Cocktails and omakase at Kakure

NEW RESTAURANT

The Bar Kakure 29 Scotts Road Singapore 228224 Tel: 9061 6109 Open from Mon to Sat: 5pm to 10.30pm

TAKE a bunch of Japanese chefs who are sort of in between jobs. Add a bartender who not only has a job, but also a bar, and he is in need of bar snacks. Now, bartender and said Japanese chefs are also neighbours - one upstairs, the others downstairs. Bartender says: "Since you chefs are pretty free now, how about you make me some tidbits I can serve with my cocktails? You know, otsumami like dried squid, edamame, sea cucumber innards - salty stuff like that?"

And the chefs go: "No way, we're fine-dining trained and omakase is our game, so take that or go boil your own soya beans."

And that's why you now have The Bar Kakure - the cocktail bar that doubles as a fine-dining Japanese restaurant that doubles as a bar. Whatever. But what you get is the best of both worlds: a discreet, quintessentially Japanese cocktail bar that serves a food menu as good as you would get in a top-end restaurant.

Kakure sits on the second floor of a black-and-white Scotts Road bungalow where Ki-Sho has always taken pride of place on street level. Except that Ki-Sho is now under extensive renovation, preparing for its reopening in the first quarter of next year with a new head chef (after Kazu Hamamoto left to start his own place). But the original kitchen team is still in place, so if you're a fan, you'll be able to get your fix at Kakure - at comparatively lower prices than the omakase you used to pay for downstairs.

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But first, the bar, which is an attraction in itself with its members' club-like feel. You go up the stairs and key in a code on an understated white door, and it opens up into a moody-lit narrow room with a polished wooden counter. An array of bottles are lined up against a window that opens out to the greenery of the bungalow's driveway and along the main road.

Helming the bar is Kazuhiro Chii - the personification of Japanese cocktail etiquette and culture from his measured demeanour right down to the quietly precise manner in which he mixes, shakes and pours.

To set the mood, he blends fresh Tochigi strawberries with champagne for some sweet fizz (or with ginger ale if you prefer a mocktail) that goes surprisingly well with char-grilled ehire or dried stingray fin (S$16) that's smoky, chewy and slightly salty, dipped in Japanese mayo and quite addictive.

The food menu is a series of substantial dishes rather than snacks, from a luxury chirashi don (S$90) to a hearty wagyu curry rice (S$48). There's a mini omakase (S$128) that's good value considering the quality - get this as a taste of what's to come when the real Ki-Sho opens.

There's a refreshing starter of chopped fatty tuna and cured egg yolk on dashi jelly, topped with ikura and some rice crispies for a brief crunchy effect.

A small cup of chawanmushi follows - slippery smooth steamed egg custard packed with chunks of scallops and mushrooms. It beats the ho-hum sweet miso marinated cod that's charred and paired with lotus roots and green chillies - we don't know how miso cod ever became a thing, but if cliches had a taste this would be it.

We're much happier with the thin slice of very rare toriyama wagyu that you fold over a tiny mound of uni and shavings of black truffle - it's a mouthful of umami that hits the spot. It's not a lot of food, but to fill you up there's a decent sized bowl of chirashi sushi that's more than acceptable.

There are good things on the a la carte menu too. While the chirashi don passes muster, it's the curry rice that's a better bet with its comforting hot rice smothered with spicy gravy and an onsen egg that makes everything better.

In between, bartender Chii-san more than holds his own with concoctions such as Black Storm Highball (S$28), where charcoal-infused whisky meets soda and black pepper to achieve monochrome bliss. He even expands wasabi's career path beyond sushi condiment to star cocktail with Yamaoroshi (S$28) - where wasabi gin, cacao liqueur, cream and wasabi itself come together like a sweet-spicy alcoholic milkshake.

Sip and nibble on the very good unagi burger (S$40) - a pair of broiled glazed eel on sushi rice wrapped in nori. If your budget allows, splurge on grilled bluefin tuna cheek (S$80 for half, S$150 for the whole jaw) which is like eating the fish version of A5 wagyu. As it's super oily, there isn't a dry flake at all - just rich gelatinous, smooth meaty chunks. And if the miso cod doesn't sway you, the deep-fried amadei (S$35), with crispy scales that stay crunchy even in a thickened dashi broth, will.

Finish off with a scoop of truffle ice cream which tastes of the real thing, or an espresso martini (S$28) instead of an after-dinner cappuccino. As the caffeine kicks in, you'll have energy to ponder: did you just have dinner with drinks or drinks with dinner? Whichever way you look at it, Kakure has you covered.

Rating: 7

WHAT OUR RATINGS MEAN

10: The ultimate dining experience 9-9.5: Sublime 8-8.5: Excellent 7-7.5: Good to very good 6-6.5: Promising 5-5.5: Average

Our review policy: The Business Times pays for all meals at restaurants reviewed on this page. Unless specified, the writer does not accept hosted meals prior to the review's publication.