Shinya Izakaya Tasting Session
79 Boat Quay
Opening Hours:
Tue - Sun: 4pm - 3am,
Closed Mon
https://shinya-izakaya.business.site/
This was an invited media review. I did not pay for the meal during the free hosted tasting session.
Attended with representatives from Jennifer Yeo Lifestyle, msginginly, Purple Taste, and Chubby Botak Koala.
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| Assorted Sashimi Premium (SGD $80) |
Premium Sashimi & Sake
(Ratings: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 = Worst and 10 = Best)
Overall: 8
Ambience & Setting: 8
Food & Beverage: 7
Service: 8
Value for Money: 8
Budget about SGD $63++ per person.
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Opened in September 2022, Shinya Izakaya is a casual Japanese izakaya by the waterfront of Boat Quay, offering views across the Singapore river. Helmed by Chef Kakiruma, Chef Jack Wee, and Vincent Lau, Shinya Izakaya is a good dining destination of choice for drinks and light bites.
Ambience at Shinya Izakaya is spacious, with large wooden booth seats lit with warm lights. There's several private rooms and semi-private corners, great for catching up with business or friends. Service at Shinya Izakaya is friendly and polite, staff will proactively offer top up for drinks, and accord each table good attention. Requests to clear finished plates were fulfilled promptly. Food at Shinya Izakaya is classic Japanese cuisine, focusing on sashimi, kushiyaki / skewers, yakimono / grilled dishes, and sake. Quality is decent, with a good range. Portions are sized for communal group dining. Prices are comparable to other izakayas, budget about SGD $63++ per person.
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| Shinya Izakaya Exterior |
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| Shinya Izakaya Interior |
The Sake Hokkaido Kanjuku Junmai Daiginjo (SGD $111 for 720ml) is a unique aged sake, made with Kitashizuku rice polished to 65% then ripened over 3 years, brewed by the Kobayashi Shuzo Co., Ltd. in Yubari, Sorachi, Hokkaido, Japan. It has a pale straw golden colour, with aromas and tastes of spring water, honey, grapefruit, and apricot. The body is light, smooth, and refreshing, with mild fruity grainy sour sweet floral flavours, crisp on the palate.
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| Sake Hokkaido Kanjuku Junmai Daiginjo (SGD $111 for 720ml) |
We sampled 2 rounds of sashimi. The Assorted Sashimi 5-Kinds (SGD $48) has 5 varieties with 3 slices each, comprising fresh seasonal fish including shake rosu / salmon fish loin, maguro akami / bluefin tuna fish loin, hamachi / Japanese amberjack fish / yellowtail fish, hotate / scallop, and tai / sea bream fish. The Assorted Sashimi Premium (SGD $80) has 3 varieties with 5 slices each, comprising fresh luxury cuts including shake harasu / salmon fish fatty belly, and maguro otoro / bluefin tuna fish fatty belly. All the sashimi were thick cut with a tender bite to texture, and pleasant meaty sweet savoury flavour.
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| Assorted Sashimi 5-Kinds (SGD $48) |
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| Assorted Sashimi Premium (SGD $80) |
The unique Gobo Karaage (SGD $6) appetizer features strips of deep-fried burdock root, chewy and crisp, with lovely starchy earthy savoury salty flavour. Great snack to pair with drinks. Good!
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| Gobo Karaage (SGD $6) |
Sampled the Assorted Kushiyaki Skewers (SGD $13) which included the juicy crunchy shishito pepper with sharp vegetal sour salty spicy flavour, and the tender chewy shiitake mushrooms with vegetal earthy savoury salty flavour. The pork belly golden mushrooms had a lovely juicy tender texture, with pleasant meaty vegetal earthy savoury salty flavour.
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| Assorted Kushiyaki Skewers (SGD $13) |
The Chicken Teriyaki (SGD $12) has nicely marinated chunks of boneless chicken, juicy with a crisp exterior and tender interior, carrying robust meaty sweet salty savoury flavour. Love the fresh salad on the side, with crisp lettuce, crunchy cucumber, and juicy cherry tomatoes, all with vegetal sweet flavour.
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| Chicken Teriyaki (SGD $12) |
The Buta Kakuni (SGD $12) features thick tender succulent slabs of soy braised pork belly, bold with meaty salty savoury flavour. Has a good ratio of fat to lean meat. Served with a dollop of creamy yellow mustard for added tangy zesty sour kick.
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| Buta Kakuni (SGD $12) |
We loved the Hamachi Kama Shioyaki (SGD $20), which features a large yellowtail fish collar seasoned with salt, then perfectly grilled. Enticing with a smoky aroma, the yellowtail fish comes off in thick tender juicy flakes, and the bold meaty sweet salty smoky flavours are so addictive. Cleaned every bit of the fish off the bone. Highly recommended!
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| Hamachi Kama Shioyaki (SGD $20) |
The Gyuniku Misoyaki (SGD $15) is satisfying, with tender juicy chunks of meltique beef marinated in miso paste. Has robust meaty savoury peppery spice salty flavour. Rather enjoyable, a great pairing with drinks. Good!
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| Gyuniku Misoyaki (SGD $15) |
Will return to Shinya Izakaya for more premium sake and light bites paired with a relaxing ambience.
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CONVERSATION