Lookin for a Good Japanese Restau- Sushi, and Yakiniku

[biyok's gurl]

Hey people!

Any great Jpanese restau here? I want a good sushi and the best beef for yakiniku...

[sierra2469alpha]

Quite like Wahiro at Goldhill Plaza (they are on the net).

Cheers, mr. P

[QRM]

Agree with Mr.P though Shushi Tei if you avoid the sushi, and stick with udons etc its very tasty and good value.

[sierra2469alpha]

QRM

Also, for lunch during the week, if you're city-based, try 6 at the bottom of the Standard Chartered building (Battery Rd I think). Their sushi and sashimi is quite good and reasonably priced for the location.

HTH, Mr. P

[OogieBoogie]

i would be very interested to have an answer of someone who lived in Japan, or even better, from a Japanese

[QRM]

I lived in Japan and half Japanese, though I would have to say so far best sushi is in KL equatorial hotel.

[sierra2469alpha]

oogieboogie - I have taken friends who have either lived in Japan or are Japanese to both and they seemed more than happy, to the point of being increadibly thankful.

FYI, I have done two Japanese cooking schools courses, both in Japan.

[jpatokal]

Authenticity calibration: Lived in Japan for 4 years and currently living with a Japanese girl who gets grumpy unless she eats sushi at least twice a week.

For sushi, it's really a question of budget.
- In bang for buck terms, the $6 sushi lunch at Kyomomoyama (Central) is unbeatable, although it's only available until 2 PM (weekends also!).
- Sushitei is the least bad of the conveyor sushi places, although usually I find myself going to Ichibanboshi and pigging out on the bizarre but tasty Singaporeanized makis instead of trying my luck with the fish. Takeout from Isetan or Liang Court is also a solid option.
- If you want to stuff yourself silly, the dinner a la carte buffet at Sushi Kikuzawa (Orchard, next to Shaw House) is not bad, although they skimp on the fish.
- If you want Singapore's best sushi in reasonable quantities and aren't afraid to fork out for it, then Aoki (Les Amis chain, behind Shaw House), Shiraishi (Ritz-Carlton) and Sushi Yoshida (Devonshire Rd) all do lunches in the $30-40 range, although dinner prices are outrageous ($200+ easy). Tatsu at Chijmes, on the other hand, I find overrated and overpriced.

For yakiniku, originally a Korean dish even in Japan, I find that Korean places generally do a better and cheaper job. Favorites include Hansang (Square 2, Novena) and Ju Shin Jung (West Coast Rd); there's also an awesome Korean place at Danga Bay in JB. If you insist on Japanese yakiniku, Aburiya at Robertson Quay is not bad, and not as pricy as Gyukaku.

And I'll second sierra: Wahiro's lunches are incredible value, and dinner isn't bad either. They don't specialize in sushi or yakiniku (don't think they even have this on the menu?), but the fish I've had there has always been pretty good.

[sierra2469alpha]

jpatokal - yep Wahiro do have both Sushi and Sahsimi. In terms of yakiniku they do have it - just need to ring first and ask

Agree that Tastu is way overrated.

PS You and your gal friend should try 6 (in my previous post) as they rate up there with the same places you mentioned rate well also.

[OogieBoogie]

thx guys!

Sorry for asking your "references" but i realized that good sushi according to people who never went in Japan can easily be very bad sushi for me.
I 've spent 3 years in Tokyo, living near Tsukiji, so now for me it's getting very difficult to find good sushi. I tried Sakae sushi, and it was just disgusting, bad rice, bad fish. Erk! But i tried their teppan yaki, and i admit it was quite good.
I tried the maki at the Carousel, a Royal Plaza on Scott, and it was ok.

[QRM]

thx guys!

Sorry for asking your "references" but i realized that good sushi according to people who never went in Japan can easily be very bad sushi for me.
I 've spent 3 years in Tokyo, living near Tsukiji, so now for me it's getting very difficult to find good sushi. I tried Sakae sushi, and it was just disgusting, bad rice, bad fish. Erk! But i tried their teppan yaki, and i admit it was quite good.
I tried the maki at the Carousel, a Royal Plaza on Scott, and it was ok.

Ha ha I remember being fleeced at a Tsukiji. We assume as it was next to the wholesale market it would be cheap, I notice all the old boys were only having one or two and really savoring the moment, we were gobbling them down, before we even swallowed we were waving for more. Then the bill arrived, this was before the days of cash points and had no credit cards.

We were then on our hands and knees ( no.. not as in Deliverance oink oink) but in the car looking under the seats and carpets for every last penny and just managed to cover it.

[jpatokal]

I 've spent 3 years in Tokyo, living near Tsukiji, so now for me it's getting very difficult to find good sushi. I tried Sakae sushi, and it was just disgusting, bad rice, bad fish. Erk!

Alas, you're not going to get Tsukiji-grade sushi anywhere in Singapore, so don't set your expectations too high...

For Sakae & co, there are two problems really. First, raw fish costs a lot, so there's very little on the conveyor belt and you pretty much have to special order anything more exotic than salmon (which the Japanese don't even eat as sushi...). Second, quality is really variable: if you go to the super-popular places, there's enough turnover to keep the fish from turning green, but often the people cooking the rice have no clue at all and you get sweet gluey porridge or pieces that fall apart when you look at them hard. Sushitei (specifically the branch at Ngee Ann, frequented by Japanese taitais) is pricier, but they tend to have more fish on the move and the rice is pretty standardized as well.

[qtguy]

This moved from Orchard Park Hotel, and I don't believe is related to the Tatsu's in Chijmes.

If you are prepared to splurge, the raw stuff here is pretty good. My Japanese friends swear by this place. Been there a couple of times - good service and quality, but just way too expensive for my regular sushi/sashimi fixes.

As for the conveyor belt sushi restaurants, Sushi Tei is my preferred (they serve otoro).

[qtguy]

Oops, in case the subject line in my previous post wasn't obvious.. I was referring to the Tatsuya at Goodwood Park Hotel.

[QRM]

Oops, in case the subject line in my previous post wasn't obvious.. I was referring to the Tatsuya at Goodwood Park Hotel.

Agree the orchard park hotel Japanese restaurant was very good, confirmed by the fact it was always fully booked. I have not tried the place at their new Goodwood Park Hotel location. While its not sushi, the teriyaki joint in Far East plaza, is always full of Japanese another good sign.