Japanese

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. Fresh creamy uni with its distinctive umami and iodine taste complements the warm smooth egg custard very well.

Cooked dish is Nodugoro, 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 buttery goodness.

One of my favourite of the day: Kani Miso! The generous amount of shredded crab meat is bursting with concentrated briny sweetness. One of the best crab dishes I ever have.

Other highlights are:

Sake infused Hotate is oh-so-good. The scallop is so plump, succulent and sweet, with hints of floral notes from the sake.

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.

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.

Other aged sushi of Shima Aji, Spineless Squid, Hirame, Akami and Ishigakidai also have the extra sweetness and flavour.

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 in 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!

Dining here is a whole new experience where I get to enjoy 10 exquisitely prepared dishes that is different from the food at other establishments. To make it even better, we have a very engaging host who takes very good care of the patrons, candidly and professionally takes us through this gastronomic journey. This is definitely an enjoyable and most fun dining experience where all the senses are engaged.

And this place is a must-visit for instagram worthy food photos since the dishes are so pretty and the lightning is very good. Just check the photos taken by diners–majority does not have photography background–on Google reviews, almost all looks so good.

Kaiseki is a bit like omasake where one leaves it to the chef to decide the menu. The difference is kaiseki is focused on different cooking methods: Nama (Cutting), Niru (Simmering), Yaku (Grilling), Musu (Steaming) and Ageru (Deep-Frying). Yes, I love omakase style of dining because I can try many dishes without overeating. The dishes here will change based on seasons, so the one I'm having is winter kaiseki.

Seasonal monaka: Sandwiched between the monaka is an incredible combination of Ankimo, which is monk fish liver–foie gras of the sea, passionfruit jam, followed by Japanese ginger flower at the top. This is oh-my-goodness oh so good because it is full of briny sweetness, accentuated by the passionfruit, and rich in taste, balanced with the clean flavour of the ginger flower.

A complimentary glass of lychee cocktail that is full of the sweet aroma of lychee. This is so good.

Next is Yuzu yoghurt emulsion sphere sprinkled with Mikan powder real time in front of the patrons, a nice extra touch. This is a joy to savour and whets the appetite.

Hassun dish is a Hot favourite due to the novelty of Chilled Chawamushi with Ikura and Uni perched on top of it. It's smooth and delicious. The fresh sashimi goes very well with the special Dashi Jelly. Saba Zushi is a real comfort food that pleases the palates.

The rest of the dishes are:

Raw salmon cubes with strips of seaweed to create mosaic pattern and submerged in a pool of smoked dashi cream

Clear soup with shredded crab meat ball and junsai, a vegetable encased in jelly.

Minced duck meat, Ajitama quail egg and baeri caviar stacked on top of smoking hay to infuse extra aroma into the ingredients.

Pork Sukiyaki with raw egg and negi.

Succulent Engawa with sweet cauliflower puree with clive oil and ikura.

All of these are delicious.

Next is deep Fried Shirako, aka Cod Fish Sperm, with home made tartar sauce. A very interesting dish well-executed.

Lobster Katsu Curry Donabe is nice, I'm sated by it but its predecessors dazzled me instead. The lobster broth is awesome though being milder in taste, it got kind of eclipsed by the curry.

Only Ume course has the Signature Mt Goho, where the most luxurious ingredients such as Toro, Uni, Caviar and Kani and Wagyu stacked in a tall pretty wine glass and then infused with bonito smoke. It's pure indulgence. But I do wish there is more uni to go with the cubes of toro.

Granita, Myoga Jelly and Japanese Pear is refreshing and a good play on different textures from the icy granita, sweet gelatinous jelly and the firm flesh of the pear.

It is definitely an unique experience where one enjoys a whole course of Kaiseki over a modern, posh and cool bar counter located on the second floor of the heritage building. I love the Japanese ornaments on display behind the counter, which give touches of class to the whole place.

A good place to consider if in the mood to pamper oneself, or to seek for new experiences, or just to have a good time.

