KUVO (Closed)

I have been wanting to check out Kuvo, so the chance came by timely with Restaurant Week! Conveniently located at the second level of Orchard Shopping Centre, with Somerset as the nearest MRT station.If you have not known by now, Kuvo is an original lifestyle and gastronomic concept by TCC. Kuvo is all dressed in a charming with hues of elegance for their interior and ambiance, an ambiance that makes it great for a date night with an overview of the bustling streets of Orchard Road.Dedicated dinner menu for the Restaurant Week.Entree King Prawn on Crab Timbale – Lightly grilled crunchy king prawn on a bed of refreshing umami and sweet tasting with a hint of sour crab timbale. It’s good in a way you could taste and feel the texture of the fresh shredded crab right on your palette. A true delight entree of quality ingredients.Main Course Char Grilled Angus Ribeye – Loved how the steak is done medium and well seared, with the right texture, tender and juicy but not at all bloody. The accompanying jus is just perfect and not too overpowering the ribeye. Did i forget to mention, the ribeye steak came in 2 slabs! Which i thought was pretty generous of themMain Course Grilled Barramundi – an interesting fusion of asian flavor to this dish. Angel hair tossed perfectly in curry pesto sauce, as though the pasta strands are curry pesto flavored in nature. Fresh and soft barramundi with it’s skin crisp was lighter in taste, which blended in well with the heavier tasting pasta.Dessert Warm Summer Berries Almond Cake – prettily plated dessert but was a little too heavy for me to savor and appreciate despite the cake being moist and not too sweet. It was really good, but it’s just too floury for me to ingest after the 2 good courses! I would greatly prefer a much lighter dessert such as a panna cotta or creme brulee though.😀All in all, it was a good dining experience with Kuvo. The service and food served was superb!https://poohlovesfood.wordpress.com/2016/04/19/restaurant-week-kuvo/ continue reading

It's Restaurant Week and we had their set dinner for $38++.We started with King Prawn on Crab Timbale. The prawn was nicely grilled till you get their BBQ taste on the outside. Chunky fresh prawn with head on...very nice. The Crab Timbale's name had me clueless but I googled it and realised that timbale means pan and that's exactly what it was. Delicious crab meat with mayo and cucumber bits served in a round shape. The crab was light but flavourful. Simply delightful!I chose the Char-Grilled Angus Ribeye which was two slabs of beef that is well seared. very very tasty beef and the sides of potato, carrots, vegetables and mushrooms were also very good. They each held their own flavours yet complement each other so well! Super satisfied!Dessert was Almond Cake with fruits on the side. It's a very generous almond cake serving and it was so fragrant! Very delicious cake and they paired it with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream which was so nice that I wished it were a much bigger scoop!Serving size in general was also very adequate, not like french food where it's a big plate and small amounts of food.I am SO coming back for their amazing food. Every dish was so so good! Amazing!! continue reading

