What an overhaul it’s been for one of town’s foremost Japanese restaurants. Inagiku’s dull, brownish interior has been replaced with a chic, jet-black Zen theme with discreet lighting. We settled for the super-expensive but varied eight-course tempura dinner set, which did a good job of showcasing one of the restaurant’s specialties—tempura moriawase (deep-fried vegetables and seafood in light batter). The meal took off with an exquisite appetizer set of squid, mackerel, sea flowers and fish roe before moving on to some ultra-fresh, perfectly cut sashimi. The tempura and tendon, which comprised perfectly battered crisps, were unbelievably light and airy, and without an oily tempura taste. The only chinks were the steamed dish, that tasted like inferior fish cake, and the dessert, we expected more than a paltry fresh fruit platter. Service was impeccable and the wait staff delightfully attentive. Our verdict is to bypass the dinner sets and go for the experimental a la carte dishes or chef’s specials. It’ll be more expensive, but it’s worth it.
