I was sad when Esora closed cos I thought their food was pretty decent. So when I saw there was a new concept being opened by Culinary Director Araki Takeshi, formerly of Esora, I was quite excited to check it out. Diners enter through Cloudmills and I must say the restaurant was pretty crowded for a random weeknight

Most tables seem to order similar items. And so did we. lol

Grilled Chicken Wings w Black Truffle Mochi Rice $22

GG French Poulet Chicken Wing, Black Truffle, Mochi Rice, Akazu Sauce

We started off with chicken wings, which was honestly quite delicious. I loved the texture of the rice within. It somehow reminded me of glutinous rice with the stickiness. And I thought the wing was well-cooked and well-made which made the whole bite very palatable

Sukiyaki Wagyu Maki Roll $28

A4 Wagyu, Zucchini, Asparagus, Kimi

Moving on to their next item that appeared on socials the most, the wagyu sukiyaki roll. I say this dish was innovative, pretty and tasted quite decent. There was the tenderness of the meat, followed by the rice. I thought the flavour was cohesive as a whole, though definitely goes better with the yuzu sauce

Japanese Little Neck Clams & Karasumi $20

Little Neck Clams, Kombu, Mitsuba, Karasumi

I love a good bowl of Asari and we really liked the broth. It tasted a little buttery yet you still get the sweetness of the clams. The asparagus added a nice touch to the dish as you enjoy some crunch and sweetness of the vegetables

Grain-fed Sirloin w Akazake Sauce $68

AUS Strip, Jerusalem Artichoke, Wasabi Leaf, Akazake

All I can say was the beef was really well-cooked. We had medium rare as doneness, yet the meat was so tender. The akazake sauce paired with the beef quite nicely, adding a little sweetness to it. Else you can go with the artichoke sauce for something earthy and nutty for a different form of contrast

Burnt Bleu Cheesecake w Wildflower Honey $20

Bleu Cheesecake, Wildflower Honey, Seasonal Fruits, Nuts

We clearly didnt see this was a bleu cheesecake so this was a little heavy for us. But if you like your cheese, you would probably enjoy this

Roasted Black Sesame Tiramisu $16

Black Sesame, Espresso, Dark Cocoa

The tiramisu surprised in every way. You could taste the nuttiness of the black sesame on the outside, but also enjoy the distinct fragrance of the tiramisu as you cut inside. And I thought the flavours actually worked quite well together

The friend really enjoyed her meal here and I thought food was pretty decent overall. Definitely one to consider if you want something casual and away from the Orchard crowd. And if you go with a big group, you could probably order alot more things on the menu

AO Restaurant

1 Claymore Drive, Claymore Rd, #01-01, S(229594)