Dining out: Shiro

It's the Japanese restaurant which doesn't accept walk-ins. You have to make a reservation, turn up on time and ring the doorbell.

The waitstaff ushers us into the dark, muted room, the walls covered with curtains, making me feel like I'm backstage somewhere, waiting for the show to begin. But the show had begun already for a couple of customers seated at the sushi counter, who were regaled with tales and facts about sushi and Japanese food.

We stuck to the set menu, and went with the champagne lunch - a special tie-up with Moet & Chandon. Priced at $65, it comes with a glass of the gold bubbly, although it doesn't really go that well with the food served. Yes, pricey, but also very good. (Plus, I figure that I would never be able to afford dinner there. I didn't really look at the a la carte prices, but the dinner set was $180.)

We started off with a trio of grilled scallop with a miso-like sauce, sea urchin in a wasabi-infused jelly, and a refreshing little bowl of seaweed and chopped yam in a cold vinegar-based sauce.

Sashimi followed. A good generous portion.

Then came a grilled salmon with a miso marinade, served with some pickled vegetables, which were very addictive.

After which was a chawanmushi, which had a generous serving of some lovely rich broth.

Sushi came next. This was served with a bowl of hot soup with a fishcake floating in it. Hearty indeed.

Dessert was three pieces of jelly - redbean, chestnut and something else I couldn't put my tongue on.

Good food? Indeed. But with those kind of prices, I'm not sure if I can make it there again.



Shiro Japanese Haute Cuisine
24 Greenwood Avenue, Tel: 6472-2774