I’m sure many of you would have heard of Japanese Dining SUN, since it has been around for more than 7 years! In partnership with the Fukuoka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FCCI), the SUN group will be launching the Kyushu Gourmet Experience from 16 November 2012 to 8 January 2013 to introduce the main ingredients from regions in and around Kyushu.

We were invited to sample the Kyushu Experience menu at Japanese Dining SUN, located on the second floor of Chijmes. From what I observed, Chijmes is still a pretty happening place even after all these years. SUN with Moon at Wheelock Place also comes under the SUN group if you don’t already know.

Suntory! No prizes for guessing 😛

We were promptly shown to a table and Roy gave us an introduction of the 10-course meal that we would be having.

Ask misterchewy and I whether we like sashimi and the answer is gonna be a resounding ‘YES’. No Japanese meal ever feels complete without sashimi. Featuring the freshest selection of raw fish flown in from Japan, the Kyushu Sashimi Mori 7 Kind ($88.80) boasts thick and succulent slices of fatty tuna, yellow seabream, horse mackerel, golden-eye snapper, striped jack, yellowtail and Japanese seabream. Our dinner definitely took off on a very pleasant note!

Japanese sushi is generally wrapped in seaweed so it was interesting that the Mentai Salmon Takana Roll ($18.80) came wrapped with salmon, followed by a layer of Japanese preserved mustard leaf which provided a very nice crunchy texture. The spicy seasoned cod roe wasn’t really spicy but we loved the multitude of flavors and textures in each bite.

The Mentai Cheese Chigiri Age ($9.80) failed to leave much of an impression because very little cheese had been added.

The Kyushu Gourmet Experience menu also showcases Japanese Grade A3 Miyazaki Wagyu beef but we had it replaced with the Sun Goma ($15.80) due to dietary restrictions. As you can see, it has an interesting presentation with the slices of salmon fanning out like the sun, with a bright orange yolk in the middle.

‘Goma’ is the Japanese term for sesame and it is one of my favorite ingredients used for salad dressings.

The best way to eat this is to first beat the yolk and stir it in the sauce which is the chef’s brilliant creation and is made in house.

You can then choose to dip a slice of salmon in the sauce like how you would for shabu shaubu but we later found that a better way of eating this is to eat the salmon together with a spoonful of the homemade sauce. It tasted a little like light soya sauce, except that it was more sweet than savory. The sesame seeds added another dimension to this dish.

Unlike any other gyoza that we have tried, the Kurobuta Gyoza ($9.80) was much smaller in size, wrapped in dough that was not too thick and was very lightly pan-fried. The yorkshire kurobuta was hand ground and had a very tender texture. Japanese Dining Sun should totally come up with a Kurobuta Gyoza buffet or something!

If you like grills, you will be impressed with the Shiokoji Moriawase ($15.80) which is essentially a platter of white asparagus, Berkshire pork, chicken thigh and salmon.

All the above mentioned were marinated in shiokoji. It is an old Japanese seasoning made from rice malt, salt and water which are mixed, fermented and matured.

White asparagus is slightly milder in taste and more tender than green asparagus. It went really well with the mayonnaise.

The Berkshire pork had been nicely grilled; its tenderness was just right and had strips of fat in the middle.

I felt that the salmon was a teeny weeny bit over grilled though.

Just when we thought that the pork was pretty good, the chicken thigh turned out to be remarkable. It was the most tender and flavorful grilled chicken that I have ever eaten.

When the Nori Udon was placed before us, it did look deceivingly like soba complete with dipping sauce and condiments served separately.

While udon is typically made using wheat, this was made with seaweed. It had an extra chewy bite and reminded me of Naengmyeon (Korean cold noodles) which I absolutely adore.

Again, the Japanese preserved mustard leaf made its appearance, this time in the Tonkotsu Takana Ramen ($11.80). It was quite a good idea to have slices of ginger in it, similar to that of certain fish soups, because the broth tasted quite refreshing!

Chazuke is like the Japanese version of thunder tea rice and it is not only tasty but healthy. Green tea, dashi or hot water is poured over cooked rice, usually with savory toppings.

Our Kinmedai & Mentai Chazuke ($15.80) came with lightly grilled golden-eye snapper fillet slices and spicy seasoned cod roe served on top of cooked rice.

Pouring in the green tea bonito soup.

We gave it a good stir before tucking in. The golden-eye snapper fillet slices were notably firm and the green tea bonito soup was deliciously bittersweet and smokey on top of being savory. I suggest that you should have this all to yourself.

Finally moving on to desserts, we had the classic Yamecha Roll Cake ($5.80) which was made using premium Fukuoka green. I quite liked the green tea roll on its own but you can eat it together with the red bean paste for a sweeter pairing.

I’m a fan of chiffon cakes and it was my first time trying a peach flavor infused one. The Momo Jam Chiffon Cake ($6.50) was spongy, airy and very fragrant. For something sweeter, spread some homemade vanilla cream over the cake.

Wonderfully scented, the Yame Tea with Goma Cookie ($5) was the perfect ending to our Kyushu Gourmet Experience at Japanese Dining SUN.

Both misterchewy and I felt that most, if not all, of the dishes featured in the Kyushu Gourmet Experience were splendid. Be sure to mark your calenders and make a trip down to Japanese Dining SUN as the Kyushu menu will only be available from 16 November 2012 to 8 January 2013.

Ending off the post with my outfit of the day (OOTD)! Peter Pan collar dress with floral prints. I love the colors! 😀

And here’s misterchewy’s OOTD! I realized this Moustache design seems to be quite popular recently. Have been seeing it everywhere I go. Not sure if there’s a name behind it. The t-shirt does look cute right! 😛

Lastly, The Chewys would like to thank Japanese Dining SUN, Fukuoka Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and 360 Publications for the invitation. Wishing everyone a good week ahead! 🙂