The beloved rebel at Customs House relaunches with a sophisticated new look to pair with the exceptional view of the Marina Bay.
Better known to some for its graffiti-scrawled rooftop bar that plays host to various live DJs, Kinki Restaurant + Bar has emerged from its revamp with a sleeker look. Having outgrown its former mascot of a jovial sumo, it has taken on yet another ubiquitous Japanese icon – the geisha.
Thankfully, they steer clear of worn out, sexist geisha tropes and instead translate the glamour and grace characteristic of these traditional Japanese performance artists into the restaurant’s décor. Gone are the glass sushi counter and humdrum grey fabric chairs; in their place are a uniform theme of dark and pastel hues on leather and wooden seats. A monochrome mural by Sean Dunston and a remainder of the old mosaic floor tiles lend the space a uniquely Kinki personality.
Also refreshed is the menu, although not completely. On the list are still favourites such as the Rock and Roll makis: the deep fried maki AC/DC Dynamite as well as the Cowabunga with seared A4 wagyu beef slices and cream cheese. Small plates of baby corn seasoned with furikake and Grilled Squid Chimichurri make for good accompaniment to their colourful alcoholic concoctions but it’s the mains that stand out.
The Unagi Claypot, once a chef’s special, is now a mainstay and it’s easy to see why. The fried Niigata Koshihikari rice with eggs, minced carrots, cubed unagi and Kabayaki grilling sauce is allowed to lightly char in a claypot then topped with even more eel. Then there’s the High Roller Wagyu Don, which as its name suggests is smothered with premium ingredients the likes of Ohmi A4 wagyu, Hokkaido uni, ikura, black truffle and Polanco caviar.
Kinki Restaurant + Bar is located at 70 Collyer Quay, 02-02 Customs House, Singapore 049323.
