Tucked in a corner at Ion Orchard with an exterior that is simple, Niku Kappo is easy to miss. During weekdays, waiting for a seat was no sweat in this spacious restaurant. Clad in traditional yukata, a rare sight in Singapore, the female server ushered us promptly to our seats. A quick scan at the menu featured mostly beef dishes. We noticed on a weekday, half of the diners were here for business while the other half were here with families and friends.  

We were pleasantly surprised when the server presented us with a welcome drink - refreshing tonic water, a dash of alcohol, with goji berries and fresh mint leaves as garnishes. 

The appetiser was Cheese Toro Karubi  premium quality beef (sushi rice beneath the beef), topped with flamed cheese. This was suppose to resemble the snow capped mountains in Hokkaido. We loved that the raw Beef with cheese was cooked using a blow torch in front of us, 5 stars for showmanship and freshness! Beef was tender and medium rare, and paired well with the cheese. 

The Pakuchi Tempura is actually a basket of coriander dressed in tempura batter, deep fried to perfection (for those who dislike the strong smell and flavour of coriander. Please please i beg you to give it a try!!! It's truly addictive like any crispy chips 😍 This is definitely a plus for those who indulge in a bit of unhealthy fried food occasionally.

Karaage was well marinated and deep fried till golden brown. The fried chicken had a lingering prawn paste taste and each bite was flavourful and crunchy,  leaving the palate yearning for more.  

The star of the show was the Mount Fuji Nabe. We chose the Beef and Pork combinations for the best of both worlds. This towering artistic presentation deserve applause for the chef, carefully wrapping the meat over the vegetables. Cabbages, Kang Kong and beans sprouts were the pillar of support for the beef and pork strips. Soup was refillable and the portions were large enough for three or four pax. 

The salmon carpet was visually appealing, displayed thinly sliced raw and semi torched salmon spread out on a serving board. Every slice was tender. 

Fruit red tea was seen at almost every table, so of course we had to get one! However the tea wasn't very strong was tasted more syrupy instead. The glass jar was filled with generous slices of grapefruit, orange, kiwi, strawberries floating around the drink giving it maximum visual impact. 

Our happy ending was  the deconstructed Macha pudding. Spoon was dipped in to combine all the Macha goodness, the texture of the pudding was delightfully chewy-mochi like yet so silky and glided down the throat easily. Overall, Niku Kappo is a nice place for dinner in Singapore!

Address:
Niku Kappo
ION Orchard #B3-23, 2 Orchard Turn, Singapore 238801
Tel: (65) 6509 9366
Opening Hours: 11:30am-10:00pm
Website: http://www.niku-kappo.com.sg/