TomTon - Hokkaido Seasonal Menu

UPDATE: This restaurant is now CLOSED.

This is my second review of TomTon, and it won't be the last one. While their service might not be the best in town, their food never leaves me unsatisfied. Their Hokkaido seasonal menu was actually one of the most amazing Japanese meals I had in Singapore, considering its freshness, authenticity, uniqueness and price. Do ask for their seasonal menu at your next visit, as they don't seem to consistently remember to provide it as you sit at your table. I highly recommend you to rush for this opportunity to taste some of Hokkaido's flavours.


This was, together with the ice cream (see later in my review), the most touching dish. I had plenty of homemade tofu's in Singapore, bot none of them was nearly as good as the freshly made one I had in the Japanese countryside. This is the first time that a fresh tofu recalled those flavours. This 'cold fresh tofu' ($8) from Hokkaido is just the most amazing cold tofu you can have in Singapore. It's like having an in-between of ricotta cheese and mascarpone, melting in your mouth, except there's no fat and you can have as much as you like without feeling stuffed.

The 'goma horenso ae' (spinach with Sesame dressing - $5.00) was cooked just right, and the homemade sauce, full of coarsely ground sesame seeds, tasted very authentic. Most restaurants in town serve this dish with industrial, bought-in sauce.

The 'ebi botan kaisen don' ($29.80) isn't cheap, but Botanebi isn't either. If you like sashimi, this dish is worth every penny. I would have preferred it in a real 'donburi' version (plain rice) rather than the 'chirashi' version that they served instead (with sushi rice). Still, the selection of fish and seafood is fresh and 'Hokkaido' style (botanebi, scallop, crab, salmon roe, yellow tail, salmon, octopus).

This gourmet version of 'hiyashi chuka' ($16.80) was very slurpy. I have always considered this an 'emergency' dish, the kind of thing that you make at home when you have some spare ingredients and no chance to go out to do your shopping. You can boil your ramen and combine them with ham, cucumber, omelet and whatever else you have. This 100% Hokkaido ramen with yuzu koshou was as good as this dish can get. The quality of the ramen was superb, cooked 'al dente' (as we say in Italy) which is something most restaurants wouldn't get right. The succulent prawn, juicy crab meat crunchy cucumber and firm soba were accompanied by the classic sauce and an optional pungent yuzu koshou and mustard.

The 'grilled tachiuo' ($18.80) was slightly overpriced, but a good variation to the usual grilled dishes available in most Japanese restaurants. The fish was de-boned, sliced lengthwise, tied into a twist and grilled both sides.

The 'Uni chawan mushi' ($10) is an Hokkaido variation to this classic Japanese favourite. The uni was extremely sweet and chunks of shrimps added a little interest to the dish: digging to find the next one, which might be your last.

Finally, the highlight of this meal. The 'avocado salad ice cream' ($5.30) was probably the most deliciously innovative dessert I've had in years. The interesting texture, rich in lumpy bits of avocado and seedy bits I could not identify, was enriched by an intense olive oil aroma. I would have never imagined olive oil would work with ice cream. You have to try to believe! Luckily, this dish is on their regular menu so you will be able to taste it even after the Hokkaido season, but it's not consistently available, as they are only able to make it when they can get hold of ripe enough avocados. Hopefully you will be lucky enough to get the opportunity to try this unique delicacy.

Their 'Warabi mochi' ($5.80) is as good as the one I had in Kyoto. Coated by dusty kinako powder, and extremely soft. If you have never tried this dessert before, you might think it's like a typical 'mochi' rice cake. However, it is significantly different in texture and flavour and it's a must try especially if you are looking for something light to end your meal with.

TomTon is one of those rare restaurants that make a clear effort to deliver authentic Japanese food going beyond the usual, obvious selection of dishes that you find in most Japanese restaurants in Singapore. Their quality is top-notch, and their prices extremely reasonable. This meal was priced at $125.55. They also have an incentive card that gives you a 50% discount on your next meal once you get 18 stamps (each stamp is worth $10). As always, I am a big supporter of 'food with passion', and TomTon belongs to that category.

For more information, this is their website: http://www.cfc.com.sg/

Sun with Moon - Japanese desserts

I have not yet discovered a place where they serve the same variety and quality of Japanese style desserts as Sun with Moon does. This is what makes me go back to this restaurant again and again. I was never impressed by their food selection, so I prefer to patronise this restaurant for sinful afternoon desserts.
This branch of the 'Sun dining' chain of restaurants is located on the 3rd floor of Wheelock Place. Their Japanese desserts, drinks and cocktails menu has a wider variety compared to the other branches.


Their vitamin cocktails are a mix of fruit juices and vitamins. The one pictured is the 'violet vitamin cocktail' ($6.50). I found this a little too sweet for my taste and I don't particularly recommend it.

