Expat Choice | Experience the New Lunch Omakase Menu at NOKA by Tippling Club Priced at $80

Experience the New Lunch Omakase Menu at NOKA by Tippling Club Priced at $80

Published - 01 March 2023, Wednesday

Housed at the 7th floor of Funan’s rooftop, NOKA by Tippling Club is a modern-Japanese restaurant serving spirited small plates bursting with flavour and omakase with a sexy arsenal of Japanese whisky highballs and artisanal sake.

Chef Ryan Clift's brand of modern gastronomy is fun, playful and fresh. It imbues the dining experience with a sense of excitement and a touch of theatre. Ryan’s flagship restaurant Tippling Club at Tanjong Pagar is recognised by World’s 50 Best Restaurants, ranking no.27 in Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2022, amongst multiple accolades.

The new value-for-money lunch omakase menu, priced at $80 and available from Tuesday to Friday, features seven courses from the exquisite Scallop Snow Crab with yuzu to the delicate Hirame & Amaebi sashimi, and the Negitoro Monaka with bluefin tuna.

The Scallop Snow Crab features seared and scored scallop with Japanese snow crab enrobed with shungiku (crown daisy or chrysanthemum greens) in yuba (beancurd skin). Served atop white fungus and a vinegar jelly made with dashi, mirin, and other flavours, next to cooked bamboo shoot fermented with nuka paste (from rice bran).

Hirame & Amaebi

Hirame (Flounder) and Amaebi (Sweet Shrimp) are two courses served together, the Hirame is served atop a lemon and topped with ikura, hanaho flowers (of the Shiso plant) and menegi (Japanese green onion bud). The Amaebi is served with myoga (ginger flower) and greens from the edible garden.

Gindara Saikyo Miso (Black Cod)

Next on the menu the Gindara Saikyo Miso features a cut of Black Cod marinated in miso, sugar, and mirin, to imbue the fish with flavour and prevent the skin from burning. The fish is then air-dried at room temperature to reduce excess moisture before the skin is seared. It is then finished in the oven to ensure even cooking throughout.

Unagi Rice Cracker

What is Japanese cuisine without sushi? the Unagi Rice Cracker topped with Eel, kyuri (cucumber), sushi rice, and a sushi rice cracker seared in a salamander oven is served open, wrapped or folded a certain delight to eat.

Negitoro Monaka

Easy to bite into the Negitoro Monaka is minced bluefin tuna with diced wasabi and avocado atop sushi rice, stuffed into a monaka (rice cracker) shell, topped with black tobiko an amazing finish to the savoury side of the menu!

Fueled by a fascination with Japan’s produce, dishes at NOKA are refreshingly romantic and fun including the seasonal fruit. The fruits served change weekly.

With a focus on seasonality and pure Japanese produce, the mantra remains: bring to life existing flavours instead of masking them. NOKA may make changes due to seasonality, as ingredients are flown-in at least twice weekly.

NOKA is a lovely pick for delicious meals at great value set in an atmosphere that is bound to have you relaxing from the busy day without breaking the bank.

a. 109 North Bridge Road, Singapore 179097 #07-38

e. ohaiyo@noka.sg

w. www.noka.sg

s. www.facebook.com/nokasingapore

t. +65 6877 4878

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Sylvia Fernandes

10 Feb 2023 , Fri

386 comments

ELITE

RATED 8 / 8

Noka by Tippling Club is a must-do if you are a Japanese food lover! Located on the rooftop of Funan Mall is befitting as a venue, for the menu is as modern and funky.

Similar to many other establishments in Singapore who are gravitating towards the concept of urban farming, Noka has available from its rooftop garden, micro-greens and flowers ready for the taking.

I liked the contemporary feel of the venue as I was greeted at the entrance. With views to the garden, a glass door easily opened for more guests, gives Noka the flexibility of 200 pax at a standing event. A lovely spot to be solemnised, for the spaceship Supreme Court building looms in the background, a reminder of vows taken.

For those who prefer a more intimate space indoors, Noka is able to accommodate up to 50 pax with an even more private room affording 10 pax. Spaces for all events and a chef from Kyoto who is a Kaiseki specialist. What else can you ask for?

Noka means farmhouse in Japanese. I loved the juxtaposition of a traditional Kaiseki mind inventing modern playful hues. Tasting the Omakase lunch menu for $80++ I felt it was a total steal based on what was served.

With ingredients flown in twice a week from Japan, fish served may vary depending on what’s in season. Tapping on seasonal produce in my opinion is the way to go. These days patrons are spoilt for choice, looking for exactly this.

Scallop snow crab was a great way to start the afternoon. Lifting this dish was the vinegar jelly below, made with dashi and mirin. Some evidence of the garden’s produce began to appear in a big way in the next dish.

Edible pink flowers called a chain of love. It did resemble a chain on the stem presented. Okinawa spinach and another leaf that does good of lowering cholesterol. Wow! All very distinctive flavours and amazing benefits too.

Adding to the flavours of Hirame (flounder) and Amaebi (sweet shrimp) topped with Ikura, this was such a fine dish. Dipping a bit of freshly grated wasabi which in itself held such an alarmingly spicy taste compared to its commercial counterpart, I was in heaven.

Unbeknownst to me the Gindara (black cod) that was about to be served would turn out to be my favourite dish. Sauce made from cod bones held depth of flavour for the air-dried fish with seared skin. Served with puffed rice, this was a favourite amongst most of us.

Another stunner for the afternoon was the Unagi rice cracker. Served open with eel, cucumber, Kyuri rice and a sushi rice cracker, this was crunchy to the bite. Loaded with flavour this was a crowd pleaser, one many would rave about.

The last course for the day – minced bluefin tuna with wasabi, avocado and rice served in a rice cracker shell. So unusual, deliciously marinated topped with black tobiko. Easier to eat with fingers and far more scrumptious to do it the way locals do.

Seasonal fruit with a twist ended this delightful meal. Japanese melon compressed with umeshu and sugar was a change. Mochi lovers fret not, for yuzu, gome and matcha are available on the a-la-carte menu.

Pondering over what made the difference here, I found courses were well thought out, each dish presenting a lightness that didn’t leave patrons wanting for more.

It was great to leave a restaurant feeling just right in terms of quantity as most dishes were protein-filled, enough to satiate the taste buds. I would definitely return in a heartbeat!