About Chotto Matte
Opened in October 2014, the restaurant’s name means “wait a moment” in Japanese, and was so named because its owners feel good food is worth waiting for. The restaurant’s specialties are yakitori, sushi and sashimi, but they also offer selected pastas and other dishes.
Located 2 minutes away from popular cafe Strangers Reunion, Chotto Matte is a cosy space decorated by a co-owner’s drawings. The chef at the helm is Roy Chee, previously the Executive Head Chef at Standing Sushi Bar. Knowing Standing Sushi Bar’s reputation for good sushi, we couldn’t wait (get it!) to find out what the food was going to be like.
Sushi & Sashimi
The first dish we were served was the Matte Sashimi ($48), which was a chef’s selection of 5 different kinds of sashimi. The types of sashimi differ from day to day, and we had scallop, swordfish, salmon, yellowtail and big-eyed tuna. This is served with fresh wasabi which isn’t as pungent as the horseradish version.
I loved the scallop sashimi – it was plump and sweet, and so fresh you could almost taste the sea. The others were tasty, but did not stand out as much for me. Next we had the Foagura Unagi Maki ($28), which was a pan-seared foie gras and eel roll – I couldn’t taste the foie gras, but I liked the meaty, slightly smoky taste of the eel. The Aburi Salmon Maki ($19) was a torched salmon roll, and came with drizzles of yuzu mayo, which complemented the salmon well. The mix of salmon sashimi in the roll provided contrasting flavours of both raw and slightly cooked salmon, which I enjoyed. The Shiro Maguro Carpaccio ($29) was one of my favourites of the evening. American white tuna marinated in olive oil, shoyu and then sprinkled with truffles, it was flavourful and a joy to eat! On the first bite there was a strong truffle taste, which I loved. It dissipates and leaves you to enjoy the smoothness of the seasoned tuna.
The white tuna is very different from its blue-fin tuna and big-eyed tuna, having a fattier quality and tasting like pork, except without the oily residue.
Yakitori & Mains
We had the Dobinmushi ($16) next, which was seafood consomme served in a teapot. I was put off by the strong fishy smell at first, but it was surprisingly very light! I tried it both with and without the lime, with very different results. Without the lime, it was clear and was a good palate cleanser. With the lime it had more zing, and was refreshing. The smell of slightly charred grilled meat announced the arrival of the yakitori sticks, and made our mouths water. I had the Wagyu Yakitori ($9) first, and it was my favourite out of all the yakitori sticks. We were told that none of the yakitori items are marinated, and are only seasoned with salt and pepper, so it takes the chef experience to know how much to put! I was worried that it would lack flavour, but it was juicy, and had the right amount of marbled meat. It was tender and easy to eat, and slid right off the stick.
The Tokusei Tsukune ($4) was homemade chicken meatball with soy sauce, and reminded me of a softer version of Ikea meatballs. The seasoning was just right, and the overall taste was acceptable, but nothing spectacular.
The Tebasaki ($3), or chicken wings, was disappointing. I liked the skin, because it was slightly charred and crispy at the sides, and added a smoky flavour. However, the inside of the chicken wings were too bland. Next we had the Buta Kakuni ($29), which was braised pork belly in sweet sauce. There is special preparation to get it to the right texture – after searing it, the chef puts it in a cold water bath to firm the meat up, before braising it in a special broth, getting rid of the oil in the fats.
This was one of my favourites, being flavourful and tender, and the fatty parts literally melted in your mouth, without the greasy, choking feeling.Our last main of the evening was Kagoshima Pork Belly Don ($35), which we were told was a favourite for many. It’s char-grilled Kagoshima thin-sliced pork belly over garlic fried rice. It sounds like a simple dish, but actually consists of specially-imported Hokkaido rice cooked in “spring water”. The water is obtained through a special machine, which filters our tap water to make it softer.
The base to make the fried rice is also specially prepared by the chef to ensure every dish of garlic fried rice served has the same consistent flavour. I’m not a huge fan of garlic so I was a little apprehensive, but the garlic fried rice was good. The rice was fragrant, and was softer than normal rice. It also remained moist throughout, even when the dish was getting cold.
The meat was slightly sweeter and chewier than the Buta Kakuni, but was equally enjoyable.
Desserts & Drinks
We had their signature concoction, The Chotto Matte ($28) – citrus-flavoured sake, Yamazaki 12 whiskey, and egg white. It was sweet and pleasant to drink, sliding smoothly down our throats thanks to the egg white. There was still the warning buzz of alcohol to remind us that it was a cocktail and not to knock it back!The Kuro Goma Yam ($15) was deep fried yam with black sesame ice cream. I liked the contrast of hot and cold. However, the sweetness of the yam was overpowered by the batter, which tasted like it had been fried in truffle oil.I preferred the Yuzu Sorbet With Jelly ($12) – the sorbet was a refreshing end to the meal and the bits of citrus-y fruits added different textures to the icy treat. It melts fast so gobble this up quick!
Verdict
This place can be classified as a triple threat with their mastery of sushi, sashimi and yakitori. I like how attention is paid to every detail, and I was impressed with how thoroughly the rice was taken care of. Their Scallop Sashimi, Buta Kakuni, Kagoshima Pork Belly Don and Wagyu Yakitori were especially good!
If you can’t decide what to get, you can order the Omakase ($100 per pax) for 10 courses of chef-recommended dishes.
How To Get There
Chotto Matte is a short walk from Outram Park MRT.
Address: 54 Blair Road #01-01 Singapore 089954
Telephone: 6222 8846
Opening hours: Daily, 11.30am-2.30pm, 6pm-midnight
They accept reservations, but make sure to call them at least 10 days in advance as seating is limited.
This post was brought to you by Chotto Matte.
