Saturday, August 16, 2008

The Wagyu & O'toro Kaiseki

I am more or less Iketeru's mascot for busy evenings, somehow I always show up when they are at their busiest. Oh well, on with the food, this time will the a Kaiseki menu based on their Wagyu & O'toro promotion.

Starters: Wagyu Beef & Toro Sushi-Paccio
A good way to start off the evening, thinly slices toro (with spicy miso sauce) and raw wagyu rolls served with rice cubes flavoured with sesame and seaweed.

Mix and match your own sushi to your own delight.





































Soup: Clear Broth with Toro & Japanese Leeks
An oily sheen covers the soup,
the taste of melted toro oil makes a coup.
Veggies, tofu and leeks,
all the flavours get a peek.
how good is this dish,
with slices of fish?




















Sushi: BBQ style Wagyu Rib Eye with fresh salad served with Korean Miso sauce
I wasn't impressed by this dish, probably because it doesn't replicate the fine balance of Korean barbecue, the meat was flavoursome but overpowered by the thick salad leaves and oily garlic when wrapped into bite-size servings. Have already voiced by doubts to Chef Ricky.




Main course: Teppanyaki Grilled Tenderloin, Sirloin & Rib Eye
My favourite dish of the night.
All the meat were crusty on the outside, which red on the inside.
Served with side of veggies and 3 sauces: spicy miso, ponzu & white mustard.
I particularly like the spicy miso sauce (memories of Le Coq d'Or fondue sauce)


























Bonus: Toro Taku Roll & Nigiri Sushi
Still hungry? I got this dish at no extra charges, the maki made from minced toro, takuma pickles and a dash of spicy miso sauce. Lovely.
Surprisingly, the wasabi laden sea bream sushi doesn't overpower your throat with heat, quite a gem actually.


Dessert: Black Sesame Ice Cream and Assorted Fruits
My first ice cream at Iketeru, mmmmmmmmmmm.......love the smoky flavour of black sesame.
Still drooling? I will be going back on Wednesday for their normal kaiseki.

Feel free to comment

Friday, August 01, 2008

A taste of Pacifica

Had this the very next night after the last month's Iketeru Kaiseki menu, more to launch a candid surprise on a college student returning from the US by reuniting him with a friend now working in Pacifica.
Unexpected celebrity: Sultan Of Selangor dining at the next table.
Distraction: German Rye Bread with Djion Butter
Pretty good bread, very springy and goes well with the Djion butter.











Starters: Truffled Potato Mousse & Shaved Beef Cheek
The Shaved Beef Cheek was really thin, about 1 mm and was sliced from a terrine made from tender beef cheek. Goes very well the the salad. Mixed reaction about the potato mousse, but the beef consumme, in the center was a saving grace for me.







Soup: Shellfish Chowder
Served with a piece of oily bread and a slice of mussels (this side just was a real distraction for me). The soup itself was great, with large slices of scallop, tiger prawn and other shellfish meat. Love the taste.




Main: Venison with Red Cabbage Rolls & Bean Sprouts
Definitely a great main, the venison was tender and the red cabbage rolls was sweet while the bean sprouts were perfectly crunchy.





Starters: Ricotta Dumpling & Mascarpone Ice Cream
The great thing was probably the ricotta dumpling, blended from ricotta and other ingredients and shaped into a dumpling with some shavings of truffles, very very rich. A pity that my dull tongue cannot discern the mascarpone infused vanilla ice cream, it was just vanilla to me. Must train my tastebuds more often.

Still not a gourmet. Feel free to comment