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Waku Ghin's S$400 per pax, 10-course degustation menu - Alvinology

Waku Ghin’s S$400 per pax, 10-course degustation menu

byalvinology
April 15, 2015
2 minute read
Seafood for dinner
Seafood for dinner

Thanks to an  invitation from Diners Club International, I had the good fortune to meet with one of the top chef in Australia and the world, Chef Tetsuya Wakuda, at Waku Ghin for an exclusive VIP-only dining experience in celebration of his acceptance of the 2015 Diners Club Lifetime Achievement Award.

This was my first time visiting and dining at Waku Ghin. I have read many rave reviews, with some food critics even naming Waku Ghin as the top fine dining restaurant in Singapore.

Accolades include:

  • 9th place – Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2015
  • 7th place – Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2014
  • 11th place – Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2013
  • 2nd place – Miele Guide’s Top 20 Restaurants in Asia 2013
  • 39th place – World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2012

The name ‘Waku Ghin’ is derived from two Japanese words: ‘Waku’ meaning to ‘arise’ (like water pouring forth from a hot spring) and ‘Ghin’ meaning ‘silver’. This restaurant is the brainchild of Chef Tetsuya Wakuda, the first person appointed Sake Ambassador outside of Japan, among his many other culinary achievements.

At 8,000 sq ft, Waku Ghin is the largest restaurant in the Marina Bay Sands integrated resort. However, for an intimate, conducive dining environment, it seats only 25 people in four private rooms that are each fitted with a teppan counter.

During my dinner session, there were only three diners in the room with one chef serving us:

Three is a crowd at Waku Ghin
Three is a crowd at Waku Ghin

If you are intending to dine at Waku Ghin, note that there are two seatings, at 6 and 8.30pm respectively, with the second group coming in while the early diners enjoy desserts in a main dining room that looks out onto Marina Bay.

There is no a la carte menu, only a 10-course degustation menu priced at S$400 per pax, which the chef designs based on your dietary restrictions. Each private room is assigned its own chef, who cooks the teppan dishes in front of you.

Appertisers were served when we arrived:

Fresh Gillardeau No.1 oysters
Fresh Gillardeau No.1 oysters
Close-up
Close-up

After meeting with the friendly Chef Wakuda, we were given a tour of the kitchen:

Chef Tetsuya Wakuda showing us around his kitchen
Chef Tetsuya Wakuda showing us around his kitchen
The chefs all stopped and stood still when Chef Wakuda entered the kitchen
The chefs all stopped and stood still when Chef Wakuda entered the kitchen
Cleaning crew
Cleaning crew
Charcoal grill
Charcoal grill
Chopping station
Chopping station
Coffee machine
Coffee machine
Tea station
Tea station
Dessert station
Dessert station

Dinner followed:

