Today we revisited Calia and were impressed with the makeover the brand had created for itself. Our first visit was in 2018 on the top level of the Emporium (LINK).
Upon entering the new ground-level cafe, we were greeted with tall ceilings, illuminating chandeliers, eye-catching tv screens and faux greenery. There was a queue to meet the Front-of-House, and larger groups were being asked to come back during a specific time, but we were seated immediately on this Friday 1PM, provided we finished our meal by two.
P.S. Food was expensive but delicious. Read on, good sir.
Upon entering the new ground-level cafe, we were greeted with tall ceilings, illuminating chandeliers, eye-catching tv screens and faux greenery. There was a queue to meet the Front-of-House, and larger groups were being asked to come back during a specific time, but we were seated immediately on this Friday 1PM, provided we finished our meal by two.
P.S. Food was expensive but delicious. Read on, good sir.
Entrée
We ordered the Baked Scallops for $15.90. This was two baked Hokkaido scallops with miso paste and ikura (red caviar). The scallops were warm, soft and chewy, drenched in the rich and creamy sauce that melted beautifully in our mouths. The burst of salty oceanic flavours from the ikura and the seaweed added a dimensional touch. It was delicious 🤤.
Main Course
Mick felt boujee and ordered the Ultimate Bowl for a whopping $69. This decadent masterpiece had wagyu, foie gras, toro (fatty tuna), ikura (red caviar) and uni (sea urchin). Originally he wanted the “Ocean Dream” but unfortunately, Calia had run out of uni that day so they gave us extra toro pieces to compensate.
Every element was luxurious and delicious 😍. The toro had an even distribution of fat throughout its layers, having been air-flown in from Japan. The wagyu slices were tender and savoury. The foie gras was chopped into bite-sizes so it was not overwhelming. And the onsen egg added the perfect creaminess to blend everything together.
Was it worth it? Not really 🙅🏻♀️. This bowl alone was valued for the same price as a two-person lunch at other places. We think the don was better in quantity and quality to Monkey’s Corner (LINK) but it was also a lot more expensive. We probably would not order this again.
Every element was luxurious and delicious 😍. The toro had an even distribution of fat throughout its layers, having been air-flown in from Japan. The wagyu slices were tender and savoury. The foie gras was chopped into bite-sizes so it was not overwhelming. And the onsen egg added the perfect creaminess to blend everything together.
Was it worth it? Not really 🙅🏻♀️. This bowl alone was valued for the same price as a two-person lunch at other places. We think the don was better in quantity and quality to Monkey’s Corner (LINK) but it was also a lot more expensive. We probably would not order this again.
I got the Toro Bowl for $45. This was a pretty and simple don bowl. The fatty tuna was the same quality as the previous bowl, having been air-flown from Japan. This was laid over rice and furikake, decorated with petals and topped with a scoop of negitoro (leftover tuna pieces).
Everything tasted amazing. Those tuna pieces were fresh and creamy, with the fat striations dancing on my tongue. The rice was not dry and well seasoned throughout. The accompanying ginger was the perfect palate cleanser to restart the bite. I loved it but I’d have to be in a treat-yo-self mood to indulge in this dish again 😅.
Everything tasted amazing. Those tuna pieces were fresh and creamy, with the fat striations dancing on my tongue. The rice was not dry and well seasoned throughout. The accompanying ginger was the perfect palate cleanser to restart the bite. I loved it but I’d have to be in a treat-yo-self mood to indulge in this dish again 😅.
Drink
I ordered the Hojicha Latte. This was my first taste of hojicha and it reminded me of a mild matcha latte. I enjoyed it a lot because sometimes I find the bitterness of matcha too strong so if you have similar taste, give hojicha a go 😊.
Service
The staff were very efficient in seating people and bringing out the dishes. We observed Calia as a technologically advanced cafe compared to others, and this may be due to their hype and capitalism of Japanese products, but their investments in devices really improved their efficiency.
Review
Lunch was delicious despite how expensive it was 😭 We would probably go back for the more affordable dishes (under $25) but we wouldn’t splurge on the hefty dishes again.
A friendly reminder to book a reservation for bigger groups.
Thanks for reading and happy eating folks!
A friendly reminder to book a reservation for bigger groups.
Thanks for reading and happy eating folks!
