marvin lowe photography

VinnytheMarv: This is yet another back-dated post. We visited Akane to celebrate my mom’s birthday and to bid farewell to my sister. Akane is a very esteemed Japanese restaurant opened by the godfather of sushi in Singapore, Nogawa-san. Many of his disciples have gone on to open their own successful Japanese restaurants, such Shiro at Greenwood. Although he has two other restaurants, he frequently comes into Akane. Maybe because it’s located right in the Japanese Association and he feels more at home here. Lately, there has been rumours that he would returning home to Japan and retire. Whatever the case, he has done much to raise the standards of Japanese Food in Singapore. So…Thank You Nogawa-san!

Otoshi

Jazzfoodie: This appetizer was crunchy and tasty enough albeit a little dry. The lime juice squeezed over provided a nice zesty flavour to the dish.

V: This was a very simple dish. I believe squid was lightly grilled with salt, hence it was a little crunchy and dry. It was just ok.

Spring Vegetable Salad

J: This was pleasant enough although it tasted almost like a western salad.
V: I am not a big fan of salads and this did not really win me over. One thing unique about this salad was that there were tempura bits in it. Apparently, one half of the vegetables were made in to a salad while the other was made in to a vegetable tempura. Crumbs from the tempura were added into this salad so as to give it more bite and flavour.

Tempura Spring Vegetable

J: The batter was light and not too oily, while the vegatables gave a nice crunch.
V: I love tempura and this tempura batter was good. It was light and not overtly oily. The vegetables were not your regular vegetables too. Some of these greens are unique to Japan which made it rather interesting.

Sashimi Platter

J: The sashimi of premium quality was sliced rather generously and was smooth and delectable.
V: This has to be one of the highlights. The fishes on the platter were of the highest quality and fresh as well. There was Salmon, Otoro(Tuna Belly), Amaebi(sweet prawns), scallops, Aji(horse mackeral) and Tai( Sea Bream). My favourite has to be the Otoro. It was rich in flavours and it had nice soft flavour as it melted in my mouth.Truly wonderful!

Yari Ika or Teriyaki grilled squid with egg

J: I love squid, so naturally I like this dish. While the sauce was decent, the dish wasn’t exceptional.

V: I love squid too. This was a fascinating dish because hidden in the squid was a nice runny egg. The egg oozed out when i took a bite and it was really good. The egg went really well with the squid.

Tuna Belly Soup or Otoro Negi Ma Nabe

J: This is the BEST soup I’ve ever had! I love soups, but this was really, really good! The broth was lightly flavoured with vegatables, while the otoro was lightly poached (as seen on the outside), but meltingly fabulous on the inside.

V: This was an amazing soup! It tasted really surreal. When the waitress brought it over to cook by the table, it looked like an ordinary unassuming dish. There was just ordinary vegetable stock or so it seemed. Then she added the Otoro and that must have been when the magic happened. The soup was rich with flavours but light on the tongue, while the Otoro still preserved its melt in your mouth kind of flavour which was really magical.

Mushimono or Hokkaido Crab

J: The crabmeat was extracted onto individual plates for us, and its sweetness was contrasted nicely with the salty and lightly tangy ponzu dip.

V: The crab was nice and fresh. I believe it was simply steamed before serving. The crab meat was firm and sweet and went well with the sauce or even on its own.

Mebaru or Grilled Snapper

J: The fish was fresh and the dish was nice, but not particulary ‘wow’.

V: This was just ok for me. The fish was fresh and went well with the sauce too.

Kobe Usui Yaki

J: The juicy and tender thinly sliced beef encased the crunchy asparagus, creating something truly yummy.

V: The beef used here is Kobe Beef and it was awesome. There’s minced garlic in the beef wrap and this made it even tastier. The Asparagus had a hint of sweetness and this complemented the juicy beef and fragrant garlic.

Yasai Inaniwa

J: The noodles were so smooth, and together with the vegetable broth, they were a fitting end to the savoury part of the meal.

V: A very simple dish with a very elegant taste. The noodles were smooth and very slurp-worthy while the broth was light and fragrant. There were juicy mushroom bits that made this dish nicer too.

Macha Ice-cream

J: Dessert was quite ordinary, but overall, it was a great 1st dining experience at Akane.
V: I wonder why Japanese deserts are so boring. Either you get fruits or Matcha Ice-Cream. They seem to lack creativity in the desserts department. Still, this was an awesome meal and there’s no doubt I would be coming back here again.