Cuisine: Japanese steakhouse
Address: 1 Orchard Blvd #01-01 Camden Medical Centre
Singapore (248649)
Nearest MRT: Orchard station (North-South line)

Fat Cow is an award-winning modern fine-dining Japanese restaurant by Refinery Concepts, it has received ‘Best Japanese Restaurant Fine Dining’ Award at the RAS Epicurean Star Awards in 2019.

Opened in 2011, its calm interior is founded in the concept of wabi-sabi – the art of finding beauty in things modest, simple and humble. At the eight seater omakase counter, the Chef’s Table brings a contemporary and creative approach to seasonal fresh produce. Fat Cow is led by veteran Tokyo-born Chef Shigeru Kasajima.

The luxurious Japanese restaurant serves an extensive handpicked selection of finest Wagyu from reputable farms in Japan. For a customised experience, you can enjoy Wagyu prepared in various Japanese methods such as Shabu-Shabu or Sukiyaki. Its bar menu features list of Japanese-inspired cocktails and shochu infusions, curated wines and sakes for an enjoyable wine and dine experience.

To start off my Fat Cow dining experience, I ordered a Fat Sour ($16) as part of their special cocktails. It is made of Suntory whisky shaken till frothy with fresh lemon, mole bitters and Fat Cow’s malt syrup. It is strangely similar to the Pisco Sour I had in Chile and Peru, perhaps the mixologist of this drink got their inspiration from South America?

Next, it was time to order the main course. We ordered the Miyazaki A4 wagyu ($128) and the Tochigi A5 wagyu ($128). Thanks to the Entertainer app, we had a 1-for-1 main course, otherwise it would really not be worth it to pay a premium price for these two servings of beef.

At first, we were not sure about the cuts of beef, or the difference between A4 and A5. It is definitely not linked to the size of the paper. Apparently, A5 is the highest grade possible and the most luxurious beef you can buy. Exquisite marbling, extreme tenderness, packed with robust flavours.

The steak was served with a dipping sauce and some sea salt by the side. There is also some fragrant fried garlic and a piece of lime to squeeze over the steak. I really loved how the slices of beef were oozing with flavour. Even though A5 was the more premium cut, we still preferred the A4 because it was smoother and had less fat content. Richly marbled with a soft, tender texture, A4 wagyu is right up there with extra-decadent A5 cuts.

To accompany our steak, we also had “The Fat Rice” ($6) which is steamed rice seasoned with their signature fat shoyu or truffle oil. The fried rice was refreshing and the aromatic truffle oil permeated the air when it was served. I love how the rice grains were so perfect and I could taste it clearly with every slice of beef.

If you go to Fat Cow during lunch time, you can opt for the Set Lunch menu starting from $48++, so the rice bowl would come with charcoal-grilled wagyu, onsen egg, sprinkled with truffle oil over steamed rice. Depending on the type of wagyu beef selected, the price of the rice bowl would vary accordingly. For example, if you had the Miyazaki A4 wagyu premium donburi, it would be $128.

We were given a semi-private dining area, where there was another couple dining beside us. I like the traditional wooden feels of the restaurant and the partitions that gave the guests some privacy.

While most of the meat is charcoal grilled here, you can also opt for sukiyaki or shabu-shabu. Service is delightful and the layout of the intimate, immaculate room lets you watch the team in action. Even though I expected a bustling crowd on a Friday night, I was supposed to see almost half the restaurant empty. Perhaps it was due to the new dining restrictions that affected people dining out in bigger groups. I would have loved to spend all night here trying out the various Japanese sakes and whisky if there was a liquid buffet.

Getting to Camden Medical Centre may be a bit out of the way, but if you are coming from Newton MRT, you can catch one of the shuttle bus. Take note that the shuttle bus does not run all night, and the last one that departs Camden is at 7pm. The shuttle bus runs at 20-30 minute intervals depending on the timing and period of the day.