Tucked away in Greenwood Avenue, with a minimalistic facade and zen decor, is one of Singapore’s best Japanese restaurants. Shiro Japanese Haute Cuisine is an exclusive 32-seater eatery with a strict reservations-only policy. And with their ingredients flown in almost daily, fresh from Tokyo, and their steep prices, they’ve got every right to be so exclusive.

Last night, the bunny and I decided to both go for their kaiseki sets, with bunny taking the Shiro Menu, and myself opting for the Wafu Menu - difference being in the main course where bunny had a large platter of delectable sushi, and I was happily greeted with thinly sliced Wagyu beef (pictured right), fanned out on a plate and accompanied by delicious garlic fried rice.

Right from the start, the dining experience was a luxurious one. We stepped out of our cab and were greeted by the restaurant manager and her assistant, who guided us to our table. Being such a small establishment, tables are juxtaposed so close together that eavesdropping on your neighbours conversation isn’t difficult, if you should so choose to. However, instead of making us feel uncomfortably close to one another, it only added to the cosy feel of the establishment. The service was impeccable, and each subsequent course followed the emptying of each plate swiftly, leaving no room for diners to sit and wonder when the next course would make its appearance as many degustation menus at various fine dining restaurants are wont to do.

The waitresses also took the time to explain each dish and how it was prepared to us. (And thankfully so, considering their rather nondescript names on the menu like “simmered dish” and “vinegared dish”.) The attentive service ensured that our cups of ocha were never less than half-filled, and as opposed to the somewhat brisk and harried service that are so common in most Japanese eateries around Singapore, the waitresses were all impeccably clothed and had pleasant smiles on their faces whenever speaking with us. It’s the little things like these that help set one establishment’s service standard apart from the rest.

The most surprising part was that they didn’t even include service charge in the bill. Then again, if you ask me, the service here was worth more than the token 10%.

The food, of course, was amazing. The appetizer platter consisted of 5 items, plus cold sesame tofu, of which my favourite was the unagi eggroll. Silky soft and of similar texture, the flavours of the unagi and tamago melded perfectly together, each somehow taking turns to give way and let the other take centre stage on your palate. Next up was the sashimi moriwase platter (pictured above left), comprised of the usual maguro, elephant clam, and amaebi. My favourites from this dish were by far the amaebi which was the freshest and sweetest I’d ever tasted, as well as the aji tataki - a seasonal treat, served with grated ginger, finely sliced spring onions and shoyu instead of wasabi.

Next up was the grilled dish - the combination of bamboo clam and mentaiko baked to perfection in a slightly creamy sauce, accented by a stem of young ginger was wonderful. The uzaku sunomono (grilled unagi with konbu in vinegar - pictured left) was very delicately flavoured, and the eel was very tender. I’ve had this dish in other places before where the vinegar ended up overpowering, but this was obviously not the case at Shiro.

Finally, it was time for the main course. My wagyu beef was done perfectly as I had requested it - always medium rare - and the thin slices showed the marbled fat which melted in my mouth. It was paired perfectly with Japanese garlic fried rice and served with osumashi (clear japanese broth with shimeiji mushrooms and fish cake). Bunny’s sushi platter was “very fresh, plentiful and yummy”, in her own words. Probably the two most important aspects of a dish for her, so I’ll assume it was very good. :)

With the exception of the simmered dish - beautifully presented octopus which unfortunately was cut into pieces too large to do anything for the already-chewy texture - everything surpassed the bar.

Shiro is definitely a restaurant worth visiting, even considering its hefty price tag. (The dinner kaiseki menu is priced at S$180 - all taxes included.) I didn’t get much chance to look at the ala carte menu, but from my cursory glance, it didn’t seem that much cheaper although it did offer a wide variety of choices. Perhaps a cheaper option would be to visit it for lunch, where they offer a variety of 5 course set lunches, priced from S$40 to S$58. (I’ve heard the wagyu beef bowl is the way to go.) However, as is the case with dinner, please be sure to make reservations before turning up, as you will be turned away from the door even if there are vacancies. (You can always then opt to call the restaurant from the roadside and try to get back in - this has worked before.)

Shiro Japanese Haute Cuisine

Contact Details:
24 Greenwood Avenue
Singapore 289221
Tel: (65) 6462 2774
Email: shiro@imaginings.com.sg
Website: www.imaginings.com.sg

Operating Hours:
Lunch: 12pm - 3pm (last order at 2pm)
Dinner: 7pm - 11pm (last order at 10pm)

Related:
Flickr - my photos from shiro (due to the dim lighting, the quality isn’t great)