It may have opened its doors less than two years ago, but Waku Ghin — Tetsuya Wakuda’s only outpost outside of Sydney, where his world-renowned eponymous restaurant is based — has already climbed the upper echelons of the culinary world, debuting at 39th place on the 2012 edition of “The World’s 50 Best Restaurants” list.
With 8,000 sq feet of restaurant space set aside for just 25 diners (there are two sittings for dinner, at 6pm and 8.30pm) each day, there is no compromise when it comes to service and attention to detail. The décor is chic and sleek and the ambience a study in understated elegance.
Each of its four private dining rooms is headed by a dedicated chef who is trained to make the most of the top-quality produce sourced by Wakuda. Singapore’s less stringent import restrictions (as compared to Australia) allow Wakuda and his chefs to utilise the very best ingredients, culminating in delectable dishes such as his signature marinated botan shrimp with sea urchin and caviar, and Alaskan king crab leg.
While the restaurant is receiving global attention, the bar is still a bit of a hidden gem. Those in the know, however, frequent it for the Japanese-styled craft cocktails that are knocked out by two bartenders handpicked by Wakuda himself — Kazuhiro Chii and Akihiro Eguchi, the latter of whom won the Diageo Reserve World Class Singapore two years running (2011 and 2012). Definitely worth trying is the gimlet — it is, after all, Wakuda’s personal cocktail of choice. We are also rather partial to the martini, which distinguishes itself by featuring not a twist or an olive, but a miniature green peach soaked in truffle oil. Delicious — much like every other perfectly-formed morsel served here.
