Hidden within the tranquil grounds of Amara Sanctuary Resort in Sentosa is Restaurant IMAMURA, which is perhaps one of the best Japanese fine dining establishments to recently open. The Zen-inspired bungalow is Chef Hirofumi Imamura’s domain, where he takes diners on a seasonal trip to Japan.
Fresh Japanese vegetables play an important role in the Signature Menu, allowing us to appreciate their texture, sweetness, and nuanced flavors. One of the most impressive dishes on the current menu is the salt-baked Japanese onion, where each layer is painstakingly stuffed with bonito flakes, resulting in a deceptively simple dish that’s bursting with sweetness and umami.
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Another highlight is the sashimi course comprised of fluke, uni, and caviar, served on a piquant shoyu jelly that’s made from boiling down fish bones for hours. Beyond vegetables and seafood, Chef Imamura treats the finest cuts of beef with incredible respect, as seen in the dish that highlights Mizusako-farmed Kagoshima Wagyu, which is laid atop a stone slab heated to exactly 62 degrees Celsius.
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It is then cooked further with an antique charcoal iron (used for ironing silk kimonos), resulting in thin slices cooked to a perfect medium-rare doneness.
In addition to the food, the little details are equally important on this luxurious dining experience: From the dizzying number of Japanese salt varieties to the custom-made bamboo, cypress, and cedar wood chopsticks, and the centuries-old ceramics used to present each dish.