When I went to Chirashi King Kong on the second floor of Tanjong Pagar Plaza, I had to wave goodbye to my diet.
I had a little difficulty finding the store because it’s a small eatery with an inconspicuous signboard. Chirashi King Kong, as the name suggests, serves chirashi don. However, if you prefer your food cooked, they do offer some varieties as well.
With a seating capacity of less than 20, they cater to the takeaway crowd too, judging by the number of takeaway boxes behind the counter. It was an intimate dining experience as I had to constantly avoid rubbing elbows with the person sitting beside me.
The first thing that hit me when I walked into the stall was the strong truffle fragrance. That potent scent made my appetite grew instantly as I waited for the food to arrive.
Premium Japanese rice, infused with truffle oil is used for all dishes. Then, furikake is sprinkled over the rice to further enhance the fragrance of the rice.
The King Kong Bowl ($14.90) is one of their bestsellers. The star of this dish is the otoro (bluefin tuna belly), the fattiest part of tuna. The otoro slices were soft, with a mildly light aftertaste. Other side dishes included are seaweed, jellyfish, and pickles.
On the other hand, the minced otoro was a little too mushy for my liking, but you can pair it with the jellyfish to give it a slight crunch.
The truffle-infused rice was just heavenly; the lightness of the truffle aroma, while evident on the taste buds, did not overpower the rest of the dish.
The Salmon Mentaiko ($9.90) was like a portal to another world. One taste of it and I felt like I was back in Japan. The creamy and lightly gritty mentaiko sauce blanketed the pan-seared salmon, and it was like a match made in heaven.
The salmon was lightly seared, leaving it with a very soft texture. It slowly melted in my mouth as I effortlessly bit into it. The mentaiko sauce was bursting with charred flavour as it was torched before serving.
The mentaiko sauce may be rather salty if consumed by itself, so mix it with the rice to enjoy both the creamy texture of the pollock roe and the fragrance of truffle oil.
The Unagi Truffle Rice Box ($11.90) is an option you can go for without breaking the bank. A generous portion of unagi is used in every dish, which is a pleasant surprise given its price.
Coated with a sweet sauce, the unagi was soft and had some bones in it (as expected). Don’t worry, because the bones are soft and edible. I would’ve liked it more if the unagi was more tender though.
The oh-so-glorious truffle-flavoured rice added a much-needed fragrance in this dish. The sweetness of the unagi was complemented by the subtle aroma of the truffle-infused rice.
Do you prefer spaghetti instead of rice? If so, you can try the Salmon Mentaiko Truffle Spaghetti ($9.90). The truffle-infused spaghetti, topped with the same salmon mentaiko, tasted just as good as its rice variant.
The spaghetti portion was generous, and well mixed with the truffle oil. Because the truffle flavour was subtle, it tickled my taste buds ever so gently, allowing me to savour the same salmon mentaiko goodness.
The fish roe used in this dish made the dish ‘pop’, literally, because each time I burst a roe, I could hear and feel an audible ‘pop’, and flavours bursting in my mouth.
Chirashi King Kong’s affordable menu did not compromise the quality of food they prepare. The unforgettable truffle-infused rice, the tender salmon slices and the generous unagi portion were all to die for.
If you are working in the vicinity of Tanjong Pagar, let the truffle scent lead you to this shop!
Expected Damage: $10 – $15 per pax
