The Place Located along Scotts Road, Ki-sho 葵匠 is an eleven seater kappo-style omakase restaurant which is now helmed by Chef Taro Takayama. It is a revamped space since it reopened recently after Chef Taro joined the team and now spots a sleek and elegant dark theme interior.

Chef Taro is not an unfamiliar figure in Singapore’s culinary scene as he previously helmed his eponymous omakase restaurant, Takayama. 

The Food It is a brand new menu which reflects seasonal ingredients. Courses start from S$160 for a 6-course lunch. This includes a seasonal appetiser platter, seasonal sashimi, choice of main (fish or add-on S$30 for beef), donabe rice, and two desserts. The more luxurious 7-course menu is at S$280, available for both lunch and dinner. This includes dashi of the day, cold appetiser, sashimi, seasonal items, Tottori Wagyu or seasonal fish, donabe rice, and fruits. 

For dinner, there is also 9-course meal at S$360, featuring dashi of the day, a cold appetiser, sashimi of the day, seasonal items, a hot pot, a protein from land or sea, donabe rice, fruits and a financier to end on a sweet note. 

Here is what to expect from the 9-course menu: 

Dashi 
A welcome bowl of clear dashi soup to kickstart the meal. 

Monaka – Foie Gras / Watermelon 
A peanut-shaped monaka is served next. The creamy monaka is filled with foie gras as an ode to the peanuts traditionally served in Singaporean Chinese restaurants. 

King Crab – Uni / Yuba  

Fish Cake – Snow Crab / Japanese Gingko 
A fried fish cake generously filled with snow crab meat. 

Seasonal Sashimi 
Three types of sashimi are served. 

I first had the Hirame which is dry aged and wrapped with shiokombu. 

Smoked Bonito was served next, followed by aged Bluefin tuna belly with cured egg yolk sauce. 

Zen Garden Platter 
A beautiful garden platter made up of a trio of Ankimo (monk fish liver), seaweed with Uni and Corn soup with fish roe. 

Black Abalone – Abalone Liver / Kinome 
The abalone is paired with eggplant and abalone liver with Chef Takayama using only natural water from Wakayama and selected kelp for that oceanic umami. 

Tottori Wagyu – Kyoto Eggplant 
For the first time in Singapore, diners can try the specially imported wagyu beef from Tottori as Ki-sho is the only restaurant importing this prized meat to Singapore.

Tottori wagyu is known for its high quality and tender texture with an umami flavour. 

This is served in a sukiyaki-style where the wagyu beef is full of umami.

Tottori – Amadai 
The protein with the donabe varies by season and the rice used is a special rice blend from Sumidaya Shoten in Tokyo. It is delicious but not too heavy on the palate where Chef taro also uses ikura cured in his own blend of dashi and soy sauce. 

Momo – Hokkaido Milk / Yuzu 

Financier – Matcha / Hojicha 
Last but not least, dessert is homemade confection crafted with matcha and hojicha from the famous Inoue Seikien in Tottori. 

Rants Dinner prices are definitely on the high end of the omakase dining spectrum in Singapore. 

Will I Return Again? For a kappo-style omakase in Singapore, the revamped Ki-sho is in a better position than before. Chef Taro has a strong culinary style and you can expect fresh seasonal and luxurious ingredients in a meal here, executed with finesse. 

TheRantingPanda says:
Taste bud: 4/5
Hole in the pocket: 4.5/5
Ambience: 4/5
Overall Experience: 4/5  

Ki-sho 葵匠 
29 Scotts Road 
Singapore 228224 
Tel: +65 9061 6109 

Opening Hours 
Monday to Friday: 12pm to 3pm, 6.30pm to 10.30pm 
Closed on Saturday & Sunday 
(Lunch is closed on Public Holidays) 

Ranted by The Ranter