The omakase here is so good, full of pleasant, indulgent surprises, being distinctively different from omakase elsewhere. And I like it that the restaurant also serves up ala carte items, like chirashi and sushi platter, at great prices, so I can come here for whatever occasions to just enjoy good food at a budget I'm comfortable with.

First dish of Ankimo, Monk Fish Liver, blows me away. This is like foie gras of the sea! So rich, so buttery, so smooth, with hints of the flavours of the sea. The real wasabi, which is refreshing, slightly sweet and astringent in taste, and the light sauce refreshes the palates so as to fully appreciate the richness of the liver.

Kinmedai sashimi with ponzu sauce is delicious too.

The creaminess of Ika, aka squid, goes very well with the umami packed nori sauce and the refreshing wasabi. I like it that the ika was cut into rectangles for easy bite.

The Snow Crab Rice is very lightly seasoned yet amazingly flavourful. Every grain of the starchy rice is imbued with the light briny sweetness. This has me swooning in delight.

Uni, which is interestingly served with nori tempura, is so sweet and creamy. Having a bite of this feels like unlocking an achievement in my gastronomic adventure.

Shirako, aka cod fish's milt or ... sperm, is light deep fried on the surface for some crunchiness to introduce a variation in texture. I like this twist in presentation. The light sauce and sprinkle of chilli powder cut through the creaminess of shirako well for nice juxtaposition of flavo

First sushi is Usuba Hagi, aka Leatherjacket fish. This is the first time I try this fish, and I like the clean taste and smooth texture of the fish. This is part of the reason why I like the omakase here since I get to try something new. And the shari, the rice portion of sushi, is very flavourful and holds well together.

Next is Aburi Nodugoro, flame-seared blackthroat seaperch, which is buttery and has rich umami flavour. And the touch of smokey flavour makes it even better. First time trying this too, and I love it. By the way, this is called toro of white fish.

The cut of Otoro is so beautiful. A few bites on this and the creamy flesh melts in the mouth. This is so decadently good.

Another interesting sushi of Shiro Ebi, white prawns, which is another sushi I had not tried before. The clean light umami of the small prawns goes so well with the zest from the sprinkle of lemon peel.

Anago, the more premium type of eel, is creamy and fleshy. A good one to round up the course of sushi.

Tamago Cake is super fluffy. In fact, it tastes like a cake. A very unique and cool presentation of an egg dish. I love it.

Japanese fruits with cream and red bean paste served as dessert. The white strawberry is delicious, the melon is juicy, and the cream and red paste is sweet bliss combination.

Located at the corner of the building with panels of glass as walls, the restaurant looks to be surrounded in lush greenery. The florals and sake bottles placed around the place add a touch of class to the modern zen interior.

If one wants to get a up close look on how the chefs, including the Japanese chefs, prepare the sushi and sashimi, then make a reservation for the counter seats since I saw that all counter seats were reserved already when I arrived at the opening time during lunch time. Service is awesome, welcoming, non-intrusive and responsive.

The mid-tier omakase here is so sumptuous that it piques my curiosity on how awesome the top-tier omasake will be and what kind of new fishes I can savour. I definitely look forward to going back.

Thoughts: Great new gastronomic experience!

At last! I get to dine at Baristart Coffee after weeks of trying to no avail. Big reason for this is because this quaint cafe always had a queue already when I went there at around 1pm. I beat the crowd this time by going at 10:30am instead and I got a seat without queuing, but much to my surprise, there are other patrons in there already. So yup, this place is that popular. After trying the food here, I can see why this cafe is so popular.

Since I don't drink coffee, I will talk about another specialty of this cafe instead: Hokkaido BLEI Jersey Milk. And custard of Strawberry Sweet Jar is made exactly from Hokkaido Milk. The custard is silky and very rich in flavour. Full of milky goodness and not heavy at the same time. The cookie crumbles add a nice variation in texture to accentuate the silkiness of the custard. I also like to eat the custard together with the aroma of baked cookie at every bite. A very nice dessert to enjoy.

