New Maguro Menu at Shima, Goodwood Park Hotel
The first time we dined in Shima last year and experienced Chef Hoshiba Fumihiko's kaiseki (multi-course) menu we were totally blown away by the quality of ingredients and his immaculately plated dishes. We were excited to be back here again to taste his creations of Maguro (tuna), a festival happening this March celebrating the iconic fish in several culinary variations. If you happen to be a maguro lover, then this menu will certainly tantalise your palate.
We started off with the ever glistening toro-sashimi ($35.00). This melted in our mouths, with a rich buttery flavour and it was certainly refreshing. What I liked most about this cut was the bold tangy flavour that came from the toro and this was just the beginning of a great night.
Next, we moved on to the akami-sashimi ($25.00) that showcased a deeper red color on a beautiful golden plate which brought the whole dish to life. Despite it being the least expensive cut, it is not as fatty as the toro but also very tasty.
This is a japanese-italian fusion of flavours, the maguro tartare (S$30). This akami is marinated in wasabi and shoyu, paired with a layer of diced avocado topped with plump ikura, oba leaf and onions. However, I felt that the akami was too chunky for my liking and it would have been better if it was diced a little more finely. Overall, a very solid dish with the right balance of flavours.
Just when you think you've had enough maguro, a lovely toro Tuna Rice Bowl (S$40) is served. We were given a half portion that night, so not to worry you will have a bigger serving if you decide to order this. This was one of my favourite dishes for the night, as you could taste the sesame and sweetness of the light soy sauce that was lightly drizzled on top of the toro.
Next we moved on to the Grilled Otorro with bamboo shoot (S$60). This was slightly seared in a special japanese sauce with hints of mirin. The otorro was caramelised well that brought out the sweet taste to the dish. Every mouthful was truly insatiable.
The Maguro steak (100g, S$60) is a prized fatty tuna-belly grilled in a teppanyaki style which gave off a smokey aroma in the crispy skin drizzled with fragrant butter sauce and shoyu. To be honest, by the time we got to this dish the maguro was too fatty for my liking and with one bite, the flavours were slightly overpowering and I could only handle one mouthful.
The Akami Katsu (S$50) is a very interesting take on fresh tuna as it is fully cooked through with light and crunchy rice puffs. Once the tuna is cooked you can't even taste or smell the fishiness of the dish. This is great if you can't stomach too much of sashimi a good portion that can be shared.
We came to the end of the maguro fare with a Toro Nigiri (S$40 for 2 pieces) there were a few of us so we were served on a bigger platter. This is a very generous portion of sashimi and it was just superb.
We ended with a refreshing japanese cake and not forgetting the premium strawberry breed, Skyberry which is exclusive to Shima restaurant as they are collaborating with Utsunomiya farms in Japan. This strawberry is harvested at peak season in March for the biggest, juciest strawberries. Hence a pair of the berries will be served to every dessert ordered but limited to only 50 pieces a day this weekend from Friday to Sunday.
The Maguro individual ala-carte dishes can be ordered with an add on of (S$5.00) for miso soup, chawanmushi and pickles or (S$10.00) for miso soup, chawanmushi, pickles and mini assorted tempura.
Overall we had a fantastic time with tasting maguro prepared meticulously in many different ways, and savouring ingredients which are air-flown at least once a week from Japan.
Shima
Goodwood Park Hotel
22 Scotts Rd, Singapore
228221
Daily Operating Hours
12pm-2:30pm (Lunch)
6pm-10:30pm (Dinner)