PUBLISHED December 29th, 2017 06:00 am
Located within the busy Boat Quay, Circular Road and its surrounding lanes are home to a number of Japanese restaurants and eateries, from ramen and tendon to robatayakis and sushi joints. It’s safe to say, however, that none are quite like The Hitsuji Club – what appears to be a non-descript Japanese grill is actually Singapore’s only jingisukan specialist.
Prepared on a convex skillet that is said to resemble the helmet of Mongolian soldiers, jingisukan (a romanised Japanese spelling for the Mongolian conqueror Genghis Khan) is unlike your usual barbecue offerings of beef, chicken and pork. Here, the stronger tasting lamb takes centre stage. The rarity of their appearance on the grill as well as authencity is the reason The Hitsuji Club has gained a staunch following of Japanese businessmen, who take the time to head down for grilled dinner and drinks post-work.
Imported from Australia and New Zealand, the lamb on offer were grain-fed for four to six months to bring out the best flavours when fired up, and are seasoned lightly for the full flavours. The restaurant offers a variety of cuts both in a la carte and set options – the premium set ($45, $65 with lamb chop) includes loins and fillets, while the standard set ($30) features meat from the leg. Both sets come with a selection of vegetables all prepped for ease of grilling, such as pumpkin, shiitake mushrooms, king oyster mushroom, onions and capsicums.
We started with the premium set with lamb chop, carefully grilled by a staff member at our table as he explained the accompanying condiments – salt, pepper, minced garlic and a soy-based “secret sauce” made in-house. Oiling the grill with lamb fat, the meat and vegetables are cooked together and give off an enticing aroma, and with the staff monitoring you don’t have to lift a finger as the food reaches your plate.
Between the two lamb meats in the premium set, the loin was a favourite of the table, as the juicy meat was slightly fattier and the earthier notes of the lamb more apparent with each bite. Meanwhile, the leaner fillet was tender and less gamey than the loin, making both meats a good balance of overall flavour. True lamb fans, however, would love the lamb chop ($12/piece), which is grilled while still on the bone and utterly succulent, if limited in quantity. Paired with the sauce, condiments as well as the expertly charred vegetables with slightly burnt ends loved by many a barbecue fan, made for a satisfying meal.
The taste of lamb might take getting used to for some people, which is why The Hitsuji Club menu also features other kinds of meat for you to mix and match your favourites. The marinated chicken ($14) and pork belly ($14) are both indulgent choices to spice up the jingisukan offerings – the chicken’s skin is wonderfully grilled for the necessary smokey flavour for charred meats, while the pork belly was a generous slab of layered fat and meat, that had our mouths watering from grill to plate. Both also matched well with the special sauce, salt and pepper, but we recommend the minced garlic for the chicken and pork – the stronger garlic taste melded perfectly with the freshly grilled pieces.
Considered a hidden gem Boat Quay, jingisukan at The Hitsuji Club is a must-try for the adventurous meat lover looking for something beyond the usual barbecue options. Do call in to reserve before coming down – an intimate 20-seater means the restaurant is mostly filled during the peak meal hours.
The Hitsuji Club is located at 65 Circular Road, Singapore 049419, p. +65 6221 3789. Opens Tue-Fri 11.45am – 2pm, 6pm – 11pm; Sat-Mon 6pm – 11pm.