Jin Fine Dining Tasting Session
76 Telok Ayer Street
Opening Hours:
Mon - Sat: 11:30am - 2:30pm (Lunch), 6pm - 10pm (Dinner),
Closed Sun
http://www.jinfinedining.com.sg/
This was an invited media review. I did not pay for the meal during the free hosted tasting session.
Attended with representatives from HungryGoWhere, Purple Taste, and Chubby Botak Koala.
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| Sashimi Mori / Assorted Sashimi (SGD $48) - Maguro / Tuna, Shake / Salmon, Kanpachi / Greater Amberjack, Tai / Sea Bream |
Quality Japanese Dining At Mid-Range Prices
(Ratings: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 = Worst and 10 = Best)
Overall: 7
Ambience & Setting: 7
Food & Beverage: 8
Service: 6
Value for Money: 7
Budget about SGD $48 per person.
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Established in April 2014, Jin Fine Dining is a Japanese restaurant that consistently offers good quality, premium dishes, at mid-range prices. Originally helmed by one of the pioneers for Japanese food in Singapore, Chef Thomas Kok, the kitchen team is now headed up by Chef Ray Phun, who brings his 17 years of experience to create memorable gastronomic journeys and exquisite Omakase meals.
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| Fairy Lights Boulevard |
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| Rosewood Couch |
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| Jin Fine Dining Introduction |
Ambience at Jin Fine Dining has a refined sophistication. There's 2 distinct parts - the main seating area is open and bustling, adorned in shades of black and red, really meant for quick casual dining. Then there's the intimate private rooms, decked in shades of beige and gold, with warm decorative lamps. The elegant and luxurious fittings lend well to business meals, or special occasions.
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| Jin Fine Dining Exterior |
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| Jin Fine Dining Interior |
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| Private Room |
Service at Jin Fine Dining is decent enough. Staff are friendly and efficient, quickly seating guests, politely taking orders, and clearing empty / dirty tables fast. They display decent product knowledge when questioned, and they accomodated special requests. However, they lack that memorable edge, it feels fairly mechanical, sort of going through the motions, instead of being personal and approachable.
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| Bar Counter |
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| Liquor Display |
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| Artwork Black-Necked Cranes |
Food at Jin Fine Dining is focused on quality Japanese cuisine. It seems their omakase here is very popular with diners, with several other tables ordering this during our visit on a weekday. The owners believe their food is of better quality, having improved over the last few years, and I'm inclined to believe them, as the majority of dishes we had looked beautiful and were well executed. Portions are designed for communal dining, and prices are mid-range for a restaurant. Budget about SGD $48 per person for a meal here.
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| Wine Glasses |
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| Table Setting |
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| Condiments |
A straightforward, hot Green Tea (SGD $2.50), which is refillable. I wish staff had been more proactive in checking on and topping up the drinks.
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| Green Tea (SGD $2.50) |
The signature Sashimi Mori / Assorted Sashimi (SGD $48) - Maguro / Tuna, Shake / Salmon, Kanpachi / Greater Amberjack, Tai / Sea Bream is a highlight. Features fresh and thick slices of fish, filleted to perfection, and so clean-tasting. Each has its distinct taste, and while not the absolutely best in quality, it's certainly of a respectably high standard for sashimi. Well worth ordering.
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| Sashimi Mori / Assorted Sashimi (SGD $48) - Maguro / Tuna, Shake / Salmon, Kanpachi / Greater Amberjack, Tai / Sea Bream |
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| Maguro / Tuna |
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| Shake / Salmon |
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| Kanpachi / Greater Amberjack |
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| Tai / Sea Bream |
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| Sashimi Mori / Assorted Sashimi - Maguro / Tuna, Shake / Salmon, Kanpachi / Greater Amberjack, Tai / Sea Bream |
The Kanpachi / Greater Amberjack, With Truffle (SGD $25) is an example of a luxurious appetizer. Thinly sliced, fresh and bouncy fillets of kanpachi / greater amberjack fish, seasoned with a touch of light soy sauce, sprinkled with fresh shaved black truffles, giving it a delicate earthy salty sweet flavour. Feels so decadent eating this. Yum.
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| Kanpachi / Greater Amberjack, With Truffle (SGD $25) |
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| Kanpachi / Greater Amberjack, With Truffle |
The Buta Kakuni / Braised Pork Belly (SGD $20) is incredibly tender and succulent. Equal parts fat to lean pork meat, each slab carries robust savoury salty flavour from the braising gravy, and almost melts away in the mouth. Good!
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| Buta Kakuni / Braised Pork Belly (SGD $20) |
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| Buta Kakuni / Braised Pork Belly |
The Tempura Mori / Assorted Tempura (SGD $22) features a variety of ingredients, coated in crisp, crunchy tempura batter. I like that the crust is not too oily, and that it's light on the palate. Standouts for me include the sweet potato, the enoki / golden mushrooms, and the amebi / sweet shrimp / prawn.
