Occupying the space formerly used by WIP (Work In Progress), Ikoi-Tei has finally opened their doors to customers, serving delicious, fresh and authentic Japanese cuisine. The warm, cosy interior with its relaxed ambience makes a great location for a quiet meal with family and friends.
The name itself means ‘to relax’, and this is exactly what the restaurant and its ever so friendly and helpful staff aim to ensure that customers leave full, happy and in a great mood!
The beverage menu offers a wide range of fresh juices, iced teas, mocktails, cocktails, fizzy concoctions, and premium Japanese sake. I was served a Fizzy Orange – a refreshing and light fizzy drink comprising orange juice and Sprite.
Spicy Tuna Rolls were served first, making a perfect starter. The hefty rolls (a portion comes with 6 rolls) were filled with cubes of fresh tuna tossed around in a light mayo, and the combination of flavours was excellent. The rolls are accompanied by wasabi and pickled ginger.
The Deep Fried Squid consisted of crumb-fried pieces of squid, served hot in a clay dish, and are accompanied by a mustard cream sauce and Worcestershire sauce – either of which make an excellent pairing, the former which feels a bit more indulgent because of its mayonnaise-like texture and delicate hints of mustard, whilst the latter is tangy on your tastebuds.
The Tempura Prawn was extremely crunchy, with soft prawn encased in the batter fried tempura. Accompanying the Tempura Prawn was a light sauce made of sweet sake seasoning, soya sauce and fish stock.
The Chicken Katsu Curry with Garlic Rice was my choice of mains, and it was a great dish, with its crumb-fried chicken fillet, sliced and placed in the Katsu curry, alongside a bed of warm garlic rice and pickled radish on the side. The flavours were light but warm and comforting, and a dish which comes recommended by Chef Hikaru Takahashi.
Another commendable dish is the Chicken Teriyaki, with its sweet but subtly smoky flavours. Both dishes come with the option of either steamed or garlic rice.
For dessert, I picked the Green Tea Swiss Roll paired with a scoop of Green Tea Ice Cream. The Swiss roll was delightful, with the subtle matcha flavours in the cake topped with soft, smooth and airy cream. The ice cream was quite creamy, and again, the matcha flavour doesn’t have that unpleasant and overpowering hit, but is light.
Chef Hikaru Takahashi
Ikoi-Tei is also launching its Teppanyaki grill this week, so be sure to check that out on your visit to the restaurant. The restaurant also features a bar on the left as soon as you enter, and features a few signature cocktails, along with snacks to accompany your drink. Bento boxes are also available for takeaway. Chef Hikaru Takahashi with his 16 years of experience in Japanese cuisine overlooks the kitchen operations at Ikoi-Tei, and promises that customers will always want to return back to the restaurant.
Ikoi-Tei by WIP is open for lunch and dinner everyday (11am-11pm). It’s advisable to make reservations on (011) 2 492492.
By Sarah Kellapatha
Photographs courtesy Ikoi-Tei by WIP
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