Exquisite Eel Dishes at Mikuni’s Summer Unagi Festival 2016
PUBLISHED July 21st, 2016 06:00 am
Amongst the wide array of delectable ingredients used in Japanese cuisine, unagi has always been prized for its tender, fatty meat. The slithery fish is particularly popular during the sweltering summer months, as the Japanese believe that consuming eel, which is especially rich in vitamins and proteins, helps to increase stamina and boost your vitality for the rest of the year.
In celebration of this ancient tradition, Fairmont Singapore’s Mikuni has brought back the Summer Unagi Festival ‘Doyo No Ushi No Hi’ for its second year from 19 July to 6 August 2016. Doyo, which refers to the summer, coincidentally happens to be the season where unagi is the fattiest and most nutritious. So in equatorial Singapore, we can hardly think of anything more welcoming.
Since its debut last year, Executive Chef Moon Kyung Soo’s festival menu has received many accolades from aficionados and customers alike. This time, his special six-course Mikuni Eel Summer Lunch ($138++) is, again, created with the season’s freshest items.
Start off your journey with a refreshing starter of Organic Japanese Green Salad, served with lightly-battered snow crab leg and a medley of orange, blueberry and black sesame. This is quickly followed by a beautifully plated spectrum of Seasonal Sashimi – Hokkaido Sea Urchin, Aori Ika, Yellowtail, Sea Bream, and Fatty Toro. We need to point out that dining at Mikuni is a gorgeous treat for the senses, and Chef Moon never fails to impress us with his creative aesthetic touches in presentation.
Artfully presented in a bento-style presentation, the next three courses are served together purportedly to cater to the typical lunchtime hour. The Chef’s Seasonal Zensai features a hearty trio of delicate Barbecued Eel Jelly, Smoked Salmon Yuzu, and Eel Yahata Maki Burdock, finishing off with a Crispy Eel Bone that’s chock-full of calcium, while the zesty Sunomono Moriawase – Scallop, Shrimp, Ginger Flower, and Tomato refreshes the palate for the star of the bento, a hefty portion of Charcoal-Grilled Eel on Rice.
Served with Mixed Japanese Pickles (with jellyfish) and a tasty Kyushu Shijimi Miso Soup, Chef Moon prepares the freshwater eels – imported live from the Aichi prefecture – the traditional way: grilling over charcoal while basting the fish with classic kabayaki sauce for a gentle smoky flavour that’s slightly sweet. Expect to get some fine bones in your unagi, but don’t worry about swallowing them.
For a sweet ending to polish off the meal, the herbaceous Japanese Shiso Leaf Sorbet with Yoghurt Mousse and Strawberry presents just the right balance of light, savoury, and slightly minty. Don’t be surprised when you hear some popping in your mouth, courtesy of the pop rocks put in by Chef Moon.
Take the time to savour and explore each of the dishes in this set lunch – from the savoury eel jelly and fattiness of the tuna to the delightful balance of the yuzu with smoked salmon, there’s plenty to discover in this succulent meal. There’s no reason not to be full of calcium, stamina, and vitality till the end of the year!
The “Doyo No Ushi No Hi” Mikuni Eel Special Summer Lunch is available from 19 July to 6 August 2016, 12pm to 2.30pm daily, priced at $138++ per person.
Mikuni is located at Level 3 Fairmont Hotel, 80 Bras Basah Road, Singapore 189560, p. 6431 6156. For reservations, please email [email protected].
