Japanese Gourmet Alley
Recently opened, Matsuri Japanese Gourmet Alley is the vibrant Japanese eatery named after Japan’s annual Matsuri celebrations. Matsuri, meaning festival, is a celebration of the seasons that brings together masses of partygoers across the country, sending wishes of good health and wealth to the celestials. And at Matsuri Japanese Gourmet Alley, this festive atmosphere is much fêted and celebrated.
The restaurant is furnished to mimic the traditional Japanese streets where the Matsuri celebrations take place, and it really feels like you’re dining al fresco in a town square. High up latices look like town house shutters and wooden chairs make the dining room feel like an outdoor patio area. Japanese paper lanterns hang from the central ceiling, traditional Japanese drawings are featured on the walls and the lively, merry ambience captures the magical vibe of a festival in full swing.
The food also recreates this festival feel, with dishes whipped up right in front of you at the live cooking stations. Each dish is chock-full of top quality ingredients and each one resembles typical dishes found at renowned Matsuris, such as the Hina Matsuri, Koinobori and Tenjin Matsuri.
Although the restaurant’s Festive menu changes with the celebrations and the seasons, look out for some of the chefs’ delicious signatures. The Chirashi Zushi is a gourmet version of the classic dish [see box] where sashimi pieces and shredded omelette are scattered over a bed of vinegar rice.
There is also the chargrilled chicken balls, a Matsuri favourite for both the festival and the restaurant. The chicken balls are freshly handmade using Matsuri’s secret recipe, then skewered and topped with melted cheese that has been grilled and subtly charred. Meat lovers will also love the Buta Shogayaki – stir fried, sautéed pork that has been cooked in a gingery-sweet sauce. It is said to be the second most popular pork dish in Japan after Tonkatsu, which is not surprising if the meat is as succulent as Matsuri’s with the same more-ishly sticky sauce.
For a bigger bite, try the signature Butter Miso Nabe, with its juicy seafood brewing in a hotpot of miso broth, or nibble on two morsels of Hamaguri Zushi – sushi made with marinated needle-neck clams and salmon roe. The ocean delicacies are expertly moulded to resemble two Hamaguri clams, which traditionally symbolises a perfectly matched pair in marriage. They are wrapped with a thin layer of Japanese omelette and are often found at Hina Matsuri, though they are rarely seen in restaurants nowadays.
Located in the buzzing, attraction-packed destination hub that is Resorts World Sentosa, Matsuri Japanese Gourmet Alley is also a great spot to simply enjoy a drink or two at any time of the day. Being the unique twist on Japanese dining that it is, the restaurant isn’t just a place to arrive, eat then leave. It is almost impossible not to get sucked into the lively vibes and festival spirit. As the first restaurant of its kind in Singapore, it is more than just a place to eat, it is a place to experience.
(www.rwsentosa.com/language/en-US/Homepage/Restaurants/MatsuriJapaneseGourmetAlley)
————
Chirashizushi
Literally meaning “scattered sushi,” chirashizushi is a bowl of sushi rice topped with a variety of sashimi and garnishes. Chirashi used to be considered a dish for commoners because it made use of the unattractive pieces of fish left over once the nice parts were used for proper sashimi platters or nigiri. It first appeared in the Edo period (1600-1800s), a time when expenditures were strictly monitored by the government and extravagance was prohibited. So when people would make chirashi, they would hide all of the fish pieces and toppings on the bottom of the plate so that only the rice would show. Then when it was time to eat, they would simply flip the dish over and dig in!
Miso Butter Nabe
TO PREPARE:
For the Miso Butter Soup Base:
• 400gr shiro miso
• 72ml sake
• 40gr sugar
• 50gr unsalted butterFor the Broth:
• 1800ml dashi stock
• 70gr soup base
• 80gr inaka miso (brown miso)
• 30ml mirin
• 30ml Yamasa shoyuFor the Fish and Accompaniments:
• 100 gr long cabbage
• 100 gr enoki mushrooms
• 4 pcs shiitake mushrooms
• 40 gr Japanese leek
• 40 gr carrot
• 40 gr daikon
• 4 pc kanikama
• 4 pc hotate
• 120 ml sake
• 4 pc ebi
• 120 gr gindaraTO MAKE:
For the Miso Butter Soup Base:
1. Melt the butter in a pot and add in the shiro miso. Stir-fry for about 15 minutes on a low fire until the paste is well blended in.
2. Add the sake and the sugar to the mixture and stir well.Put it all together:
1. Pour the dashi stock into a pot and add in the pre-prepared Miso Butter Soup Base. Bring to boil.
2. Add the inaka miso, mirin and Yamasa shoyu and bring to boil.
3. In a clay pot, place the long cabbage at the base and arrange the rest of the fish and accompanying ingredients neatly on top.
4. Slowly pour the finished Miso Butter Soup into the nicely arranged clay pot and bring it to boil for about 5 minutes.
5. Serve.
