The essence of Singapore lies in its willingness to progress while holding onto and respecting our heritage. That’s a concept and philosophy that extends even to our food culture, particularly encapsulated in Jiak Kim House, the latest offering from The Brewerkz Group. A brand new dining destination set in the former 1920s conservation warehouse that housed the iconic Zoul on Jiak Kim Street, the restaurant uses both its space and innovative Modern Asian cuisine by Chef-Partner Seow Tzi Qin (Chef TQ) to celebrate the convergence of East and West, past and present.
Thanks to his historic relevance and memories of heydays gone by, there’s an immediate sense of nostalgia that hits you the moment you turn left into that small road, parking beside what was once Zouk. There are fleeting memories of valets that used to throng the area ready to take your car, and what remains instead is a beautiful drive through to an unassuming but elegant space. Open the doors, and you feel simultaneously like you’ve been invited to a lavish mansion, while still emanating warmth and hospitality for anyone who steps in, with its custom rattan furnishing and coconut husk walls, quintessentially Asian with a contemporary twist.
Once seated, the staff immediately attend to and greet you, presenting you with immaculately designed menus; the kris knife on the menu tells you how much thought went into the design of the menu and its tie-in to our own history and culture, while the architecture certainly helps, with the interior design by award-winning agency Dinding Design Office that provides both elegance and homeliness.
We started with the bread course, which came with a rather unique chicken curry butter, complete with chicken bits. Affectionately nicknamed the ‘Jiak Kim Boy’, the bread is soft and chewy like mochi, reminding us of fluffy golden pillow buns. A second bun similarly plays on the Rotiboy style of bread, but instead contains both salted egg and century egg. Paired with a smoked cheese butter, it is a flavour overload that whets our appetite for more to come.
We began the meal with a ‘Tingkat of Memories’, starting with a full and generous 7-herbed crab cake, paired with assam mayo. The kueh pie tee contained an unconventional filling – chilli crab that tasted different, not as overly sweet as some other places might do it, while the kaffir lime accompanying it added a touch of class. The Spanish mackerel otak otak with green curry was served with cereal, that added a touch of fineese. Finally, the lamb goulash croquette, with mint coriander coulis, was a standout, as an appetizer-sized version of a full-sized dish, and tasted wonderful.
Next up, a mushroom herbal tea ‘macchiato’ was reminiscent of bak kut teh, with a peppery mushroom consommé comprising fermented mushroom essence, green peppercorn foam, and even a dough fritter. Warm and delicious, the soup was topped off with hazelnuts. All-in-all, considering this take on ‘cream of mushroom’, it was interesting how it didn’t contain any mushroom bits, and was a very classy dish as a whole.
It’s also always nice to have an amuse bouche before we start on the mains, and we were served a very refreshing soursop sorbet, topped with king crab and jellyfish done Thai style, making for a good segue to the main courses.
Taking inspiration from Vietnamese Bò Lá Lốt, the Hay-Smoked Wagyu Hamburg is a revelation. Juicy chargrilled patties, crafted from a succulent blend of chuck, short rib, and pork belly, is wrapped with fragrant shiso leaves and served with a tantalising green pepper sauce. Fragrant and luscious, the meat was tender and delicious, decadently smoked and livening up the flavour, done in a subtle and delicious way that was pleasing, even for someone who isn’t quite a fan of shiso.
On a more exotic note, we also ordered the garum quail panggang, with a beautifully charred butterflied quail served with deep-fried cauliflower bhaji, crispy lotus root chips and celeriac puree. Dipped into the truffle sauce, and the dish as a whole worked beautifully.
No part of the cow goes to waste, with the beef-tongue-to-tail dish, a highlight of the night that impresses with its presentation and taste. Comprising tender spice-imbued rendang short ribs, braised oxtail, and torched ox tongue, it was a real feast for the senses. Accompanying the dish were crispy, domino pavé potatoes topped with grated coconut, as well as a rojak with freshly peeled longans and pineapples, balancing out the taste of beef with refreshing sweetness for a surprisingly effective combination of textures and tastes.
One of the stars of the night has to be the chilled momotaro somen, a beautiful dish where the somen was done so well, with fresh Hokkaido scallops and ikura, a delicious tomato consomme, and just a touch of shiso leaf that completes the dish.
To end of the evening, let’s just say that Jiak Kim House has also nailed the dessert section of the menu, but amidst the many delicacies, it is the ethereal Snow Peak that takes the win. The dish presents a Moutai and pineapple-infused sorbet on a bed of diced scoby, cloaked in a delicate coconut jelly and adorned with guava, strawberries, and lime meringue shards. It looks innocuous, but packs a real punch when it all comes together for that final flavour to end off the night.
Jiak Kim House is a worthy successor to occupy the space of the former Zouk, bringing with it plenty of opportunities to make new memories, with an elegant interior space perfect for both business meetings and casual get togethers, likely to impress anyone you dine with. The menu is well-designed, with just enough innovations to keep you coming back for more, and if anything, represents the flavours of Singapore, paying homage to our traditions while embracing the global, multicultural nature of our cuisine’s future.
Jiak Kim House
Where: 5 Jiak Kim St, #01 – 16/17, Singapore 169425
When: 12pm to 3pm, 6pm to 11pm (Monday – Saturday)
For dining reservations and enquiries, guests can make their reservation online at jiakkimhouse.com, call 9831 5430 or email hello@jiakkimhouse.com
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