377. KUMO Sake Bar - Hiyashi Beef Rice

 

Hiyashi Beef Rice Original

Kumo has extended their area to occupy the shop space that is more visible from the road. This shop space is used as a sake bar and they serve Hiyashi Beef Rice during lunch time. Every time I walk past the sake bar, there are people eating in there. One day, I decided to find out what's on their menu. Not many choices to choose from. Either the hiyashi beef rice, the hiyashi beef rice with a soft boiled egg or the tonkatsu. We all went for the hiyashi beef rice original, topped up with a glass of honey lemon. For a moment, one may mistake it for curry rice. Hiyashi beef rice is apparently quite a popular dish in Japan. 

Our order didn't take long as we could see the chef in the opposite open concept kitchen dished out the hiyashi beef rice to the serving counter. We sat at the top bar counter and I sneakily threw glances at the customers' (mostly Japanese) plate. They ate with such delight, finished every bit of the demi glace beef sauce. To be exact, it was more of a minced beef sauce. I thought a tad too minced for what I would prefer. Also a tad too salty. The lunch companions had the same felts. In fact, I felt the beef taste was also too strong. Very much like canned minced beef. Unlike the other Japanese customers, I could barely finish the minced beef sauce. I did a quick research online. Information available said hiyashi's main ingredients generally contain red wine, tomato, onions and button mushrooms. I supposed the one served at Kumo is the original rendition of a Hiyashi Beef Rice. The beautiful tomato definitely helped to ease a bit of the richness taste in my mouth. 

I am not sure if the locals take this dish as well as the Japanese. 

Have you tried this? What's your comment on this dish?

KUMO Sake Bar

Icon Village,

12 Gopeng Street, #01-58

376. Triple Three - Norwegian Delicacies

I went on an invited dinner session by Triple Three, attracted by the email titled seafood from Norway. Salmon was the first thing that came across my mind. Forgive my shallow knowledge, I forgot that there are much more than just salmon that swim in the sea in Norway!

 

Chef Adrian Levoid

It was quite nice to have this Norwegian-born young handsome chef, Adrian Levoid with us for the night. Not only good food for the palate, handsome chef pleasing to the eyes as well. A promising chef indeed. He is only 25 years old. The night was lined up with delicacies. Chef Adrian personally prepared 3 of his signature dishes for all the invited guests. First of all, the scallops which he had us seeing him demonstrating in the above picture.

Scallops (Jerusalem artichoke, watercress, Japanese onion and fennel seeds)

I am quite sure that I was kidnapped by the mash that laid underneath the scallop. It was something quite different, I thought. Ah! The artichoke. Have never tasted one before. It was butter creamy and sweet. Nice. The seared scallop was fresh and sweet, quickly melts in the mouth (not in the hands). Surprisingly, the two matched well though the artichoke was also sweet, contrast in taste was distinct. 

Neither one stole the limelight.

We are young.

King Crab (Chervil, cauliflower, sauce on the shell)

The presentation of this dish made me think of the movie "Life of Pi". The boy left sailing on a boat. Despite perils, survived strong. So here was the king crab. I felt the king crab itself was already bursting with sweetness, the cauliflower puree was probably more than required. Still, down it with the freshness of seafood.

 

Salmon Asparagus (brown butter emulsion and fennel seeds)

This was one of the best I had for the night. Salmon was really fresh. Chef Adrian had done it to such tenderness that really melts away in my mouth the moment I had them and I just wanna sing "I got the moves like jagger". I felt the fish moved like a jagger. The brown butter emulsion tasted like salted caramel.

The night was not left lonely with these 3 dishes. 

 Oooo I loved the Norway sweet prawn! The Norway halibut, salmon.......Just not enough with one serving. Kee Chiew! for a YES! to another serving.

Norwegian Seafood Bouillabaisse 

(Monkfish, Codfish, Mussel, Norway Lobster Scampi,Sweet Prawn)

I thought the broth was rather rich but a tad too salty.

I must say the poached lobsters were super good. Too bad that my photo did not turn out well due to the lighting and because I was using my phone to capture these photos. My dslr didn't work that night. The meat was succulent and sweet and Viola! Again, one is never enough.

 

Freshly shucked oysters was yum yum, the king crab was mama-mia. 

That night was the night that I probably had the most seafood fresh seafood from a buffet line. Yes, from the buffet. I am rather fussy about eating seafood at buffets, not the ones by Triple Three though.

Last but not least, never leave the table without the delectable desserts. 

Join in the celebration of seafood from Norway with Triple Three!

Available from 12-28 March 2013, for dinner only. 

For reservations, please call 6831 6288 or email dine.orchard@meritushotels.com

Thanks to Triple Three for having me.