The 'yuzu honey tea' ($6.50) can be requested both hot or cold. Any yuzu lover must order this drink, which comes with real pieces of caramelized yuzu lying at the bottom of the glass.

The 'tofu cheesecake' ($5.50) is made from both cheese and tofu. It's served in a bird's cage and it tastes like a regular soft-type cheesecake, with a cream cheese texture.

The 'warabi mochi parfait' remains my favourite. I can never find one that's as good as the one I had at a very traditional Kyoto dessert venue, but this is close. Those who like contrasting textures will be amazed as they dig deeper and deeper into this sinful combination of flavours and textures. It starts with a foamy coffee bavaroise accompanied by chewish warabi mochi cubes. The ice cream layer underneath prepares your palate before you can dive into a concert of warabi mochi, cubes of chiffon cake and crunchy cereals, topped by another lump of coffee bavaroise. It's hard to describe the emotion that can be generated by crunchiness, sponginess, creaminess, cold and warm all combined together into this ultimate dessert, while maintaining a balanced flavour.

Unfortunately I only had the chance to review these two desserts, although every dessert served at 'Sun with moon' would deserve its space on this page. If you like desserts you will enjoy this place. If you have a passion for Japanese desserts, you definitely can't miss it.

For more information, this is their website: http://www.sfbi.com.sg/sun/wheelock/wheelock_e.html

Shimbashi Soba

This very popular restaurant is located at the basement of the Paragon, and it is the sort of place where you can go for a quick bite, ideally at lunch time. Be prepared to queue, although the queue usually moves fast. I usually tend to avoid restaurants where I have to queue, unless it's well worth it, and this is one of those exceptions.
If you want to have the best soba in Singapore, Shimbashi Soba is the place. The noodles are made on the premises, right in front of you. A skilled chef prepares the noodles non-stop for the enjoyment of the customers. You can assist the whole preparation, from the grinding of the buckwheat flour to the precise cutting of Soba strands from a folded sheet of dough.
Besides soba, Shimbashi serves bento boxes, lunch menus and lots of other dishes. I have tried most of the dishes from the menu, but I would not recommend anything other than their soba. Everything else is totally average and not worth coming to this restaurant for, therefore to avoid disappointment choose what they can do best.
Chilled soba is indeed my recommendation. There are a couple of varieties always on the menu, but the seasonal options tend to be the most interesting ones.


This picture alone should be sufficient to give you an idea of the quality of the soba they produce. You can see the rough 'homemade' texture, the result of a long preparation which includes making the flour itself! Most importantly, the noodles are cooked to perfection. Most other restaurants tend to overcook them, killing the soul of this delicate noodle. Soba must be removed from the heat at the right time, and immediately chilled in order to preserve its consistency.
The one above is 'seiro soba' ($12.20), served with chilled 'dashi' soup on the side, wasabi and spring onion to taste. This is the best way to taste soba at its purest.

This cold soba is a seasonal variety, called 'gomadare soba' ($19.80). The noodles are served in a chilled and creamy sesame seed based soup and topped with salmon sashimi, seasonal mushrooms, aubergines and Japanese vegetables. I was slightly skeptical of this new combination, but it was a truly enjoyable variation to the regular 'dashi' soup base.

The chilly/yuzu paste and spring onion served on the side add a real tangy, spicy twist to the otherwise calm flavour. I was happy with the whole serving mixed into my soba.

The bill came up to 47.65, including drinks and an extra side dish (tamagoyaki - $5.80).

Overall, Shimbashi soba remains one of my favourite restaurants. Their soba never disappointed me, with the only exception of the duck soba which used to be better than it has been recently (the duck is now overcooked and too tough). I highly recommend this place if you are in the area and you are looking for a quick, healthy meal.

For more information you can visit the company's website: http://www.res.com.sg/restaurants_view.php?v=5

Soup Restaurant - Seah Street

Who doesn't know what chicken rice is. Well, that's what soup restaurant is all about, together with their herbal soups. This is a well known chain of restaurants, with branches all over Singapore. I find that the Seah-street branch has more character. Located within a shop house, it offers that 'old school' environment which perfectly matches their cooking style.
Their philosophy is to serve 'Chinatown heritage cuisine', prepared in a traditional way. The Samsui chicken is their signature dish, and their menu narrates the full story of this truly Singaporean dish for those who haven't heard it before.


The steamed peanut snack ($4) is served as you sit at your table, but it's not complimentary. It's very well done, fragrant and soft.

