With more than half the list shining the spotlight on well-executed meat dishes, it's safe to say 2018 is off to beefy beginnings. From an ultimate gyu don packed with seven different cuts of beef and an intense beef bone maitake mushroom consommé, to a well-loved institution's new menu, here are our pick of dishes worth splurging your calories on this month.
Japanese Wagyu Beef Filet Steak with Turnip, Zucchini, Onion and Fried Shallots (Credit: Resorts World Sentosa)
Japanese Wagyu Beef Filet Steak with Turnip, Zucchini, Onion and Fried Shallots at Teppan By Chef Yonemura ($168++ for 5 courses and $198++ for 8 courses)
Combining the artistry of Japanese kaiseki and showmanship of teppanyaki is celebrity chef Masayasu Yonemura's latest venture at Singapore's Resorts World Sentosa, Teppan By chef Yonemura. The cozy dining room accommodates just 21 guests along the teppan grill so everyone gets a front row view to the action from the flaming cocktails to sizzling seafood and flambéed crêpes Suzette for dessert. A highlight of the meal is a filet of Wagyu seared with flaming panache and served with chef Yonemura’s original recipe of peanut butter garlic sauce, ponzu and grated radish.
Combining the artistry of Japanese kaiseki and showmanship of teppanyaki is celebrity chef Masayasu Yonemura's latest venture at Singapore's Resorts World Sentosa, Teppan By chef Yonemura. The cozy dining room accommodates just 21 guests along the teppan grill so everyone gets a front row view to the action from the flaming cocktails to sizzling seafood and flambéed crêpes Suzette for dessert. A highlight of the meal is a filet of Wagyu seared with flaming panache and served with chef Yonemura’s original recipe of peanut butter garlic sauce, ponzu and grated radish.
Matsutake Takikomo Gohan at Shima (part of the $88 dinner menu)
While the kaiseki menu at Shima is studded with other luxurious ingredients like Aigamo duck, Kagoshima A5 Wagyu and fried lobster tempura, the dish that takes the spotlight is the seemingly humble rice dish at the end of the multi-course meal, served simply in a small bowl with miso soup and pickles. Atop the rice is the prized matsutake mushroom—the Japanese equivalent of the black truffle—beloved for its earthy, fruity flavor and rarity. At Shima, the rice and mushrooms are cooked in a homemade dashi in a claypot over a stove so the earthiness of the mushrooms are brought out with a hint of char and smokiness.
While the kaiseki menu at Shima is studded with other luxurious ingredients like Aigamo duck, Kagoshima A5 Wagyu and fried lobster tempura, the dish that takes the spotlight is the seemingly humble rice dish at the end of the multi-course meal, served simply in a small bowl with miso soup and pickles. Atop the rice is the prized matsutake mushroom—the Japanese equivalent of the black truffle—beloved for its earthy, fruity flavor and rarity. At Shima, the rice and mushrooms are cooked in a homemade dashi in a claypot over a stove so the earthiness of the mushrooms are brought out with a hint of char and smokiness.
7th Heaven Gyu Don, at Renga-Ya
($35.90)
Gyu Dons in Singapore tend to be formulaic: there's always Wagyu topped with an onsen egg, and the occasional drizzle of truffle salsa. But yakiniku restaurant Renga-Ya is taking its beef bowl one level up by piling on different cuts of beef prepared seven ways (hence the dish name) on a bed of fluffy Japanese rice. There's Kagoshima wagyu rump, thick slices of Wagyu tongue, and even Hokkaido beef tataki, all paired with a variety of interesting sauces. Save some space for the end, where you get a mini teapot of beef bone maitake consommé to pour over your leftover rice to make your own chazuke.
Gyu Dons in Singapore tend to be formulaic: there's always Wagyu topped with an onsen egg, and the occasional drizzle of truffle salsa. But yakiniku restaurant Renga-Ya is taking its beef bowl one level up by piling on different cuts of beef prepared seven ways (hence the dish name) on a bed of fluffy Japanese rice. There's Kagoshima wagyu rump, thick slices of Wagyu tongue, and even Hokkaido beef tataki, all paired with a variety of interesting sauces. Save some space for the end, where you get a mini teapot of beef bone maitake consommé to pour over your leftover rice to make your own chazuke.
