Triple Three at Mandarin Oriental has brought in culinary specialties from Kochi and Kagawa of Shikoku, Japan.
Kochi, birthplace of national heroes like Ryoma Sakamoto, is also the most prolific producer of that prized citrus fruit - yuzu. Half of the domestic production comes from Kochi.
Kagawa on the northeastern part of Shikoku was formerly known as Sanuki, and that's where Sanuki Udon arose. The firm and chewy texture of the noodles is achieved using a specific type of wheat grown in Kagawa.
Triple Three flew in master udon chef Shoichi Mori who has been making udon for decades. He will give udon-making demonstrations at various intervals during dinner. Freshly made udon, yum.
Pardon the stark lighting in the photos. The udon was pleasant but what I found more alluring was the stock they used. Made with iriko (baby sardines), shoyu and I'm sure some kelp and bonito, it's delicate and yet such a fine balance of sweet, savoury and umami. Remember to add some freshly fried tempura on top - the live tempura station is quite good. Pair it with the simple yuzu-accented chawan mushi which is uber-smooth and tasty.
Next to the udon station is this unassuming little array of breads, rolls and cheeses. I took a chance with the matcha roll and it was delightful. I know, it is counterintuitive to stuff oneself with bread at a buffet, but this is really quite nice.
The Indian section is surprisingly good. Briyani, naans, curries and even a yuzu-scented tandoori chicken.
The sashimi section looks great with a generous variety of fish including kinmedai. These were all airflown from Japan, but the cuts were not as fresh or well-sliced as I had hoped. You might have better luck at the chilled seafood and salad section, just across from this.
The maki is a bit better. There is a katsuo tataki (tuna gently seared on the outside) that's supposed to be a highlight (see back of plate), but I felt it was just a bit too fishy for me.
Live teppan station has the chef slicing and dicing - beef, flounder, prawns and assorted vegetables.
It's good. Even better than the carvery that has wagyu beef steak and ham.
They also have a deep-frying and grilling station. Get your lobster mentaiyaki there! Plus crispy octopus and a pan-fried seabass that's almost as sweet and tender as cod. There are also various croquettes (very creamy and soft), fried fish cake, as well as a nice pumpkin cake.
Desserts proved very comforting. Yuzu meringue tarts, orange almond cake, matcha mousse with adzuki beans, and some green tea macarons. DO NOT SKIP THE ICE CREAM! All flown in from Kochi. Try all the flavours, they are all superb! The orange, adzuki, goma and strawberry are incredibly smooth and creamy, while the yuzu (Kochi ice cream) is powerfully fragrant and tangy.
While the buffet area looks pretty compact, there's plenty of food and something for everyone. I'll be looking out for the next promo they have.
Note that this promotion is available only for dinner, and runs only til 4 March 2012.
Bountiful Flavours of Kochi & Kagawa
24 February to 4 March
DINNER ONLY (6:30 -10pm)
Adult : $118++ ($138.90 nett)
Child : $33++ ($38.85 nett) – 5 to 12yrs old
Toddler : $9.99++ ($11.75 nett) – 2 to 4yrs old
J Plus Magazine and Mangosteen Club readers will also enjoy the 1 for 1 promotion* when they produce the cut-out coupon from those magazines. These publications are targeted at Japanese expatriates living in Singapore.
Bank promotions:
- Standard Chartered - 1 for 1 promotion
- DBS – 40% discount on total food bill + 1 soft drink
- American Express – 15 % discount on total food bill
- ANZ/CITIBANK/HSBC/MAYBANK/OCBC/UOB and NTUC Membership card – 10% discount on total food bill
*Service charge and tax applies to complimentary diners. Maximum of 8 Adults per card.
*Children not included or entitled to discounts.
*Not valid in conjunction with other special discounts and privileges.
TRIPLE THREE
Mandarin Orchard Singapore
333 Orchard Road
Singapore 238867
Tel: +65 6831 6288/71
Open daily
Noon – 2.30pm (Lunch)
6.30pm – 10.00pm (Dinner)
Noon - 3pm (Sunday Brunch)
Many thanks to Ruth and team from Mandarin Orchard for the hosting the media dinner.
What a spread and all the live station!
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