Senya Publika Dinner

Dinner at Senya Solaris Publika turned out to be one of those meals with clear ups and downs. There were enough decent moments to keep the evening from falling flat, but a few dishes also missed the mark in ways that were hard to ignore.

Ordering made through this terminal.

The yakitori was generally a minus for me. What got in the way was the sweet sauce, which felt more like a distraction than a complement. Instead of bringing out the flavour of the skewers, it sat over them too heavily and dulled whatever natural character the meat might have had. The platter looked appealing enough, but the taste never quite followed through.

The ohtoro also disappointed. It was really cold when served, and that took away from the pleasure of eating it. With ohtoro, you want that rich fattiness to ease out gradually and coat the palate properly. When it comes too cold, the texture tightens and the whole experience feels muted.

The more interesting dishes were the teppanyaki items. They had a bit more personality and gave the meal some life where the yakitori and sashimi had not. There was enough contrast in texture and flavour there to make them feel more worth the order, especially compared with the sweeter, less focused yakitori plate.

Pork Liver & Kimchi Teppanyaki

Oyster & Scallop with Kimchi Teppanyaki

Still, the best item of the night was really the taiyaki ice cream shaped like a fish. It had a playful presentation, but more importantly it was simply enjoyable. Sometimes dessert ends up being the cleanest hit of the evening, and that was the case here. After a meal that had a few stumbles, the taiyaki was the item that left the nicest final impression. And it was the cheapest item other than the tea.

Overall, this was a mixed dinner at Senya. The yakitori did not work for me, the ohtoro was served too cold, the teppanyaki was more interesting, and the taiyaki ice cream ended up being the real winner.