I love it that this cafe offers something special that other cafes seldom do, which is yoghurt related drink. Since I'm slightly lactose-intolerant, this Blueberry Yoghurt Smoothie is my saviour, especially in the morning when I haven't eaten much yet. After enjoying does of this refreshing, super yummy, super healthy, slightly zesty and creamy smoothie, my tummy is feeling great all day long.

Obihiro Butadon is such an awesome dish, which surprises me since I do not expect a cafe to serve up something savoury that is so good. The pork is very thinly sliced to throughly soak up the essence of the sweet, aromatic homemade teriyaki sauce and for easy bite. Mizuna, a type of veggie which adds the refreshing element to the dish together with the onion, is easy to bite too. The fat of the pork is full of nutty aroma that makes it even better. Pearl-like Nanatsuboshi rice is starchy and has an iota of chewiness, I can actually eat this rice on its own. In fact, I have eaten it on its own as they are very generous with the amount of rice added to the don, so when I finish the pork slices, there is still some rice left ...

The place is of chic cafe style and features very flattering lightning where almost everyone there looks good. So when there, just snap lots of pictures of the instagram worthy food, yourself, your partner/s, friends or family. The service is good and efficient. This is definitely one of my favourite cafes due to the good food and the yoghurt smoothie–this is my personal must order when at Baristart Coffee.

Thoughts: Awesome Cafe!

I had visited IKO Restaurant before, in fact more than once, and I really like the food here at the era when uni pudding was still in the menu. So when I chanced upon the new menu and I like what I see, I decided to revisit this place. Since based on what I had observed, the chefs here do overhaul on the menu on regular basis, so if I miss the the chance to try the new menu items now, I may miss it forever. And true to IKO's style, the creations are very simulating in tastes, which is shiok to savour.

High Sess Somen is served cold, and for a good reason: to preserve the original umami of the treasures of the sea and makes the texture of the somen smoother. The bed of fresh crab meat is so thick that it is hard to see the somen beneath, thumbs-up for this. Full of treasures of the sea, this somen is filled to the brim with simulating flavours. I love this.
The mild, briny sweet Oyster is hidden under the mountain of lychee wasabi granita soaked with sake. I love this for fresh oyster, of course, and the boldness plus the uniqueness of the granita. I say it is definitely worth a try.

White on White is thinly sliced succulent hokkaido scallop paired with slightly herbal fennel, tangy and mildly bitter pomelo, zesty dashi yuzu sauce and crisp radishes. This is a dish that has strong flavours hitting across the whole spectrum of taste profile and it actually works.

Yuzu Semi Freddo features simulating flavours too. These strong flavours: the crunchy burnt sweetness of honeycomb caramel, the super tangy taste of yuzu curd, milky goodness hokkaido milk ice cream and baked goods aroma of mint sponge, work together in harmony to create an awesome dessert. Highly recommend to savour all these components together.

The place is of chic bar layout where one can relax while feeling very cool when dining in there. Teh service is very good, friendly and cheerful. The ladies are full of smiles and always ready to respond to the patrons' requests. After a revisit here, I know I will be revisiting yet again, especially if there is a change in menu.

Thoughts: Tastebuds throughly simulated, in a great way!

After realising that having Teppanyaki can be an awesome experience due to the real-time preparation of food and how delicious the food can be, if prepared the perfect way, I go on a search for authentic Teppanyaki restaurants, and I found Teppan Works. And what a good find this is, where I get to enjoy good food, some with unique twists, at a good price and have a good time interacting with the Japanese chefs and staff. Another important thing: I still smell great after a meal here despite sitting right in front of the cooking area.

The trio of seafood impressively served is of the more premium seafood: scallop, oyster and prawn. The scallop is briny and very creamy in taste. I can dab the seafood with a bit of ponzu sauce with grated radish or their special tartar sauce for extra kick in the taste.

Talking about the special tartar sauce, it has nuanced flavours and vegetable bits in there for the extra bite, making this probably my favourite tartar sauce.

The lightly grilled oyster is very creamy too, smooth, succulent and has light taste of iodine with umami. The prawn completes the lovely creamy dream by being creamy and sweet while being firm in texture for a good bite. The very light layer of char elevates the taste of the prawn to be oh-so-good and totally satisfying.

