We all love our wagyu. But with the myriad of types and grades of Japanese beef out there, it can all get a little confusing sometimes. Here are some of the more unknown cuts (with some more regular ones thrown in) you should know about and where you can try them in Singapore.

Toriyama wagyu

Where to try it: Ikyu

 

Unlike regular wagyu prized for its marbling (intramuscular fat), Toriyama wagyu places emphasis on umami, or how savory it tastes. At Ikyu, Chef Takuma Seki charcoal grills Toriyama beef with very little marination. He believes that the wagyu is very flavorful as it is, and the robata style allows for the natural flavors to shine.

Saga beef

 

Where to try it: Bōruto

 

Wagyu from Japan’s Saga Prefecture is known for its fine-grained marbling known as tsuya-sashi, or glossy marbling. For Bōruto’s Chef Angus Chow, he uses buttery Saga beef striploin to create his favorite dish, the gyu tataki, where he tosses thinly sliced Saga wagyu with salted kelp and saffron to create an aromatic dish.

Ohmi wagyu

 

Where to try it: Jin Fine Dining

 

Ohmi beef is regarded as one of the top three wagyu in Japan, and rightly so. While ohmi beef is not as fatty as other premium wagyu, it does carry a distinct sweetness, which Chef Ray Phun of Jin Fine Dining brings out by lightly pan-frying the beef with a little garlic oil, salt and pepper. Try it as part of his premium set available for both lunch and dinner.

Gunma beef

 

Where to try it: Kacyo

 

We all know A5 is the highest possible grade given to wagyu. But it is not easy to find A5 Gunma beef especially in Singapore. At Kacyo, which sources for premium beef on a rotational basis, you can try A5 wagyu from Kobe, Kagoshima, Miyazaki and, of course, from Gunma, which features melt-in-your-mouth marbling and intense umami.

Ozaki wagyu

 

Where to try it: Ushidoki Wagyu Kaiseki

 

Of all the wagyu types, Ozaki beef (sourced from a single farm in Miyazaki Prefecture) is the only one named after the owner of the cattle used rather than where it came from. Chef Hirohashi Nobuaki serves it in his kaiseki menus with each plate featuring a 50g striploin cut along with mountain wasabi from Hokkaido. The rich and flavorful beef is sweet yet not overwhelming to taste, meaning you can eat lots of it without feeling irked.

Fans of the old Itadakimasu, which opened and closed in Marina Bay in 2014, will be glad to know that they’ve reopened at Tanjong Pagar’s 100AM. The place will house seven Japanese restaurants serving the requisite classics, such as ramen, shabu shabu, soba, sushi and more. Out of the seven restaurants, three made their Singapore debut. Here’s what you can find at the renewed Japanese food enclave.

Shabu Shabu Gyu Jin 

Nadai Fujisoba Ni Hachi

Numazu Uogashizushi

Saboten

Ramen Keisuke Tori King 

Yakiniku Heijoen

Yayoi

Ippoh Tempura Bar by Ginza Ippoh
The newest tempura restaurant to hit Singapore’s Japanese dining scene is also the one with the longest history. Ippoh Tempura Bar, located at lifestyle destination COMO Dempsey, is opened byGinza Ippoh, a family-owned tempura restaurant that traces its roots back to Osaka in 1850. Currently keeping up the culinary tradition is a fifth-generation member of the founding family, Chef Masaru Seki. At Ippoh Tempura Bar, lightly-battered Osaka-style tempura is cooked in prime safflower oil, so that it retains a lightness, allowing the true flavors of the premium seasonal ingredients to shine. 

One of the ways Japanese celebrate the arrival of spring is to feast on fresh seasonal flavors. Various buds and sprouts that survived the harsh winter are harvested during this season. Sakura-like pink-fleshed seafood become available too and are both a feast for the eyes and your palate. Here are some of the best seasonal specials that you can enjoy right here in Singapore. 

First things first, in Japan, sake refers to alcohol. What many non-Japanese think of as sake is actually nihonshu – an alcoholic fermented rice beverage – that for the record, isn’t rice wine. We chat with sake professionals about all things nihonshu.

Mind your P’s and Q’s

Daisuke Kawai

We know you’ve been wondering about this, and to answer your question, yes, there is indeed sake drinking etiquette. In Japanese culture, it’s a nice gesture to pour sake for the people you're with. Drinking sake with someone is very much about nurturing that relationship, says Daisuke Kawai, Chief Sommelier and Co-founder of La Terre.

Context is important

There isn’t a one size fits all answer when it comes to sake. Maria Luisa Satoh, Sake Sommelier/Senior Sales and Marketing Manager of Orihara, explains: In Japan, they always consider the situation, food, and season, when deciding on the type of ochoko (cups), tokkuri (flask) and temperature to serve sake.

For example, when in a traditional sushi restaurant, Kawai prefers glass ochoko and tokkuri for chilled sake, and ceramic ochoko and tokkuri for warm sake. However, if he’s in a modern Japanese establishment, he opts for wine glasses instead.

Adrian Goh

Interestingly, Makoto Iwabuchi, Ki-sho’s Master Sake Sommelier, always uses non-traditional wine glasses to serve nihonshu. Meanwhile, Adrian Goh, Sake Sommelier/Marketing Director of Inter Rice Asia, is a champion of sake being served in wine glasses. Modern sake has diverse and interesting aromas. Using wine glasses allows the consumer to appreciate the complex aromas more easily.

