Mikuni celebrates 10 years of Hina Matsuri with a special Bento Set Menu this March 2022

Japan’s annual doll festival, better known as Hina Matsuri, returns to Mikuni for the tenth year. This time, it’s being celebrated all month long with seasonal Japanese dishes expertly curated by chef Keisuke Uno at Mikuni.

Traditionally celebrated in Japan on 3 March every year, Hina Matsuri is a day in which families wish their daughters good health and happiness in life. In honour of this popular festival, chef Uno begins the Lunch Bento Box ($138++ per adult, available till 31 March) with a traditional Japanese salad and a glass of refreshing housemade Amazake before presenting six elegant creations.

Undoubtedly, the showstopper of the box has to be the Mikuni’s Signature Sea Urchin Shell, where slivers of Hokkaido sea urchin are served in the shell itself, alongside an exquisitely smooth and umami-flavoured lobster jelly made over four days using lobster-infused Japanese fish stock and homemade chicken stock. The beautiful dish is crowned with fresh ikura and shiroebi to finish.

The sashimi course features Toro sourced from the fresh waters of Nagasaki, complemented by a touch of sweetness from the delicate Kyushu Kanro soy sauce, sourced exclusively from Japan by Mikuni. Chef Uno’s fun take on tempura is presented as a pair of Miyagi Oysters wrapped in Kadaif noodles and lightly fried till crispy, served alongside a choice of red wine sauce or tartar sauce. 

Another top favourite is the A5 Tochigi Wagyu Sushi Roll, where the tender meat is paired with burdock and spring onion radish pickle for added texture. Only meat from the cows of the Japanese Black breed raised with meticulous care and attention by designated producers in the famed Tochigi prefecture and yielding a grade from B4 to A5, are entitled to the prestigious brand name of Tochigi Wagyu. Also making the Bento Box as decadent as possible is the signature Lobster Sea Urchin Gratin where nuggets of fresh lobster are covered in Mikuni’s signature sea urchin cream sauce and lightly torched. 

Finally, for something grilled, Chef Uno’s elegant Grilled Amadai infused with Japanese XO Ginan is a beautiful sight. The seasonal fish is cooked using the traditional Matsukasa-Yaki style (also known as pine-cone baking because of the similar look of the crispy scales when finished cooking). The fish is placed skin-side down and basted with hot oil till the delicate white flesh cooks through and the scales gradually cook until they are crispy. A Japanese-style XO-infused dashi-based sauce ties the dish together beautifully. 

Wash the decadence down with a bowl of warm miso soup, before moving to dessert with the beautifully-hued Sesame Praline Puff served with Miso Orange Ice Cream. The sweet and salty citrus notes of the ice cream are gently accentuated by a slice of candied kumquat, and perfect with crumbed walnuts and sesame praline for crunch. 

Mikuni Restaurant is at Fairmont Singapore, 80 Bras Basah Rd, Singapore 189560. Tel: 6431 6156