Celebrity-owned eateries are not new to us—take a look at actor Pierre Png’s Tipsy Flamingo at Raffles City and popular bakery The Lim’s Kitchen by actress Rebecca Lim’s family. Adding to this list is actor Adam Chen’s Sunset on 11, a poolside restaurant in Havelock that specialises in Japanese fare. Fun fact, their menu used to be brunch-focused before the restaurant went through a revamp late last year.
As a huge fan of har cheong gai, my colleague and I were excited to dig into their HCG Katsu Curry Udon ($20++). This hearty dish consists of Inaniwa udon covered in a bed of Japanese curry, and topped with har cheong gai slices, shibazuke (pickles), onsen egg, along with carrot and potato chunks. FYI, there’s a rice alternative for this dish if that’s your preferred choice of carb.
I thought the pairing of har cheong gai katsu and curry udon was a little strange at first, but this locally inspired dish turned out to be incredibly delicious. The har cheong gai batter was nicely fermented with shrimp paste, and I liked that neither the flavour nor smell of the paste was overbearing. Also, the batter-to-meat ratio was great; it was deep-fried to a crispy golden brown, and the meat was tender. The regular chicken katsu coated with crispy panko would have been tasty, too, but the addition of the umami prawn paste felt like a breath of fresh air.
During my conversation with Adam, he mentioned that Inaniwa udon is used instead of the more common Sanuki. This might seem trivial, but I could see why the type of udon used mattered. Inaniwa udon is thinner than regular udon noodles, which makes it softer and easier to slurp up and chew. For the lack of a better word, let’s just say this dish was shiok—we saw the bottom of the bowl in no time.
We moved on to try their Box Of Fantasy ($38++) next, which is reminiscent of a traditional bento box found in kaiseki meals. There are six different sections in this box, with Tuna on the top left, followed by Mekajiki, Salmon, Shikaku Roll, Unagi, and finally, Lobster Salad.
This bento box also comes with a tray of sushi rice, sweet inari, and crispy nori, so you can DIY your version of inari sushi and hand roll. Else, you can tear the seaweed into small pieces, and top it on the sushi rice!
My favourite of these six was the Lobster Salad, mainly because of the textural contrast. The lobster flesh and creamy mayonnaise had a rich mouthfeel, contrasting well with the crunchy caviar and tobiko.
My colleague, on the other hand, really enjoyed the Mekajiki AKA swordfish. It was meaty and buttery all at once. We found their sashimi—tuna and salmon included—to be fresh, and I especially liked that each slice was thick.
We were lucky enough to try the Temari 6 ($30++), which will be added to the menu very soon. Temari refers to handball sushi, resembling a round ball of sushi rice topped with sashimi.
Similar to the Box Of Fantasy, we were served a bento box of six different kinds. On the top left, we have tuna, followed by mekajiki with tobiko, then salmon, shredded lobster meat, mekajiki with tobiko, and mekajiki with caviar. This one’s great if you like your sashimi and rice all in one bite! Do note that the choice of sashimi changes according to what is fresh or available for the day.
Sunset on 11 is a cosy yet vibey 40-seater right by a pool. If you’re lucky, you might even catch a scenic sunset view on the 11th floor of Louis Kienne Serviced Residences—as the restaurant name hints. Considering the residential location, I was a little worried about finding my way. But surprisingly, there was easy access to the restaurant, and it was a mere four-minute walk from Havelock MRT Station.
Sunset on 11 takes the form of a romantic date spot, a chill hangout with your friends, and a vibey space for ladies’ night. If you’d like a getaway from the bustling city, accompanied by well-curated Japanese food, this hidden gem is worth a visit.
For more Japanese food places to check out, read our Moss Cross Tokyo review. Alternatively, check out Warabimochi Kamakura for Japan-famous warabimochi.
Address: 554 Havelock Road, Louis Kienne Serviced Residences, Singapore 169639
Opening hours: Tue, Sat-Sun 12pm to 10pm, Wed-Thurs 12pm to 3pm, 5pm to 10pm, Fri 12pm to 3pm, 6pm to 10pm
Website
Sunset on 11 is not a halal-certified eatery.
Photos taken by Kaedynce Chew.
This was a media tasting at Sunset on 11.
Summary
Pros:
– Delicious har cheong gai katsu curry udon
– Vibey and private space away from the bustling city
Cons:
– Handball sushi would have tasted better if they were bite-sized
– Could be a tad noisy due to the small space
Recommended dish: HCG Katsu Curry Udon ($20++), Box Of Fantasy ($38++)
Address: 554 Havelock Road, Louis Kienne Serviced Residences, Singapore 169639
Opening hours: Tue, Sat-Sun 12pm to 10pm, Wed-Thurs 12pm to 3pm, 5pm to 10pm, Fri 12pm to 3pm, 6pm to 10pm
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