crispy tempura. The unagi had everything going for it - fatty cuts, barely discernible bones and an addictive sweet, sticky and savoury sauce. In fact, it was so good that unagi-averse S liked it too! The tempura was satisfying but the batter could be lighter. The set also included a velvety smooth chawanmushi alongside a bowl of miso soup and fruits.

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Keisuke Tonkotsu King, Orchid Hotel, Singapore - Ramen just the way you want it

Tonkotsu Ramen, $10.80, $12.80 with flavoured egg

I dropped by Tanjong Pagar for lunch at Keisuke Tonkotsu King with M a few weeks back, and we walked away utterly captivated. The decor was charming, the ramen was lip-smacking good, and the free condiments really won us over. Every ramen gets a ticket which allows you to tick your preferences (taste of soup, chicken oil, noodle texture) and it was just wonderful to have absolute control in designing almost every part of the ramen - only the delicious tonkotsu broth remains fixed. What's more, the condiments are top notch. The sesame seeds (available in a small suribachi) added a lovely fragrance to the ramen, and the seasoned bean sprouts were so good I kept having seconds!

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Angus Steak House - Fabulous Set Dinners!

Angus Steak House

As a child, there were certain restaurants I dreamt about. Sometimes, I read about them, other times, I walked by and just couldn't seem to take my eyes off them. Angus Steak House is both. Almost everything I've read about it has been all roses and no thorns. And it's the sort of restaurant that looks so classy and pretty on the outside I can't help but dream about how perfect it must be to finally dine there - I loved that the walls of the restaurant were all washed in white, with colonial style windows that lent me a sneak peak into the "world" inside. But somehow, in the blur of growing up, this and other dream restaurants of my childhood retreated to the back of my mind - I was too busy worrying about a million other things. So many new restaurants sprang up, too. But when my parents asked me where I wanted to go for my birthday dinner two weeks ago, Angus Steak House suddenly came to mind. After renovating last year, apart from the ambience remaining perfect for dinner dates, the restaurant is now a lot more modern than what I remembered, complete with plush, cream-coloured chairs and elegant dark wood tables.

Hors d'oeuvre - Lightly Battered Prawns with Broccoli and Cracker in Seafood Sauce

The most amazing part about dining here is the choice of making any a la carte charcoal grilled mains a set by topping up $10, which would include in your meal a hors d'oeuvre, freshly baked bun, salad, soup and dessert. Completely irresistible. It used to be even more of a steal at $6 and included coffee or tea, but I guess I chanced upon the scene too late! The hors d'oeuvre of the day was a plate of two lightly battered prawns, thin cracker and a wonderful, orange-pink sauce full of crustacean notes. It was such a fantastic start. The prawns were excellent - crunchy, firm and absolutely delicious with the sauce. The cracker was not as crisp as it could have been but still perfect for mopping up more of that delectable sauce. The appetizers change every fortnight, which mixes things up quite a bit. Check out the past hors d'oeuvres here, they all look fabulous!

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