Kissajin

Have been hearing some things about Kissajin for quite a while now, but it does seem that the Les Amis group has been working on a revamp of the concept for some time since. A concept by the Les Amis group which runs Les Amis and brought us other F&B concepts such as that of Jinjo, Tarte by Cheryl Koh, Tenjin, KOAL and many more, Kissajin is located at the ground floor and is a concept that is linked with sister-restaurant Jinhonten; another concept by the Les Amis group that serves up omakase set menus. Kissajin was previously a concept that focused much on serving up lower-priced omakase set menus as compared to Jinhonten — something a little less formal considering how Kissajin is also the concept that leads up to the entrance of Jinhonten. That being said, the Les Amis group seemed to have revisited the concept behind Kissajin and has now positioned it to be a casual Japanese restaurant inspired of the old Japanese tea-drinking shops with a twist of modernity. While there are not too many changes made within the interior of Kissajin less the removal of the privacy panels that makes the establishment more noticeable to passers-by, the most significant change is how Kissajin now offers an ala-carte menu instead. The ala-carte menu at Kissajin features sections dedicated to sides, salad, curry, ramen, Donburi, Sando and dessert; the beverages menu in the meanwhile consists of non-alcoholic beverages ranging from coolers, iced tea, soft drinks, coffee and tea, while alcoholic beverages include cocktails, beer, highball, sake and wine.

One thing that we have noted about Les Amis group’s Japanese concepts is how they do seem to have an emphasis on Japanese ramen dishes in most of their casual dining brands. Given so, it was pretty evident that one of the items which we would be giving a try would have to be an item on the Ramen section of the menu. The menu does state that all Ramen items served up at Kissajin does come with elements such as bamboo shoots, Hanjuku egg and fish cake with a chicken broth — this is be default even despite the patron’s choice of ramen dish to go for as listed on the menu. We decided to go for the Saburo Ramen; the menu describes the Saburo Ramen to come with thinly-sliced Kagoshima pork and assorted vegetables — the vegetables seemingly being the bean sprouts, spring onions and black fungus, while the ramen noodles used in their Ramen is the more wavy sort that comes still thin, but slightly more yellowish than the Hakata-style ramen noodles.

Going straight for the broth, we noticed how the chicken broth here is quite light to the palate — not the overly rich, collagen-filled type that can be a little too sticky and heavy to finish; just a light savouriness that was also mildly refreshing from the addition of yuzu that brightens it up and thus made it really easy to have. The thinly-sliced Kagoshima pork did deliver in terms of texture — these were much like Shabu Shabu pork slices and did not carry any undesirable porky stench along with it. The noodles itself were pretty springy, yet firm enough for a bite, while the Hajnuku egg came with the molten egg yolk that is undoubtedly satisfying. Other elements like the beansprouts helped add another dimension of texture, while the addition of fish cake was a good to have. During our visit to Kissajjn, we had also tried other dishes, such as the Salmon Katsu Curry; there was distinct note typical of Japanese curry that comes with the curry roux, though we did note that the Japanese curry here comes with a level of spiciness that would tickle the tastebuds of those whom are tolerable to a level of spiciness closer to moderate — definitely more intense than what one would usually expect for a Japanese establishment. We had also tried the Harajuku Parfait, which features elements such as seasonal fruits, vanilla ice-cream and Hokkaido cream — the Hokkaido cream being highlight for us considering how decadently smooth and lightly sweet it was; definitely helped to gel all the other elements together. With the mains from the Curry, Ramen, and Donburi section of the menu being priced between $16++ and $26++, it seems that Kissajin is positioned as a more casual spot as opposed to what it was supposed to be previously, yet providing Japanese fare of quality that resonates the price point — one spot that we will gladly consider to dine at if craving for some Japanese without having to shell out too much cash in the heart of Orchard Road!

Just enough surprise elements to keep e palette stimulated , varied textures & tastes and comes with a rice bowl that will guarantee that even big eaters will be belly full by the end .

cream anmitsu

(Part of the Lunch Omakase Menu $68)

wagyu curry, soup

(Part of the Lunch Omakase Menu $68)

prawn, tartar

(Part of the Lunch Omakase Menu $68)

chicken

(Part of the Lunch Omakase Menu $68)