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2014-04-13
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Having previously enjoyed dinner here a few times, I decided to visit during lunch. Options-wise, there are actually more available in the afternoon given the provision of lunch sets together with the dinner a la carte menu (with the exception of one or two "hot pot" dishes), but quality wise … there was quite an obvious difference.To be fair, I visited quite awhile ago, so I'm not sure if the difference can be entirely attributed to the meal period or just the restaurant's current quality.We or
To be fair, I visited quite awhile ago, so I'm not sure if the difference can be entirely attributed to the meal period or just the restaurant's current quality.
We ordered the following dishes:
Homemade Tofu in Bamboo Basket ($42): this was served in a bamboo basket together with a piece of filter paper, perhaps to reflect its "homemade" nature. Whilst the tofu was smooth, there unfortunately was not much soybean flavour. The condiments of soya sauce, bonito flakes and spring onion were much needed accompaniments.
Genmai Rice Boiled in Rice Kettle with Nanbu Chicken ($88): a dish which really impressed me when I visited before was the plain version of this rice, served with grated yam rather than chicken. The rice continued to impress - it was moist and flavourful (like it had been cooked in dashi stock), and the brown rice also added a nutty, chewy element to the mix. The chicken was unfortunately a bit dry and a little on the salty side.
Grilled Okinawa Pork (Middle) ($168): one of the more enjoyable dishes of the meal, the pork was a good balance of lean meat and fat, and well grilled such that it was still succulent and juicy. The mix of onion and oil on the side was also a nice addition.
Japanese Style Stewed Beef Tendon ($78): this was definitely a disappointment. Although the marinade was well seasoned, the beef was very overcooked, tough and had failed to absorb any of the marinade.
Gratinated Japanese Yam ($58): as I had previously enjoyed the grated yam served with the genmai rice, I decided to give this a shot. This consisted of a thin layer of yam puree, baked with cheese and served with a raw egg yolk. The flavour of the yam was quite distinct, and not overpowered by the cheese. All in all, I found this an interesting dish to try, but I'm not sure if I'd order it again.
Sauteed Vegetables with Sakura Shrimp and Chicken ($78): this was another unfortunate choice. The vegetables were evidently old and tough as a result. This was a shame given the sauce was quite well flavoured and the chicken was also tender.
I'm hoping the discrepancy in experiences boils down just to us visiting during lunch, and not a general decline in the quality of the restaurant -- but I'm not sure if I'd want to visit again to find out.
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