Bino

There seems to be great interest from chefs overseas to leave their imprints in Singapore. I am not just referring to those large franchises of well-known names. Even the independent ones are eager to set up an outlet here due to the strong foodie culture of the Lion City.

Recently, I got to try Sushi Zen which is located along the Keong Saik area, in Teck Lim Road to be precise. Sushi Zen is founded by Chef E Ran who has developed a loyal following over the years.

Sushi Zen is actually the offshoot of a popular sushi restaurant in Beijing which has the same name. In the 8-seater Singapore outlet, ingredients are sourced fresh from Toyosu Market, four times a week.

Sushi Zen offers both a lunch and dinner omakase. The lunch omakase starts from S$150 which comes with 10 pieces of sushi, miso soup and dessert while the higher-tier S$258 lunch omakase comes with additional appetizers. For dinner, one can order between the same S$258 omakase or higher-tier S$388 and S$588 which more premium sushi.

For this occasion, I tried the S$258 omakase which featured a combination of cooked items and sushi.

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I walked into Omakase @ Stevens on a midweek evening and was surprised to find the dining counters facing the chef’s area almost full. It is no secret that many omakase places have been hit hard by the runaway inflation of recent years, with many local diners opting for that omakase experience in Japan or elsewhere. Omakase @ Stevens seemed unperturbed by this and remains as well-received as ever.

The restaurant is helmed by Executive Chef Kazuki Arimoto who hails from Osaka and has 12 years of culinary experience. The menus in Omakase @ Stevens are defined by the seasons and at the time of my visit, they were offering their summer menu. This is served in 6 or 8 courses, priced at S$280++ and S$333+ respectively. 

Check out my list of underrated omakase places here

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I did not know what to make of Kun when I first heard that this Sichuan omakase opened in Amoy Street in Singapore. This regional variety of Chinese cuisine is not by any means new here but its manifestations abound mostly in mala venues that the thought of it being offered as an omakase – a domain I typically relegate to Japanese cooking – seemed unusual at first. 

kun restaurant

Indeed, Kun’s dining space does make it seem Japanese at first glance. Entering the Amoy street shophouse that accommodates it, I was transported into a sense of zen. The wooden sliding doors, counter seating with the chef preparing dishes in front of diners and smartly-dressed staff members waiting on us all serve to remind that this is very much an omakase venue. 

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Nine years may seem like an eternity in Singapore’s dining scene and that’s exactly how old Michelin-starred Cure Restaurant is turning this year. In celebration of this milestone, Cure is proud to present a limited-time-only anniversary menu running from 11^th June to 31^st July 2024.

Called Cure’s Past & Present, the menu features specialty courses created by the hands of nine past-and present chefs of Cure. Each dish commemorates every year of Cure’s existence. More specifically, the menu consists of dishes of three present Cure chefs complemented by six past chefs who have gone on to carve names for themselves in the culinary scene of Singapore through their own popular restaurants. I think the mere fact that they are willing to contribute to this collaboration shows that they had a fruitful time during their stints at Cure. 

For Cure’s 9^th anniversary menu, the chefs include Chef-Owner Andrew Walsh, Chef Gary Wong and Chef Aiken Low. Complementing them are Chef Stefan Liau from Hevel, Chef Ryan Newman from Le Bon Funk, Chef Maksym Chukanov from Qīn, Chef Kevin Wong from Seroja, Chef Melvin Chou from Terra and Chef Lewis Barker from Sommer.

All nine names come together for a specialty menu as an ode to Cure for its milestone ninth anniversary as well as a celebration of their own achievements after their stints at Cure. Terra, Seroja and Sommer have gone on to obtain one Michelin stars of their own. This specialty menu is a showcase of the best of the best of Cure, past and present, promising the utmost experience synonymous with the brand from food, ingredients, recipes, service, technique and know-how of the brand.

9 Chefs for the 9^th Anniversary of Cure

Diners can choose from a three, five or nine full-experience course to your preference. They are priced at $188 for three courses, $218 for five courses or $238 for 9 courses.

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My first encounter with Chef Maksym Chukanov or Max, who now helms QIN Restaurant & Bar at The Clan Hotel, was during the pandemic when he was brought in to Ce La Vi. That stint was quite a tall order. Coming from Cure, which earned a Michelin star while he was helming the kitchen, the guys from MBS wanted to replicate some of that same magic and turn Ce La Vi into a dining destination at a time when tourists coming for drinks at the rooftop bar were few and far between. 

Having also been to QIN prior to this transformation and seeing how the current concept differs so much from the usual style of Tung Lok Group,  it is perhaps safe to say that the same magic is being sought with Chef Max’s tenure here. In QIN, he is joined by Chef Karleen Kasim who came from Caviar, Naeum and also Cure. 

Visiting QIN after a long absence, I noted how the little change in the restaurant’s already remarkable interiors actually belied the total overhaul in the food menu. QIN now mostly serves set menus, both for lunch (which starts at S$58++) and dinner (starting from S$148++). They also have a lounge menu for the bar upstairs and the alfresco space that they are developing as of this writing.

During my visit to QIN, I tried their 6-course dinner menu which goes for S$198++. While a 6-course may seem relatively moderate to some, many of the courses actually come in ensembles of 2, 3 or even 4 items so there’s no doubt that the degustation menu is filling. 

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Opened in 2022, Sushi Hare is a cozy omakase restaurant in Stanley Street. I have always had a sweet spot for this relatively short and seemingly forgotten road. Sandwiched in between 2 well-known thoroughfares, Stanley Street is a treasure trove of restaurants such as Restaurant Gaig, Miznon and Common Man Coffee Roasters as well as charming shophouses – seemingly a world away from Singapore’s CBD which is only 1 block away. 

Sushi Hare has a mere 10-seat capacity but entering it, one is immediately transported to a seemingly serene world. This world is marked by motifs dealing with the concept of light, such as the luminous sun disc by the entrance and sheets of cypress and glass veneers from the ceiling. 

Sushi Hare is unique in the sense that it is the only Japanese restaurant in Singapore helmed by a Tawanese chef. Chef Angus Chang is the chef-owner of Sushi Hare and he brings with him years of experience in omakase settings. He was previously at Mizuki prior to setting up Sushi Hare. 

Sushi Hare offers lunch at S$250 per person while dinner ranges from the S$380 ao menu to the S$500 hare menu. During my visit to Sushi Hare, I tried their ao menu which consists of 19 courses. 

The service at Sushi Hare is subtle but effective. I could tell that the staff members were conscientiously checking on me – constantly changing my cutleries and plates and making sure my cup was filled with water at all times.  

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