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| Tempura Mori / Assorted Tempura (SGD $22) |
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| Tempura Mori / Assorted Tempura |
Loved the Buta Hatsumitsu / Grilled Black Pork Belly With Honey Yuzu (SGD $12), with the crunchy slices of black pork belly having a robust savoury flavour, and a deep sweet note at the finish. Slight touch of spice from the pepper. Great appetizer.
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| Buta Hatsumitsu / Grilled Black Pork Belly With Honey Yuzu (SGD $12) |
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| Buta Hatsumitsu / Grilled Black Pork Belly With Honey Yuzu |
The Kimchi Baechu Buta Nabe / Kimchi Pickled Cabbage Pork Belly Hot Pot (SGD $23) is a Japanese Korean fusion dish. Rather spicy too, as the soup / broth has a slight lingering burn. Strips of streaky pork belly bacon lend a fatty chewy texture, and the medley of vegetables - earthy shiitake mushrooms and golden mushrooms, crunchy cabbage, and soft silken tofu beancurd, lend balance. Feels disconcerting to experience the spicy burn going down your throat.
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| Kimchi Baechu Buta Nabe / Kimchi Pickled Cabbage Pork Belly Hot Pot (SGD $23) |
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| Kimchi Baechu Buta Nabe / Kimchi Pickled Cabbage Pork Belly Hot Pot |
A lovely comfort dish, the Tara Chiri Nabe / Cod Fish Head Hot Pot (SGD $28) is especially suitable for cold or rainy days. The delicate savoury sweet flavour of the warming broth, the tender slices of fresh fish, the soft silken tofu beancurd, the earthy shiitake mushrooms, and the crunchy cabbage all make for a hearty and filling communal meal.
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| Tara Chiri Nabe / Cod Fish Head Hot Pot (SGD $28) |
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| Tara Chiri Nabe / Cod Fish Head Hot Pot |
The Jin Maki / Jin Sushi Roll (SGD $16) looks common, but actually surprises. This is largely because of the crispy fish skin, stuffed within the fragrant sushi rice roll wrapped with crunchy seaweed. A wrap of Shake / Salmon sashimi, a dollop of mayonnaise, and a globule of briny salty ikura / salmon fish roe completes it. Worth ordering!
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| Jin Maki / Jin Sushi Roll (SGD $16) |
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| Jin Maki / Jin Sushi Roll |
The Iro-Iro Maki / Variety Sushi Roll (SGD $20) is rather novel. A whole, fresh amebi / sweet shrimp / prawn, with a crisp tempura batter, is stuffed within a roll of sticky sushi rice and crunchy seaweed. This is wrapped with Maguro / Tuna sashimi, Shake / Salmon sashimi, and avocado, finished with a garnish of tobiko / flying fish roe. Lovely combination of textures and flavours here. Good!
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| Iro-Iro Maki / Variety Sushi Roll (SGD $20) |
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| Iro-Iro Maki / Variety Sushi Roll |
A platter of aburi sushi, including Amaebi Aburi Sushi / Grilled Prawn Sushi (SGD $17), Hotate Aburi Sushi / Grilled Scallop Sushi (SGD $11), Kanpachi Aburi Sushi / Grilled Greater Amberjack Sushi (SGD $12), Maguro Aburi Sushi / Grilled Tuna Sushi (SGD $9), Shake Aburi Sushi / Grilled Salmon Sushi (SGD $8), Tai Aburi Sushi / Grilled Sea Bream Sushi (SGD $12). Each has a thick slice of fish / seafood, lightly torched to bring out a smoky aroma, with a delicate savoury sweet flavour. Good!
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| Amaebi Aburi Sushi / Grilled Prawn Sushi (SGD $17), Hotate Aburi Sushi / Grilled Scallop Sushi (SGD $11), Kanpachi Aburi Sushi / Grilled Greater Amberjack Sushi (SGD $12) |
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| Maguro Aburi Sushi / Grilled Tuna Sushi (SGD $9), Shake Aburi Sushi / Grilled Salmon Sushi (SGD $8), Tai Aburi Sushi / Grilled Sea Bream Sushi (SGD $12) |
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| Tai Aburi Sushi / Grilled Sea Bream Sushi, Kanpachi Aburi Sushi / Grilled Greater Amberjack Sushi, Hotate Aburi Sushi / Grilled Scallop Sushi |
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| Hotate Aburi Sushi / Grilled Scallop Sushi, Amaebi Aburi Sushi / Grilled Prawn Sushi |
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| Maguro Aburi Sushi / Grilled Tuna Sushi, Shake Aburi Sushi / Grilled Salmon Sushi |
The Ninniku Chahan / Garlic Fried Rice (SGD $8) has a lovely appetizing aroma, smoky savoury and pungent with garlic. Taste is spot on, but texture was more clumpy than expected, and I wish the garlic chips were more crisp.
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| Ninniku Chahan / Garlic Fried Rice (SGD $8) |
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| Ninniku Chahan / Garlic Fried Rice |
Overall, I loved the beautiful ambience and good quality food at Jin Fine Dining. While the service was decent, it could be more personalised and memorable. Nevertheless, Jin Fine Dining remains a solid choice for destination Japanese dining, particularly for their omakase meals.
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CONVERSATION