The Food
The star attraction of Kuishin-Bo Authentic Japanese Buffet is none other than the all-famous Snow Crabs. And that is a free flow of Snow Crabs, at dinner-time. It is sheer joy to see the fat crab lying prettily in front of you, to pick up the pair of scissors for easy de-shelling, to scrape the generous flesh off with your fork, and to finally deliver the fruit of your labour onto your awaiting tongue. The crab is bursting with an abundance of fresh, sweet goodness from the sea and I was won over by the crab right from the start.
Continue to partake of fresh sea produce with their array of shells, crustacean and sashimi. The fat, juicy-looking prawns did not disappoint – fresh, firm flesh was sweet upon the palate and free for all to take. Crayfish is available, though more effort is required to pry through its thick shell and the resulting flesh is not as pleasing as the prawns. There is also an assortment of shells, which look so exotic I cannot even put a name to such, that really only appeal to the true shell-enthusiast. If you fancy a pungent taste of the sea, you will probably delight in these peculiar shells. Otherwise, stick to the prawns or go for some generous slabs of raw fish.
Sashimi is very well-received at Kuishin-Bo, apparent from its presence on almost every table. Besides the usual Sake (Salmon) and Maguro (Tuna), there is also Hamachi (Yellowtail) and Tako (Octopus) as well. The sashimi offered is fresh but not as tantalizing as you would expect from Kuriya or Ichiban, probably because they are left out on the buffet counters in large quantities and over a longer period of time.
Japanese cuisine is never authentic without sushi. Chefs at Kuishin-Bo frequently dish out new innovations on their sushi counter. But if you would rather have something more savoury, go for some Yakitori (skewered meat) or Ebi Tempura (fried prawns). The ebi tempura, with its golden crisp exterior and creamy treasure of prawn within, is a definite crowd-pleaser and must be savoured piping hot. Go easy on the special soy sauce dipping for the tempura unless you want to shock your taste buds into disability. Another of the restaurant's highlight is the Japanese paper steamboats. Offering diners a choice between seafood and salmon steamboat, Kuishin-Bo captivates palates with a sweet Miso stock that is fully flavoured with the vegetables, mushrooms and seafood found in each pot.
To satisfy your sweet tooth, there are Mochi ice cream desserts and Matcha soft ice cream to end your filling meal on a high note. Soft ice cream is availed through a machine but remember to turn the ice cream tap and drain the first streams of molten liquid away before swiftly catching the fat swirl of ice cream in a cup. The glutinous rice balls with ice cream filling are extremely addictive, especially enjoyable over a cup of coffee and small talk with friends after a heavy meal.
