Uya Unagi (四代目菊川) at Wheelock Place

Uya unagi is another famous Japanese restaurant specialized in unagi (eel).  It is conveniently located on the 2nd floor of Wheelock Place, right in the center of the busy Orchard Road.  We arrived at the restaurant at 6pm, the moment the restaurant opened for dinner, without a reservation, on a Monday.  The place was quite empty, my friend and I were the only two customers at the time.  When we left the place at around 7.40pm, the place was still half empty.

There are some small private rooms available for business people to discuss their work while dinning, or for people who would like to have more privacy.  This is a very good point.

Sashimi Mori (Standard), $35.00++

We ordered a sashimi mori as appetitzer.  There are two options, standard and premium, we chose the standard version.  It consisted of swordfish, tuna, salmon, and I think mackerel, and then one unknown.  The crown jewel of this plate was definitely the swordfish.  I must admit I never had any high expectations of swordfish, as it is usually served cooked in western cuisine, and its flesh tends to be quite tough.  Served as sashimi, the swordfish was actually quite thick, firm and meaty, with an abundance of fish oil.  And it was really fresh, not a hint of stinky fishy smell.

Hitsumabushi  (Large), $48.00++

I ordered the large Hitsumabushi for my main.  The portion was huge, for both the unagi and the rice.

Both Man Man Unagi and Uya are famous for their unagi, so I naturally will compare the two.  The grilled unagi at Man Man is thinner, and soft, with some charred portions.  The unagi at Uya is thick and firm.  There is no hint of any charred portion.  The outer section is crispy, the inside is tasty solid.  I think Uya's unagi is like a muscular athlete, while Man Man's is more like a shy young lady.
I like Uya's unagi more than Man Man's.

The soup that came with the Hitsumabushi was good too.  It was clear and fragrant.  Together with the unagi, it was like mom's tender hand gently massaging.  A good complement to the unagi.  And if you run out of soup, you can actually re-fill.

Service-wise it was good.  We ordered a number of dishes, including dessert, and they asked us whether we would like everything come together or one by one.  We chose one by one.  When we finished one item, they would clear the table first, before serving the next dish.

Overall, the dining experience was good.  The food was excellent, and environment was conducive.  It is more like a proper restaurant where you can talk business, or leisurely enjoy your meal, while Man Man is more like a fast-food outlet.  In addition, they accept reservations, you can give them a call if you worry about long queues.

iO Italian Osteria at HillV2

iO Italian Osteria is located at HillV2, a short distance from Hillview MRT station on the downtown line.  It is surrounded by all the condos, and hardly any HDB is in-sight.  I would not have even known about this restaurant if not for this Smart Local video.  Anyway, the restaurant seems to be quite busy, and reservation is necessary, so I reserved a table for two 5 days in advance for lunch on 9 Aug, our national day.

The restaurant front is typically Italian, which is totally uncharacteristic, and looks very run down.  My friend even commented:  For such a restaurant, is reservation really necessary?

Once you step in, it is a different story.  The place was almost full, and the vacant tables had already been reserved.  People seemed to come in large groups, as we were the only group with 2 persons and we were relegated to the very back of the restaurant, tucked in one corner, in company with all the carton boxes.

The interior design is simple and no-frills, yet very sturdy.  The wooden chairs are heavy, so if you wanna start a fight here, don't even try to throw a chair.  The cutlery is of the same level of sturdiness.  Forks, spoons and knives are all gold-plated and heavy.

Baked Pork Belly with Wild Fennel, $9.00++ for small

We ordered the porchetta, which is baked pork belly with wild fennel for starter.  There are two sizes available, small & large.  The waiter said small is for 1-2 persons, while large is for 3-4 persons.

Close-up of Baked Pork Belly

The skin of the pork belly is super crispy.  You could hear the 'catcha catcha' sound when you bite it.  And the smell was so fragrant.  Usually baked pork belly will tend to be dry, but for this one, the meat was still very juicy and bouncy, you can feel it bouncing around in your mouth.  Like German pork knuckles, it is a bit salty, but it is much less intense compared to German pork knuckles.

What is special about this dish is they inserted some wild fennel in the pork belly.  Wild fennel has a similar taste to black pepper, its slight spiciness enhanced the flavor of the meat, making it more appetizing.    This is a must-order dish if you come and visit this restaurant.

Beer Braised Beef, $24++

For my main, I ordered beer braised beef, served with mashed potatoes.  The beef is slow-cooked till super super soft.  It is so easy to eat.  The beef will separate when your knife presses on.  The good part is that the beef can still remain in shape after cutting.  You can cut it to whichever size, big or small, and then eat like a nobleman with elegant manners.  In terms of taste, I can only say:  This is heaven!

Service-wise, they are acceptable, the local staff, or say the Asian staff, are more friendly.  There are two Caucasian ladies there.  One is quite senior in age, and is dressed in a chef's attire.   She is quite friendly, and would like to talk to the customers.  The other is at the cashier, who is quite dull and keeps the conversation to the minimum.