Kuvo, a multi-concept restaurant and bar located in the middle of Orchard Road. I was first introduced to this unique restaurant that are well-hidden in the bustle shopping paradise by our friends A&J. It was a memorable one as we had high tea here and celebrating my beloved LD's birthday. In welcoming the new year, Kuvo introduced a new menu and new concept to its customers, with food and bespoked cocktail pairings. With head bartender Mr. Yutaka Nakashima as Kuvo chief mixologist, expect to see innovative, novel and at times quirky cocktails with Japanese flair. Please note that due to my medical conditions, I was not able to taste the cocktails, so I enlist Ivan Teh – Running Man for his drinking palate. The new concept focus on tapas size dishes. We started with Brandy Flambéed Beef Cube ($22) and Grilled Octopus ($16). The chunky beef cube has a good marbling, juicy and succulent. The brandy flambéed gave it a sweet and smokey flavour at the same time. Though there was a huge dried chilli there, it more like a decoration. If you are a fan of garlic, you will love this dish. Coincidentally, I had this dish a few days with our overseas friends for supper and this dish never fails to impress me again. For seafood lovers, grilled octopus is a must-try. A dish that you can normally found in Mediterranean countries. The octopus leg was sous-vide till so tender it almost melts in your mouth. The smoked paprika helps to accentuate the flavour of the octopus. I do find the slow cooked potato is a bid to soft for my liking. Calamari Ajilo ($16). The ring shape calamari is cooked with chorizo sausage, which gave the dish a spicy pork flavour to the dish. It works well with the springy calamari. Unfortunately, there was too much oil in the dish. Making it looks like the dish is swimming in oil. Atlantic Cod Meunière (S$20). So what is Meunière, it is a French style of cooking a fish where at first it was lightly coated in flour, fried in clarified butter and finished off with brown butter and herbs. The double buttering method simply made it so yummy. The cod fish is flaky, juicy topped with subtle flavour from pea crust. The barley fricasse with corn was a little too rich and creamy to be paired with cod fish. I think it will be better if there is a dash of lemon here just to balance the dish. While we have become used with food and wine, Kuvo introduced a creative food and cocktails pairing.Kuvo Coffee Hot Wings ($14) & Brewski Yen ($21). The crispy fried chicken wings are coated with 'Hot' coffee sauce. Kuvo version of spicy buffalo wings. The wings are crispy and succulent, while the caramelisation intensified the coffee flavour. Watch out for the spicy kick from the sauce. Although it come with blue cheese dip, it is missing the pungent taste. I decided to forgo my utensils and used my fingers. The Brewski Yen will definitely put out the fire from the wings. The mix include Kirin beer, now with an added tang of Suze, lemon, and ginger ale. Slipper Lobster (S$15) & Hello Cel’lo (S$21). Slipper Lobster / Crayfish sautéed with habanero, bell peppers, and cilantro. It is nicely presented, using the shell to wrap the dish. However, the taste reminds me of a normal zhi char dish. The meat of the crayfish was overcooked, making it tough the chew. Hello Cel'lo – made with Bankes London dry Gin, limoncello liqueur, celery bitters, and balsamico. Base on the smell, it smell like a herbal drink. Wagyu & Camembert Sliders (S$17) &Green Iceland (S$21). The Japanese Wagyu beef sliders was meaty, hearty and succulent. Topped with melted camembert cheese and portobello provide the sliders with creamy mushroom finish to the dish. This dish also come with crispy fried shrimp wanton with wasabi mayonnaise. The wanton is light, crispy and filled with good amount of shrimp, and mayo really packs with punch. The cheese rolls is a bit redundant in the dish, as it look pretty mellow. Probably better if they skip the cheese rolls and stick with fried wanton. In line with the East meet West theme for this pairing, Green Iceland mix consist of Italian Antica Fratta sparkling wine, Japanese Umeshu, mint leaf and brown sugar. A good refreshing mix to go with this dish. English Scotch Egg (S$14) & Captain B.R. (S$21). I have been wanting to try English Scotch Egg for a while and what a good opportunity to try one at Kuvo. Whole chicken egg stuffed in giant Wagyu meatball. Perfectly executed, as the yolk was runny when we slice through it. Meaty and hearty like the sliders and topped with edam cheese, who can say no to this. There are some gerkhins on the side to balance the meatiness in the dish. Captain B.R. (stands for British Rum) consists of Earl Grey infused Rum, fresh lemon, and soda water. You have the aromatic rum, with tea twist and fizzy soda that goes well with the English Scotch Egg. Kurobuta Yakiniku Donburi (S$16) & Tales of Shu (S$21). Kurobuta pork yakiniku served on a warm bed of Japanese rice, topped with perfectly poached sous-vide egg. Definitely a perfect comfort dish, especially after you break the egg and let it blanket the rice and yakiniku. It can do with much more sauce and thicker flavour to cover the whole dish. The cocktail, Tales of Shu is the star of this pairing. Brewed in a glass vacuum coffee maker, the cocktail’s freshly-prepared genmai tea, saké, Lillet Blanc, and fresh orange peel. Yutaka san really go all out for this cocktail. Served in Japanese tea cup it provide a good ending to the meal. For those who are unable to consume alcohol, you can try the mocktail concoction of Midsummer Breeze. The mix included Melon Mangosteen Tea, Orange Juice, and Passion fruit. It is fruity, while the melon provide the boldest flavour to the drink, there is subtle tangerines from the passion fruit at the end. It was a very interesting dining experience, especially looking at the food and cocktail pairing in leveraging on Mr. Yutaka Nakashima's expertise. As most of the cocktails have a light alcohol content and with touch of sweetness, making it easy to consume a few concoctions at one seating. My recommendation for a must try dishes are Brandy Flavfmbéed Beef Cube, Wagyu & Camembert Sliders (S$17) &Green Iceland (S$21); English Scotch Egg (S$14) & Captain B.R. (S$21); and Kurobuta Yakiniku Donburi (S$16) & Tales of Shu (S$21). On the side note, I was at Kuvo about a week before this tasting event, I also tried their dessert of Croissant Bread Pudding ($14). The bread pudding covered with filo pastry cranberry fillings, salted caramel sauce and vanilla gelato. A perfect combination of sweet and savoury, paired with flaky pasty. Definitely a die die must try dessert here in KUVO. Thank you very much to KUVO & Media Flair Communications for the tasting invitation. For the full review, click / copy the link below to your browser:http://www.chubbybotakkoala.com/2016/02/kuvo-new-menu-new-concept.html continue reading

