Discover The Exceptional Tastes Of Ureshino Through Green Tea Pairing

Omakase@Stevens

Chef Shusuke Kubota of Omakase@Stevens 

Stepping into this minimalist modern Japanese restaurant is like a sanctuary for the senses. Helmed by Chef Kubota, he brings years of world-class culinary experience to the palates of diners through an exquisite omakase-style menu. His tantalising creations are a unique fusion of his Japanese roots and influences of French cooking techniques. 

Layers of green tea-infused mousse and syrup, Japanese pear and its sorbet, green tea powder on the meringue and a hint of lemon seasonal fruit in this dish may vary depending on the availability). Served with pan-fried Ureshiono green tea. 

This dainty dessert is served as a work of art, feeding our visual hunger first before going on to satiate the taste buds. As it melts decadently on your tongue, the subtle richness of the green tea-infused mousse and syrup fills your palate. The tartness of the pear sorbet cuts through refreshingly, with juicy pear cubes adding a delicious crunch to the luxuriously smooth texture. Cute meringue coins dusted with freshly-ground green tea powder makes a wonderful finishing touch that elevates the tea aroma and aesthetics.

Delicately sweet and refreshing, this green-tea dessert has no hint of bitterness at all. Instead, it leaves a lingering tea scent in your mouth that invigorates the senses. This is the uniqueness of Ureshino pan-roasted green tea.

KAMOSHITA 

Chef Koki Miyoshi of Kamoshita 

This oden restaurant is an intimate eatery-cum-bar with laid back vibes and a buzzing atmosphere. Famous for its wide selection of sake and handmade Oden, Kamoshita also serves up excellent Japanese dishes that are great to go along with drinks. Using only the freshest seasonal ingredients from Japan, this authenticity is what keeps customers coming back.

Special Pairing Menu: Agedashi Fukugashira 

Fried yam cubes, green tea-infused dashi broth, shredded Japanese mitsuba, and myoga. 

Bite-sized cubes of Fukugashira that have been marinated overnight in a dashi and shoyu stock are lovingly fried to golden perfection and served in a delectable green tea-infused dashi broth. Instead of using water to prepare the dashi broth, Chef Miyoshi used a concentrated brew of roasted Ureshino green tea to extract the umami flavours.

Surprisingly firm and slightly crunchy, the fragrant fried Fukugashira is unlike the typical starchy yam texture that we are familiar with. Earthy aromas and subtle sweetness from the flavourful green tea broth are a perfect complement to the tasty fried yam. Together with the zesty raw Japanese vegetables, the light clean flavours from the broth help to cleanse away the mild oiliness while freshening up the palate.

CAFFEB 

Chef Masanao Saito of CaffeB 

The elegant and contemporary interiors of CaffeB is synonymous with what Chef Saito specialises in, which is innovative Italian cuisine influenced by the refined touch of Japanese culinary techniques. CaffeB is about bringing people together through the common love for food, and they have achieved it wonderfully through the warmth of Japanese hospitality and the use of authentic Japanese ingredients.

Special pairing menu: Cold Cappellini & Ureshino green tea cocktail

Capellini tossed in olive oil and yuzu, hamachi sashimi cubes, ikura, Ureshino dried tomato, Mexicana chilli and a drizzle of truffle oil. Served with a green tea cocktail made from steamed Ureshino green tea, elderflower liqueur, sauvignon blanc white wine and gin.

Showcasing the colours of nature’s bounties, this beautiful cold pasta dish is a marvellous explosion of flavours and textures. Wafts of aromatic truffle and yuzu hit the senses, followed by a medley of interesting contrasts. A mouthful captivates you with the lusciousness of fresh hamachi, premium ikura that bursts with flavours of the sea and the intense sweetness of Ureshino dried tomato slices. Eat it with the thinly-sliced raw Mexicana chilli for a crisp vegetal freshness that harmonises with the umami of the dish.

This indulgent pasta is paired with a special cocktail made with steamed Ureshino green tea to balance out the richness. Refreshingly sweet with a subtle floral hint, the flavours of wine and gin unfolds mid-palate and ends with a fascinating aftertaste of sweet barley.

LISTEN TO THE STORIES OF URESHINO’S DEDICATED FARMERS 

Now that we have whet your appetite with the Ureshino green tea pairing experience, let’s get to know these special Ureshino ingredients which you can try at the above three restaurants.

