PUBLISHED December 15th, 2013 07:35 am | UPDATED May 18th, 2020 04:33 pm
There is much ado about Izy Dining & Bar, a recently opened izakaya-style Japanese restaurant on Club Street. Despite the competitive Japanese dining scene in Singapore, Izy and its hidden bar, Cache, manage to hold their own with a creative and modern menu that will tantalise the most discerning of palates. Classic Japanese dishes respected and reinvented.
The surroundings, with an urban ‘pop-punch’ Japanese mural, are as much a vibrant conundrum as the food. Head Chef Kazumasa Yazawa, formerly of Waku Ghin, has dreamt up a plethora of small plates great for sharing under six different categories to guide diners through the menu. For first-timers and foodies alike, the Omakase, six courses of Chef’s choice ($125/person), would satiate any indecisive, adventurous diners. Portions are relatively small; one can easily get through six courses without feeling like a zeppelin. Dietary restrictions aside, it usually consists of must-tries and the occasional off-menu item.
For those venturing in without omakase, take note, as this may just be the Holy Grail to your next food-gasm. Shime Saba ($32) will delight: seared and cured mackerel sits plump atop a plate with tomato yuzu sauce and wasabi. The Goma Tofu ($18), a chawanmushi-like creation of white sesame tofu topped with ikura, lotus and fresh wasabi is refreshingly silky, albeit slightly bitter.
But in all seriousness, don’t go to Izy without trying these: Josper-Grilled Foie Gras in Lime Balsamico Sauce ($25) leaves you scraping for every last morsel. Foie gras marinated in white miso is finished on the grill, giving it that slightly charred flavour. Slathered with lime balsamico sauce and paired with a dollop of mango-passionfruit sauce on the side. Secondly, Chicken Karaage ($20) is an izakaya classic. Somehow, Chef Kaz has managed to elevate its simplicity by double-frying these bad boys to crispy, non-oily perfection.
Lastly, the Wagyu Truffle Don ($45) is the ultimate pièce-de-résistance. A bowl of thinly sliced wagyu beef finished on the josper grill rests on a bed of rice and enveloped in autumn truffle. Delicious and highly addictive, it should be part of everyone’s daily diet. As for dessert, there is one standout in particular: Strawberry-Chilli Sorbet with Condensed Milk ($12). Be adventurous and be surprised at how delicious it is as sweet and spicy is balanced by the creaminess of the milk.
Let’s not forget about Cache, the hidden industrial-chic bar adorned with copper pipes that is tucked away at the end of the restaurant. Go through a mirrored door to find a dim hideout with cool music and even cooler drinks. Kley Dhillon, head bartender, possesses a refined, bitter palate that is a treasure trove of spirits. Cache doesn’t do well with menus; simply ask what flavours and kinds of cocktails one fancies. A personal suggestion: a Mezcal Gimlet. Tequila and mezcal are having their moment (read more in our guide to tequila and mezcal here), so this drink is on-trend for Singapore’s humid weather. Mezcal is shaken with lime juice, agave nectar and cayenne pepper for extra zing.
Complementarily, Athena specialises in Asian flavours. She imbues flavours like passionfruit, coconut, basil, and grapes into her drinks. Cocktails range from $16-$21. Also, if Manager Marcus is around, ask him to recommend you a glass of whisky as a digestif. Izy and Cache is a well-thought out concept that certainly lives up to its hype.
Written by The Non Sequitur
On this occasion the meal and cocktails were compliments of Izy Dining & Bar