Kyoto's Kichi Kichi Omurice to run two-day event at Jurong Point's Tsukimi Hamburg
SINGAPORE – If you have not been able to score a coveted seat at the famed Kichi Kichi Omurice restaurant in Kyoto, Japan, you can now try your luck in Singapore.
Helmed by Japanese chef Motokichi Yukimura, the 14-seat restaurant is renowned for theatrically serving the Insta-famous omurice (Japanese omelette rice), where a perfectly cooked omelette is sliced open to drape over a bed of fried rice.
Chef Yukimura, 69, has 314,000 followers on his @kichikichi_omurice Instagram account. It carries a line that says: 'Upon request, we will go to your country to make omurice.'
He has done so in cities such as Jakarta and Sydney. Up next is Singapore, in a collaboration with home-grown food and beverage group RE&S Enterprises, which focuses on Japanese cuisine concepts.
On July 11 and 12, the chef will host a cooking showcase – two sessions a day for lunch and dinner – at Tsukimi Hamburg restaurant at Jurong Point. Each session is limited to 20 people, who will have to win tickets by joining a lucky draw.
To do so, you need to sign up as a &Rewards Member and spend a minimum of $20 in a single receipt at &JOY Japanese Food Street (at Nex or Jurong Point), from June 3 to 30. Each winner, to be announced every Thursday, can get a pair of tickets.
This collaboration has been in discussion for some time, says RE&S Enterprises' vice president of marketing Winnie Loo, whose team visited chef Yukimura at his Kyoto restaurant in February.
Kichi Kichi hamburg omurice, a collaborative dish to be launched from July 10 at Tsukimi Hamburg outlets.
PHOTO: RE&S ENTERPRISES
She says: 'Chef Yukimura has always embraced meaningful overseas collaborations that allow his culinary philosophy to reach new audiences. One of our Japanese counterparts bridged this connection with him, making this collaboration possible.'
She also confirmed that there are no plans for chef Yukimura to open a permanent Kichi Kichi Omurice outlet in Singapore.
For those who are unable to get tickets, you can go for two collaborative Tsukimi Hamburg x Kichi Kichi Omurice dishes instead.
First, the Kichi Kichi Hamburg Omurice ($16.80) features demiglace fried rice with edamame and chicken blanketed with a fluffy spiral 'tornado' omelette and finished with a hamburg patty. The other option, Kichi Kichi Omurice ($12.80), comes without the hamburg.
The demiglace omurice, says Ms Loo, stays true to the original rich, slow-cooked demiglace sauce by chef Yukimura.
But instead of the classic sliced omelette presentation, diners here will get a spiral 'tornado' omelette on the rice to ensure consistency across the dishes.
The dishes will launch on July 10 as permanent additions to Tsukimi Hamburg's menu at all its outlets. First established at Jurong Point in 2022, Tsukimi Hamburg's other branches are at CapitaSpring and Hougang Mall.
Ms Loo adds: 'During our visit to his restaurant, the conversation flowed naturally, and the idea of pairing his world-famous omurice with Tsukimi Hamburg's signature juicy hamburg steaks felt like a perfect match.'
For more details on the lucky draw, go to https://njoy.com.sg/kichikichiomurice_njoy.
Eunice Quek is STFood online editor at The Straits Times. She covers all things trending in the food and beverage scene.
Check out ST's Food Guide for the latest foodie recommendations in Singapore.
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