Williams River Beef at Origin Grill & Bar (180g $58 / 250g $88)
Newly opened at Shangri-la Hotel Singapore is Origin Grill & Bar, serving up Australian chef Heidi Flanagan's produce-driven cuisine. The menu boasts a bespoke beef program which includes the likes of a 35-day dry-aged grass-fed John Stone beef from Ireland, an award-winning 500-day Japanese Shiro Wagyu, and most interestingly, a Snow-aged Full Blood A4 Wagyu from Niigata in Japan. We tried the 400 days grain-fed Williams River beef tenderloin from Northern Queensland in Australia, and it was sublime, beautifully cross-hatched from the grill with a tender, succulent center, cooked to a perfect medium rare and accompanied by Tuscan kale two-ways, potato gratin and confit shallots in red wine jus.
Newly opened at Shangri-la Hotel Singapore is Origin Grill & Bar, serving up Australian chef Heidi Flanagan's produce-driven cuisine. The menu boasts a bespoke beef program which includes the likes of a 35-day dry-aged grass-fed John Stone beef from Ireland, an award-winning 500-day Japanese Shiro Wagyu, and most interestingly, a Snow-aged Full Blood A4 Wagyu from Niigata in Japan. We tried the 400 days grain-fed Williams River beef tenderloin from Northern Queensland in Australia, and it was sublime, beautifully cross-hatched from the grill with a tender, succulent center, cooked to a perfect medium rare and accompanied by Tuscan kale two-ways, potato gratin and confit shallots in red wine jus.
SEE RELATED: First Look: Origin Grill & Bar
Miso cod from Lawry's updated menu ($65)
Lawry's is an institution, and it's tender, succulent prime rib of beef needs no introduction. But the restaurant has recently seen a refresh of some of its menu offerings. Fans of the iconic prime ribs may rest assured that the Sunday roast options remains status quo. Instead, they've amped up their selection of appetizers and seafood mains. The new miso-marinated cod mirrors the modernized interior of the restaurant at Mandarin Gallery. Long-term patrons will know notice the subtle differences compared to its previous location at The Paragon. Updated from the original tomato-pickled crusted cod, the miso cod is a tantalizing mix of sweet, savory flavors with an aromatic truffle and red pepper emulsion and a generous mound of ikura (salon roe).
Lawry's is an institution, and it's tender, succulent prime rib of beef needs no introduction. But the restaurant has recently seen a refresh of some of its menu offerings. Fans of the iconic prime ribs may rest assured that the Sunday roast options remains status quo. Instead, they've amped up their selection of appetizers and seafood mains. The new miso-marinated cod mirrors the modernized interior of the restaurant at Mandarin Gallery. Long-term patrons will know notice the subtle differences compared to its previous location at The Paragon. Updated from the original tomato-pickled crusted cod, the miso cod is a tantalizing mix of sweet, savory flavors with an aromatic truffle and red pepper emulsion and a generous mound of ikura (salon roe).
Short ribs at 665°F, Andaz Hotel ($45)
For a steakhouse, the menu at 665°F is rather varied. One can expect options such as the Patagonian tooth fish, dover sole and jumbo prawns here. But if the meats is what you're after, you're in good hands. The Omaha short ribs are a standout: pre-marinated with a good spice rub and accompanied by a house barbecue sauce, the ribs are tasty, tender and a real crowd-pleaser. Other cuts of meat include a 1.2kg Wagyu tomahawk from Australia's Margaret River, rib eye from Ireland and tenderloin from Tasmania.
For a steakhouse, the menu at 665°F is rather varied. One can expect options such as the Patagonian tooth fish, dover sole and jumbo prawns here. But if the meats is what you're after, you're in good hands. The Omaha short ribs are a standout: pre-marinated with a good spice rub and accompanied by a house barbecue sauce, the ribs are tasty, tender and a real crowd-pleaser. Other cuts of meat include a 1.2kg Wagyu tomahawk from Australia's Margaret River, rib eye from Ireland and tenderloin from Tasmania.
Uni Ice Cream, at Fisk Seafoodbar and Market, ($16 for a single scoop)
Opened by Norwegian seafood importer Snorre Food, Fisk Seafoodbar & Market offers some of the freshest catch from Nordic waters at this beautifully-decorated space. You’ll see this come through in dishes such as the seared langoustine with smoked bone marrow, and succulent Greenland prawns packed with roe in their underbellies. But the star of the show comes at the end: A single scoop of uni ice cream made from sea urchin paste, that strikes just the right balance between salty and sweet—the perfect dish to round off the meal.
Opened by Norwegian seafood importer Snorre Food, Fisk Seafoodbar & Market offers some of the freshest catch from Nordic waters at this beautifully-decorated space. You’ll see this come through in dishes such as the seared langoustine with smoked bone marrow, and succulent Greenland prawns packed with roe in their underbellies. But the star of the show comes at the end: A single scoop of uni ice cream made from sea urchin paste, that strikes just the right balance between salty and sweet—the perfect dish to round off the meal.
