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Clear whatever you had planned for the rest of the week because you’re not going to want to miss this. From the 27th – 29th of October 2016, the Head Chef of Ginza Tochigi Chalte restaurant in Tokyo will be taking over the reigns at the kitchens in Fat Cow Singapore.
Celebrated Chef Seiichi Shinbo and his team have created an 8-course menu ($180++ per pax) inspired by his hometown of Tochigi, which lies towards the North of Tokyo. As you may already know, Fat Cow is one of the more atas steakhouses in Singapore, with a focus on serving premium Japanese wagyu beef.
And friends, Tochigi wagyu beef is definitely up there with the best. Black Japanese cows are raised by a select few farmers who maintain the pedigree and thus, resulting quality of the marbled meat.
Chef Shinbo’s menu highlights this Tochigi speciality, alongside other fresh produce that the prefecture is known for. Here are some of the dishes that you can look forward to:
Amuse: Slightly roasted scallop and broccolini with kimizu vinaigrette
The first course to stimulate your appetite comes in the form of a well-seasoned scallop dish. Served with crunchy broccolini from the Tochigi region, the dish was tied together with an egg and rice vinegar (kimizu) vinaigrette.
Personally, I felt that the scallop was cooked to perfection and was flavourful enough even without the vinaigrette, but having a mouthful of all the ingredients together was definitely a celebration of the different textures.
Appetiser: Tochigi wagyu temari sushi
Our first taste of Tochigi wagyu was served raw atop ball-shaped (temari) sushi, garnished so elegantly with just the right amount of wasabi and radish.
No soy sauce was served with this dish and for good reason. The finely cut wagyu paired perfectly with the slightly tangy sushi rice and the residual heat from the wasabi elevated the dish to a whole other level.
Fish: Grilled sea bream with soy foam and butter sauce
I’m admittedly not that big a fan of fish so when I first saw this course, I knew I had to go in with an open mind. I was extremely intrigued by the soy foam and butter sauce though, and wondered about the pairing.
It was wonderful. The sea bream was so fresh that no dreaded fishy taste lingered, and the skin was crisp, adding to the different textures of this pretty dish. The soy foam and butter sauce was my favourite part though, a silky and salty accompaniment to the delicate fish.
Main: Tochigi wagyu steak with Japanese wafu sauce, daikon pot-au-fu and grilled seasonal vegetables
The main event was more than worth the wait. Glistening slices of Tochigi wagyu was served with three different accompaniments, each meant to bring a different flavour to the beef.
The wafu sauce is a popular dressing in Japan made with soy sauce, rice vinegar, mirin and vegetable oil. This was probably my favourite since the combination simply melted in my mouth and highlighted the natural flavour of the wagyu.
Pot-au-fu is a way of stewing vegetables and I thought it was the perfect way to preserve the flavour of the Tochigi daikon. I was practically eating this on its own together with the grilled seasonal vegetables.
The dish ended way too quickly, so I would suggest cutting the already cut wagyu into tinier strips to savour it for that little bit longer.
Dessert: Nashi Sabayon, fresh strawberry sauce, vanilla ice cream
I didn’t think dessert was going to be that big a deal, but the poached Nashi pears were so juicy and sweet, served with fresh strawberry sauce and premium vanilla ice cream. This was definitely the right way to end the meal, with some of the best produce Tochigi has to offer.
Given the guest series, you’ll also be able to order specially flown in Tochigi sake to pair with the various courses of the evening. This is one culinary experience that you won’t soon forget so wagyu waiting for?
To make a reservation, call 6735 0308 or email [email protected]. Hurry, as Friday (28th Oct) slots have already all been filled up!
Expected Damage: $180++ per pax
