Meat and drink in new hotspots in town

RESTAURATEURS must be the world's biggest optimists. Despite F&B being among the riskiest of businesses to be in, it doesn't seem to affect the appetite of those who continue to create new ways for us to eat and drink. So, as you gather your vaccinated brethren for a night out of wining and dining, at least you know that you'll never run out of choices, pandemic or not.

Wagyu Jin

If you're used to knowing your wagyu by its marbling or type of cut, there's now a better way for you learn more about your beef before you eat it. Wagyu Jin - the Les Amis Group's newest eatery in Shaw Centre - is an intimate 16-seater that serves A5-only wagyu by prefecture, so if you want to expand your vocabulary and palate beyond Kagoshima, this is one place to do it.

Incidentally, there's no Kagoshima wagyu served here. Instead, you'll get to taste the intrinsic differences in beef from prefectures such as Shiga, where the acclaimed Omi gyu comes from; Gifu, the home of Hida beef; and Miyazaki, Iwate and Yamagata.

While beef from each prefecture has its own unique characteristics based on the weather, breeding regulations and what the animals are fed (and maybe how they're massaged), quality also differs from farm to farm. For example, you may get a chef in Singapore waxing lyrical about serving Omi beef but it doesn't mean it's the same quality as what you might get in a niche restaurant in Tokyo.

Neither does paying top dollar for a piece of Matsuzaka from Mitsukoshi supermarket in Tokyo guarantee it's really premium quality because you don't know which farm that cow came from, nor its authenticity.

You get a little closer to the source of your meal at Wagyu Jin because "we source our beef from artisanal and less accessible breeders", says executive chef Saito Makoto, who also manages the kitchen of sister restaurant Jinjo, located across from Wagyu Jin. The latter takes over the space vacated by the pastry shop Tarte, which has moved to bigger premises on the same floor at Shaw Centre.

The omakase-only restaurant serves multi-course kaiseki-style meals at S$118 for lunch and S$238 to S$318 for dinner, featuring the different wagyu varieties prepared in a variety of methods from yakiniku to sushi and sukiyaki, interspersed with seafood courses.

But the real coup for Wagyu Jin is that it's the only restaurant in Singapore to get its hands on Yonezawa beef from Yamagata prefecture, which is hard to find outside of Yamagata, much less here.

In Japan, "sandai wagyu" refers to the "three big wagyu" - of which the first two are Kobe and Matsusaka. But the third wagyu depends on which part of the country you're referring to.

In the Kansai region in western Honshu, it would be Omi from Shiga prefecture. But in the Tohoku region in the north, Yonezawa rounds up the top three. Much harder to find than Omi, and for us much more satisfying, Yonezawa gyu has a delicate but distinct beefiness that sets it apart from the more-fat-than-flavour of most A5 wagyu.

The meat comes only from heifers which are 32 months old instead of the usual 28 to 30 months, and are raised in the mountainous southern Yamagata where temperatures can vary by more than 20 deg C in the same day.

The extremes of temperature allow the fat to permeate the meat for beautiful shimofuri or marbling, and of course, the flavour. Only beef that meets rigorous standards is awarded a Yonezawa Gyu certificate with the Japan Geographical Indication (GI) mark, which is similar to the DOC label for wine.

"Our Yonezawa beef comes from one specific breeder in Okitama in Yamagata, who is certified by the Yonezawa Brand Promotion Council with a registered barn," says chef Makoto, who is planning a special Yonezawa-only omakase as well.

The beef from the other prefectures also have their merits, with Miyazaki known for giving Kobe and Matsusaka a run for their money, and Iwate beef being from Japanese shorthorn cattle which is leaner, with a good beefiness yet still super tender. But for wagyu geeks looking for something new, Yonezawa sets the bar a little higher.

Wagyu Jin, #02-12 Shaw Centre,1 Scotts Road. Tel: 8940-0741

Kakure

The Japanese take their omotenashi, aka hospitality, seriously and it's a concept that Kakure takes to heart as a quintessential cocktail bar above the restaurant Ki-Sho in Scotts Road. The colonial black-and-white bungalow with its away-from-it-all ambience is a fitting stage for Kazuhiro Chii, who spent the last 10 years shaking and stirring cocktails at Waku Ghin and now extends that same savour faire in Kakure.

Currently in soft-opening stage, this boutique bar (which also serves a Japanese menu curated by the same chefs from Ki-Sho) is not loud and buzzy but a place for contemplation and quiet conversation where Chii-san is both bartender and confidante. He takes his cue from similar bars in Tokyo - intimate hideaways where discretion is key and the drinks made to perfection.

The Yokohama native worked for 10 years in Chrysler Ocean Bar in his hometown - a historic circa 1950s establishment - and was also at the Hotel Okura Orchid Bar in Tokyo before coming to Singapore to manage Bar 84 at the now-defunct Gallery Hotel, one of the first Japanese bars in town. He was part of the opening team at Waku Ghin in 2011, where he was tasked to create its bar programme from scratch.

He's now doing the same at Kakure, where the devil is in the details, from the choice of glassware to cocktail-shaking techniques and even the shape of the ice in your drink.

There is a wide range of sake, wine and beer but the show starts when you order a cocktail - be it an old-fashioned Manhattan or Martini, or an original creation with names like Black Storm Highball with black whisky, soda and black pepper, or a Yamaoroshi with wasabi gin, wasabi and cacao liqueur.

Menu-wise, there's a comprehensive bar menu featuring snacks, small and large bites from sashimi to truffle chawanmushi and beef curry rice.

A full renovation is slated for end- September or early October, but until then, you can savour a taste of Chii-san's omotenashi and get into a Tokyo state of mind while you're at it.

Kakure, 29 Scotts Road, Level 2. Open Mon to Sat for two seatings from 5pm to 8pm, and 8.15pm to 10.30pm. For reservations, WhatsApp 90616109. Limited seats only.

Griglia Open Fire Italian Kitchen (opening end-August)

Craig Road welcomes a new Italian eatery by the same group behind Zafferano in Collyer Quay. Inspired by the grigliata or Italian summer grill, Griglia emphasises seasonal ingredients with minimal intervention - simply cooked over charcoal with olive oil, herbs and lemon juice. The star equipment here is a customised Grillvett cast iron charcoal grill, while menu-wise, expect a range of antipasti, pastas and meats with highlights such as spaghetti with seawater-marinated Datterini tomatoes and La Fiorentina 20 days dry aged Angus beef T-Bone.

For more details, go to griglia.sg

Bedrock Origin (opening Sept 1)

For fans of Bedrock Bar & Grill, check out the opening of Bedrock Origin at the new Oasia Resort in Sentosa, which promises to be more than just a steakhouse. It takes its cue from its seaside locale, with a menu that includes seafood and dry-aged meat including fish.

Think whole roasted turbot (2-3kg) and barramundi (3.5-4 kg), not to mention an entire repertoire of steaks from Tankaku wagyu striploin to bone-in tenderloin aged for 21 days, as well as the classic USDA Prime tomahawk steak.

For more details, go to bedrock.com.sg