Singapore is aplenty with Japanese restaurants, but how many of them boast a million-dollar view of Orchard Road? Perched atop the hustle and bustle on level five of orchardgateway@emerald, Tburu (tay-bu-ru/table in Japanese) is a laidback, minimalistic getaway dressed in handcrafted woodwork, a bincho-tan grill and specially curated sake bottles framing the “skyline” of our iconic shopping belt.
Conceptualised and created by serial restaurateur, Calvin Yeung, Tburu is new to his list of more than a dozen critically acclaimed and award-winning restaurants across Asia. Likewise to One on the Bund and Kiku at Duxton, this new corner is no exception to his signature touch of combing design, space and food into a multi-sensorial experience. Every detail of the décor, from the eight-feet sushi cutting board to unique porcelain cups, and produce are sourced by Calvin, himself.
Remember Kumamon? Kumamoto’s adorable black bear mascot. It spots two rosy cheeks, smiling ever so brightly on everything from your pouches to Pocky boxes. Those red cheeks actually signifies the regions rich agricultural dependence on many of its red-coloured produce, including strawberries, watermelons and tomatoes. In fact, the tomatoes are so prized, they were given as gifts during the mascot’s initial launch. Now, at Tburu, these tomatoes are flown in three times a week from Kyushu, served with nothing but a side of truffle salt to further bring out the sweetness of the tomatoes.
If you are looking for something more, you can look forward to the Kanpachi (Yellowtail) Carpaccio. Flown in from Tsukiji, the thinly sliced yellowtail gets jazzed up with truffle and salmon roe, and presents itself on an “ocean”. Truly, this was another of Calvin Yeung’s attention to detail. As for the taste, the combination of the latter adds a savoury brine to the sweetness of the fish – making for a rich appetiser to match with their exclusive Kurokabuto Yumeikkon Junmaiginjo 55%.
Dishes like tempura and chawanmushi are nothing fancy, but are dishes we cannot help going for at a Japanese restaurant. It is done well here. The tempura had a thin, crisp batter with the vegetables still retaining their lovely crunch and the hotate (scallop) added an additional sweetness to the creamy smooth egg custard.
The carnivorous side in me enjoyed their Iberico Buta Jaw slices. It was purposefully sliced against the grain to maintain a layer of fat at the top for that crisp, crunchy outer encasing the Iberico meat. A surprisingly light bite, it is the perfect accompaniment with a cold pint of Kirin.
Known as the King of Charcoal, Bincho-Tan (traditional white charcoal of Japan) burns odourless, enabling the natural flavours of the food to shine through. Which is why, when grilled, the meat would release its waffling aroma and enticed passer-bys into shops. While the grill rooms is enclosed away, Calvin still wants to share this enticing aroma with his guests – by encasing the straight-off-the-grill A4 Wagyu with a glass dome. He adds a wand of rosemary, perfect with the succulent and mildly smoky beef cubes.
Served “traditionally” in a rattan basket, the aburi sushi is just as photo-worthy as it is delicious. They have a good selection, including snapper, scallops to chutoro (tuna upper belly), but the sweet and juicy Botan-Ebi is definitely a must-try. It tasted fresh, which begs the question; where have they taken that rich, creamy flavour hidden in their heads!? Maybe I should request for them the next time I am there.
The Dan Dan Somen actually comes with a story. Not originally on the menu at Tburu, it was a favourite at the old One on the Bund. Regulars there requested Calvin bring back this dish, and he complied. Despite the intimidating colour, it is more sweet than spicy. The soft somen is great for soaking up the lovely broth, with the generous and chewy chunks of minced pork.
There is a lot more of Tburu’s menu, including their yakitori and a la carte grill. I loved that they have items like Mimigar (pig ears), Buta cho (pig intestines) and sunagimo (chicken gizzards) on the menu as side dishes with a round of beer with my best buds.
Those finding the prices at Tburu a little too pricey for your liking will be happy to know that they have a set lunch menu starting from S$16+ for the dons/soba to S$38+ for their sushi set. They will all come with an appetiser, daily soup, chawanmushi, cabbage and Japanese Green tea. Otherwise, it also makes for a good tea-time rest stop after all that shopping. They carry deserts like Cheese Cheesecake (grated parmigiano cheese with raspberry cheese cake, S$12) and warm Whisky Chocolate Cake (S$12), which you can wash down with their Japanese Siphon Coffee (S$6).
Tburu is located at #05-01, orchardgateway@emerald, 218 Orchard Road, Singapore 238851. They are opened Monday to Saturday from 11.30AM to 0230PM (lunch) and 0530PM to 1030PM (dinner). You may call in for reservations through +65 6221 0004.
About the Writer
Jessica is a young lady of many obsessions. She gets herself into everything ranging from the latest in the monochrome fashion world (she only wears black, and sometimes, white) to convincing the masses that Community is the best TV series ever made.
Currently, she enjoys looking like Sailor Mercury had a baby with Wednesday Addams.
