Akanoya Robatayaki – Hakken Omakase [MEDIA INVITE]

Akanoya Robatayaki is a Japanese bincho grill restaurant by the Akashi Group showcasing the revered robatayaki tradition. The robatayaki counter takes centre stage once you enter Akanoya, displaying the latest seasonal ingredients sourced by Akashi Group Japan-based team. The freshest ingredients are to be flown in to Singapore two into three times weekly.

The Marketplace / Fresh Ingredients

Customers can decide if they want an ala carte option by choosing the freshest ingredients on display or allowing the chef to curate their menu for Lunch set or Seasonal Omakase dinner menu. We are here to try Akanoya’s latest Omakase and Tea Pairing Menu Hakken [$168++; *Tea Pairing $38++].

Hakken Menu

The tasting started with Otoshi (Compulsory Appetizer) – Roasted Pumpkin and salad. The pumpkin is soft, sweet, smoky and complimented by creamy crab egg. The crispy Sakura ebi and crunchy pickles add a nice contrasting texture to the dish.

Otoshi - Roasted Pumpkin & Salad

Agemono (Deep-Fried) - Crab Croquette, Liver Sauce, Ikura. I like the crispy exterior of the crab croquette, followed by smooth and creamy fillings. The crab egg and liver sauce add a different taste and level of creaminess, while the bursting ikura introduces umami to this dish.

Agemono (Deep-Fried) -
Crab Croquette, Liver Sauce, Ikura

The 1st drink of this tea pairing is Ginger & Passion fruit. Lemon ginger tea, passion fruit and soda. The strong ginger taste helps to balance the strong flavour of the liver sauce.

Ginger & Passion Fruit

Bread – Milk Toast with Seafood Butter. Soft, pillowy and milky flavour bread provides a nice canvas to dip the strong and bold flavours of the seafood butter. This combination is so heavenly matched, and I wish I could have more.

Bread – Milk Toast with Seafood Butter

Nimono (Simmered Dish) - Meat and Potatoes. Consists of Chicken, truffle, mashed potato and braised potato. A comforting dish, as the succulent chicken paired well with two different textures of potatoes and truffle. 

Nimono (Simmered Dish) - Meat and Potatoes

Osuimono (Clear Soup) – Shell Fish Soup. This clear-looking broth is not as simple as it looks. Made with dry-aged fish bone, it infused complex and smoky flavour from the first slurp. The Fish Milt, prawn and mushroom, infused natural seafood sweetness to the broth.

Osuimono (Clear Soup) – Shell Fish Soup. 

Kushi (skewer) – Grilled Chicken, Grilled Wagyu, Grilled Pork Belly. For this dish, the robatayaki chef passed us the plate using the paddle, just like the old days when fishermen passed the food. There are three dipping sauces on the plate, yuzu mayo, black miso garlic and yuzu kosho.

Chef with the Paddle

Kushi (Skewers)

The Omi Wagyu brisket is amazing. The marbling and meat ratio is spot on, with a touch of caramelisation, the brisket just slowly melts in my mouth.

Omi Wagyu Brisket

The chicken is crisp and succulent. The meat is very tender covered with a lovely charred externally. Any of the dipping sauces will go well with the chicken.

Chicken Skewer

The pork belly is a bit dry, however, this also intensifies the flavour. I had mine with yuzu kosho and black miso garlic dip, as the pork belly is better with stronger dips.

Pork Belly

The 2nd drink of this tea pairing is Sudachi Lime, Bergamot. The tea base is Lady Grey which is a black tea with a touch of orange flavour tea. Once you add a dash of the Sudachi lime, the sweet and zesty flavour increases and helps to balance the “jelakness” from the kushi.

Sudachi Lime, Bergamot

Yasai (Stir-Fried Vegetables) – Asparagus, Green Pepper, Onion. Fresh and crunchy while allowing the original flavours of the vegetables to shine. The miso onion sauce adds a subtle earthy and sweet taste to the vegetables.

Yasai (Stir-Fried Vegetables) – Asparagus, Green Pepper, Onion

Sakana (Fish) – Braised Sea Bream. Firm, sweet and flavourful. I like the crunchy texture of the burdock, but the creamy fish liver is an absolute delight.

Sakana (Fish) – Braised Sea Bream

The 3rd drink of this tea pairing is Black Pepper, Darjeeling. Served hot, the warmth from Sarawak black pepper infused nicely with the Darjeeling tea. Warm and comforting, suitable for the next solid dishes.

Black Pepper, Darjeeling

Nikku (Meat) – Omi Gyu Beef Cheek, Leek, Mido. A lovely braised dish. The melt-in-your-mouth beef cheek is served on the bed of mashed potato. The braising sauce is sweet and robust, topped with the mini greens and fried garlic providing a crisp and crunchy texture.