Founded in November 2014 and operated under the umbrella of The Connoisseur Concerto (TCC) group, Kuvo Singapore is a multi-concept restaurant and bar located on the 2nd floor of Orchard Shopping Centre, which is directly beside 313@Somerset mall. Offering 4 different dining concepts in a 9,500 sq ft place, Kuvo Singapore, whose name is derived from the French word 'cuvee', which means 'to blend', serves a variety of modern fusion dishes in a plush yet casual setting.Ambience at Kuvo Singapore differs depending on which of the 4 concepts you're at. The Kuvo Singapore Gift Shop primarily caters for takeaway, but also doubles as a patisserie and dessert counter, with its brightly lit, attractive glass display case, and shelves of the sweet stuff. The Ambrosia I and II is a brightly lit, casual, 88-seat, all-day dining restaurant, with modern cushioned wooden furniture and plush couches, a comfortable, modern setting. The Elixir Bar is a bespoke cocktail and tapas area, with high bar tables and stools, set in a dark ambient atmosphere, with a live band on weekends. The Vine Lounge is a 32-seat wine lounge with rows upon rows of bottles, over 140 wine labels, and a wine dispenser! Overall, very good ambience no matter which of the 4 dining concepts you choose!Service at Kuvo Singapore is professional, efficient, and courteous. Befitting of bistro quality sevice, the staff speak quietly, and carry out requests quickly. They're rather knowledgable on the menu, able to make astute recommendations, and can even inform you about off-menu selections, of which Kuvo Singapore has a few! I also like that they offer to change plates between courses, something usually done only at fine dining restaurants. However, I do feel there isn't much memorable engagement from the junior staff, the level of service provided is good, but not outstanding. The more senior staff however, are very engaging, seemingly enthusiastic about their work, and can even describe the various dining concepts and history of the place!Food at Kuvo Singapore is modern fusion, a combination of Western presentation and ingredients with Asian flavours. The kitchen produces dishes of generally average quality in taste, though some are above average. Rather decent, consistent execution, which is good. The sharing portions are nicely sized for sharing between 2 - 4 people, though it's possible for an individual to finish it all by themselves. Menu options at Kuvo Singapore are extensive, and prices are pegged to bistro standards; higher than a cafe but lower than a restaurant. Budget about SGD $14 - $22 per tapas dish, and SGD $21 per cocktail. Generally, a small meal with 2 drinks here will set you back about SGD $80 per person, I personally feel it's rather expensive.Head Bartender of Kuvo Singapore, Mr. Yutaka Nakashima, has over 16 years of experience in mixology, with several international accolades under his belt. On top of this, he's also a licensed chef in Japan! His bespoke cocktails suit the theme of modern fusion at Kuvo Singapore, intriguing and unique beverages that blend East and West, teasing and exciting the palate with each sip!Among the best dishes we had here, the Brandy Flambéed Beef Cube (SGD $22) features tender, savoury chunks of beef, flash seared and flambéed with brandy, glazed with an earthy red wine sauce, and served with sauteed, smoky garlic cloves and chili. Love how the little bit of heat tickles the palate, and each beef cube has a meaty, satisfiying chew. Excellent!The Kuvo Coffee Hot Wings (SGD $14) with baby carrot crudites and blue cheese dip was pretty good! The chicken wings have moist, tender meat which comes off easily, and the thick sauce glaze is savoury, with hints of roast coffee, and a good kick of spicy heat! Cool off with the Cocktail Brewski Yen (SGD $21) pairing, or the tender baby carrots and blue cheese dip, which is surprisingly mellow and pleasant, lacking the characteristic sharp pungent taste of typical blue cheese.The Cocktail P & L (SGD $21), named for the corporate business financial term of 'profit and loss', is made with Bankes London dry gin, house made apple and cinnamon syrup, peanut butter, coconut cream, and laksa leaves. Unique and creative, this rich, creamy beverage is earthy, sweet, and nutty, with hints of spice notes. Highly recommended!Full Kuvo Singapore review: http://ivanteh-runningman.blogspot.sg/2016/01/kuvo-singapore-tasting-session.html continue reading

Kuvo is located at the second floor of Orchard Shopping Centre, taking over the space formerly occupied by Lei Garden Restaurant. The dining in area is quite huge, with one end the Elixir Bar for its cocktails and the other end the Vine Lounge for its huge collection of wines. Tonite I am invited by a magazine for a 3 course dinner. As it is a weekday night, the place is relatively empty and quiet. Firstly we are served a choice of warm, still or sparkling water. I have sparkling which is Badoit served with a slice of lemon in it. We are also served a choice of champagne or mocktail. The mocktail tastes of orange flavour and is quite refreshing.Forest mushroom veloutesauteed forest mushroom accented with truffle oilThe soup is rich and smells quite nice of the truffle oil, although I would prefer more of the sliced mushrooms.Char-grilled beef ribeyeshallot confit, truffle mash and port wine jusI like that the meat is served with soft caramlised shallot on top. The steak itself is quite fatty, but still taste not bad. The mash has a nice taste of the truffle oil.Herbs-cashew crusted barramundi filletDuo potatoes gratin, tomato confit, saffron beurre blancThe fish is chunky and meaty, while the potatoes gratin has a interesting sweet taste as it is made of sweet potato.Chocolate Guinness Cake with CaramelServed with vanilla ice creamI am a bit disppointed when it turns out not a lava cake. The cake crumbles easily and is quite soft. The sour cubes of fruits quite balance the sweetness of the dessert.Overall the food is not bad. Service is quite good with water refilled often. We are also served a choice of red or white wine for our mains. The white is quite smooth down the throat. Great place for a sit down dinner with its cozy lighting and nice food. continue reading