From the chef’s hands to your plate, here are two Kappo dining concepts that are sure to surprise and delight
Kappo, which means “to cut” and “to cook”’ in Japanese, is a dining experience that allows guests to witness the live preparation of seasonal ingredients, meticulously crafted into artistic dishes prepared by chefs. The interactive exchange and connection between the chef and the guests is paramount in Kappo cuisine, presented in a multi-course menu where dishes are created using a diverse range of cooking methods.
To get a taste of the trend that is becoming increasingly popular in Singapore today, check out these new Kappo dining spots.
TakiKomi Rice with Teriyaki Salmon and Salmon Roe
Zuicho
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Zuicho is the new Japanese Kappo restaurant in the recently refreshed Mandarin Oriental Singapore. Taking pride in authenticity and elevated with seasonality of Japanese ingredients, Zuicho is set to channel its Michelin success from its Hong Kong and Macau outposts in Singapore.
Operated by Wa Creations and established by Like Clayton, Zuicho was launched in 2020 and is helmed by executive chef Fumio Suzuki to refine the immersive Kappo cuisine experience in Hong Kong. This collaboration has resulted in the restaurant receiving a one-Michelin-star rating since 2021.
In Singapore, Zuicho welcomes Kenji Takahashi as the restaurant’s head chef. A celebrated Japanese cuisine maestro with an illustrious background, Takahashi is the visionary mastery behind Tokyo Ginza’s coveted Yoshifuku, for which he earned Michelin stars for over nine consecutive years.
See also: Summer Palace joins hands with Chengdu’s Silver Pot for four-hands dinner
Zuicho Singapore showcases an omakase menu that will change monthly and is naturally based on the distinctive four seasons of Japan. Highlights include Fried Miyazaki Wagyu Tenderloin; Uni (sea urchin) with Handmade Somen Noodles; Snow Crab Hot Pot with Soy Milk, Cabbage and Konjac Noodles; and an exclusive Minced Tuna with Bafun Uni Handroll.
Dinner menus are priced from $380++ to $550++, while Lunch menu options are available from $250++ to $350++. The restaurant setting is intimate and has limited seats, as with most Kappo dining establishments, so be sure to make a booking in advance before heading down.
Hashida
Hashida Singapore unveiled in December 2023 its “restaurant-in-restaurant” concept as it launched the Abura Kappo. Abura, or “oil” in Japanese, is a fundamental element in the culinary world. The Abura Kappo concept showcases the convergence of inspiration from around the world, interpreted through a creative Japanese lens.
Monaka
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This concept opens with the Abura Kappo Vol 1, the first menu of its kind, helmed by chef Kenjiro “Hatch” Hashida.
The menu ($200++ per diner) features a succession of 13 bites, each a symphony of flavours and textures coming together. The dinner starts off with Monaka — crisp wafers sandwiching creamy egg custard, a combination of blue cheese and Comte cheese, mushroom sauce and pearls of roasted beetroot and Japanese radish simmered in kombucha.
From this first dish, you can tell that you’re in for a creative meal, one that has truly reimagined traditional Japanese dishes.
Other noteworthy dishes include the Japanese buri (yellowtail) carpaccio topped with gin salt; Camembert cheese sandwiched between kinome leaves, and coated in a light batter and deep-fried; Ebi Toast, where prawn paste accompanies a house-made tamagoyaki; and Soft Soba Taco that is a play on the Japanese sukiyaki.
In between the menu, diners are also served a range of tempura dishes, including Wagyu beef, radish, tomato and more. This may change according to the availability of ingredients.
Donabe
Save some space for the Donabe at the end of the meal, which was in my opinion the highlight of the menu. Here, seasonal fish is paired with Nanatsuboshi rice that has been cooked with dashi and Hokkaido scallops. Butter shoyu is then mixed into the rice. If you are not able to finish this heavy dish at the end of the meal, the chef can turn the leftovers into an onigiri for takeaway.
The dessert celebrates the persimmon season now in Japan, with a slice of Japanese dried persimmon stuffed with house-made matcha ice cream, topped with lemon vanilla oil, lemon oil and lemon zest.