A 'Samsui Ginger Chicken' portion for 4 people costs $26.80. Two layers of juicy, thick chicken chunks are arranged circularly around a large plate with the sauce served in the middle. This dish is not cheap when you consider that you can have chicken rice for a few dollars elsewhere in Singapore, but in my opinion the price is fully justified. The sauce, made from grated ginger and sesame oil, enhances the succulence of the chicken without obfuscating its flavour. You will find yourself dipping those generous chunks of chicken deeper and deeper into this addictive sauce. Lettuce is served on the side, so that you can wrap your seasoned chunks of chicken as you would do at a korean barbecue.

This beautiful 'Teochew olive rice' ($5.80) is a great substitute for your regular chicken rice. Although I disagree with the theory, every health conscious Singaporean will avoid chicken rice as it's notorious for being high in cholesterol. Olive rice doesn't feel oily, it has a very fragrant aroma, it looks beautiful and healthy and it tastes without covering other flavours (like a fried rice would do). It's the perfect combination to enhance your Samsui chicken experience.

The 'steamed San Yu fish slice' ($10.80) has a typical local flavour. Steamed fish slices, served on a bed of soy based sauce and topped with shredded spring onions and chilly. Although I like this dish, it's not what I would go to Soup restaurant for. I have tasted very similar versions of this dish at various other places around Singapore.

There is only one problem with Soup restaurant: that your neighborhood chicken rice stall will no longer taste the same.

Website: http://www.souprestaurant.com.sg/

Cassis - Sunday Brunch

UPDATE: This restaurant is now CLOSED.

Sunday brunches often give you the opportunity to dine at your favourite top restaurants at a very reduced price. Or even better, you get the opportunity to test expensive restaurants without having to stretch your budget. While buffet-style-hotel Sunday brunches are very common, set menu Sunday brunches are not as popular. Buffet-style brunches will often give you good value for money, especially if you are on an empty stomach, but good set-menu brunches have a better opportunity to deliver the same sort of quality you can experience on a full-priced dinner at the same venue.

Cassis is located at Rochester park on the upper side of the hill within a black&white colonial house. The spacious and busy kitchen is open and visible from the outside, exposing the high level of hygiene maintained within.

I had dinner at Cassis once, and it was an amazing experience. Their lunch deal is actually available also on weekdays. They have two options: one including dessert and priced at $40++, and the other one only including starter and main for $35++. Drinks are not included.

As at their dinner course, we were first served a loaf of warm bread with garlic and herbs flavoured butter on the side. You can ask for more bread at no extra charge.

For starters, I ordered a tuna carpaccio topped with fresh tomatoes and vinaigrette. Although beautifully presented, I was quite disappointed by this dish. The seasoning was excessively sour, which made it rather unpleasant to the taste. I am still not sure if it was meant to be that way or they just got it wrong, but a more gentle seasoning would have made this dish a success.

The smoked salmon was as good as the one I had at their dinner set menu, only presented differently. Same quality of salmon and thick, creamy sauce, topped with extra leaves of baby spinach.

The rib eye steak, garnished with roast potatoes and caramelised onions, was as good as it can be. Well cooked, tender and moist, topped by real gravy. Unfortunately this particular selection required an extra $8 dollars on top of the standard price, but it was well worth it.

The red snapper was just as nice. Juicy white meat topped by its exceptionally crispy skin, suspended on a bed of assorted vegetables. The sauce was delicate but tasty, and wisely laid below the fish, giving you the option to combine it with the meat.

The nougat ice cream was beautifully served in a well sized portion. Its nutty and creamy texture was interleaved with extra-thin layers of dark chocolate.

These fabulous chocolate profiteroles were served split into two, filled with vanilla ice cream, covered in chocolate sauce and topped with almond flakes. Rich but refreshing.

The mini-desserts pictured above were served with compliments of the chef, which I thought was nice.

Overall, the bill came up to $143.60 for 2 people, including water and an extra tea. The otherwise pleasant experience was slightly ruined by the fact that we were charged $27.00 for mineral water ($9 x 3 bottles) unknowingly. Apparently, they kept opening new (small) bottles behind the scenes without informing us, while we thought we were only having one bottle. The bottle is not displayed, so it's hard to track when a new bottle is being opened.

Water incident aside, I still believe that the Cassis business lunch menu is an excellent opportunity to have some well served great food in a relaxing environment at a fairly reasonable price.

This is their website for more information: http://www.cassis.com.sg/

Coffee Bar K - Cocktail Gourmet

Coffee bar K is a 'Japanese bar' located at UE Square. It's such a unique experience that I found myself becoming a regular. The high degree of professionalism is admirable, and while the solemn atmosphere might be a deterrent to some, it's actually one of its strengths. Looking at the place from outside reminds me of a classic painting by 'Edward Hopper', which is perhaps due to the fact that the long bar is fully exposed by a huge transparent window, and yet so subtly isolated from the outside.