The chef giving us an introduction of all the freshly flown seafood which we will be enjoying for the night
The chef giving us an introduction of all the freshly flown seafood which we will be enjoying for the night
Gorgeous stuff!
Gorgeous stuff!
Carpaccio of Tuna with Endives
Carpaccio of Tuna with Endives
The signature Marinated Botan Shrimp with Sea Urchin and Oscientra Caviar
The signature Marinated Botan Shrimp with Sea Urchin and Oscientra Caviar
The right way to eat it is to use this specially provided mother-of-pearl spoon to mix the sea urchin, shrimp and caviar together
The right way to eat it is to use this specially provided mother-of-pearl spoon to mix the sea urchin, shrimp and caviar together
Veteran food critic Wong Ah Yoke described that he was
Veteran food critic Wong Ah Yoke described that he was “totally bowled over” by this dish in his review and that the “generous scoop of Oscietra caviar – enough to somewhat justify the price of the meal” – I agree. Btw, this was my favourite dish of the night.
Slow-Cooked Amadai with Black Truffle
Slow-Cooked Amadai with Black Truffle
Close-up - love the tangy texture of the fish and the generous serving of truffles
Close-up – love the tangy texture of the fish and the generous serving of truffles
A whole chunk of sea salt was used to prepare the next dish
A whole chunk of sea salt was used to prepare the next dish
Pouring water on the salt pile to create steam
Pouring water on the salt pile to create steam
Alaskan king crab claws were then stacked carefully on top
Alaskan king crab claws were then stacked carefully on top
Bamboo leaf is added on top before the pile is covered to steam at high pressure
Bamboo leaf is added on top before the pile is covered to steam at high pressure
It may look simple, but the chef requires years of training to prepare these dishes in front of guests
It may look simple, but the chef requires years of training to prepare these dishes in front of guests
Open sesame!
Open sesame!
Removing the shells
Removing the shells
Look at how beautiful this simple dish can be when cooked to perfection
Look at how beautiful this simple dish can be when cooked to perfection
Plating
Plating
Steamed Alaskan King Crab with Lemon Scented Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Steamed Alaskan King Crab with Lemon Scented Extra Virgin Olive Oil
I have never tasted such juicy flesh on an Alaskan King Crab!
I have never tasted such juicy flesh on an Alaskan King Crab!
The next two dishes of abalone and lobster were prepared concurrently
The next two dishes of abalone and lobster were prepared concurrently
The Canadian lobsters went on the teppan first
The Canadian lobsters went on the teppan first
These beautiful, fresh Tasmanian abalones followed
These beautiful, fresh Tasmanian abalones followed
Expertly cooking the abalones on the teppan
Expertly cooking the abalones on the teppan
These are ready when they are lightly charred at the top
These are ready when they are lightly charred at the top
Plating
Plating
Tasmanian Abalone with Fregola and Tomato
Tasmanian Abalone with Fregola and Tomato
Close-up - soft and moist, this is unlike the usual rubbery abalone flesh which we tend to associate
Close-up – soft and moist, this is unlike the usual rubbery abalone flesh which we tend to associate
Plating the lobsters
Plating the lobsters
Braised Canadian Lobster with Tarragon
Braised Canadian Lobster with Tarragon
Close-up on the claws - another flawlessly executed dish
Close-up on the claws – another flawlessly executed dish
The ingredient for the next dish - fillet of Tasmanian grass-fed beef
The ingredient for the next dish – charcoal-grilled fillet of Tasmanian grass-fed beef
Watching the chef worked on the teppan is like watching a magic show, but with a happy ending for the tummy
Watching the chef worked on the teppan is like watching a magic show, but with a happy ending for the tummy
The meat is ready to serve
The meat is ready to serve
Beautifully cooked to rosy pink
Beautifully cooked to rosy pink
Charcoal Grilled Fillet of Tasmanian Grass-Fed Beef with Tetsuya's Wasabi Mustard
Charcoal Grilled Fillet of Tasmanian Grass-Fed Beef with Tetsuya’s Wasabi Mustard
Ah.... making me hungry again
Ah…. making me hungry again
Everything is prepared with the utmost care at Waku Ghin, including the dipping wasabi for the next dish which was prepared fresh
Everything is prepared with the utmost care at Waku Ghin, including the dipping wasabi for the next dish which was prepared fresh
The grinder is made of coarse shark's skin
The grinder is made of coarse shark’s skin
The ingredient for the next dish - top grade wagyu beef with an 8.5 marbling score
The ingredient for the next dish – top grade wagyu beef with an 8.5 marbling score
The beef cooking on the teppan
The beef cooking on the teppan
Japanese Ohmi Wagyu Roll from Shiga Prefecture with Wasabi and Citrus Soy
Japanese Ohmi Wagyu Roll from Shiga Prefecture with Wasabi and Citrus Soy
Close-up of the wagyu beef slice
Close-up of the wagyu beef slice
Next up, Truffle Rice is served to fill up on carbohydrate for a balanced meal
Next up, Truffle Rice is served to fill up on carbohydrate for a balanced meal
Gyokuro - japanese tea is prepared next
Gyokuro – japanese tea is prepared next
This cleansed the palate before we moved on to the desserts
This cleansed the palate before we moved on to the desserts
The dessert dining area where you can enjoy a magnificent view of Marina Bay
The dessert dining area where you can enjoy a magnificent view of Marina Bay
Japanese musk melon - so sweet you don't need to tamper with it
Japanese musk melon – so sweet you don’t need to tamper with it
Chocolate Mousse with Vanilla and Macadamia
Chocolate Mousse with Vanilla and Macadamia
This is so pretty I felt extremely guilty to cut it open to eat
This is so pretty I felt extremely guilty to cut it open to eat
Petiti Fours to go with coffee or tea to round up the meal
Petiti Fours to go with coffee or tea to round up the meal

The wine selection for the night in the order they were served to accompany each dishes were:

  1. N V Billecart-Salmon Rose Brut
  2. Masuizumi Platinum Nama for Tetsuya’s
  3. 2010 Pierro Chardonnay Special for Tetsuya Margaret River Australian
  4. 2008 La Velona Brunello di Montalcino – Tuscany, Italy
  5. 2011 Josefina Pinol Grenache Blanc – Terra Alta, Spain

Are you overwhelmed by all the extremely foodporn-worthy pictures?

I get really hungry when I edit and post up these pictures too. This is one of the best meal I had in my life. The preparations may appear simple, but they require years of training in order for such flawless execution from start till end, with every ingredient cooked to perfection to retain the freshness and the natural flavours.

Next time you are looking to pamper yourself to a luxurious gastronomical treat, look no further than Waku Ghin at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore! 🙂

Author
alvinology
Alvin is a marketer by day and blogger by night. He is a 100% geek who spends too much time surfing the web.

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