15/01/2019 ESORA: The Rise of the Culinary Bambinos | High Net Worth Dining (https://www.hnworth.com/article-category/dining) ESORA: The Rise of the Culinary Bambinos By Sihan Lee https://www.hnworth.com/article/2018/12/06/esora-the-rise-of-the-culinary-bambinos/ 1/9 15/01/2019 ESORA: The Rise of the Culinary Bambinos | High Net Worth December 6, 2018 Recommended 2018 has been an epic year of change for the F&B scene in Singapore, Insights (https://www.hnworth.com/article- notwithstanding the sad category/insights) departure/closure of several renowned institutions in the industry. With several big names out of action, this creates room for the younger, more ambitious chefs and restauranteurs to strive and crack the glass ceilings of fine dining. And for many of these up-and-comers, beige is (https://www.hnworth.com/article/201 the new white; and wood is the new 10-biggest-risks-for-2018/) marble. The 10 Biggest Risks for 2018 (https://www.hnworth.com/article/201 10-biggest-risks-for-2018/) Style (https://www.hnworth.com/article- category/style) (http://www.hnworth.com/wp- content/uploads/2018/11/Esora-Art- 1.jpg) Contributing significantly to these efforts, is the newly opened ESORA (https://www.restaurant-esora.com/), (https://www.hnworth.com/article/201 an intimate 26-seater Kappo-style to-get-the-nike-react-element-87- establishment that has recently added x-undercover/) the T.Dining Best New Restaurant award to its impending accolades, just https://www.hnworth.com/article/2018/12/06/esora-the-rise-of-the-culinary-bambinos/ 2/9 15/01/2019 ESORA: The Rise of the Culinary Bambinos | High Net Worth 3 months of opening its doors. Impressive. Even more so when you How To Get The personally experience the first-class Nike React Element dining shift gears on full power, 87 X UNDERCOVER combined with the zen-like disposition of the nature forward space. ESORA (https://www.hnworth.com/article/201 to-get-the-nike-react-element-87- translates to ‘painting in the sky’ in x-undercover/) Japanese, mirroring Chef Koizumi’s Dining love for the sky and his affinity with (https://www.hnworth.com/article- category/dining) nature. If you close your eyes, just imagine you are in the old cedar forests of Hakone instead of the gentrified street that is Mohamed Sultan Road; the light pitter patter of a passing shower and the barest hint of timber in the air. The tone is set with a warm bowl of (https://www.hnworth.com/article/201 dashi. It’s a labour of love, flavoured cohiba-cigars/) with dried katsuobushi and yuzu. You ease back into your chair, and do a The Perfect Pairing: double-take to leave your worries at Martell Cohiba and the door. Shigeru Koizumi traverses Cohiba cigars the kitchen with quiet confidence, his muscular forearms executing (https://www.hnworth.com/article/201 cohiba-cigars/) restrained movements with a gentle Automobiles demeanour as if to blend into the (https://www.hnworth.com/article- restaurant. All around him, young category/automobiles) staff are buzzing around like soldier bees, purposeful and teeming with energy. In Koizumi’s utopian world, the kitchen runs like clockwork; the team oblivious to scrutinising glares as if a one-way mirror was all that stood between us. (https://www.hnworth.com/article/201 group-signs-two-agreements-to- build-high-performance-boats/) USP Group Signs Two Agreements To https://www.hnworth.com/article/2018/12/06/esora-the-rise-of-the-culinary-bambinos/ 3/9 15/01/2019 ESORA: The Rise of the Culinary Bambinos | High Net Worth Build High Performance Boats (https://www.hnworth.com/article/201 group-signs-two-agreements-to- build-high-performance-boats/) High Profiles (https://www.hnworth.com/article- category/high-profiles) (http://www.hnworth.com/wp- content/uploads/2018/11/Esora-Foie- Gras-Monaka.jpg) The Foie Gras Monaka is one of the best things I’ve put in my mouth this year. Crispy monaka shell harbouring a goose liver torch, grounded by sweet fig and given a