Esora

This is a review for eSora’s Summer Menu. The Chef and his team really puts in a lot of effort into food taste and *presentation* of its food. Presentation is 6 out of 5 stars, no joke. It was a pleasant and tasty experience. I could taste summer in most of its dishes. It is slightly on the higher price side in fine dining (Omakase) which is what this restaurant is targeting, but you get good quality food and ingredients. Tea pairing add-on is a very appealing offering for those who are not into alcoholics and sake. It’s also very endearing to see the head chef and his team scramble gracefully around for the whole food preparation up to the delivery of each dish, this was what kept me entertained for the most part of the dinner. Picture attached should do most of the illustration. The X-factor so far is seen on the food and the head chef and its food, service can be a tad warmer. Food spread is good enough to make you feel satisfied.

A beautifully crafted menu and a wonderful dining experience. While the restaurant maintains a casual vibe and dress code, the attentiveness of the chef and team embodies the Japanese spirit of "omotenashi" perfectly. Upon entry we were ushered to our seats. We booked a table in the corner of the restaurant reserved for groups. The first thing that jumps at you is the little square card on top of the serviette that shares a childhood memory of the chef. Each card is different. The attention to detail continues through the tasting menu, where each dish is crafted to consider taste, texture, presentation and also a progressive layering of flavours. It's also the first time I dined at a fine dining restaurant and walked away feeling full. The portions were generous and well-planned for every dish. The wine/sake pairings, if you choose to shell out extra for, is definitely worth it. Well thought out and reaching beyond Japan for inspiration, the pairings include wines and or sakes that not only complement the dish but also evolve the flavors of the drink with each bite you take. I could rave about the food, but that'd make this already long review even longer. The standout dish for me was the Monaka, combining crispy wafers with foie gras, strawberries and nanohana created a whole new tasting experience of this classic Japanese snack which sits at the intersection of sweet and savory. Two quick points I'd like to highlight. The first is the chefs ability to adapt to dietary requirements. We had forgotten to inform them of a shellfish allergy ahead of time, but despite this, the chef still whipped up separate dishes that were every bit as delicious as the planned menu on the fly. The second was how attentive the small team of 4 was, despite a full house, our glasses were never empty, and they went the extra mile to fulfill our requests and questions, asking about the cutlery makers when enquired and offering to mail us the wine pairing list. The full experience is wrapped up with a door gift at the end so you can bring a memory of the experience home. It's not a cheap meal by any means, but Esora is really giving more than fine dining, it is a fine dining 'experience' by every sense of the word.

My 1st 5 star review goes to Esora! Final meal before the dining in restriction and the last day of the Spring menu. I was blown away by the presentation and the quality of the dishes. Really awesome meal by Chef Koizumi and his team. His staff are all very warm, attentive and friendly. Great visuals throughout the meal and really appreciate the effort that has been put into crafting the menu. Thumbs up!

Lunch at esora Japanese restaurant. Restaurant was full of guests even it takes one and a half hour to complete the course in week day lunch time! Dishes with traditional foods from Japan. Foods and taste more like familiar to me as Japanese but served in the another level of works which amazed me so much. Interior of the restaurant and service experience also supporting great experience of the dining. Can’t wait to visit again. One of my best dining experience ever. Definitely worth a special journey. And congratulations for Michelin’s one stars! I was so surprised didn’t get three stars but I am more than sure esora will get three stars soon.