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| Ambrosia 1 |
Kuvo, a multi-concept restaurant and bar located in the middle of
Orchard Road. I was first introduced to this unique restaurant that
are well-hidden in the bustle shopping paradise by our friends A&J.
It was a memorable one as we had high tea here and celebrating my
beloved LD's birthday. The review for high tea at Kuvo is available here.
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| Bar |
In welcoming the new year, Kuvo introduced a new menu and new concept
to its customers, with food and bespoked cocktail pairings. With head
bartender Mr. Yutaka Nakashima as Kuvo chief mixologist, expect to
see innovative, novel and at times quirky cocktails with Japanese
flair. Please note that due to my medical conditions, I was not able
to taste the cocktails, so I enlist Ivan Teh – Running Man for his
drinking palate.
The new concept focus on tapas size dishes. We started with Brandy
Flambéed Beef Cube ($22) and Grilled Octopus ($16). The chunky beef
cube has a good marbling, juicy and succulent. The brandy flambéed
gave it a sweet and smokey flavour at the same time. Though there was
a huge dried chilli there, it more like a decoration. If you are a
fan of garlic, you will love this dish. Coincidentally, I had this
dish a few days with our overseas friends for supper and this dish
never fails to impress me again.
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| Brandy Flambéed Beef Cube |
For seafood lovers, grilled octopus is a must-try. A dish that you
can normally found in Mediterranean countries. The octopus leg was
sous-vide till so tender it almost melts in your mouth. The smoked
paprika helps to accentuate the flavour of the octopus. I do find the
slow cooked potato is a bid to soft for my liking.
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| Grilled Octopus |
Calamari Ajilo ($16). The ring shape calamari is cooked with chorizo
sausage, which gave the dish a spicy pork flavour to the dish. It
works well with the springy calamari. Unfortunately, there was too
much oil in the dish. Making it looks like the dish is swimming in
oil.
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| Calamari Ajilo |
Atlantic Cod Meunière (S$20). So what is Meunière, it is a French
style of cooking a fish where at first it was lightly coated in
flour, fried in clarified butter and finished off with brown butter
and herbs. The double buttering method simply made it so yummy. The
cod fish is flaky, juicy topped with subtle flavour from pea crust.
The barley fricasse with corn was a little too rich and creamy to be
paired with cod fish. I think it will be better if there is a dash of
lemon here just to balance the dish.
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| Atlantic Cod Meunière |
While we
have become used with food and wine, Kuvo introduced a creative food
and cocktails pairing.
Kuvo
Coffee Hot Wings ($14) & Brewski Yen ($21). The crispy fried
chicken wings are coated with 'Hot' coffee sauce. Kuvo version of
spicy buffalo wings. The wings are crispy and succulent, while the
caramelisation intensified the coffee flavour. Watch out for the
spicy kick from the sauce. Although it come with blue cheese dip, it
is missing the pungent taste. I decided to forgo my utensils and used
my fingers. The Brewski Yen will definitely put out the fire from the
wings. The mix include Kirin beer, now with an added tang of Suze,
lemon, and ginger ale.
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| Kuvo Coffee Hot Wings |
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| Brewski Yen |
Slipper
Lobster (S$15) & Hello Cel’lo (S$21). Slipper Lobster /
Crayfish sautéed with habanero, bell peppers, and cilantro. It is
nicely presented, using the shell to wrap the dish. However, the
taste reminds me of a normal zhi char dish. The meat of the crayfish
was overcooked, making it tough to chew. Hello Cel'lo – made with
Bankes London dry Gin, limoncello liqueur, celery bitters, and
balsamico. Base on the smell, it smell like a herbal drink.