I get to choose one obanzai, aka starter dish, from an array of them nicely presented on a huge wooden tray. All looks so good! It's hard to choose. And they are not usually seen at other restaurants, so I want to try them all.

After much deliberation, I choose smoked duck, and I'm so happy with my choice after the first bite of this. Velvety smooth in texture, easy to bite, this gamey meat has a rich smokey flavour that tastes even better when eating it with the accompanying onion shreds for the pungent kick.

I opt for Dashimaki, the plain omelette, and what I get is a new gastronomic experience of savouring the silkiest, smoothest, paper-thin omelette, paired with the most unlikely sauce: Yuzu Chilli Sauce. The omelette is very good on its own, and when eaten with the refreshing, yet slightly spicy and tangy yuzu chilli sauce, it becomes amazingly good. This is a must-try when at this restaurant.

I add Pari Pari Avocado with Melty Cheese to my order due to curiosity. This is very flavourful, especially when Tasbasco sauce is added, at the recommendation of the chef. The soft avocado is served in one big chuck so that I can fully enjoy its veggie creaminess in big bites. I like it.

The seemingly old-school chawamushi here also surprises me since it is served cold instead. When eaten with pops of the umami laden caviar, the flavours work beautifully together. The custard actually feels smoother when served cold, and the coldness preserves the taste and texture of the caviar. An awesome surprise.

The accompanying asparagus of the pork steak is crunchy and the tomato is juicy. The fried almond slices, my favourite yuzu chilli sauce and sea salt makes the pork a flavourful treat. The browned parts of the pork is very nice.

And I have one of the best okonomiyaki here. Lots of quality cabbages is packed within the thin layer of dough, which is exactly the ratio of cabbage to dough in a good okonomiyaki. What makes this even better is that the cabbage is very finely chopped, yet not mashed, to fully release the sweetness of the vegetable while retaining its crunchiness. I have no problem finishing this by myself despite its pretty big size.
The place looks like an izakaya with a unique brick wall on one side to give that rustic feel, making it a great place to just relax and enjoy some good food. The chef and service staff are super friendly and engaging. Lots of interactions ensured. I have a good time chatting with them while savouring the great food. It is so easy to feel at ease here. If you are up for a good chat, this is a good place (at the counter seats) to consider.

I definitely look forward to coming back here and recommend this place to my family and friends. And there are lots of other unique dishes that I like to try.

Thoughts: The perfect place to go for for good Teppanyaki with unique twists.

This restaurant really overturns my previous impression that Teppanyaki is oily, and too heavy on taste due to use of thick salty sauces or too bland due to too little salt added. The food here is expertly grilled to perfection, clear taste, light on palates yet fill of subtle flavours.

Live Scallop Cook with Soy Sauce and Butter is carefully and lightly grilled to perfection, having the light char for smoky flavour while retaining the moisture of the scallop. The scallop is so plump and juicy. soaked in the light clear sauce and paired with the umami laden creaminess of sweet uni, this is oh-so-good. And the sauce is so good and clean in taste that I start to drink it like it is soup until it is finished.

Avocado with Herbs and Cheese is a very interesting dish. The chef sprinkled the cheese on the hot plate to form a mini cheese pancake. After both sides are nicely browned, grilled avocado, herbs, sakura ebi and sauce are added on them. When served, I rolled this up and take bites off it. I like it that there lots of different textures and subtle flavours at work here. A hearty treat.

Japanese Lobster from Mie Prefecture (Isejingu Hono) is so unbelievably good.

As I had said before umpteen of times in my previous posts, lobster is particularly hard to prepared well as compared to its cousin, The Prawn. I had been to countless restaurants where the lobster just simply falls short: meat too tough, too bland or too stinky.