Mexicana chilli (left); Mexicana producers Yoshihito and Etsuko Tanaka (right)

The Mexicana is a moderately spicy chilli that elevates the taste of a dish. It is being cultivated in Ureshino after the city’s Agricultural Division promoted Western vegetables to local farmers. Local farmer Yoshihito comes from a generation of farmers and his passion to continue his family’s legacy is strong. The branches of the Mexicana trees are carefully held up so that every part gets enough sunlight. The peppers are also checked and harvested by hand to ensure top-notch harvest qualities.

Dried tomato chips (left); Producer Motomu Ono (right)

Ureshino’s clean environment produces high-quality tomatoes, especially in Yoshida village where soil quality and climate are optimal. For Motomu, the water that he uses on his farm’s irrigation contains nutrient-rich minerals from the nearby hot spring. By this wonderful stroke of luck, his tomatoes are well-known to be deliciously sweet and tasty. Motomu’s dried tomato chips allow everyone to enjoy the intense sweetness of ripe tomatoes, even when they are not in season.

Fukugashira yam (left); Producer Kodai Nagao (right)

Produced only in Saga Prefecture, the Fukugashira is a special variety of yam that was created at Saga University. It can grow really big (sometimes heavier than 1kg), has a mildly sweet yet rich taste and a smooth texture that does not crumble easily. Local farmer Kodai cultivates fukugashira when the tea is not in season. Harvesting requires a lot of hard work because these hefty yams need to be dug out by hand to ensure that the roots are not damaged. Fortunately, his thriving crops produce yummy fukugashiras that everyone loves.

Producer Hirotaka Nakashima (left); Brown or Brunost cheese (right)

Cheese may not be part of traditional Japanese foods but you will be surprised to find some excellent fresh cheese handcrafted in Ureshino. Nakashima is a third-generation dairy farmer who decided to start cheese-making with the motto from ‘GRASS TO CHEESE’. His Camembert cheese is moist with a delicious milky taste and the lovingly-aged Gouda cheese has beautiful umami flavours. The highlight, however, is Nakashima’s multiple award-winning Brown cheese. It is the first time this traditional Norwegian-style cheese is domestically made in Japan. With a smooth firm texture and a caramel-like sweetness, this unique Brown cheese is best enjoyed simply with bread.

The history of green tea goes way back three centuries in the remote town of Ureshino. Two types of Ureshino green teas are produced here, pan-roasted and steamed, each with its own unique characteristics. Under the watchful eye of the experienced tea masters, both teas have impressively clinched first prize in the National Tea Fair 2020 in Japan.

Pan-roasted Kamairicha

The curly edges of pan-roasted green tea

Kitano is a dedicated tea farmer who personally measures the pH levels of the soil and manages the roasting process. All in the pursuit of creating the perfect batch of tea. After harvesting, tea leaves are meticulously roasted in a hot pan of about 400 degrees. The high temperatures bring out the aromatics, reduces caffeine and also removes the astringent aftertaste. The resulting tea is pale golden in colour and has interesting flavours of roasted grains. Although it has a rich roasted smell, the Kamairicha is delicately sweet and has no hint of bitterness.

 Pan-roasted Kamairicha producer Makoto Kitano

Steamed Tamaryokucha

The slightly rounded shape of steamed green tea

As a representative of Ureshino’s tea industry, Kenji strongly believes in the health benefits of natural farming methods. His ultimate goal is to attract more people to enjoy Ureshino tea through tea tourism. On Kenji’s farm, harvested tea leaves are steamed in high temperatures of 100 degrees, which helps to retain the flavours even when its brewed repeatedly. Contrary to the roasted tea, this light-green brew is fuller-bodied with mellow tastes. It still retains the refreshing characteristics associated with Ureshinocha but it presents interesting layers of umami flavours.

Steamed Tamaryokucha producer Kenji Inoue

UMEETS: BRINGING THE AUTHENTIC TASTES OF JAPANESE TO YOU IN SINGAPORE 

If you have missed our first green tea pairing experience, we have more coming up! Introducing the UMEETS project — a sensational food box brimming with authentic and fresh Japanese produce, specially selected from various prefectures in Japan.

This exciting initiative brings the charms of Japan to Singapore through its food, because food is the best way to connect cultures. We have tied up with top food connoisseurs who will scour the ends of Japan, just to uncover the best ingredients and share them with the people in Singapore. The next time, we may even deliver the Japanese ingredients right to your doorstep!