Hazuki Japanese Haute Cuisine

Chef Kenta Yamauchi’s culinary wizardry at Hazuki offers a contemporary and refreshing approach to Japanese haute cuisine. We’ve always wanted to try this; right in the fourth floor of our most frequented shopping mall (Takashimaya).

There’s a drawing/ waiting room befitted with Gucci decor. That’s what struck me first. I guess it’s a place you can “hang out” waiting for the next seating?

The ala carte menu is served at the elegant Hazuki lounge which is known for their luxurious Gucci homeware and exquisite Kagami crystalware. Hazuki is helmed by classically trained Kyoto chef Kenta Yamauchi, formerly of Michelin-starred Gion Fukushi in Kyoto.

If it appears attached at the hip to the visually louder Crystal Jade next door, you’re not far wrong. Hazuki’s blink-and-you-miss-it facade is literally the Chinese restaurant’s backside – its former banquet space neatly carved off to accommodate this upscale addition to the mall’s merry mix of anything-goes F&B options.

Hazuki isn’t the first to elevate the random shopper’s dining experience. It has a predecessor, Mizuki, upstairs on the 5th floor which has a harder time telling apart sushi/tempura aficionados from the toaster oven shoppers at Best Denki.

Yamauchi brings relative pedigree to the new restaurant, with stints in Ki-sho and most recently, Tsubaki. It also means that he’s used to handling budgets that don’t exceed SGD350 - SGD380, so you get fair value for lunch starting at S$180, and just 2 options for dinner at SGD280 and SGD380. It also takes its pricing cue from sister restaurant Sushi Masaaki, both with the same owner and penchant for dramatic decor.

Hazuki – named for the moon in the sky rather than the chef – plays its cards right with a menu that’s reliable if not eye-opening, but gives you your money’s worth (you take your risks with the sake, though). Add easy parking and an optional toaster oven if you need one, and we’ll put this down as a good buy.

Rating: 7 /10

Kyoto style experience means more cooked food- that’s the easiest way to think about it. Kaiseiki wise, this place is faultless.

The service experience (again hard to compare), was more “transactional” vs other Omakase pure plays I’ve been to. Again, not saying that keeping the “last mile” Japanese - ie full Japanese staff for chef to front of house - is best. But for Hazuki the front of house was the let down for me. Again, don’t get me wrong - definitely above your regular Chinese restaurant service levels (no offense), but not what I’d expect from the icons like Saito, Oshino, Ashino, Oono etc.

Then again Japanese fine dining is brutal to say the least. The chef (main chef especially) has to deal with his/ her complexities and engage their patrons - Not an easy feat, perhaps even harder than the cooking itself!!