BUT the first bite of the Japanese Lobster here has me swooning in delight. You know the anime scene where flowers and sparkles appear when the character had taken the first bite of some awesome food? Yes, this is what happened to me ... in my mind. The lobster meat is incredibly soft with a bit of bounce in the texture. Simply perfect. The flavours are harmonized layers of the nuanced briny sweetness of the lobster, the light char, light clear sauce, creaminess plus umami of the uni, and the intense flavours of roe and tomalley–guts of the lobster to be precise. It works, it works so beautifully. A must-try at this place.
Queen Crab is seasonal item. I like it that the crab meat and roe was nicely scooped out and cooked before packing them back into the crab shell for my enjoyment, so I do not have to get my hands dirty. The nice oceanic flavours of the crab meat is zested up by the slightly sweet and sour clear starchy sauce. A nice dish to enjoy.

The interior is nice, having wood frames and panels juxtaposed with bricks to create a kind of Japanese yet rustic ambience. And I love it that the Teppanyaki hot plate is clean and shiny–yes, I'm fussy about this kind of thing, that's just me. The Japanese lady in charge of service is very friendly, helpful, accommodating and enthusiastic. And I appreciate it that when I want seasonal fruits, she actually tells me the fruits available so that I can make an informed choice on whether I really want it. The other staff are pretty new at their jobs, at least they are trying their best.

If I want to enjoy Teppanyaki again, this is definitely the place I will go to. Oh yes, I saw the thinly sliced pork being grilled in front of me, it looks delicious, I want to try that next time.

Thoughts: The ultimate place to enjoy Teppanyaki.

Hiryu becomes one of my absolute favourite restaurants after an omakase meal here.

One of the sashimi served is toast laden with lots of uni and negitoro, a heapful of caviar and huge slice of truffle. This sashimi really encapsulates what Hiryu is all about: presenting the super fresh best ingredients in the best combination for one's indulgence.

The uni is so creamy and oh-my-oh-so-sweet, with none of the bitterness that is present in some uni. Negitoro, aka mashed tuna belly, is also very rich and creamy. The woody aroma of truffle adds a layer of dimension to the taste profile. The caviar is pops of intense umami goodness that works with the uni and negitoro to bring one to umami heaven. The toast makes for a nice neutral base to hold all these luxurious treasures of the sea and woods while introducing a nice crunch to the overall texture.

First sashimi of the day is Hirame, Flounder with light ponzu jelly. Very light, clean in flavour and refreshing taste. A good start to the meal.

Next up is the very interesting Akagai, a kind of clam. The moment the chef hits it, the clam changes shape, like it is coming to life. Quite a feast for the eyes, and it is sure a feast for the mouth too since this sashimi is very crunchy in texture and has a briny sweetness.

Thinly sliced yet fleshy yellowtail tastes very good on its own with its mild planty taste, elevated with the dusting of the seasoning powder.

King Mackerel sashimi tastes so good with the mustard seeds. The mustard seeds add a layer of light char flavour to get that aburi taste.

Fried Smelt Fish is fleshy and very crispy. Very good texture and full of concentrated umami. I love it.

First sushi of the day, Shima Aji is fresh and sweet. The little green dot of mashed pungent plant really accentuates the sweetness of aji. And I like the brown rice used for the sushi rice, it is very starchy and fluffy.

More umami heaven comes with the serving of the super, super fresh uni sushi.

Ama Ebi is so sweet and fresh, and extra umami added with the shrimp roe paste. A bit of aburi for dimension in the taste. Yes, more umami heaven!

Savouring sushi with a thick generous slice of otoro, topped with negitoro and a mould of caviar, plus some gold flakes is pure indulgence. So rich in texture and flavour. Umami bliss.

Last sushi of the day is Hotate topped with Foie Gras with Uni. Wow, this is so decadently good. And rich, buttery foie gras actually goes very well with sushi. The scallop is vey sweet and this sweetness is surprisingly able to shine through the intensity of foie gras and uni. I'm now at the realm beyond umami heaven.

Lots of thinly sliced Iberico Pork with its coveted nutty flavours, lots of truffle slices, lots of foie gras, lots of uni and lots of salmon roe decked on top of a thin layer of sushi rice. Bursting with flavours, this is a gourmet dream, in Japanese style, come true.

