Located at the glamorous JW Marriott Singapore South Beach is “Best Chef in Las Vegas” Akira Back’s namesake restaurant. You might know that he’s behind places like Yellowtail in Las Vegas and Kumi at Mandalay Bay. Helmed by chef Tomoyuki Kiga, his new opening in Singapore serves Korean-Japanese cuisine in a sleek 100-seater space with a high-table sushi bar and semi-private dining area.
On the menu, besides the classic sushi and hand rolls are high-end comfort dishes with some pretty touches: the signature Tajima short rib that’s been slow-cooked for 48 hours, and paired with root vegetables ($48); Atlantic black cod with saikyo miso and yuzu sake foam ($30) and the unusually tropical seared foie gras, served here with spiced lychee honey, kochujang miso, truffle powder and corn croquette ($30). Dude food also gets a delicate touch with dishes like the tuna pizza with thinly-sliced tuna and ponzu mayonnaise and sprinkled with truffle oil and micro shiso toppings ($25). Desserts include the honey yogurt panna cotta, that consists of white chocolate and coconut sorbet ($13).
Although there are three new bars at the hotel, you’d be just fine staying put at Akira Back: they have their own line of sake offerings specially brewed by the respected Nanbu Bijin Brewery like Junmai Ginjo, with a flavor resembling pears and muscat grapes ($52 per carafe) and Honjonzo, with hints of walnut ($40 per carafe). Besides the sake collection, they also offer wine from France, Germany and Chile, beers and ciders, shochu and range of whisky and spirits.
