Review: A Lavish 8-Course Christmas Omakase At JIDAI: Eclectic French-Japanese Fusion Restaurant At Just $88++
JIDAI Restaurant- the epitome of omakase set in a futuristic izakaya located at Circular Road. Dine in style with maneki-neko (Japanese fortune cats) at JIDAI Restaurant and enjoy a Christmas-inspired 8-course ($88) and 10-course omakase set ($108). Specially curated by Chef-Owner Darwin Wong, this exquisite omakase showcases JIDAI’s contemporary spins on French and Japanese cuisines through creative fusion dishes. Read on and join us on our East-meets-West gastronomic voyage!
1. Uni Umami Bomb
The first dish on the menu made a grand entrance with luxurious uni and caviar. We were pleased with the burst of umami complemented by a rich Uni Miso Crème dip!
2. Oyster with Botan Ebi
Following the decadent starter was a delectable oyster fritter and botan ebi (prawns) with sliced cucumber set on a delicate pie crust. It was a wonderful combination of textures and flavours; we enjoyed the crispy oyster fritter coupled with sweet botan ebi and well seasoned cucumber!
3. Sea Bream and Tuna Kutsuo
The third course featured two king fishes of the sea- sea bream and tuna. The sea bream sashimi was fresh and rejuvenated our palates. The tuna tataki was lightly seared, served rare with cucumber and a drizzle of citrus-based soy sauce.
For our second helping, we wrapped the tuna tataki with nori (seaweed).
4. Jade Abalone with Seaweed Rice
The next seafood pair featured tender and sweet Jade Abalone and savoury ikura (salmon roe), served with edamame, purple cucumber on a bed of seaweed rice. We especially loved that the serving was petite yet wholesome.
5. Maitake with Foie Gras Veloute
This classic French velvety foie gras veloute went in perfect harmony with woodsy Japanese maitake mushrooms. The crunchiness of the maitake accentuated the robust flavour of the smooth and creamy veloute.
6. Kurobuta Pork Collar with Braised Pulled Pork Dumpling
This was a pork combo featuring lusciously marbled meat with tender and flavourful slow-cooked pulled pork. We enjoyed the tender cuts of the pork as well as the amazing meat-to-fat ratio but the overall taste profile of the dish was slightly too sweet for our liking.
7. Mini Cones Chous Chous
A twist on the traditional French classic dessert which featured a mini chocolate cone topped with twisted choux pastry. We loved that this mini dessert tasted as good it looked, and that the cream filling was mildly sweet.
8. Champagne Gelato served with Yuzu Poached Baby Pear
This fizzy sparkling wine dessert is perfect for the holidays! While this ice-cream did not pack enough alcohol to keep us buzzed, serving it along with this yuzu poached baby pear certainly completed our Christmas-inspired gastronomic journey. Cheers!
Star Dish: Golden Truffle Black Chicken
On top of the 8-course omakase set, we highly recommend you to add on this glorious Golden Truffle Black Chicken. This is an exquisite creation by Head Chef Darwin. On the exterior, spot the added touch of luxury with 24k edible gold flakes paired with their Golden Truffle Black Chicken. The chicken is charred to perfection leaving a sizzling and smokey trail on the skin. On the inside, the chicken is stuffed with foie gras, glutinous rice (this reminded us of samgyetang), truffle and chicken jus. Being fans of truffle and French roast chicken, this beautifully roasted succulent black chicken certainly impressed us with its depth of flavours!
Final Thoughts
At JIDAI, we truly experienced what was it like to marry French and Japanese flavours. We loved the creative menu concept as much as the quirky interior of the restaurant. Drop by if you’d like an innovative interpretation of the taste of Japan together with arsenal of French techniques!
JIDAI
Address: 9 Circular Road Singapore 049365
Opening hours: Mon 5pm-10pm, Tue-Sun 12pm–3pm and 5pm–10.30pm
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Website: https://jidairestaurant.com/
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