nutty edge with sesame (https://www.hnworth.com/article/2017 tan-heatwave/) creameux. Wisps of ginger flower and grated kaffir lime brighten up the Elizabeth Tan savoury confection. The staff will spare no effort in winning your (https://www.hnworth.com/article/2017 interest in their dedicated tea pairing tan-heatwave/) programme. Heavy alcoholic imbibers can take comfort in the fact that these hand blended teas served in sexy glassware can have a placebo effect. The tea odyssey begins with the Sparkling Oriental Beauty tilted into a champagne flute, a delicate brew infused with hibiscus flower and umeshu, and then given an effervescent character with the introduction of soda. Champagne, move along now. The meal takes a turn with the hideous monk fish taking shape in a picture perfect duo of dishes: chawanmushi with dashi jelly topped with coriander cress, flanked by a slender sliver of toast with churned Ankimo (Monk https://www.hnworth.com/article/2018/12/06/esora-the-rise-of-the-culinary-bambinos/ 4/9 15/01/2019 ESORA: The Rise of the Culinary Bambinos | High Net Worth Fish Liver) christened with Narazuke (Japanese pickles) that have been soaked in sake lees. The tea pairing that emerges is an Oolong blend with a distinct creamy backbone. You’ll feel the warm embrace of Autumn with the Sashimi selection. Pretty vessels sitting on the most wondrous bed of autumn leaves lit by a candle tube made from thinly shaved radish. I count my blessing avidly. I have never seen a presentation so exquisite. There’s lightly smoked katsuo, a trio of tuna that is to be eaten irrefutably in an increasing order of luxury. Bafun Uni nigiri, and finally Hokkaido clams with green mustard. It’s clearly a dish founded by great produce—seeking approval via an ostentatious presentation. And you know what? It’s getting its way. Chef Koizumi prances over to a small induction panel placed strategically in front of my vantage point. He proceeds to fish out matsutake mushrooms from a simmering stock pot. I have had an ocean’s worth of hearty soups in my time, but nothing that resembles anything like this one. It’s like a fever dream of Japanese inspiration—clear as day, yet bursting with sweet earthy flavours from the mushrooms and abalone that has been slow cooked for 6 hours at 85 degrees. It makes you appreciate each spoonful as opposed to gobbling it down with a certain vengeance. And then there’s the momentous moment when https://www.hnworth.com/article/2018/12/06/esora-the-rise-of-the-culinary-bambinos/ 5/9 15/01/2019 ESORA: The Rise of the Culinary Bambinos | High Net Worth sprightly sudachi lime marries the seaworthy broth, delivering an exquisite combination. (http://www.hnworth.com/wp- content/uploads/2018/11/Esora-Omi- Wagyu.jpg) Here at ESORA, everything occurs with graceful harmony, the chefs obviously are attuned to the level of hunger of each guest, committing themselves to the finer details like the pacing of courses. There is a thick slab of Japanese Amberjack belly loin, the fish lightly tinted with sweet smoke from the charcoal grill overwhelming my palate with a concentration of briny fats. Its heftiness, a precursor to the brilliance of Omi Wagyu glazed with aged red vinegar. I muse, almost grinning in triumph at the wonderful deliverance of the prized meat first cooked in an oil bath before hitting the grill. The Daikoku Shimeiji mushroom continuing in the same meaty wavelengths. A donabe or claypot of snow crab is the highlight of the Kappo experience, and I am glad that Chef Koizumi stuck to traditions. The Hokkaido Yumepirika rice is the perfect foil to the sweet interceptions of crab meat. https://www.hnworth.com/article/2018/12/06/esora-the-rise-of-the-culinary-bambinos/ 6/9 15/01/2019 ESORA: The Rise of the Culinary Bambinos | High Net Worth Desserts get equal attention here and the meal concludes without any blemishes with the Wasanbon Ice Cream. 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