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| Slipper Lobster |
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| Slipper Lobster - Up Close |
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| Hello Cel’lo |
Wagyu
& Camembert Sliders (S$17) & Green Iceland (S$21). The
Japanese Wagyu beef sliders was meaty, hearty and succulent. Topped
with melted camembert cheese and portobello provide the sliders with
creamy mushroom finish to the dish. This dish also come with crispy
fried shrimp wanton with wasabi mayonnaise. The wanton is light,
crispy and filled with good amount of shrimp, and mayo really packs
with punch. The cheese rolls is a bit redundant in the dish, as it
look pretty mellow. Probably better if they skip the cheese rolls and
stick with fried wanton.
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| Wagyu & Camembert Sliders |
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| Wagyu & Camembert Sliders - Up Close |
In line
with the East meet West theme for this pairing, Green Iceland mix
consist of Italian Antica Fratta sparkling wine, Japanese Umeshu,
mint leaf and brown sugar. A good refreshing mix to go with this
dish.
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| Green Iceland |
English
Scotch Egg (S$14) & Captain B.R. (S$21). I
have been wanting to try English Scotch Egg for a while and what a
good opportunity to try one at Kuvo. Whole chicken egg stuffed in
giant Wagyu meatball. Perfectly executed, as the yolk was runny when
we slice through it. Meaty and hearty like the sliders and topped
with edam cheese, who can say no to this. There are some gerkhins on
the side to balance the meatiness in the dish.
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| English Scotch Egg |
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| English Scotch Egg - Check out the yolk |
Captain B.R. (stands for British Rum) consists of Earl Grey infused
Rum, fresh lemon, and soda water. You have the aromatic rum, with tea
twist and fizzy soda that goes well with the English Scotch Egg.
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| Captain B.R. |
Kurobuta
Yakiniku Donburi (S$16) & Tales of Shu (S$21).
Kurobuta pork yakiniku served on a warm bed of Japanese rice, topped
with perfectly poached sous-vide egg. Definitely a perfect comfort
dish, especially after you break the egg and let it blanket the rice
and yakiniku. It can do with much more sauce and thicker flavour to
cover the whole dish.
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| Kurobuta Yakiniku Donburi |
The
cocktail, Tales of Shu is the star of this pairing. Brewed in a glass
vacuum coffee maker, the cocktail’s freshly-prepared genmai tea,
saké, Lillet Blanc, and fresh orange peel. Yutaka san really go all
out for this cocktail. Served in Japanese tea cup it provide a good
ending to the meal.
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| Tales of Shu |
For those
who are unable to consume alcohol, you can try the mocktail
concoction of Midsummer Breeze. The mix included Melon Mangosteen
Tea, Orange Juice, and Passion fruit. It is fruity, while the melon
provide the boldest flavour to the drink, there is subtle tangerines
from the passion fruit at the end.
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| Midsummer Breeze |
It was a
very interesting dining experience, especially looking at the food
and cocktail pairing in leveraging on Mr. Yutaka
Nakashima's expertise. As most of the cocktails have a light alcohol
content and with touch of sweetness, making it easy to consume a few
concoctions at one seating. My recommendation for a must try dishes
are Brandy Flavfmbéed Beef Cube, Wagyu
& Camembert Sliders (S$17) &Green Iceland (S$21); English
Scotch Egg (S$14) & Captain B.R. (S$21); and Kurobuta Yakiniku
Donburi (S$16) & Tales of Shu (S$21).
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| Mr. Yutaka Nakashima's Preparing Tales of Shu |
On the side note, I was at Kuvo about a week before this tasting
event, I also tried their dessert of Croissant Bread Pudding ($14).
The bread pudding covered with filo pastry cranberry fillings, salted
caramel sauce and vanilla gelato. A perfect combination of sweet and
savoury, paired with flaky pasty. Definitely a die die must try
dessert here in KUVO.
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| Croissant Bread Pudding |
Thank you very much to KUVO & Media Flair Communications for the
tasting invitation.
Food
& Drink: 8/10
Value:
7.5/10
Service:
n/a (Tasting Invitation)
Ambiance:
9.5/10
Budget
per Person: $26 - $50; $51 - $80
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