Imagine a vibrant Sunday brunch filled with laughter, where a steady flow of drinks keeps the spirits high. The buffet is overflowing with a tempting selection of delicious dishes and it is clear there is simply too much to try. As you revel in the lively atmosphere throughout the afternoon, you feel your anxiety about the upcoming Monday blues fading away.
For those who want to face the work week with a fresh start, we invite you to IMAMURA, where you can savour a leisurely brunch in a tranquil setting of Sentosa Island: delight in the mouth-watering menu expertly crafted by Michelin-starred chef Hirofumi Imamura while surrounded by the picturesque ambience of Amara Sanctuary Resort Sentosa.
As you pass through the gates, a sense of peace and tranquillity envelops you, welcoming you into a serene atmosphere housed in a historic 1,600 sq ft building that once served as a chapel on Sentosa Island. The décor exudes unmistakable Japanese charm, blending contemporary elegance with traditional influences.
With the open-plan kitchen, diners have a front-row seat to watch Imamura and his team skillfully create each dish to delight the palate. The restaurant features meticulously prepared premium Japanese ingredients, all served in a luxurious setting where Imamura brings his “Philosophy of Five” to life — tastes, colours, laws, abilities and senses.
Imamura has refined his craft at some of the world’s most esteemed restaurants, including establishments in Macau, Las Vegas, New York and Tokyo. He earned his Michelin star while working at the now-closed Kazuo Okada restaurant in Hong Kong. With two decades of experience in the culinary world, Imamura specialises in sushi and kaiseki preparations, demonstrating his mastery not only of food but also of sake and wine pairings.
See also: A first look at Grand Hyatt Singapore's refreshed food lineup
In 2017, he debuted his first self-titled upscale Japanese restaurant, Kappou Imamura, which rapidly became a must-visit dining spot for guests at the Okada Manila integrated resort. He made the move to Singapore in 2022, bringing his expertise to a new audience.
Imamura’s daytime dining menu is offered at S$300++ per person and includes a glass of Telmont Champagne. This exceptional menu begins with a salad that has its own dedicated page. The dish arrives on a pristine white flat plate, showcasing a vibrant assortment of 25 different vegetables, each cut into 4cm slivers, accompanied by an array of salts and dips. Notably, some of these vegetables are cultivated and cared for by Imamura himself.
See also: Summer Palace joins hands with Chengdu’s Silver Pot for four-hands dinner
We start with a delightful combination of tomato paired with wasabi soy, burdock, sesame vinegar, ice plant, egg yolk vinegar mukago, kanzuri ginkgo and yagachi jima salt. We recommend allowing the flavours to linger before moving on to the next vegetable, which is winter melon accompanied by black garlic, hishio pumpkin, matcha salt, taro, miso, carrot, carrot salt, radish and oyster salt.
Once the salad course concludes, prepare yourself for the main menu, which showcases Imamura’s signature attention to detail, with each bite surpassing the last. One standout dish is Mizugai, which is inspired by the Gardens By The Bay. The chef describes this creation as a means to awaken the appetite. It features a delicate arrangement of abalone, cucumber, Myoga ginger, lily bulb, razor clam and sea urchin, all artistically presented to resemble a flower floating in a crystal-clear broth.
Imamura’s talent shines through with his crowd-pleasing Chawanmushi, a warm bowl brimming with luxurious ingredients including sea urchin, salmon roe, grouper, scallop, komatsuna, egg custard, aged black caviar — all seasoned with aged rice vinegar. The chef tells us that the grouper is caught using a special technique designed to minimise stress for the fish.
The Gohan box set features either unagi or miso-marinated beef, accompanied by an impressive array of rice condiments such as Chirimen yuba with sasho tuna, Japanese yam, spinach, spicy cod roe, salmon, nori seaweed and pickled vegetables. To us, rice has never tasted as good as it does in the skilled hands of Imamura.
For more lifestyle, arts and fashion trends, click here for Options Section
If there is ever a dessert that tastes deceptively healthy, it has to be this delightful creation featuring Japanese cheese ice cream, daitokuji bean tuile and plum with white bean paste mochi. Pair it with some bubbly and you are set to take a stroll through Sentosa to walk off this indulgent meal.
We must admit that tackling a Monday feels much more manageable when we’re not dealing with a massive hangover or the discomfort of overeating!
