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.
Minimalist, Natural Wood Decor
Everyone at Fat Cow is here for the namesake, make no mistake. So what impressed me most, apart from the gorgeous minimalist decor centered on natural wood (especially that rad geometric ceiling installation), is the quality of the ingredients that goes into all the accompanying dishes. Everything shines, not just the glistening marbled wagyu that we've all heard fancy stories about.
Tippling Cocktails
Since it was a special treat for my birthday (I'm a zany aquarius, so you can imagine how late this post is), some happy juice was in order. Once again, I went for something related to umeshu, while my companion had the more gutsy whisky concoction. I can't for the life of me remember the clever names given to these liquid gold but with Matthew Radajl helming the cocktail scene, odds are you'll enjoy just about anything you pick.
Zucchini Blossom Tempura, $28
As usual, I wanted to taste a bit of everything, so the Kikaku 6-course menu ($98/pax) made perfect sense. After a split second's pause, we threw in the Zucchini Blossom Tempura and Slow-Cooked Ox Tendon with Seared Foie Gras for good measure. Good thing too, because the zucchini blossom tempura stuffed with hokkaido hairy crab and scallops was absolutely delicious. As you can see, it comes served with a cube of meltingly soft honeycomb that truly elevates the lightly savoury dish to a whole new level!
Slow-Cooked Ox Tendon and Seared Foie Gras, $24, Burrata Salad with Momotaro Tomato
The slow-cooked ox tendon, too, was a fantastic dish. The tendon had been braised to such tenderness that it fell apart with the gentlest bite. Paired perfectly with the buttery foie gras too, seared just enough to lend flavour and hold up on your spoon before it melts away on your tongue. Nothing was mediocre, at all, not even the salad, which boasted juicy chunks of momotaro tomatoes, milky burrata and a genius ginger vinaigrette. I was surprised, honestly, by how delicious the salad tasted.
Tai Sashimi with Black Truffle, Scallop Sashimi with Black Truffle
Then came the lovely pieces of Tai Sashimi with gorgeous slices of black truffle perched on each of them like delicate wings. And scallop sashimi, too, also adorned with black truffle wings. These tasted incredible, with the aromatic truffle taking the sashimi to places I've never been. In case you're wondering why our menus started to deviate at this point - the chef's a super cool dude who's happy to whip up an "omakase" meal for you as long as you provide him a budget. He told us he was in a mood to cook that night, so I asked if he could come up with something different for one of us under the Kikaku menu and lo and behold he said yes!
Kegani Crab Legs, Kegani Crab Cake
Not for all the courses though - which was perfectly fine by me - the chef was taking us on a ride and I was only too thrilled to hop on. The crab cake served to me was the item on the menu - a creamy, umami Japanese croquette deep fried to perfection. The sort of comfort food that would soothe you on a really bad day. But it was the grilled crab legs served to my companion that really drew us in. Those sweet crustaceans, perked with a squeeze of lime and dipped gently in melted butter, tasted truly, truly beautiful.
Uni Handroll, Braised Kurobuta Pork Belly
Midway through the meal, the chef surprised us with a uni handroll each out of the blue. Needless to say, we were blown away by the hospitality! Or maybe the sublime uni. There was no resting because the kurobuta pork belly, which was served next, was another burst of beautiful, intense flavours. So juicy and incredibly tasty to boot.
Charcoal Grilled 'Zabuton' Cut of American Wagyu,
Before we knew it, we had reached the highlight of the meal. The chef served us the American 'Zabuton' (on the menu), as well as the Japanese A3 Wagyu. Every bite was incredible - pure bliss. The Zabuton had a bolder flavour, while the Japanese A3 had a more exquisite texture and flavour. Without a doubt, two of the best steaks I've ever had.
Warabi Mochi and Honeycomb Ice-Cream
Desserts - a scoop of pleasing, gloopy honeycomb ice-cream paired with cubes of gorgeous (and laborious) warabi mochi made in-house, didn't let up either. I'd wager you'll be shocked at how soft the warabi mochi is - so much so that it almost teases your tongue. Do you see the honeycomb oozing out of the ice-cream? Seriously, dining at Fat Cow was a remarkable experience. Top three meals I had this year - ten over ten!
Fat Cow
1 Orchard Boulevard
#01-01 Camden Medical Centre
Tel: (65) 67350308
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