Zento is the latest offering at prime chill out and dinner hangout, Dempsey Hill. Serving modern contemporary Japanese cuisines, Zento is home to Chef Gunawan Wibisono who once practiced the fine culinary arts under Iron Chef, Masaharu Morimoto.
Now, while that may seem prestigious and a source for bragging rights, I must stress that at the same time, expectations are lifted above normal levels with such branding. Zento has a lot to prove and I’m more than glad to report that they do not disappoint.
It’s nice, when you’re walking towards the glass door of a restaurant that you spot a member of the staff moving across the dining room stopping at each table frequently to talk to diners – giving a hint that you’re going to be well taken care of during dinner.
Dinner started with a cold appetizer of Tuna Pizza. Yup, you heard right – Tuna Pizza. The difference? The Tuna Pizza was a generous piece of slab of Maguro, raw and slightly spiced, that rests on a bed of Hiyashi Wakame. Every bite resulted in a creamy mouthful of tuna and mayo, flavored with sesame seeds and the solo slice of cherry tomato. The whole works rests atop a tortilla, once again reminding you that it’s no holds bar here at Zento.
Although it was a cold appetizer, the tuna was already slightly room temperature by the time we started on it but that could have been because of the delay from discussing the dish and taking photos. There is always a risk associated with having warm sashimi because if the fish was not fresh; the flavor, smell and texture degrade dramatically. Zento has done well in proving to us this early into our meal that the quality of their ingredients was not going to be of any concern because it was lip-smacking good.
Carpaccio
Next up was the Carpaccio. We had thinly sliced Kanpachi with a rain of thinly diced ginger, garlic and Mitsuba leaf (Japanese wild parsley) that lifts the flavor, adding a hint of freshness. Binding them was Yuzu sauce and before the dish is sent to diners, hot grapeseed oil is used to sear the top of the slices of Kanpachi. It’s like having your steak medium rare ?
I liked the simple fact that it was seared because it really let the flavors out on full display. Most sashimi is slightly chilled but like coffee, our taste buds are able to better taste and identify the subtle hints of flavor when we have it hot compared to cold.
The Dragon Roll plays to Chef Gunawan’s strength in harmonizing flavors. Crunchy spicy tuna, unagi, avocado paste and Tobiko (flying fish roe) teamed up in a sushi roll that oozes flavor with a creamy consistency. The Dragon Roll had a melt-in-your-mouth quality which was delightful and every bite had the initial crunch of the tuna followed by the creamy mix of rice and avocado along with the taste of unagi.
Now listen to this – Zento also brews their own soy sauce. Although I don’t really see the need for soy sauce in their cuisine given the onslaught of various flavors in each dish, it’s nice to know that there are people out there who stubbornly insist on homemade ingredients and are willing to put in that additional effort in sharing a little something from the heart with their customers.
Dyana, M.D of Zento, was practically giggling when she introduced the Wagyu Beef Sushi Roll. Since Chef Gunawan and herself were formerly from Philadelphia, this was playfully created with the classic Philly Cheesesteak in mind. Strips of Wagyu beef with a dressing of Gyuree cheese and a pepper sauce of some kind were served on top of a shrimp tempura sushi roll. The Wagyu was done nicely with the complementing cheese and pepper sauce; and the shrimp tempura adds a nice crisp to the sushi roll. I love the theme of rural small town traditional tempura roll spliced with big city Philly Cheesesteak fast food.
This is hands down the best piece of fish I’ve had in my life so far. Chilean Seabass marinated in miso gives it an umami kick on top of the already sweet natural flavors of the seabass. As with the better quality fish, it is flaky while firm and every mouthful of fish is accompanied by a tsunami of sweet juices. I can’t wait for my next visit to order this again.
The other thing I want to commend was the mashed green peas. I’m not a fan of peas nor do I have any inclination towards them but I had shell shock at Zento’s rendition of peas. I’d go as far as to call it vegetarian mashed potatoes. It was full-bodied, sweet and went extremely well with the Chilean Seabass. Both were not heavy items like meat or potatoes but with their intricate flavors, they hold their own quite well!
Zento is worth checking out and looking at the number of reviews and accolades they’ve managed to earn since their opening not long ago, you will not be disappointed.
Zento Singapore, Japanese Restaurant, Sushi Bar
Zento, an exclusive restaurant specializing in Asian Global Cuisine and Sushi Bar, announces its debut in Singapore. The first Asian outlet of renowned restaurant, Zento in Philadelphia, United States, Zento is located at Singapore’s premier gourmet belt, Dempsey Hill.
Zento means ‘futuristic food’ – an artful melding of ingenuity and quality ingredients culminating in a delectable harmony of tastes and flavours for the ultimate culinary sensation. Its philosophy is based on global cuisine influenced by Japanese ingredients. This is contemporary Japan for the adventurous and the non-conformist.
Opened originally as a take-away sushi corner in Philadephia in 2005, Zento drew rave reviews and still commands a loyal following. A trained sushi chef, Hendra honed his skills at the celebrated television Iron Chef Morimoto’s eponymous restaurant in Philadelphia where he gained a masterful and practical insight into sushi preparation. His sushi formula involves a generous amount of Japanese products infused with his own novel touches. Without compromising on taste, Hendra has developed his own creative interpretation of modern Japanese cuisine that is also wholesome at the same time.
Craig Laban, food critic for the Philadelphia Inquirer, “the most influential voice on dining out in the region” as noted by the Citypaper, August 2002, wrote, “Chef-owner Gunawan Wibisono, who honed his knife at Morimoto, serves up sushi that’s simple and affordable but also superbly fresh and artfully cut” in a review dated July 21, 2005 and February 11, 2007
The specialty sushi rolls are where zento’s originality shines….Philadelphia Weekly, January 2007
The balance of flavors, the attention to detail, the reliance on the freshest ingredients is all in evidence here, too, just on a smaller scale. The sushi was tender and served at just the right temperature, and the selection was well-chosen enough to make for an all-too-rare sushi experience with some real culinary interest….Around Philly.com
Zento Singapore,
Japanese Restaurant, Sushi Bar
18B Dempsey Hill
Tel: 6474-0378
http://www.zento.com.sg/
Tenshin at the Regent Singapore