The decor of the place is of minimalist Zen influence, great for enjoying omakase in a peaceful environment. The service staffs are very friendly and attentive, being quick to response to requests and sometimes even respond before I call for them. The chefs are very friendly too, and I appreciate their skills in preparing the sashimi and sushi since the non-otoro fishes all have almost this melt-in-your-mouth texture, and the slices are thick enough to enjoy the flavours but thin enough to finish in one mouthful. And the sushi rice is not sticky but well-moulded to stick together until the point of biting into it.

While the price of the omakase here is steep, I feel it is totally worth it, given that so many luxurious ingredients are used in the dishes. For that gastronomic indulgence, this place is definitely one of the top choices.

While on my way to Dempsey, a Japanese restaurant decked in bright red situated at a corner of the road immediately caught my eye. It really has this Izakaya vibe that is so evident even in the afternoon, imagine how vibrant it will be in the night. I knew I had to make a metal note of this place: Yujin Izakaya. Fast forward to a week later, which is now, I'm here at this quaint place for a new foodie adventure!

The Hokkaido Hotate Sashimi is super fresh and succulent, and has hints of sweetness. A good start to the meal.

Uzaku is wakame seaweed with pickled cucumber and unagi added. It is nice, especially the smokey flavours of thin slices of unagi–I actually prefer this kind of tiny bite-sized form of unagi. But I will prefer it if mozuku is used in place of wakame instead. I find the seaweed a bit on the chunky side.

Ebi Somen is a must try here. It is so rich in flavours and awesome on texture. The thin somen is thoroughly drenched in prawn oil, making it so smooth and full of goodness of the umami of the prawn. And coupled with garlic and spring onion for extra hints of pungent aroma to spice things up. The sautéed prawns are delicious: fresh, meaty and carries a light layer of char flavour.

Warabi Mochi is so good. Luckily, I changed my mind and decide to try out this dessert. The mochi is like refreshing sweet spring water in jelly form. And this refreshing taste is coated with the intense flavours of brown sugar and coconut cream for a real sweet ending. This combination actually works so well.

The place has this authentic Izakaya vibe, where friends gather at night, let loose and just have a relaxing and sort of, rowdy time. The walls are plastered with artfully done posters that feature old school manga style drawings. The service is very good, the staff being very attentive and friendly, cementing this restaurant as a place to chill out. I do love to go back again, especially at night time to try out the sumiyaki here and to really feel the izakaya vibe at its peak.

I decided to go all full out to order most luxurious Kei Hachi course on the menu when there.

The first appetiser is a huge surprise in a tiny dainty bowl: Shirako aka Fish Sperm! And it's good. The taste is is like custard with light umami. The mozuku su, which is thin strands of seaweed soaked in vinegar, complements the milky shirako well to inject bursts of refreshing flavours.

Okay, I have to admit that I don't really like cooked fish, but moment the creamy, succulent flesh of the fish breaks up in my mouth, I change my mind. And there is zero fishy taste. Yes, this is way better than the cooked fish I once had in a Michelin Star establishment. The accompanying vegetable is oh so good too. I'm so surprised to find it super crispy. Drizzled in the sauce, it becomes a real tasty treat.

Sashimi of Blue Fish, Hamachi and Otoro is very fresh, and the otoro, which is tuna belly, is of course of melt-in-your-mouth texture–it is so decadently good. What sets this sashimi apart from the quality sashimi I had at other establishments is the spongy cubes of soy sauce. The taste of the soy sauce is mild with hints of mirin–good soy sauce does develop unique taste profile like wine. The good part about it in solid form is that its taste in released in bursts when biting into it, which is refreshing.

A fresh, succulent prawn perching on top of the chawamushi loaded with mushrooms and chopped vegetables definitely looks very appetising. And the taste is as good as its looks.

The cheek flesh of Hamachi is so moist and creamy ~~~ So good that I actually finish it. And the pickled lotus root is a refreshing accompaniment to cut through the creaminess of the fish in between bites.

The Fried Sakura Ebi here has the concentrated umami that I love, and the texture is souffle-like in the centre with crispy exterior. Probably the best Sakura Ebi I ever have for now.