Nikku (Meat) – Omi Gyu Beef Cheek, Leek, Mido

Donabe (Claypot) – Sakura Ebi, Butter, Rice. Lovely flavoured rice mixed with Sakura ebi, ikura and sliced abalone. As the rice is cooked in the claypot, some parts are crispy with a bit of charred flavour. Yummy!!

Donabe (Claypot) – Sakura Ebi, Butter, Rice

At this point, I am very full and ready to be rolled out of the door. However, for those who might need additional serving to reach the satisfaction point, you can order the Somen. Dashi base broth, somen and spring onion. The clear broth is umami-laden and the somen is smooth, silky and with a touch of al-dente. A comforting end to the meal.

Somen

The final drink of this tea pairing is Mujicha (Mugicha) Soda. Roasted barley tea with soda.

Mujicha (Mugicha) Soda

Dessert is Warabi Mochi – Chestnut Mochi, Brown Sugar, Sesame Ice Cream. Foamy, slightly chewy with a nice brown sugar. A nice ending to the meal.

Warabi Mochi

Located at Orchard Rendezvous Hotel, Akanoya is a bit far from the heart of the shopping area of Orchard Road. Even drivers, will not notice as it is near the bent of the road where we have to concentrate on our driving, instead of admiring the view. Once you pass St Regis, look to your right, and you can see the grand Japanese structure of Akanoya.

Akanoya

When you enter the restaurant, you will be welcomed by the robatayaki counter with seats. This is probably the best seat in the house for foodies like us as we can see the chefs in action and engage with them. On the right, there is a holding room / bar, catering for drinks while you wait for your seat or nightcap. On the left, there are seating area for a more private and intimate setting.

Robatayaki Counter

The Bar

Overall, it was an exquisite robatayaki experience. The serving of the Hakken Omakase Menu is very generous, filled with great ingredients and the tea pairing flows with the meal nicely. For someone looking or enjoy a robatayaki experience, you must consider Akanoya Robatayaki. Kanpai!! Cheers!!

Thank you very much Kristine, Chef Brandon, William and Akanoya Team for hosting us.

Food & Drink: 9.25/10

Value: 8.5/10

Service: N/A (Media Invite)

Ambiance: 8.5/10

Budget per Person: $81 & Above

Akanoya Robatayaki

1 Tanglin Road

#01-01 Orchard Rendezvous Hotel

Singapore 247905

T: +65 6732 1866

W: https://www.akanoya.com.sg/

F: https://www.facebook.com/akanoya/

IG: @Akanoyarobatayaki

OH:

Daily 12.00 – 14.30; 17.30 – 01.30

One Prawn & Co’s – 12 Course Seafood Grill Dinner [Media Invite]

Fresh from earning a spot in Michelin Guide 2022 Bib Gourmand, Executive Chef / Owner Gwyneth Ang and her team are proud to present to you dinner service at One Prawn & Co’s (‘OPC’). Serving 12-course Seafood Grill.

Combining her 10+ years of culinary experience in established restaurants Burnt Ends, Tong Le Private Dining and Forlino, with quality seafood ingredients sourced from different parts of the world. OPC is now ready for its sophisticated evening culinary delights.

The Ingredients

For those who have been to OPC for their prawn noodles, the evening experience is just different. While you can’t change the décor, you can definitely set the atmosphere. From the onset, you will be welcome by the service crew dressed in long sleeves black shirts, black pants and black mask. Once seated, you will be presented with the menu and cold towel as well. To spice up the mood, you will be serenaded by chill music from the BOSE speakers throughout the evening.

One of the Service Crew

The 12-course dinner is priced at $128++, you can choose to top up $30++ for free-flow house pour sake or go for ala carte’s seasonal sake pairing and other drinks. As the team is committed to presenting the best of each course to customers, limited slots are available and all dine-ins will be strictly by reservations only.

OPC 12-Course Seafood Grill Dinner Menu

House Pour Sake

Dinner started with Amaebi - Sweet Shrimp, Avocado, Tomato, Rice Flower. A crunchy sweet shrimp, toss with tangy avocado and tomato mix sitting on light and crispy rice crackers. A nice appetizer to open up the palate.

Amaebi

Amaebi

To accompany our meal, LD chooses the free flow house pour sake and I choose sparkling juice yuzu. LD says the sake helps to bring out the natural sweetness of the seafood.

House Pour Sake

Sparkling Juice Yuzu

The next four dishes are served together. Hyogo Oyster - Fresh Oyster, Mignonette Granita; Amberjack - Cured Amberjack, Soy, Seaweed; White Shrimp - Poached Shrimp, Coconut, Garam Masala; & Soft-Shell Crab - Tempura Soft Shell Crab, Kicap Manis, Baby Gem.

Hyogo Oyster, Amberjack, White Shrimp & Soft-Shell Crab

The Hyogo oyster is big, plump, juicy and naturally sweet, we almost can not taste the granita in the oysters. The amberjack is thickly sliced, and cured with a lovely smoky flavour, soy and seaweed. It was delicious.

