Smart-casual Japanese dining in Wakuda's luxe surroundings

NEW RESTAURANT

Wakuda Lobby Level, Marina Bay Sands Bayfront Avenue, Tower 2 Singapore 018972

Tel: 6688-9992 Open for dinner Tues to Sun: 5 pm to 12 am

WORDS like "affordable" and "Tetsuya Wakuda" never used to be best buddies in vocabulary class. At least until he of the S$550 a pop omakase at Waku Ghin introduced democratic dining at his bar — breaking down the menu into financially digestible a la carte plates, adding some of his favourite comfort food for good measure. 

Now, the veteran chef has taken that a step further with a Wakuda for the masses — his name lit up like a beacon to draw the not-so-poor and hungry to his chapel of equal opportunity cooking in the lobby of Marina Bay Sands. 

Don’t forget though, that he is also not one for half measures. He may say casual restaurant, but we say izakaya-meets-fairy-godchef-and-wow. If Wakuda is his idea of mainstream eating, we can’t wait to see him open a food court. 

Chalk it up to his recent partnership with American F&B group 50 Eggs and their plans to open in Las Vegas Sands, but Wakuda is even more opulent than the already spiffy refurbished Waku Ghin. Mainly because the luxury of the flagship is enjoyed in a discreet labyrinth — here at Wakuda, it’s splayed out in full-frontal glory for instant gratification.

And it’s really quite stunning. Even if you don’t like renovation contractors, we have to admit they’ve outdone themselves in turning Tetsuya Wakuda’s vision into a classy, solid-wood-everywhere, art-installation-above, mood-lit haven of Japanese cool. There’s even a bright pink (fake) maple tree in an outdoor garden as a nod to Tetsuya’s Sydney, which can double as cherry blossoms for the Sakura-starved. 

In contrast, the menu is uncomplicated casual to luxe fare, ranging from S$18 fried shishito peppers or grilled chicken, to S$88 Kagoshima wagyu. Lending gravitas to the food are head chefs Sufian Zain and Suzuki Masaya — specifically deployed from the flagship so yes, a lot of eggs are in this basket. 

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The fundamentals of Tetsuya Wakuda’s cuisine remain the same — good food, drinks and beautiful surroundings. The bar itself sits at the centre of the action, in its own back-lit alcove with the familiar shake and rattle that precedes the immaculate cocktails appearing on your table. 

The menu is much larger than the curated list at Waku Ghin’s bar so it’s a bit of a raffle, with some things you may like better than others. But you can’t quibble with the quality of ingredients which is the foundation of Wakuda’s - the chef - cuisine.  Don’t mess with them, manipulate them a little to best effect, and eat.

So we do. The shisito peppers are simple yet addictive, airy and plump green chillis fried and dusted with chilli and bonito flakes for a nose-tingling bite. Fresh yuba (S$31) from the chef’s favourite traditional shop in Kyoto make the one-way trip into a clear parfait glass – smooth, slippery and delicate beancurd sheets bathed in a slightly sweet soy sauce and topped with super-fresh Hokkaido uni and a dollop of mountain caviar. Note how they resist amping it up with real caviar just to double the price as many others would do.

Canadian lobster (S$63) is a splurge but a fair one for the buff specimen we get, and enough for two to share. Barely blanched medallions still rare in the middle and slugger-sized claws get a quick soak in citrus juices, then another in a shellfish reduction for a briny, citrusy and juicy bite.

Cold soba from Nagano (S$68) dressed in minced truffle oil and chives isn’t as chewy as we’d like but it’s still a worthy partner to its garnish of botan ebi, caviar, julienned raw mushrooms and leeks.  It’s a luxed-up noodle salad but with a spot-on, clean transition of flavours and textures on the palate.

The sushi, oddly, doesn’t leave an impression even if the tuna – akami (S$11 per piece), chutoro (S$16) and otoro (S$28) pass muster. An awkward squishing of sticky, lumpy rice is done by rote rather than hand feel, so maybe we’ll wait for the sushi omakase room to open later down the line. It’s ok for what it is, just not our thing.

We’ll go with the Carabinero prawn (S$38) instead – a lush, butterflied crustacean lightly roasted and its juices seeping into the mound of risotto infused with seafood broth and a hint of miso. 

Tempura (S$45) is a decent filler if predictable, as is the char-grilled Kagoshima wagyu (S$88) although the lovingly roasted mushroom, shishito pepper and melting soft garlic it’s served with are the real stars.

For dessert, check out the miso soft serve ice cream (S$10) which is a little heavy on the coconut base with a lingering savouriness, but the velvety, almost chewy texture is a dream. Makes you want to visit Mcdonald’s and tell its soft serve to have more ambition in life.

Matcha fiends will find joy in the green tea and adzuki bean terrine (S$25). It’s got a rich ganache-like texture that’s too sweet with the red beans, caramel syrup and vanilla ice cream – it’s too literal a translation for us, but we can see where it’s going. If you prefer no surprises, the old favourites from Platine are ready and waiting.

If anything, we can foresee challenges in maintaining high standards in a restaurant this size, amid a bigger manpower crunch. When we’re there, we see quite a few manager-types taking the lead in service with some young servers in tow – it’s a mostly smooth operation when we’re there, but hiccups there are likely to be in the longer term. 

But if this smart-casual eatery with a serving of Vegas dazzle plays its cards right, Wakuda may just have a winner in his hands.

Rating: 7.5

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.