When it comes to luxurious omakase restaurants, Singapore has plenty: such as an Hermès-themed omakase or an A5 wagyu beef-centric omakase. If such omakase spots are right up your alley, you might want to check out this newly-opened omakase restaurant offering elevated omakase dishes with ingredients presented in actual Louis Vuitton trunks! Located in the Telok Ayer area, this 2-storey omakase restaurant actually houses 2 omakase concepts under one roof: KŪZA and Kappo Garyu—both with very different vibes.
Since we couldn’t decide which omakase to go for, we opted to sample a curated selection of signature items from both dining concepts instead, and here’s what we thought about the experience. When we first stepped into the joint space, we were greeted by an opulent marbled space: think marble staircases, flooring and walls. The first floor houses KŪZA, and the actual dining area was even more elegant than the entrance, boasting more marbled countertops and rose gold furnishings on the walls and ceiling—the very picture of luxury and sophistication.
Aside from the gorgeous interior, their attention to detail and theatrical presentation was also impressive to say the least. As soon as the omakase started, we were presented with a massive tray filled with all the ingredients featured in the omakase. And the pièce de résistance: black truffles displayed in an actual Louis Vuitton trunk. Other items showcased include Hida beef, uni and caviar, all shown to us in a flurry of smoke. While this practice of showcasing ingredients isn’t anything new when it comes to high-end omakases, we still thought it was a nice touch, and the addition of the LV trunk made it all the more novel.
Aka Ebi Tartlet
Pommes Pave with Serrano Ham
Foie Gras Terrine Flat Croiss Sandwich
As for the omakase itself, KŪZA focuses more on a wagyu and caviar-centric dining experience, so if you enjoy top-notch wagyu beef prepared in various ways, KŪZA’s omakase is the way to go. We started off at KŪZA with a trio of Amuse-Bouche: each of them more intricate than the last. The Aka Ebi Tartlet featured fresh and sweet marinated Aka Ebi atop an ultra thin and crispy tart shell. The Pommes Pave with Serrano Ham was a bit of a fusion item, almost like a deep fried potato chip paired with salty, savoury Serrano ham. Uni lovers will enjoy the Foie Gras Terrine Flat Croiss Sandwich, an ice cream-esque foie gras sandwiched between flattened croissant “waffles”.
Wagyu & Caviar
The Wagyu & Caviar is where things got a little more hands-on: we were served a stunning platter of filet mignon wagyu tartare and caviar along with various accoutrements like egg yolk, pine nuts, micro tomatoes, chives, 4-years aged balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil and more. All we had to do was add all the ingredients together and mix well before enjoying the tartare with the rice crackers provided. All the elements blended well together, but the resulting mix is slightly more chunky and runny than other beef tartares we’ve had before—though still incredibly tasty and not gamey at all.
Chateaubriand Sando
Sirloin Sukiyaki
Beef lovers will definitely enjoy the thick-cut Chateaubriand Sando, with perfectly toasted shokupan bread with an ultra marbled cut of steak. The Chateaubriand beef was cooked to a medium rare, and while it was pretty tender, we felt that it was actually a little difficult to bite and pull apart due to the thickness of the cut. Next up was even more beef with the Sirloin Sukiyaki, and you can’t go wrong with a comforting bowl of sukiyaki beef. What’s unique about this sukiyaki is that the beef is seared with hot charcoal after being poached in broth, giving it that extra smoky aroma.
We were then ushered to the elevator taking us to the second floor, Kappo Garyu: boasting a moodier and intimate ambiance with slightly darker marble furnishings—probably ideal for date nights too. Kappo Garyu focuses on more kappo-style omakase, featuring a mix of both wagyu and seafood dishes.
Owan
Croissant
For the Owan soup course, the dashi broth (like any good dashi) was made from scratch using freshly shaved bonito flakes. But what really drew our attention was the next item: their signature Croissant. We’ve never seen an actual pastry served in omakase, so we were a little skeptical that the dish might seem out of place; but surprisingly, it actually works. The croissant itself is made and baked fresh in-house, with a crisp flakiness that could rival some bakeries out there. Then the croissant is stuffed with premium ingredients like uni, a generous dollop of caviar, freshly shaved black truffles and even gold leaf—truly an indulgent bite.
Donabe
Pistachio Ice Cream with Melon & Momo
For our final main, we had the Donabe with sakura ebi and Sawara, which was good with the charred crispy rice but nothing too mind blowing. But the dessert caught our eye instead as they actually made and churned fresh pistachio ice cream on the spot! The pistachio ice cream was rich and nutty, nearly as good as the ones you’d get at specialty gelato spots, and paired well with the ripe and sweet Japanese melon.
Both KŪZA and Kappo Garyu each offer only 1 omakase menu priced at a whopping $388++ per person. See here for KŪZA’s full omakase menu, and here for Kappo Garyu’s full omakase menu. We only had a couple of dishes from each course, so we can’t really speak for how actually worth the price point it is. But judging from the few items we had, most of which were incredibly delicious, it’s clear both KŪZA and Kappo Garyu take extreme pride in the craft, with each dish being carefully and meticulously prepared. Not to mention the vibes of both concepts: each oozing its own unique kind of luxury, we reckon either place would make for a great spot for dates, birthdays and special occasions.
Taste: 9/10
Price: $$$
Favourite dish(es): Aka Ebi Tartlet, Wagyu & Caviar, Croissant
KŪZA & Kappo Garyu
Address: 153 Telok Ayer St, Singapore 068610
KŪZA Opening Hours: 12pm-2.30pm & 6pm-10.30pm daily (closed on Monday)
Kappo Garyu Opening Hours: 6pm-10pm daily (closed on Monday)
