Re-visiting Kiwami

Finally came back to Kiwami after the kinda disappointing first visit. While this might not be news to everyone, I just found out that they're under the EN Group - which also runs a couple of places we've been to like Aburi-EN next door, Monster Curry and Tempura Makino. The intent was to get some fried rice and gyoza but they were having some supplies issues with the dumplings and hence, no gyozas! 😭

Tried their buta hoho red mazesoba - with grilled Iberico pork jowl. Came with a little dish of their oddly tangy tonkotsu soup on the side which one was suppose to pour into the bowl.

Doesn't feel/taste/look like mazesoba. But I also realized that I could get around preconcept by not regarding the bowl as such. We re-conceptualized what we had after tossing as a bowl of pork jowl mee kia tah. Not bad. Nice smoky flavour from the powdered bonito and a bit of heat from their chilli paste. I could eat more of this.

Hokkaido snow crab fried rice with tonkotsu gravy. Not even close to the top drawer fried rice we've had but it was very edible. Even had that scorched smokiness that many wok hei whores out there love telling people they're getting some. There's a Chinese profile to the flavour - like Hokkien fried rice which was reminiscent of the plate from Tian Tian Seafood or a less intense version of the one from Ting Heng Seafood.

Their fried oysters are also pretty decent. Didn't look like much but I kinda liked them. Not so much for their tartare sauce though.