Maison Ikkoku – House of The Moment

Maureen
Maureen
November 01, 2011
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Maison Ikkoku or “House of The Moment” has opened its doors at 20 Kandahar Street, along the rows of shop houses in Singapore’s trendy Haji Lane district.

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Housed in a three story shophouse, Maison Ikkoku is the first unique 3-in-1 concept in the precinct that combines a cosy, contemporary cafe (1st floor), a stylish multi-label menswear boutique (2nd floor) and a semi alfresco cocktail bar (3rd floor, slated to open mid November).

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Spam musubi is a very popular snack and lunch food in Hawaii made in the tradition of Japanese onigiri, also known as omusubi. It is also the dating snack for one of the couple owners here. The MI musubi ($3) is a ridiculously simple creation, composed of a block of sushi rice with a slice of grilled Spam on top, pressed into the mold. A very simple snack suitable for busy executives.

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The Spicy Chicken & Gruyere ($12.90), is a wholesome blend of Cajun chicken strips, gruyere cheese, rocket, fresh tomatoes and extra virgin olive oil compacted in between Ciabatta bread.

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Wasabi Egg Sandwich ($10.90) is a simple concoction consisting of chopped boiled egg, baby spinach and wasabi mayonnaise, the wasabi was mild, suitable for non wasabi lover like me.

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MI Pork Bun ($3.90), Maison Ikkoku’s take on the local favourite kong bak bao (steamed bun with homemade stewed pork belly), made from the owner’s family recipe. The pork belly is stewed for approximately 3 hours, then coated in a layer of dark soy sauce, leaving a flavorful aftertaste.

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The carrot cake here is good! There is generous amount of shredded carrots & california walnuts with cream cheese frosting! The cream cheese was not too sweet & heavy.

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With coffee beans imported from Brazil and Ethiopia, they also brought in Hiroshi Sawada, a Japanese celebrity barista and latte art specialist, to train the baristas at Maison Ikkoku. MI Latte ($6) hits out robustly and deliver a wonderful kick to the nerves of weary patrons.

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Beside getting a caffeine fix or coddling appetites in the cafe, style conscious men can indulge in retail therapy by visiting the multi label menswear boutique.

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Offering an array of quality men’s apparel and accessories from Japan, France, USA and UK, you can discover several new-to-market brands exclusive to Maison Ikkoku. Prices start from S$125 for a t-shirt while accessories start from S$120 for a modern camera bag or bracelet.
Maison Ikkoku
20 Kandahar Street
Tel: +65 6294 0078

*This is an invited tasting*
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