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Returning with a bang
Patrons of the local fine dining scene were aghast at the sudden closure of Hashida Sushi Singapore last June, after five years of operating at Mandarin Gallery. However, it was not long before chef Kenjiro Hashida, better known by his nickname “Hatch”, reopened the restaurant at a much larger location on Mohamed Sultan Road in October. The new space spans two storeys, with a total of three dining areas on the first floor and a multipurpose dining hall upstairs. With the expanded venue, guests can now enjoy wines and sakes at a dedicated bar space at the entrance, together with a bar food menu, which is separate from the signature omakase dinner experience priced at $300 to $500++.
Our evening begins with a shot glass of “Jewel of Flowers HANA” Royal Blue Tea, served as an aperitif to rinse and prep the palate for a delicate assortment of bite-sized appetisers, artfully arranged on a platter decorated with crimson leaves before being individually portioned out before us. The autumnal theme is continued with a vibrant dish of what Hatch describes as Japanese fish cake “taking a bath” in a deluge of yellow and pink chrysanthemum petals, followed by a plate of assorted sashimi. Winter dawns upon us as octopus and oyster confit are collectively placed inside shells with white seafoam and spices. Initially showcased on glittering “snowballs” of salt surrounded by pebbles, acorns and pine leaves, the molluscs are later enjoyed together with a thick paste of shiso leaf and pine nuts.
25 Mohamed Sultan Road
Tel: 8428 8787
Young and hungry
Do not be fooled by the youthful appearance of Maggie Joan’s new chef, Seumas Smith. The 26-year-old has been thriving in the heat of the kitchen for about a decade now, having trained under some of the world’s most prominent chefs, including Lords of the Manor’s then-chef Matt Weedon. Smith now fronts the culinary team at Maggie Joan’s fresh from his head chef position at the restaurant’s sister establishment, Moosehead. He has taken the liberty to transform Maggie Joan’s Mediterranean-style lunch and dinner menus into distinctly modern European formats that celebrate Asia’s ingredients.
Crispy and colourful bites such as rice cracker, yuzu shichimi, dill and ikura as well as shiso tempura, taramasalata, nori and lime zest (both $3++ each) are as delightful to eat as they are to look at, delivering bursts of briny umami offset by their accompanying citrus notes. As if to encourage his diners to savour his work slowly, the Hokkaido Scallops, Miso Beurre Blanc, Dulce Seaweed and Sea Lettuce ($24) is sliced into bite-sized morsels to be individually enjoyed with the miso white wine butter sauce, which is elevated with a dollop of dark amber Kristal caviar.
Maggie Joan’s
110 Amoy Street, #01-01
Tel: 6221 5564
Discovering Basque
Even the well-travelled may not have heard of, or experienced, Basque Country — a relatively under-the-radar, autonomous community in northern Spain that boasts a distinctive culture, cuisine and even language of its own. Flying the ikurrina flag is chef Aitor Jeronimo Orive, who recently departed from the Michelin-starred Iggy’s and now runs Basque Kitchen by Aitor under the Unlisted Collection’s portfolio of restaurants. While Orive himself was born in Madrid, he is no stranger to Basque cuisine as his family hails from Basque Country, from which he draws inspiration to present a contemporary, more refined interpretation of typical Basque dishes available both à la carte and as part of lunch (from $45++), dinner (from $115++) and tasting menus.
One such homage to Basque cuisine is Porrusalda, a vegetable-based soup often cooked by the chef’s grandmother. Orive’s version is served deconstructed for visual effect: a clear, light leek consommé poured before the diner over a separate assortment of white onions, carrots and smoked leeks. Another iconic dish is Txuleta (pronounced as chu-let-a), which Orive says is essentially served at parties during festivals in Basque Country. This comes as a piping-hot bone-in Angus prime rib — tender, pink beef with its exterior charcoal-grilled to a crisp — with the jus, made from a 10- to 12-hour simmering process with carrots and red wine reduction, still bubbling as the dish is served.
The national colours of Basque prove a recurrent theme as well. Aside from the red, white and green accents found in the interiors of Basque Kitchen, these hues ingeniously find their way into Orive’s dishes as well — from a stark crimson espuma made of piquillo peppers as well as bright green peas that accompany the battered and fried fish in Black Grouper, to jamon ham croquettes served on top of white pebbles. Each bite-sized croquette is topped with red pepper aioli and a single leaf of coriander cress to complete the Basque palette.
Despite what the restaurant’s name might suggest, Orive’s creations are not entirely limited to Basque cuisine. In fact, flavours of his Oxtail Bomba Rice are heavily influenced by Japanese gyudon (beef rice bowl), one of his favourite dishes. Served risotto-style with hidden chunks of oxtail braised for 12 hours, Aitor’s umami-rich concoction is topped with confit quail yolk and dotted with chive aioli to form a dish that looks as beautiful as it tastes. An in-house sommelier is also on hand to make pairing recommendations from an extensive list of imported wines from prolific wineries as well as boutique producers in the lesser-known regions of Spain.
97 Amoy Street
Tel: 6224 2232
This article appeared in Issue 864 (Jan 14) of The Edge Singapore. Subscribe to The Edge now
