I just sussed out a brand new Japanese restaurant that offers a whole new gastronomic adventure in the form of aged sushi made in Ginza style. And so I made a reservation straightaway when I found out about this hidden gem since aged sushi is quite a rarity in Singapore and the price of omakase is so attractive from $98 onwards.
The aged sushi here are so full of natural sweetness due to the amino acids breaking down the tissue through the process of aging. And the taste is different and most importantly, delicious. It's akin to making of the yummy sour dough bread by allowing the dough to ferment over a long period of time to break the starch down into sugars for the extra sweetness and aroma.
Service is outstanding too and Chef Peter serves up the dishes with lots of flair and gusto.
First dish of the omakase is the impressive Uni Chawamushi. And lots of uni added at that. I'm surprised that the fresh creamy uni with its distinctive umami and iodine taste complements the warm smooth egg custard very well. A very good start to the meal.
Cooked dish is Nodugoro, also know as blackthroat seaperch, which is a premium kind of fatty white fish. Due to the high fat content, the texture is very interesting with a bit of springiness, like that of a clam. I like this kind of texture, and it tastes good with the miso sauce.
Fatty chutoro is delicious with a good cut and size to allow the fish fill up the whole mouth with buttery goodness before melting into the mouth.
One of my favourite: Kani Miso! The generous amount of shredded crab meat is bursting with concentrated briny sweetness. One of the best crab dishes I ever have. This is the only place I have crab meat served to me in this way, so this is like another speciality of this restaurant.
First sushi is Shima Aji aged for 14 days. Brushed with heritage Japanese soya sauce aged for years by the chef, the sushi is so full of flavours with extra briny flavours and actually melt in the mouth,
Sake infused Hotate is oh-so-good. The scallop is so plump, succulent and sweet, with hints of floral notes from the sake.
Spineless squid actually has a bit of creaminess that makes for very interesting texture and bite. And it is yummy too.
Usually Hirame, aka flounder, has a clean taste. So is the one here, with the difference being the extra sweetness of the fish, which is definitely a welcomed addition in my sushi.
The chutoro, yes, more chutoro! Not only is this buttery, there is also an extra richness in aroma and taste in this marbled slice of fish. A luxurious treat.
The Akami here is probably one of the best Akami I have due to the additional briny flavour plus an iota of smokiness.
Rare Ishigakidai has the light umami flavours, perked up by the zest of lemon and yuzu.
Watching the preparation of Flounder Fin Muscle is a delight to the eyes as the Chef Peter seared the top of the fish with hand-held torch. It is a delight to savour it too. This is so creamy, and the light char makes it even better.
The Salmon here is surprisingly from Hokkaido in Japan instead of Norway. The quality and taste is evidently superior. I never know salmon can have complexity in taste until I have this sushi.
Uni on Shimofuritoro, aka Uni Toro Temaki or Uni Bomb, is super decadent. I absolutely love it that so much uni are piled on top of the generous amount of shimofuritoro. Shimofuritoro is actually otoro with the fat evenly distributed. The result of these two premium ingredients paired together is luxurious, rich, creamy umami dream.
Nice miso clam soup filled with the taste of ocean from the clams.
This special Japanese tea ice cream tastes like a lighter and more cooling version of chocolate, nice.
The interior of the restaurant is of zen influences and is a very cozy, intimate space housing only 10 patrons, so it feels pretty exclusive to be dining here. Service is outstanding: Yong Jie is very professional and knowledgable about the food while the lady staff dressed in kimono is very responsive and polite. And Chef Peter is friendly and chatty.
This place has one of the most attractive omakase price ranges, considering the high quality of food, the extra work put into aging of the fishes and of course, lots of uni and various cuts of toro in the Takemitsu course I opted for. Definitely going back to enjoy lots of uni, toro and the speciality of aged fishes.
Thoughts: Aged sushi are delicious!
103 Beach Road #01-02
Nearest MRT: Bugis