Some like it hot

According to Goh, different sake styles suit different temperatures. If you aren’t sure, the easiest thing to do is to refer to the brewer’s recommendation on the back label of the bottle. His rule of thumb: Light, aromatic sake like ginjo is better chilled (around 11-15 degrees Celsius), while sake with more acidity and body like junmai tend to fare better between 16-20 degrees Celsius.

Choices, choices, choices

Different types of sake

Don’t feel intimidated by the numerous sake options out there. To get you started, Kawai offers some advice if you’re usually more of a wine drinker. Like Riesling? Then try junmai gingo as it tends to be fruit-forward and floral with a banana-like aroma. Into bold Australian Shiraz? Give genshu a shot. It has a stronger flavor and punch, thanks to its higher alcohol percentage (about 16-19%). Fancy natural wines? Pick a namazake. This unpasteurized style of sake usually has a raw quality to it yet still has a smooth, soft mouthfeel.

Be adventurous

Pairing Japanese food with sake may be the norm, but don’t be afraid to experiment. Iwabuchi suggests ginjo with fresh cheese like mozzarella as the fruity element of ginjo balances the cheese’s lightness, while strong-tasting, hard cheese enhances the umami quality of yamahai sake’s rich, complex flavor.

Goh feels that aromatic junmai daiginjo works well with white fish, scallops, green salads, and prosciutto melon; refreshing honjozo pairs nicely with sashimi, tofu, yakitori, prawns, dumplings, and wanton mee; rich junmai complements red meat dishes, bouillabaisse, and squid ink pasta; aged sake matches with broiled eel, foie gras, peking duck, and even tandoori chicken.

There may be a myriad of top-notch chefs from Japan who have set up shop here in Singapore, but some of them have clearly managed to stand head and shoulders above the rest. While some were already renowned before coming to our shores, others gained a loyal following through sheer proof of their culinary chops. Here are the names of some who have earned their accolades.

Tetsuya Wakuda of Waku Ghin

Tetsuya Wakuda, chef at Marina Bay Sands’ hot ticket Japanese restaurant Waku Ghin, is best known for his world famous namesake establishment Tetsuya in Sydney. He first arrived in the Australian city from Hamamatsu — a town in Honshu in the Shizuoka prefecture — at the age of 22. He got a job at eatery Fishwives in Surry Hills and soon fell in love with the food and the country. Slowly working his way up, he eventually became one of the best known chefs Down Under. He then opened Waku Ghin here in 2010, which won a star in Singapore's first-ever Michelin guide in July 2016.

Kenjiro Hashida of Hashida Sushi Singapore

Kenjiro Hashida (fondly known as Hatch) helms the kitchen of omakase fine dining establishment Hashida Sushi Singapore, which has recently undergone a relocation and facelift. Hatch, having trained under his father who is one of Japan’s master sushi chefs, begin his training as soon as he was old enough to step into the restaurant at age 12. He recalls his father training his palate by constantly having surprise blind tastings with a little monetary reward given if Hatch guessed the food correctly. After deciding to further his career as a sushi chef, he worked tirelessly alongside his father full-time. Despite many offers to set up shop in USA and Shanghai, he chose Singapore for its exciting mix of cultures and a robust dining scene.

Asai Masashi of Bincho at Hua Bee

Helming the space made famous by filmmaker Eric Khoo's Mee Pok Man (1995) is Asai Masashi, the mastermind behind Bincho at Hua Bee. He moved to Singapore 14 years ago looking for new experiences, after training at the well-known Abeno Tsuji Culinary Institute and having worked at establishments in Hyogo, Osaka and Kyoto. Masashi’s cooking style here is influenced heavily from growing up in the Hyogo Prefecture, an area known for quality produce. That is why the cuisine at Bincho has a light touch and avoids heavy seasoning to allow the natural flavor of food to shine.

Kazuhiro Hamamoto of Ki-Sho

It’s not surprising how Kazuhiro Hamamoto got onto the food scene, especially since he’s been religiously following the Japanese television cooking show Iron Chef, produced by Fuji Television, since he was 12 years old. Naturally, he started working at a Japanese restaurant in his teenage years and enrolled himself to Kyoto’s culinary arts college at 17. There, he worked at various high-end establishments before deciding to hit the international culinary scene to broaden his skills and experience, and has since been in Singapore for the past eight years. He moved here because he landed himself a job at the prestigious Waku Ghin before helming Ki-Sho. Equipped with the skills and knowledge of Kyoto cuisine, he instils his own personal touches in terms of taste and presentation to make them truly unique to Ki-Sho.

Hal Yamashita of Syun

Hal Yamashita was born in a port city in Kobe. The confluence of cultures in his hometown meant Yamashita was exposed to spices, scents and food produce from all over the world. From a young age, he enjoyed tasting new food and recreating dishes for himself. His early exposure to global influences helped him develop a distinct brand of nouvelle Japanese cuisine. He now helms numerous award winning restaurants including Nadaban Dining in Kobe and Hal Yamashita in Tokyo, and of course Syun, located at Singapore’s Resorts World Sentosa. Here, his dishes still focus on seasonal produce sourced near his hometown such as from Awaji Island and Tanba.