First Sushi of the meal: Crisp Clean Tasting Flounder with a hint of sweetness plus some tangy taste to perk things up. A great start to refresh the palates.

Baby Snapper, slightly firmer, also features clean taste that is spiced up by a dash of sea salt.

Shima Aji is more intense in flavour. The bursts of nutty goodness of sesame seeds and the umami of the seaweed flakes go very well with this fish.

One of my favourites. I always love Amaebi and the ones here are exceptionally plump, sweet and juicy.

New adventure for the palates when aburi Kimedai is served. The seared fish introduces a very thin layer of char to get that intensity in taste.

Hokkaido Hotate is so luxuriously awesome. I love the plump, succulent, mildly sweet scallop topped with caviar and gold flakes. This is like a blanket of sweet, creamy, mild umami layered with tiny bursts of refreshing, sweet, intense umami.

Aji is uniquely prepared to add the taste of crisp freshness of the greens. it actually works to harmonise with the stronger taste of the fish. A surprisingly good treat.

The chef decided to shake things up by adding the slice of truffle on top of the Akami. First time I try truffle with sushi and it works beautifully. The earthy aroma adds dimension to the taste of this sushi.

The Uni sushi that has so much Uni that the nori has to be folded into a U shape to hold all that Uni. Savouring creamy ultimate umami is pure enjoyment.

The Japanese Melon ends things on a sweet note because it is unbelievably sweet, and refreshing. This is like floral honey water condensed into solid form.

The place is of Zen influence: clean, minimalistic and wood-theme. I can feel the calm in here when steeping inside. And the service helps to reinforce that calm by being attentive yet not intrusive. I love the little unique ways the chef prepares the sushi that makes this place different from the rest. I always like an adventure and into exploring new combinations of flavours (not to the extend of eating weird stuff though), and Kei Hachi exactly does just that for me. I like every dish I have here.

Thoughts: Awesome Omasake that I love every part of it.

High Roller of Toro, Uni, Caviar and Ikura. All the Treasures of the sea, plus a bit of gold flake to top up on the opulence, combined into this luxurious creation. It’s decadently good. And there is a cup of premium sake to go with it. Will impress any date.

Hotate, the first roll that is served. Fresh, sweet, plump scallop with perfectly seasoned starchy rice is so good that it makes me very excited on what is to come.

Kanpachi is a nice accompaniment to the awesome Hotate. Hotate whets my appetite so much that I just grab Kanpachi to bite into it the moment it is put on the cute stone platform. So no picture of it lol

Salmon is fresh and pretty good. I got to say that with the awesome rice and super crispy seaweed, even the good old salmon tastes great.

Toro is part of the reason I come here. Yes, yes, my Toro cravings thoroughly satisfied here. Generous amount of minced fatty tuna totally wins me over.

After the luxurious rich Toro, what else can top it off, the Crab, of course! Huge dollops of umami heaven wrapped with rice and fresh seaweed is a sea feast dream come true. The most intense in flavour among the rolls, and I absolutely love it.

Engawa is the surprise here for me since it is not easy to match up to the intensity of Toro and Crab, but it seals the deal beautifully as the last item of the rolls by introducing another kind of taste profile. Smooth, buttery meat being lightly seared by blow-torch to introduce the smoky taste is unbelievably good, satisfying and memorable.

Grilled Unagi is nicely done and its pliable, fatty, rich meat is very flavourful.

This place is like it’s for the hip, cool and foodies. A good place to see beautiful people here.Very modern setting with all the high chairs, bar counter, open kitchen and such while still retaining the Japanese sensibility with the bottles of sake lining the walls and the stone and clay cutlery.
The service here is very impressive. They are always On the Roll, cooking up a storm in front of us patrons, attending to our requests and keeping all things in order. And they manage all these with friendly deposition and a smile.

I love everything about this restaurant, it is one that I will definitely recommend to others and the one I want to visit again and again, if my schedule allows.

Thoughts: One of my favourites, where I get to enjoy lots of treasures of the sea!