Back to Basics

I was back in Singapore several times in the past month. On one of my visits courtesy Singapore Airlines where I got to experience their latest farm to plane concept. A new initiative by the airlines and SAT’s their inflight catering service, where in they have tied up with local farmers (yes, Singapore and the airline/hospitality industry is thriving currently on promoting farmers and farm produce, a place which is renowned to rely more on imports rather than being self sufficient) to source local ingredients from and include them in their in-flight menus starting with First and Business Class travelers. The only airlines having a panel of celebrity chefs (called the International Culinary Panel) from around the world, on-board for their menu development since several years. I had a great time exploring the new-age sustainable cuisine. All under the able hands of these talented chefs from around the world. 

I had decided to stay back in the city a little longer and explore the vibrant bar culture. Singapore has always been a hotbed for the cocktail and speakeasy scene since many years now. The recently concluded Asia’s 50 Bars in the world had listed quite a few places from Singapore in their 2017 guide. While I had the privilege of sneaking in an evening at Manhattan Bar, which is Asia’s best (1st in the list), and nursing several of their prohibition and pre-prohibition style cocktails (some of which were a revelation to me and I have a couple of posts on my Instagram page @nonchalantgourmand), I had made the fairly new J. W. Marriott South Beach, Singapore home for a few days. While I will tell you a little more about the property in my next post. I lunched at Akira Back’s Singapore outlet which is situated in the property itself. 

I dined at Akira Back’s restaurant (Yellowtail) in Las Vegas several years back, when the Chef de Partie at that time was Chef Tomoyuki Kiga. I was happy to see Chef Tomo rise up to helm the kitchen as the Chef de cuisine at the Singapore outpost. Chef Back is known for his modern interpretations of the delicate Japanese cuisine with intricately woven American influences. 

Chef Tomo has spent many of his years growing up immersed in various cultures. Born in Japan and raised in Jakarta, Indonesia and a student of the intensive culinary arts training from L’Ecole Vantan, he started his career in as Line Cook for Ristorante Aso in Daikanyama. After spending two years at his first assignment, he joined Yellowtail restaurant in Las Vegas as Chef de Partie for two years and later, was assigned to be the core opening team of Akira Back restaurant in Jakarta in early 2014. 

This brought him to India, where he was promoted as a Chef de cuisine for Akira Back Aerocity New Delhi where he stayed for 10 months to ensure that the restaurant was operating smoothly. Through the opening project in New Delhi, Chef Tomo was introduced to the first partnership between Akira Back and J.W. Marriott and is now helming the second partnership at Singapore from November last year.

I indulged in a specially curated Omakase of Chef Backs favorite dishes. Flip through the album to see my lunch menu and make it a must visit the next time you in Singapore. A fine-dine experience in a casual setting (true Back style!)

Chef Back is not only a successful restaurateur and chef but has a line of products under his name. His range of Sake’s (also served at the restaurant) are a delight and a definitive addition to a Japanese meal experience at his restaurant. 

While writing this post and thinking about my experience at the restaurant, I was reminded of a Japanese saying “Sake-wa honshin-wo arawasu..” Its literal translation is Sake [in other words alcohol], reveals the true heart. Well it’s true that alcohol, also known as giggle water in the early years (yes, read pre-prohibition era) – is a mind alterer. It makes us lose our inhibitions, speak our minds, allows us the liberty and freedom to express ourselves in the truer sense of words and is a relaxant apart from being a mood lifter. 

Having said that, I do not want to wax eloquent about a liquid which has broken homes, disgraced human behavioral patterns, been an addiction for many and is a harmful spirit which, if taken in excess, does backfire on the in-taker but I will leave that thought for another day. 

A contradictory and controversial subject, my thoughts on alcohol have been quite nonchalant. I was once told by a well wisher that do whatever you want in life once atleast as long as it does not turn into an addiction. I have grown up around this spirit more as a tool of revelry and merriment, celebration and success. Thankfully, have not been privy to the dissonance associated with mankind-alcohol, and in bad taste at that. 

Coming back to the saying, I have experienced the same in several occasions. “Alcohol consumed removes the inhibition against telling the truth that occasionally one would like to keep secret.” In fact, it highlights several aspects of a persons characteristics once consumed, namely Love, Anger, Peace, Joy and Beauty. So while some of these aspects are positive and negative (Anger), some of them are circumstantial (Beauty). 

While Anger is the most obvious negative aspect and is the root cause of being aggravated through the consumption of the spirit, the good stuff on the other hand is the excitement one feels when partying with friends or family (Joy), the diffusion of stress one achieves after settling down from a hard days work, favorite poison in hand, light music, instant gratification (Peace) or sometimes sharing a glass with your significant other, numbing your senses and making the other much more attractive than usual (Love & Beauty). The latter is a proven fact. 

I feel these characteristics being highlighted by a mere liquid is an interesting phenomenon and should be experienced atleast once, barring the negative one. 

It’s getting back to basics when things get coincidental. The restaurant Akira Back Singapore has 5 signature cocktails which are based on the paintings of Chef Akira Back’s mum (which were hung on the walls of the restaurant), and are her interpretations of LOVE, ANGER, PEACE, JOY, and BEAUTY. I made a beeline to try some of them post my lunch and came out with my favorite one. I was overcome with Joy when they shared the recipe with me, and I feel its the right thing to share it back with you. 

While Chef Backs dishes may / may not be replicated easily, this cocktail is surely one easy concoction to put together. While it used Chef Backs own brand of Sake, I would take the liberty of using any other brand which you can get your hands on. I would not change the gin. The Botanist has been added to my library of spirits at home and I have been indulging in JOY ever since. 

Joy

A light and refreshing concoction of Akira Back’s Honjozo sake, sugar syrup, lemon juice, Botanist gin, topped with a nutty nori sheet.

Ingredients 

• 40ml Botanist Gin
• 20ml Sake
• 10ml Sugar Syrup
• 20ml Lemon Juice
• 1 + 1 Nori Sheet

Method

• Chill a martini or a short glass with ice and set aside while you make your cocktail
• In a shaker muddle 1 nori sheet with sugar syrup and lemon juice. 
• Top with ice and pour the spirits atop. 
• Shake well.
• Throw the ice out of the glass and double strain the cocktail in the glass filled with one ice sphere/cube.
• Garnish with a twisted cone nori sheet and pop in a wedge of lemon for all your citrus loving cocktail drinkers. 

My stay was sponsored by the JW Marriott South Beach, Singapore. While I have been visiting their properties on my own accord several times a year and mainly indulging in their F&B, the stay was a first for me. I have the privileges of being their guest but just like most luxury properties this hotel meets international standards of service and personal attendance. I have used my discretion and observations to the best of my knowledge and remained unbiased. Hotels are fairly wide open to personalizing your experience should you choose to stay with them. If you are reading this blog at a later date and I would presume the people I spoke about are around, please don’t hesitate to reiterate my good words and I am sure you will have some of you own.