Restaurant Week: Takumi @ Marina at Keppel Bay

Keppel Bay, the place for the rich and flamboyand. I refrain from using famous since the bay is really too small for much fanfare. With a view as serene as this, staying at the Reflections is as therapeautic as this looks.



The display of yachts for the romantic rides that loved up couples indulge in now and then. A friend got proposed to on one!



I was there for Takumi, located on the second floor.



The sake masu was strategically placed as I was really tempted to have sake as a pairing to the dishes.



For once, the water cup is actually larger than the regular green tea cup!



The row of lucky diners who will get their hair perfumed with teppanyaki smells.



Chef is hard at work, before the action begins.



Matching paper mats and chopstick covers.

Spring Vegetables Delicacies

With a starter this wow-worthy, the expectations mounted. It was mind boggling to look at much less eat since the colours and presentation made it distracting. All ingredients are sourced by Japan and definitely seasonal.

This simple vegetable dish topped with bonito flakes were ordinary but presented like that, seemed exquisite.



Crab with gourd was strangely, bitter. It had a slight starchy texture too.



Possibly the smallest don ever eaten, the grated tuna and roe were actually sufficient as a tasting portion. Only grouse is, it lacked other flavour apart from being salty.



The main star of the appetizer, mackerel coated with radish and a cream sauce. Despite the mild fishyness, this was actually decent and hardly an appetizer!

Teppan Abalone with Radish in Cream Saikyo-miso Sauce

I suppose Takumi took risks with serving abalone as a mains because portions are terribly small for one - and for mains, this has to be a ridiculous portion. Theatrics on the teppanyaki pan involved just slicing of radish for easy consumption and searing of the abalones which were subsequently sliced for presentation. As for the saikyo miso sauce, it was pre-made. This was just shellfish on a delicious radish.

Sakura Ice Cream with Gyuhi Rice Cake

Sakura in icecream is as floral as lavendar and there were points where it was too potpurri for a dessert. The gyuhi rice cake was on the hard side and proved to be a lacklustre effort by an amateur chef.

I was interested in their fried rice dishes instead - reckon that is the benefit of sitting infront of the chef. Foie Gras fried rice anyone?

Takumi could have gotten the proportions wrong, especially when the appetizer started out so hearty.  Portions were not huge enough to satisfy even for a lady diner and we headed off for seconds elsewhere. By the end of the restaurant week trail, this was the best of the lot but not spectacular.

$55.00++

Takumi
2 Keppel Bay Vista, Marina at Keppel Bay #02-01