Hyogo Oyster

Amberjack

White shrimp has a familiar taste that is close to home. The poached shrimp is coated with coconut cream. Although the menu says garam masala, I feel it tasted closer to rendang spices. The softshell crab has a crispy exterior and juicy flesh. It is sitting on sambal sauce and lettuce. We eat it like a crab wrap. We think it can do with a bit more kick / spiciness on the sauce.

White Shrimp

Soft-Shell Crab

Soft-Shell Crab

Maitake Mushroom - Grilled Maitake Mushroom, Burnt Barley Risotto, Chicken Jus. The team at OPC start to flex their creative muscles. The grilled mushroom on top is light and crisp. While the barley risotto is plump, smoky and when you bite the barley, the chicken jus just burst. A lovely mushroom umami overload.

Maitake Mushroom

Maitake Mushroom

Squid - Squid Noodles, Salsa Verde, Black Olives. We can’t believe that it is squid as it looks like some kind of thick noodle. The squid noodle is chewy with a strong fishy flavour. The jalapeno in salsa verde sauce brings out a nice heat to the dish while the herbs blend well with the squid, together with smoky black olives sprinkle.

Squid

Squid

King Scallop - Scottish King Scallop, XO Chilli Jam. When this dish was served to us, we can still see the sauce in its boiling state. The scallop is huge and juicy, while the XO chilli jam provided a multi-layer spicy flavour, like sambal instead of just a blow of spiciness. Nicely done.

King Scallop

King Scallop

King Scallop - Bite Size

Onglet - Hanging Tender Steak, Sunchoke Cream, Chives. The onglet has a nice sear externally and grill to the point of rare as the centre of the steak is reddish pink. It is meaty and tender with a bit of chewiness in it. The sunchoke cream is sweet, creamy and can easily be mistaken for cauliflower cream. Together with the gravy, it paired well with the steak.

Onglet

Onglet

Turbot - Grilled Turbot, Garlic Brown Butter, Capers, Pickled Papaya. I was surprised that turbot is on the menu as it is known to be a very expensive fish. Although we did not get the whole fish, it is easily one-third of the fish. It is grilled to perfection with a nice charred on the edges of the fish. We enjoy the fattiness of the flesh, infused with a smoky aroma and coated with brown butter capers. Though the capers are generously slathered on top of the fish, it was not sourish at all. The Asian touch of pickled papaya provided a subtle crunchy texture and balance the dish nicely. It is so so good; we clean up the fish to bare bones.

Turbot

Turbot

For the finale, Abalone Poached Rice - Baby Abalone, Signature Prawn Bisque, Egg Floss served in the Signature Claypot. This prawn bisque pao fan is a perfect end to the email. It tasted robust, loaded with umami and so comforting. The abalones are tasty, with a delicate chewy and crunchy texture. Although we were full, we did not waste a drop of the bisque. Yummy!!

Abalone Poached Rice

Abalone Poached Rice

Egg Floss & Crispy Rice

Abalone Poached Rice

Dessert is Seasonal Fruits - Specially curated from the local marketplace. Well, we had a bit of surprise this time, it was Japanese musk melon, strawberry and orange. The petite portion is just enough to cleanse the palate and leave you with sweet memories.

Seasonal Fruits

When we thought the dinner service is finished, the team surprise us with Burnt Ice Cream. A mini chocolate chip ice cream, infused with a smoky flavour. I must say, Chef Gwyneth sure enjoys playing with fire, OPC dinner service is her version of “Asador”.

Surprise!! Burnt Ice Cream

CBK Verdict: It was a lovely omakase treat by Executive Chef Gwyneth Ang and her team. The dishes are creative, superb and delicious. The portion is very generous, we heard some diners waiving the white flag during the fish dish. Although you can’t change much about the space, the team put in a lot of effort to change the atmosphere. For the amount OPC is charging, it is a steal. A must-visit. Cheers!!

One Prawn & Co’s – 12-Course Seafood Grill Dinner

Where: 458 Macpherson Road, Singapore 368176.

When: Tue – Sun, 18.00 – 23.00

Price: $128++ per pax / $158++ with free-flow Sake

Note: Dinner Service is by Reservation Only

Drink Menu - Alcoholic

Drink Menu - Non Alcoholic

Thank you very much Protegie, Chef Gwyneth and OPC Team for hosting us.

Food & Drink: 9/10

Value: 8.75/10

Service: N/A (Tasting Invitation)

Ambiance: 7.5/10

Budget per Person: $81 & Above

One Prawn & Co by Red Marble

458 Macpherson Road

Singapore 368176

T: +65 9639 8668

W: https://www.oneprawnandco.com/

F: https://www.facebook.com/oneprawnnco

IG: @Oneprawnnco

OH:

Lunch, Tue – Sun: 11.00 – 17.00

Dinner, Tue – Sun: 18.00 – 23.00

Closed on Monday