Helmed by Yoshio Sakuta, the former head chef of a local two-Michelin-starred sushi-ya, guests are almost guaranteed a similarly premium dining experience
Among the many things we’ve come to relish about dining out in Singapore, the luxury of a meal at a top sushi-ya has never been more greatly missed. So, while dining out during phase two remains a limited proposition—and with the possibility of moving into phase three still a huge question mark—the invitation to check out the latest to join the island’s already acclaimed list of fine sushi establishments is especially hard to resist.
We were also tempted by the fact that helming the kitchen at newly minted Sushi Kou is veteran chef Yoshio Sakuta who was last in charge at two-Michelin-starred Shoukouwa. We can only speculate that the unprecedented circumstances the F&B industry has been facing had unearth a new business opportunity for the chef and the restaurant’s founder, a Japanese businessman and avid sushi connoisseur who prefers to stay out of the limelight. But one thing remains certain, it’s a responsibility that Sakuta-san is equally invested in.
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The eight-seater omakase restaurant, located at Holiday Inn Singapore Orchard City Centre, is also named after the chef’s son. While the menus are designed to showcase the 42-year-old Sapporo-born chef’s intimate celebration of Edomae-style sushi dining, an approach he has developed and honed over the last 24 years.
To ensure a generously comprehensive experience, only two menus are available for lunch and dinner. Each includes 10 pieces of sushi, with the loftier of the two (the Kou menu) boasting two additional dishes, though both are worth the splurge. The steamed egg with hairy crab is an apt introduction to the meal, an exquisite melding of sweet-savoury notes, that opens both menus. Even better is the fact that the Hokkaido hairy crab in question (sourced from various locations at different times of the year) is not limited to a single season.
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