Review: At Zouk's newest restaurant and bar, you'll find an authentic slice of Japan
Start off the night with a meticulously-prepared omakase dinner at Sushi Ichizuke, then retire to Here Kitty Kitty — a sultry speakeasy-style bar — for a nightcap.
Travel lanes might be opening up again, but you don't have to look far for an authentic taste of Japan. Zouk's two new dining concepts, Sushi Ichizuke and Here Kitty Kitty, prove just that.
Sushi Ichizuke is a wonderfully intimate omakase restaurant that seats just 16 people in its main dining area, which is staffed by two veteran Japanese sushi chefs who will prepare the dishes right in front of you. Even getting to the restaurant is an experience in itself: To get to the main dining room, you'll have to go through a series of dark, mirror-lined corridors before arriving at Sushi Ichizuke proper.
Head chef Ryoichi Nakatani hails from Tokyo's Chiba prefecture; he spent his formative years honing his craft at a restaurant near the famed Tsukiji fish market, which was one of the largest and most well-known markets in the world. That means you can expect deftly-prepared Edomae style sushi, the traditional method native to the Tokyo region.
Highlights from the omakase menu include the decadent Ichizuke Don — which is packed with ingredients like Hokkaido hairy crab, uni, and ikura — as well as a medley of classics like the Zuke Maguro, a marinated tuna dish that's packed with umami.
The restaurant's ingredients are also imported twice a week from the Toyosu Fish Market — the spiritual successor of the Tsukiji Market, after it closed in 2018 — ensuring that every aspect of the meal is both fresh and authentically Japanese.
And the evening doesn't end there. After you adjourn from the restaurant, head back down the other end of the mirrored corridor to Here Kitty Kitty, where you'll be greeted by a cosy speakeasy that wouldn't look out of place in 1950s Japan.
Three themed private rooms circle the main bar area, and if their names are any indication — one is called the Shibari room — you're certainly in for a brow-raising night. Here Kitty Kitty's cocktails are a cheeky blend of classic favourites with a modern Japanese spin.
The Ume Whiskey Sour is a definite crowd-pleaser with its mix of Maker's Mark bourbon, ume, and apricot (and would you look at that paw!) For a cocktail that's both delicious and Instagrammable, go for the Haku-Hai, which blends matcha, Haku vodka and Calpis to create an earthy, comforting drink. We're partial to the Golden Hour cocktail, which marries clarified milk, Havana Club 3 rum and hojicha to create a mellow cocktail that's the perfect end to any night.
If you're feeling peckish, you'll be glad to know that Here Kitty Kitty also offers up a menu of moreish bar snacks; meat-lovers will definitely want to try the juicy Wagyu Sando.
