Food review: Takujo @ Emporium Shokuhin

SINGAPORE — Despite the saturation of Japanese restaurants here, there aren’t many places that serve fine Japanese food in a modern-contemporary setting. But Takujo is looking to add to that.

As one of the eight dining concepts at Emporium Shokuhin, the new Japanese food enclave (that also features a live seafood market and a gourmet grocer) at Marina Square, the efforts are evident the moment you step in.

The first thing that draws your eye is the full-length wine and sake chiller that serves as a wall divider; its selection of 800 bottles includes an exclusive range of sakes from Ehime prefecture.

But this is not exclusively a kaiseki experience; you can leave it to the chef to plan your meal but you can also order a la carte.

We started our dinner with a warming cup of Kaki Yunomi Mushi (S$12), a single oyster in a light, bright oyster broth cut through with a little yuzu peel. The second course was a creative serving of in-season horse mackerel sashimi (S$22), served with a fascinating jelly of red vinegar that was made in-house using sake lees. Slightly salty and sour, it was an ideal alternative to soy sauce. The fish’s melt-in-the-mouth texture spoke of the freshness we’ve come to expect from any good Japanese restaurant, while a scattering of edible flower petals and freshly-grated wasabi added both balance and novelty to an otherwise simple dish.

Next up was a grilled hon maguro cheek (S$68 to S$88, depending on size). The cheek of the premium bluefin tuna is as large as a steak and similar in colour, and with more fat than protein, making this a really indulgent dish. But because the restaurant brings in only sustainably farmed bluefin, your environmental conscience will let you eat in peace, even if your bikini conscience doesn’t.

A lighter but no less satisfying course was the tai kabuto kamameshi madai claypot rice (S$38). Another specialty of Japan’s Ehime prefecture, the dish is a whole sea bream head served on a bed of rice, although the latter, cooked claypot-style, was the star.

Its consistency lies somewhere in between risotto and grandma’s porridge; each fat, glistening Koshihikari grain is firm and chewy, having absorbed the intense flavours of fish stock and ginger.

The piece de resistance was a 21-day A5 Miyazaki steak (S$118). This premium grade of Wagyu ribeye is already a thing of beauty before it touches your tongue — and its melting striations of fat can make grown men weep. This steak benefits from Emporium Shokuhin having its own beef dry-ageing facility. After 21 days, the beef’s flavours are concentrated and the meat, tender.

Paired with a pinch of sea salt, freshly grated wasabi and yuzu kosho (a fermented paste of yuzu peel, chilli peppers and salt), the steak tastes almost like blocks of butter — and yet the taste of the beef isn’t overwhelmed by the taste of fat.

If a steak isn’t your thing, there is also the option of beef brisket (A5 Gyu Nikumi) braised in sweet soya sauce (S$24) or an A5 Miyazaki alternative served over Inaniwa udon (S$38).

If, after all that, you think you can’t handle any more creaminess, you’d be wrong. The deceptively simple-sounding genmaicha ice cream (S$6) proved to be quite possibly our favourite course. The homemade toasted brown rice tea ice cream is served in three small blocks that have been sprinkled with sugar and lightly torched on top. It’s lightly sweet but deeply fragrant. The best part is the texture of the ice cream: Dense, chewy and lingering in your mouth for just that split second longer before melting deliciously down your throat.

Takujo @ Emporium Shokuhin

Where: 6 Raffles Boulevard, #01-18, Marina Square (New Wing). Telephone: 6224 3433. Opening hours: Lunch, 11.30am to 3pm; dinner 6pm to 10pm (last order at 9.30pm) daily.

Click to eat: For more delish deals and news on what’s hot on the scene, download the 8 Days Eat App at http://www16.mediacorp.sg/8days/8daysapp2.html.