It’s Spring in Japan now and although we can’t yet travel abroad, it doesn’t mean that we can’t enjoy a bit of the Sakura season right here in our own backyard. In the spirit of all things Spring, get ready to get a taste of Japan’s hanami experience through these exclusive Sakura-themed items, available at 10 F&B outlets. Here’s a look at what you can expect!
1. 2am:dessertbar
If you haven’t tried the Strawberry Sakura High Tea at the 2am:dessertbar, now’s your last chance to do so before they refresh the menu! The high tea features fresh Hanami Sakura flowers that were specially flown in from Nagoya Japan for you to enjoy during your Sakura gazing high tea experience.
In addition to that, you’ll also get to try specially-curated Strawberry delights such as the signature Strawberry Caprese with Roku Gin, Strawberry Green Tea Monaka, Ichigo Daifuku, and Gyozas. The Strawberry Sakura High Tea is priced at $49.50 per pax, with a choice of coffee or tea.
2am:dessertbar is located at 21A Lorong Liput, Singapore 277733. For more information or to make your reservations, click here. Do note that 9 April will be the last day available for the Strawberry Sakura High Tea.
2. Heart of Darkness
Join the spring celebration at Heart of Darkness with their Sakura Festival, happening from now to 14 April. As part of the festival, you’ll get to enjoy Japanese dishes from the specially created Japan food menu as well as a wide selection of Japanese beers, sakes, and cocktails.
The cocktails include Hachikō, a rosemary infused umeshu and sake with dry vermouth, shiso bitter and smoked with tarragon; Princess Kaguya, a plum wine mixed with sake, lime juice, grenadine syrup, and egg whites; and Kasa Jizo made with Shōchū, Cointreau, home-made First Sunset Kumquat Pale Ale Liquour, lime juice, and yuzu peel.
Heart of Darkness is located at 1 Keong Saik Road, Singapore 089109. For more information or to make a reservation, click here.
3. IPPUDO Singapore (Mandarin Gallery)
Enjoy cherry blossoms in the form of a dessert and tea at IPPUDO Singapore! Available for a limited time from 1 April exclusively at IPPUDO Mandarin Gallery, sip the Ohanami Sakura Cocktail, a pretty-in-pink sweet plum wine crowned with a floating Sakura blossom and dusted with pink sprinkles, and finish your meal with the Ohanami Sakura Umegaemochi — a traditional Japanese specialty rice cake with sweet Azuki bean filling which originated from the Fukuoka Prefecture (IPPUDO’s hometown).
IPPUDO Singapore is located at Mandarin Gallery, 333A Orchard Road, #04-02 to 04, Singapore 238897. For more information or to make a reservation, click here.
4. Janice Wong Singapore
Travel to Japan with Janice Wong Singapore’s limited-edition Spring Sakura Pastry Box. Priced at $55, each box comes filled with fresh cakes, tarts, mochi and bon bons including the Strawberry Basque Cheesecake topped with Chantilly Cream and Fresh Strawberries, the Strawberry Caramel Rice Pudding Tart made with strawberry ganache, rice pudding, and caramel mousse.
The Spring Sakura Pastry Box retails at $55 and is available for pre-order (at least one day in advance) for delivery here, or from retail outlets in Raffles City and Paragon.
5. Kuriya Japanese Market
Celebrate Spring at the Kuriya Japanese Market with over 20 Sakura-themed offerings and their pretty shades of pink! The new menu includes exclusive sushi creations such as the Sakura Ebi Inari with seasoned sakura shrimp, the Sakura Hako Sushi with its trio of Japanese sea bream, salmon, and tuna in one block of sushi topped with seasoned sakura shrimp, as well as a Great World outlet special — the Sakura Tai Chirashi Don featuring Japanese sea bream and rose-shaped salmon sashimi topped with salmon roe on a bowl of sakura shrimp-flavoured sushi rice.
You can also find Sakura-themed imported snacks from Japan to take home, like the Sakura White Ebi Cracker, Sakura Daifuku Mochi, and Sakura Yoghurt Pudding with its light cherry notes and sakura fragrance.
You can find the food and snacks in-store from now to 31 May 2021. You can also choose to do pickup and delivery through their official site here, and on various food delivery platforms.
6. Sushi-GO
From now to 30 April, Sushi-GO presents their four new Ohanami Specials to celebrate the Sakura season.
These seasonal offerings include the Sakura Roll made with sakura Ebi and sakura fish powder, the Sakura Ebi Tempura coated with sakura flakes, as well as the limited-edition Sakura Jelly, which will be delivered straight to your table on Sushi-GO’s Shinkansen train-shaped conveyor belt when you dine-in.
Sushi-GO is located at &JOY Dining Hall @ Jurong Point, #B1-49 Jurong Point, Singapore 648886.
7. Sushi Tei
Inspired by the Spring season in Japan, Sushi Tei has launched an exclusive Spring menu made with fresh produce including the Satsuma Wagyu Beef and Camellia Buri, a Japanese amberjack fed with a diet enriched with camellia oil, which lowers cholesterol and promotes skin repair in humans.
You can also expect to find other Spring-themed dishes such as the Hanasaki Roll, Creamy Sakura Udon, and Spicy Mentaimayo Pork Katsu.
The Blossoms of Joy spring menu is available for 3 months from 17 March 2021 at all Sushi Tei outlets islandwide. For more information or to make a reservation, click here.
8. Takayama
Relish the flavours of Spring with an exclusively curated Omakase menu at Takayama. Get ready for a gastronomical trip to Japan featuring peak seasonal ingredients such as the Sakura Ebi, Hotaruika (Firefly Squid) from the Toyama Prefecture, and the crunchy and juicy bamboo shoot — a staple of springtime in Japan.
The seasonal Spring Omakase menu is priced at $150++ for lunch and $280++ for dinner and features the Donabe Rice with Sakura Ebi and Sakura Leaf, as well as the Soramame presented on a bed of yuba that is blended and topped with uni and ikura.
Takayama is located at Downtown Gallery, #01-09/10, 6A Shenton Way, Singapore 068815. For more information or to make a reservation, click here.
9. Taki Izakaya Bar
Taki Izakaya Bar invites you to embrace Spring with a glass of Roku Gin paired with their specially curated menu (available from now to 15 May 2021) using seasonal ingredients flown in straight from Japan.
Based on the Japanese culinary concept of “shun” where food and drinks are enjoyed in their proper seasons with seasonal ingredients that are at the peak of their seasons, the menu will feature 3 unique Roku Gin cocktail and food pairings, which includes a reinvention of a classic Negroni with Aperol and Umeshu and Kapachi sashimi with Sakura gel.
Taki Izakaya Bar is located at 16 Collyer Quay, #01-05A/B, Singapore 049318. For more information, or to make a reservation, click here.
10. VUE
Unwind amidst stunning views of the Singapore skyline at VUE with a medley of Roku Gin cocktails such as the Roku Gin & Tonic, Japanese Harmony, and Ichigo Sawa. Each cocktail showcases the brand’s unique use of varied Japanese botanicals which have been carefully selected and harvested at the peak of its season, extracting the best flavour and distilled to fully embody the blessings of nature.
VUE is located at OUE Bay Front, 50 Collyer Quay, Level 19, Singapore 049321. For more information or to make a reservation, click here.
Header image courtesy of VUE, Sushi Tei, and Janice Wong Singapore.
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