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Singapore
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Instead of the usual Japanese omakase experience featuring fresh fish and hand-kneaded Nigiri sushi crafted right before you, Kun 坤 at 74 Amoy Street puts an oriental spin on things, taking customers on a bold, fresh, and fiery Sichuan journey.
This 15-seater restaurant didn’t just tease our taste buds with course after course of mala-inspired dishes — each presented in a myriad of creative ways — but also opened our eyes to the diverse and unique culture of Sichuan cuisine.
The starter was presented in a long, glass-like capsule featuring a trio of dishes. The chef recommended that we begin from left to right.
We were taken on a flavour voyage as we started with the sour marinated bamboo shoots. Next the spicy pickled mustard greens packed a spicy, almost XO-sauce-like flavour. Finally, we concluded with a zesty winter melon, marinated in refreshing orange.
Next, we slurped on a comforting broth that’s slowly simmered with old chicken, fish maw, cordyceps and black mushroom, as well as goji berries.
We were then served a delicate cold dish comprising hokigai (surf clams) drenched in Sichuan red oil dressing, along with black fungus and ikura. As per the chef’s recommendation, we gave everything a good mix before digging in. The clams were slightly crunchy and the intimidating-looking sauce turned out to be a gentle monster — subtle yet robust.
My only gripe? It was a little challenging to tackle this dish with chopsticks — a spoon would’ve made things much easier.
The hot mains at Kun 坤 blew us away. The black pork belly that’s marinated in hua tiao wine was well seasoned and coated in a shiny glaze. The meat fibres cut through easily like soft butter.
On the other hand, the grilled seasonal fish was served with a numbing sauce that delivered a slow, creeping heat, made from a combination of Sichuan peppercorns and dried chillies. A spoonful of ikura crowned the dish, enhancing it with briny pops of oceanic essence.
I never thought the day would come when I’d say I enjoyed fish stomach — but I truly did! They were smooth-as-silk and served with a fresh, numbing golden sauce that’s crafted from pumpkin and green peppercorns.
We were totally duped when they brought out what looked like la zi ji (Sichuan mala chicken) — but it turned out to be beef instead. It was served with peanuts, chives, dried chilli, and fried black beans.
The meat had small pockets of fat, similar to the ones used in native Chinese skewers. Who knew beef would work so well with this combination? I’m mind-boggled!
For the next course, my eyes were immediately drawn to what looked like a big mound of jiggly konjac jelly. It turned out to be one of Sichuan’s specialities — liang fen, or mung bean starch noodles.
The chef meticulously used a sieve-like tool to create noodle-like strands, before dousing on garlic bits, and a mala chilli oil-like sauce, then topped with fine julienned carrots and cucumber.
The noodles were soft and light, like a cloud, and the clever use of crunchy vegetable strands, garlic, and punchy chilli sauce tied everything together brilliantly.
If xiao long bao and hong you chao shou had a lovechild, this would be it. Served in a trio, the dumplings were filled with rich broth and topped with fresh, sweet crab meat, all dressed in a bold, chilli-like sauce.
The final dessert at Kun 坤 featured sago, peach gum, and pink pomelo sacs served in coconut milk. We were glad the creamy coconut milk wasn’t sweetened, allowing the natural sweet-bitter notes of the pink pomelo to shine through. It was a light, refreshing end to the full-bodied dishes that came before.
Dining at Kun 坤 was an interesting experience for sure. That being said, we couldn’t shake the feeling that some dishes had been prepared out of sight, likely at the back of the kitchen — which left us feeling a little lukewarm about an omakase experience that traditionally centres around the chef preparing everything right in front of you.
Here are the various options and prices:
Lunch (12pm to 2pm)
- Regular 5-Course(S$98++)
- Regular 6-Course (S$128++)
- Regular 7-Course (S$148++)
Dinner (6pm to 11pm)
- Seafood 8-Course (S$168++)
- Regular 8-Course (S$168++)
- Regular 10-Course (S$289+) — What we had.