Coffee bar K is a place where making cocktails is a serious business. The Japanese bartenders are highly trained, and the selection of alcohol is surprising. There is a cover charge of $15 after 9pm which includes some snacks like wasabi chips and raw ham and a fruit platter, but don't be discouraged by that as you will get what you are paying for.
The menu includes a never ending list of spirits and cocktails, and some hot food is also served in case you need a quick bite.
If you are a 'Martini' lover, I absolutely recommend having one of those, either vodka or gin based. You will have a chance to taste a Martini at its purest. The Negroni (a Campari based cocktail) is also a house special, an excellent opening for those who find Martini's too dry.

The grasshopper is a minty cocktail with a dash of milk, superbly shaken into a foam that makes it so light you will finish it without even realising. I would particularly recommend it for the ladies.

The peach Bellini is made with real peach puree', not peach liqueur or flavourings as other bars do. It does taste like the original version of this classic Venetian cocktail.


This Yuzu based cocktail was designed for me by the bartender. The floating layer of crystals adds texture to the sharp tangy flavour of this mixer. A real delicacy for Yuzu lovers.

Whether you like your cocktails or you are looking for a good selection of whiskies or Vodkas, whether you are out with a client or a date, Coffee Bar K will be a special experience. It is a place where drinking is as religious as eating at a Michelin rated restaurant.

Website: http://www.coffeebark.co.jp/tenpo/tenpo_singapore.html

Bonta (but not quite)

It's not too often that I walk upset out of a restaurant in Singapore. But it definitely happens more often on my attempts to visit Italian restaurants. Perhaps because, being Italian, I know what the real thing should taste like, and it particularly irritates me when I get charged fine dining prices for food that can barely be categorized as home cooked food. Unfortunately, Bonta is one of those places.
Having read advertisements raving about the multi-awarded head chef, I naively hoped their food would match the expectations set by the advertising campaign. Well... it doesn't, and it's not even close.
I started getting suspicious as I went through their vast menu. I could count about 11 starters, 11 pastas/risottos, 10 mains and 6 desserts. It would be rather challenging for a fine dining restaurant to successfully maintain an appropriate level of quality with so many dishes on their menu.

We were first served what was announced by the waiter as their 'renowned bread'. It was a warm load of bread served in a cup, enclosing a rich combination of Feta cheese, nuts and other ingredients. Not bad, but not particularly Italian either. Overall, I would say that this 'freebie' was their most successful dish.

As a starter we ordered 'oven baked Australian scallops' ($24). They came with their shell, topped with spinach and a 'black olive hollandaise sauce'. On top of it all, an extra bit of greenery. I am not entirely sure what's Italian about this dish, but I would be happy to forgive the 'fine dining' creativeness if it was well done. Unfortunately, the combination of oven baked scallops with hollandaise sauce, spinach and watercress doesn't quite work. Scallops are a subtle delicacy. Keep it simple.

The other starter also came topped with the same greenery, which seems to be particularly fashionable at this restaurant, as much as the 'basil oil' which surrounds every dish. The 'Sicilian swordfish carpaccio' ($29) couldn't have been worse. The delicate texture of thin slices of swordfish were raped by the presence of a salad right on top. And we are talking a real salad, with full-sized slices of tomato...

Now the pastas, what every respectable Italian chef gets a chance to prove himself with. The 'spaghettini with tiger prawns, cod, sun dried tomatoes and bottarga' ($30) were topped by our favourite topping: watercress. Traces of bottarga could be spotted if you looked hard enough. Overall there was nothing particularly wrong with this pasta, but it wasn't exciting either. Just an average, rather oily pasta, which you would have in a normal 'pizzeria' (please note, not restaurant) if you were in Italy.

The same can be said about the 'homemade basil infuse angel hair with crab meat, chives and salmon roe in white wine sauce' ($29). Once again, topped by the usual magic touch of watercress and surrounded by oil and chopped basil. Flavours weren't quite as distinct and sharp as they should, and the whole thing had a rather creamy texture.

We didn't order the desserts, as we thought we could save ourselves further disappointment and unnecessary bleeding of cash. The bill came up to $170 including 2 cocktails and a bottle of water. I am happy to spend such money for food that's worth it. Unfortunately Bonta is not the kind of place that makes me proud of being Italian. Take a look at their website: http://www.bonta.com.sg/. They sell Bonta as a fine dining restaurant. This is simply unacceptable, when obvious shortcuts are taken when it comes to produce, preparation and presentation.

The service was friendly and efficient, while ambiance rather spooky and uncomfortable, probably due to the unsettling lighting.

Next time, should I be around the area and crave for Italian, I will go to Cugini. Only a few steps away, I can have the best Italian food I have had in Singapore to date, and for a more reasonable price.