Akiba

Akiba has been the name I've heard most in town. Everytime I walk past it's booming with customers. I think it was inevitable that I had to dine here. I dragged a work mate and off we went. Give me the "Just Feed Me" deal... 8 of their favourite dishes to share.

Beef Short Rib, Tamarind Caramel and Thai Basil - The serving came out small, but the quality was supreme. The sauce combination paired with beef that just dissolves in your mouth was a spectacular sensation. 

Chinese Broccoli and Lemon Penang - I was a bit disappointed with this being in their 8 choices to sample.. as Chinese Broccoli usually screams quite a boring dish. The Lemon Penang provided an unusual base flavour/sauce that however did carry the dish but still it was slightly underwhelming. On the bright side, at least I got my daily intake of vegetables.

King Prawn Fried Rice, Snake Beans and Chilli Fried Egg - The rice was well cooked with a touch of smokiness to it. The aromatic flavours presented made the dish and the touch of an egg brought it home.

Kimchi and Angasi Pancake, Kewpie Mayo, Sriracha and Itogaki - First up Itogaki is a blue fin tuna thats dried, salted and smoked... then served on top as a bonito flake like substitute. It offers a subtle smokiness and lighter flavours than bonito.  The pancake was a nice balance of fluffiness and dense-ness... and paired with the beloved Kewpie... how can you go wrong.

Pork Belly Bun, Char Siu and Asian Slaw - The bun was fluffy, the meat was tender but the overall flavours was a tad on the sweet side. The slight chilli kick resonating from the sauce was a nice touch.

Steam Prawn and Chicken Dumplings, Ginger and Black Vinegar Dressing - The dish presented well and sounded fancier than it tasted. I could barely appreciate any extra efforts if any to make these dumplings stand out.

Kingfish, Coconut, Nam Jim and Coriander - Nam Jim is just a Thai dipping sauces to offers a salt, sweet, spicy and sour flavours. This drizzled on a fresh, soft Kingfish was a great start to the meal. It even had a little bit of a chilli kick to get the appetite roaring.

Steamed Chocolate and Passionfruit Bun - This had to be the biggest let down of the night. I didn't appreciate the super sour passionfruit then combining with an overly sweet chocolate oozing from the asian style bun... it just felt like two worlds colliding on my plate. After a few bites, I literally pushed it aside.

They had a nice collection of beers and wines to help pair up with each dish. I noticed the food came out rather fast, one after the other like it was already sitting in a queue waiting for us to finish.

Since this place packs out faster than a boxing day sale, I highly recommend a booking. Book through Dimmi's and collect some points along the way. The service was top notch, very friendly and had decent knowledge of the food they were serving. Depending where you were sitting, the room volume due to chatter can get quite loud. 

I suppose the question of would I go back again... umm maybe... the food was good, the price tag is a bit high to make it a regular occasion but I'd definitely take WifeOfSnackingBear when she's in town.