Weets Eats: A meal you'll want to taco-bout at O-Ku Japanese Tapas Bar
One problem of having a famous sibling is the potential confusion.
Popular casual Japanese restaurant The Flying Squirrel has been around since 2013 and has amassed a strong fan base. So when it decided to open a sister outlet in 2015 - The Flying Squirrel Private Works at Telok Ayer - many people got confused, so the new outlet had to be renamed.
And from July this year, it is now known as O-Ku Japanese Tapas Bar.
But going by how O-Ku looks and how the food tastes, it might just end up as the better-known sibling.
The interior is chic and bright and especially lovely in daylight.
Make it for lunch if you can.
You dine on a marbled chef's table, giving you an up-close look at the chefs preparing your food.
The presentation of the food is impressive, as expected. Everything looks casual but you know much thought has been put into it.
It would have come across as if it was trying too hard had the food not been good, but it was.
There isn't much in terms of variety. The a la carte menu has four categories and all the items fit into a small piece of paper, but don't dismiss it.
The taco section is especially good.
The Japanese Tacos ($9) are chunky in texture and flavours. The spiced mayonnaise and roe add heat and saltiness, and there is crunch from the taco shell too. It all comes together perfectly.
While the Crab & Avo bruschetta ($12) looks and tastes good, it is difficult to eat without creating a mess.
Everything falls apart the moment you bite into it. It is way too big to pop it all into your mouth. Once the chefs get the details right, this will be a killer dish.
I love egg dishes but have never been a fan of scotch eggs, and the Wagyu Scotch Eggs ($13) here have not changed that. The dish makes a pretty picture but there is no elevation here.
While the O-Ku's Bara Chirashi ($30) will not be taking home a prize for innovation, it is too pretty to ignore and too tasty to pass on. It is a delicious hearty bowl of fish, roe and rice.
It might fill your stomach but you will probably still be eating the last grain of rice.
I wish the Sushi & Maki Deluxe Box ($50) was as filling though. It comes with items such as salmon belly aburi, tuna belly aburi and avocado maki.
It should be able to feed two, but I feel there could have been more. If there are two hungry people, the meal could end in a fight. I suggest you order the entire list of tacos instead.
O-Ku Japanese Tapas Bar
179A, Telok Ayer Street
Opens weekdays 11.30am to 3pm for lunch. Dinner is at 6pm to 11pm for Wednesdays and Thursdays, and 6pm to midnight for Fridays and Saturdays
Tel: 6221-7073
Bites
WORLD'S MOST EXPENSIVE COFFEE
The Panama Hacienda La Esmeralda Geisha Canas Verdes Coffee - the world's most expensive coffee - is coming to Singapore. On Nov 5 at GastroMonth Singapore (www.gastromonth.com), The Coffee Academics will be offering a cupping and brewing demonstration for $128. From Nov 6, you can buy it at $85 a cup from The Coffee Academics (Scotts Square and Raffles City Shopping Centre), with only 80 cups available.
WAGYU BEEF BURGERS
Till Nov 25, you can order Japanese Wagyu Beef Burgers at Pacific Marketplace and Atrium (Pan Pacific Singapore, Tel: 6826-8240) at $35 a set.
You can choose among the Nyonya Wagyu Beef Burger, Japanese Wagyu Beef Burger and Pacific Wagyu Beef Burger.
SCARY DESSERTS
Sugarhaus (Serene Centre, Tel: 6314-2247) is offering Halloween desserts till Tuesday. So scare someone with either The Mummy ($8, made with sable, lemon parfait and lime jelly) or The Brain ($8), which has pistachio mousse and strawberry jelly.
JAPANESE SNACKS
7-Eleven Singapore has been winning the snacks game with its range of Japanese snacks launched last year. Ten more have been added, so now you have 26 to choose from. From this new lot - available by the end of the month - the hit may be the Triple Cheese Snack ($2), which has camembert, cheddar and emmental.
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