Launched on 17 April 2022, WAKUDA is a collaboration between celebrity chef Tetsuya Wakuda of two-Michelin-starred Waku Ghin and John Kunkel of 50 Eggs Hospitality Group (behind the Yardbird Southern Table & Bar concept). WAKUDA’s culinary concept focuses on “natural ingredients” and offers à la carte options as well as private omakase menus. Chef Tetsuya says dining at WAKUDA is a transformative experience using his culinary skills of marrying French technique with Japanese philosophy.
From the moment you enter the restaurant, you will be greeted by an up-lit Kumiko wood façade that leads to the bear and the main dining room with suspended lighting fixtures. A sushi counter with a dazzling breathtaking Japanese maple tree - real or fake. When seated, there are subtle touches that give away this is a fine dining restaurant. The wooden chopsticks arrive cold and pre-soaked in water so food doesn't stick to them. The ambience at WAKUDA exudes youth and fun with Japanese pop music playing in the background. Semi-circle booths and plush chairs give off a classy lounge vibe.
We ordered from the à la carte menu for a change and started our gastronomic adventure with a comfortingly familiar Japanese snack, Grilled Shishito Peppers ($18), dusted with a Chilli base mix with sancho, mandarin, grated bonito and pepper. There was a nice crunch and it had a deliciously bittersweet taste.
The Yuba ($31) serves with silky artisanal beancurd skin (flown in from Kyoto) topped with creamy Hokkaido sea urchin and mountain caviar, artfully curated in a martini glass. This appetiser is a nice blend of earthy and sea flavours.
Next, we welcomed nigiri sushi.
First, Anago ($12), a nigiri topped with torched sea eel. The eel was incredible as it did not have any fishy taste. Eating the Anago without any condiments was delightful.
Akami ($11), Chutoro ($16) and Otoro ($26) nigiri are lean tuna meat, medium-fat and supreme-fat tuna belly respectively. Starting from Akami to Chutoro to Otoro, each nigiri raised the bar of highly delectable artisanal sushi. The sweetness intensified as we ate from Akami to Otoro. Otoro, being the fattiest part of the fish, literally melts in your mouth.
Last, the Hotate ($13) (scallop), Lobster ($16), Botan Ebi ($15) (Botan Shrimp) nigiri were freshly prepared and the sweetness from these seafood were amazingly delicious too.
The Tempura ($45) is served with assorted crispy crust vegetables and seafood (prawns, salmon, scallops and whiting). The seafood was extremely fresh and the sweetness exploded in your mouths at every bite.
The highly raved Carabinero ($34) prawns lived up to their reputation. Highly sought after by restaurants around the world, these prawns, which usually lived in deep waters, are prized for their impressive size, bright red colour and robust flavour. Their distinct flavour is concentrated in their heads. Roasted meticulously, the prawn was split down the middle portioned with deeply savoury tarragon risotto. The rich and velvety risotto paired with the plump, perfectly cooked prawn was deliciously divine.
The Charcoal Grilled Kagoshima Wagyu ($88) is served with smoked eggplant and a series of grilled seasonal vegetables. The beef melted in our mouths with a faultless amount of fat and umami.
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| Green Tea and Azuki Bean Terrine |
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| Japanese Musk Melon from Shizuoka |
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| Tiramisu BABA |
Finally, every meal must end with a sweet tone. We had desserts including, Green Tea and Azuki Bean Terrine ($25) featured strong notes of green tea with red bean, a classic Japanese combination. Japanese Musk Melon from Shizuoka is served with Cointreau Granita and Fromage Blanc Sorbet (S$28). A signature Tiramisu BABA by Executive Pastry Chef Yasushi Ishino, which swaps the rum for limoncello (an Italian lemon liqueur) ($11).
Address: Marina Bay Sands Hotel Lobby, Tower 2, 10 Bayfront Avenue, Singapore 018956
Food Rating: 5/5 (We enjoyed the food immensely)
Price: $$$ ($300 per pax based on the amount of food we ate)
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