THE ART OF DINNER
For the finale of this special two-part food series, Tien Chew savours the omakase experience at Ginza Tenkuni to give you an insight on what to expect
If you, dear reader, missed the first part of this special feature, allow me to briefly recap. Ginza Tenkuni is a restaurant hailing from the prestigious district of Ginza in Tokyo, mastering in Edo-style tempura cuisine and offering diners a chance to experience the pinnacle of tempura dining. Situated at the St Regis Kuala Lumpur hotel, the restaurant offers both lunch and dinner services. As part one focused on lunch, the finale naturally concludes with dinner, where we dine omakase at the restaurant. If you’re thinking of paying Ginza Tenkuni a visit for dinner, be sure to come hungry and try to opt to dine at the tabletop counter for a truly authentic and immersive experience. My meal starts with a turban shell, seaweed, bamboo shoots and rape blossom appetiser, meant to tease the palate with its light and pure flavours. At the time of eating my meal, it was springtime in Japan— meaning that the restaurant incorporates spring ingredients on their menu. Eating the appetiser did evoke spring-time sensations with its light and refreshing flavours. The turban shell itself is tasty, providing a hint of umami with a slight bitterness at the end, balanced by the vegetables on the dish. The next course is sashimi, served by Taka by Sushi Saito and consisting of flounder, semi fatty tuna and sea urchin. Perfectly cut and extremely fresh, the tuna back is rich, oily and well bloodied while the belly is satisfyingly fatty, resulting in flavourful bursts with each bite. The sea urchin, on the other hand, is creamy with a subtle umami taste that leaves you ready for more. After having your taste buds teased with fine Japanese fare, on comes the main course—expertly cooked tempura. You may ask yourself, how much more different can tempura be? The answer is, a world of difference. Ginza Tenkuni has been serving tempura since 1885, creating a tentsuyu (tempura dipping sauce) and a special mixture
Taking a bite for the first time instantly reveals the restaurant’s pedigree in making tempura
of frying oil that is a closely guarded secret. While this may not sound like something revolutionary, trust me when I say, it is. The first tempura to arrive is a kuruma ebi’s (prawn) head, followed shortly by the entire prawn itself. Taking a bite for the first time instantly reveals the restaurant’s pedigree in making tempura. Where most tempura is crunchy yet oily, Ginza Tenkuni’s is crunchy and extremely light, without any lingering oily mouth feel. Moreover, the oil that the tempura is fried in leaves a pleasantly nutty aftertaste. The prawn head itself is incredibly delicious, especially when dipped in the tentsuyu, which itself enhances the tempura with an umami taste that has a strong and pleasant impact on the palate. The prawn on the other hand is also extremely gratifying, as the perfectly cooked crustacean is enveloped in a light and crispy fried shell. Hamaguri clam is next, having a soft and slightly chewy texture on the inside, yet a crunchy, airy texture on the outside. Another crowd pleaser, squeeze a lemon wedge onto the clam for a sweet and sour flavour juxtaposition that will simply wow. Following that, taranome, a spring sprout, and wrapped sea urchin arrives one after the
This is no exaggeration, but dining at Ginza Tenkuni has changed the way I think about tempura, and Japanese food as a whole
other. The taranome is crunchy, juicy and light with a refreshing quality that is difficult to explain, given that it has been fried. The money bag-like wrapped sea urchin, on the other hand, is creamy and delightful too. Bamboo shoot done two ways and greenling fish follows up for a break in umami flavours. The bamboo shoot is crunchy, made especially tastier when dipped in tentsuyu, while the top is softer with a slightly more pronounced savoury taste. Additionally, the fish was flaky and perfectly cooked. Dipping it in the sauce provided, softens the delivery of the fish’s taste in the mouth but adds flavour to the meat itself. Two of the restaurant’s signature offerings are the maitake mushroom and the sweet potato tempura. Maitake, known for its wonderful umami qualities, offers a satisfying crunch when made into tempura, naturally, while the mushroom itself is still juicy inside, chock-full of its natural flavours. The sweet potato is equally as amazing, as frying it transforms the outer layer of the root vegetable, turning its exterior into an almost caramel-like texture that quickly gives way to the soft and sweet consistency of the sweet potato. To round out the meal, rice is served after patrons have enjoyed the tempura portions. Guests can opt to have their kakiage (prawn fritter) rice bowl with either dontsuyu, a thicker heavier version of tentsuyu, or tencha (green tea). Both are scrumptious, with the former having a slight sweetness that rounds out the savoury prawn rice bowl while the latter swaps sweetness for a tinge of bitterness. Both rice bowls are served with miso soup and signal the last portion of the meal—dessert. Thoroughly satisfied, a fruit jelly bowl appears before me, a refreshing and cooling way to end the meal on a high note. This is no exaggeration, but dining at Ginza Tenkuni has changed the way I think about tempura, and Japanese food as a whole. Every time I ate something at the restaurant, I learned something new about Japanese food. As I’ve said before, to dine at Ginza Tenkuni is to dine in a world of culinary prestige, where you will be undoubtedly amazed at how Japanese flavours can be so incredible.