The only international outpost of the two-Michelin-starred Zeniya in Kanazawa, this refined Kaga kaiseki restaurant now calls Shaw Centre home, joining the ranks of Les Amis Group’s most prestigious concepts. Its move from Shangri-La Singapore to Shaw Centre means a bigger space, with a main dining room that fits 10 as well as three private dining rooms, each capable of hosting six to eight people.
Photograph: (left to right) Sous chef Akinori Nakano and chef-owner Shinichiro Takagi
The dishes at Zeniya are an elegant reflection of the season. All ingredients are flown in straight from Kanazawa’s historic Omicho Market, except for the water. As chef-owner Shinichiro Takagihis explains his dashi to us, he shares that Zeniya uses a proprietary water engineering technology to recreate the calcium- and iron-rich profile of Kanazawa’s famed spring water that he gets from a well near the restaurant. “It’s not that Singapore’s water is bad,” he explains, “but the 3D printed water helps keep our dishes consistent with what we have back home.”
This detail shines through in the wanmori: a clear but deeply robust dashi perfumed with shredded ginger and served in 50-year-old Kanazawa lacquerware. And if this water makes for the heart of the cuisine at Zeniya, then we’d say that chef Shin’s disciplined restraint makes its soul. In an era where we’re seeing chefs throw caviar, truffles and every form of luxury on the plate, we’d argue that what we don’t see at Zeniya tells more of the story.
Photograph: Straw-smoked katsuo
Deliberate attention is given to every hero ingredient of each course, from the straw-smoked katsuo (skipjack tuna) that stuns with its iridescent shimmering flesh and double-textured preparation – smoked and firm on the outside while meltingly buttery within – to the fried awabi (abalone) that’s cooked in sake, soy and kombu and fried karaage-style. “But where’s the sauce?” I found myself thinking, having seen countless iterations of this dish slathered in brown goop. But no, chef Shin’s take is to let the pure flavours of the awabi shine, with more of its natural sweetness released with every chew.
Photograph: Karaage awabi
Available for both lunch ($138/$288) or dinner ($288/$388), the menu changes seasonally, as you’d expect. Uni and kegani (horsehair crab) might open your meal with a burst of briny sweetness against the tang of tozasu vinegared jelly; you might be treated to nodoguro (blackthroat seaperch), a Kanazawa speciality, expertly prepared yuanyaki-style and kissed with hot charcoal; and your meal might end with rice doused in kanou-gani (snow crab), picked apart to form uniform slivers and cooked in a thick and rich dashi sauce.
Whatever ends up on your menu, we’re confident you’ll enjoy it. Zeniya is a masterclass in how to innovate within the graceful confines of Japanese kaiseiki and we’re very much looking forward to our next meal there.
The vibe
A dim and sexy main dining room opens up to three warmer and more intimate private dining rooms where the chefs take centre stage.
The food
A taste of elegant Kaga kaiseki with ingredients flown in straight from Kanazawa told through the lens of chef Shin’s brilliant ingenuity.
The drink
Sommelier-selected sake of the day is available in 90ml ($30) or 180ml ($58) pours, or opt for the sake pairing for $118 for four glasses. Wines and other sake are also available by the bottle.
Time Out tip
We hear that Zeniya’s bar will be opening soon so keep an eye out for a wider selection of drinks and cocktails in the coming months.