Cover Spread of à la carte signatures at Akira Back (Photo: JW Marriott Singapore South Beach)
Spread of à la carte signatures at Akira Back (Photo: JW Marriott Singapore South Beach)
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Tatler+
With newly-launched à la carte signatures and an omakase dinner experience, Akira Back remains relevant with its distinctly modern cuisine
What is there to say about Akira Back that hasn’t already been said? Bold, contemporary and innovative, the celebrity chef’s modern Japanese cuisine is prized for its Korean inflections, a nod to his heritage. His eponymous outpost in Singapore may just be one chapter in his grand empire of restaurants across the globe, but it is a fine example of his culinary artistry that continues to wow gourmands nearly eight years on at its corner at JW Marriott Hotel Singapore South Beach.
Above Nazo 9, a mystery box of nine appetisers that is a signature at Akira Back restaurants worldwide
Nazo 9, a mystery box of nine appetisers that is a signature at Akira Back restaurants worldwide
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Helming the Singapore kitchen is Bill Hong, the chef de cuisine who shares Back’s Korean heritage. Previously the master sushi chef of Akira Back Singapore with stints at Akira Back Doha and New Delhi, Hong knows exactly how to blend Japanese and Korean elements into elegant creations. Drama is a given with any Akira Back dining experience, encapsulated by the Nazo 9. A must-order at any Akira Back restaurant around the world, it is a mystery box of nine cold appetisers with unfurling curls of dry ice, setting the tone for a meal that will take you through equally bold styles of cooking.
Above Crispy octopus at Akira Back
Crispy octopus at Akira Back
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It also goes without saying that only fine seasonal produce sourced from Japan and Korea is used—take the sakana usutsukuri, which stars imported Japanese white fish, cured in the kombu-jime style by wrapping the fish between kombu leaves. Dressed in momiji orashi (grated daikon with chilli), the dish is lightly savoury and balanced. Or look at the crispy octopus, which is fried in a light batter and served with potato foam, salsa verde, and red chipotle sauce for a visual and gustatory punch. The AB tuna pizza is not to be missed, too, featuring fresh tuna on a paper-thin crust, drizzled with fragrant truffle oil for a touch of indulgence. You can’t go wrong with the Greenland halibut either, which sits in a deliciously savoury soy beurre blanc.
Above Omakase dinner experience at Akira Back
Omakase dinner experience at Akira Back
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Those looking for the full Akira Back experience might opt for the newly-launched omakase dinner experience instead, starring five courses of curated delicacies crafted with pristine seasonal produce to savour. This season’s experience, for instance, stars Hokkaido uni with an umami twist, thanks to goma miso and maitake. Meanwhile, the “Sanchoku” ribeye is complemented with a cauliflower miso cream, burdock jam, and myoga (Japanese ginger). If you’re looking for a quick lunch however, the three-course executive set lunch is ideal, packed as it is with satisfying dishes like chirashi don and braised beef cheek.
Akira Back’s array of delectable menus—from quick lunch sets to full-on omakase dinner experiences—ensure that diners have something to suit their palate no matter what their preferences are. And, in this current F&B landscape teeming with modern Japanese dining concepts, it is this feature that sets the restaurant from the rest.
Ethan Kan was Tatler Singapore’s dining writer.
