There’s beef. And there’s Wagyu beef. No, not including Wagyus that are produced outside Japan; only the ones born and bred natively are worthy of the brand name. Just sayin’!

Today’s blog is about the Ozaki Wagyu, served exclusively at Ushidoki. The way Ozaki cattle is reared, makes the meat significantly less fatty than most Wagyu; A quality that certainly sits well with me. Our SGD200 Ozaki Beef Course was mind blowing from start to end. Ozaki San’s formula is certainly in a class of its own. A good class.

Beef Tongue and Seasonal Vegetables served in Beef Consommé Soup

2 slices of soft tender beef tongue in a lightly flavored consommé. Starting with one of my favorite part of the cow was a good idea. The flavor was light.. laced with just enough warm consommé to whet your palate. It wasn’t OMG-Wow, but it impressed in a quiet elegant way.

Ozaki Beef and Seafood CombinationThe trio platter showcased some unusual mix of ingredients and beef cuts. The first, technically, Sea Urchin with Tofu in Jelly! The tofu is made with the curdled layers of soy bean milk while the jelly derived from a light beef broth. It is soft over soft over soft; creamy sweet sea urchin smelled and tasted fresh as the sea; an au natural curdled soy bean pudding, and a wobbly salty jello! A smooth explosion in the mouth! A grilled rump cube sliced and flavored with grainy miso barley. The cold lean beef had a good bite without breaking the jaw. And miso barley? A wonderful way to add flavor and texture to the meat. A plump oyster wrapped in beef. The inner beef shoulder cut was pleasantly tender while the oyster was a mouthful of salty juiciness!

“Rosanjin” style Sukiyaki served with Soft Boiled Egg

Simmering for as long as the restaurant’s been opened, never thought I would embrace overnight food as much as I did tonight! Homemade sukiyaki sauce was subtly sweet and savory. It never ever boils, instead, the simmer is so gentle the sauce barely bubbles. And in this gentle roll, the beef cooks. Soaking up the delicious sauce in every dive, dip and swirl Chef Nobuaki succumbs it to. Then it is served over a smooth onsen egg cooked to perfection in exactly 34 minutes. A little drizzle of the precious sukiyaki sauce and shaved truffle to finish. Sink the beef into the gooey egg, the truffle inadvertently sticks to the now gluey moist meat… my eyes rolled back in joy and contentment as the perfect beef fills my mouth. True bliss! As if sensing my embarrassing urge to slurp up the rest of that gorgeous slimy egg, the server appeared just in time with a ball of Japanese rice and dropped it into my bowl. Everyone smiles! Mix the rice up with that egg you didn’t want to leave behind! Now finish it!

Cold Tomato RefresherAfter the rich sukiyaki, Chef serves up a palate cleanser of cold tomato. True to its name, the tomato was refreshing and sweet!

Braised Ozaki Beef RibsThis was braised so tender in mustard seed, providing a tinge of sweetness in the beefy ribs. What’s great about this is how it’s so tender yet does not simply disintegrate in your mouth. There’s still enough chew to savor the natural flavor of the beautiful beef. Yet nothing gets stuck between your teeth in the process! The balance in texture and flavor is on point!

Ozaki Beef Sushi Not entirely raw for the benefit of customers whom may be uncomfortable with raw beef; but a good blue. When beef is aged beautifully, there are no signs or scents of any bloodiness. This was the perfect example of beautifully aged meat. Lightly seared and served over fragrant sushi rice topped with petals and leaves for condiments… simply beautiful!

Char Grilled Ozaki BeefGrilled over a gentle flame producing the juiciest steak ever. We were repeatedly reminded to dig in while these babies were hot, to experience the first class flavor and taste, and we were not disappointed. The meat melts in the mouth with distinct beefy flavors. There were no evidence of any seasoning at all. Just true blue beef in its au natural state!

Cold Soumen with Tail Soup JellyOur final dish was something cold and refreshing. I love cold noodles and I love soumen. So this was a treat! The cold beef broth was light but flavorful and the chilled soumen had a nice soft chew to it. Nothing overwhelming.. just a good clean taste to wrap up the meal.

Homemade Hokkaido Milk Ice Cream We all know great things come out of Hokkaido milk and this homemade ice cream was no exception. Wasn’t too heavy nor creamy; delicious paired with gooey gula melaka (palm sugar syrup) for that South East Asian touch! And a complimentary Yuzu Chocolate Cake closed the deal for me! I’m a sucker for fruity chocolate and this took the crown. Refreshing Yuzu sneaks up on you in every bite! A little zing in every bittersweet chocolate mouthful! The interfusion was astounding! I absolutely love it!

I had a great time at Ushidoki. The food is fantastic. And the service, immaculate! Be intimidated not, by Chef Nobuaki’s quiet composure when you first enter the exclusive restaurant that seats barely 12. He is, in actual fact, a joy to chatter with. In candid English speckled with Japanese and Singlish accents, we exchanged ideas, opinions and jokes on food, drinks and travels. We ended up staying longer than we planned but it was all pure pleasure.

Ushidoki @ 57 Tras Street Singapore 078996 Phone +65 2216379

Disclaimer- This is not a sponsored post.