Excellent sushi isn’t hard to find in Singapore, especially when you are willing to pay for it. But what is it about sushi that makes it truly great—other than its freshness of course? We asked two of Singapore’s leading sushi masters about the types of factors they consider when making sushi. Here’s what they said.

Aged tuna sushi at Ashino

Respecting the Fish

Chef Ashino, sushi master at the eponymous restaurant at Chijmes, strongly believes that in preparing sushi, a sushi master must pay respect to the life of the fish by preparing it in a way that best showcases its natural flavors. This is why sushi fish can be prepared in many different ways, not just served raw. Over at luxe CBD sushi restaurant Sushi Mieda, for example, the seafood can be sprinkled with salt, soaked in vinegar, marinated with konbu seaweed, simmered in a flavoured broth, steamed or slightly aged.

Chef Keisuke Ohno of Sushi Mieda

Temperature 

There’s more to sushi than just freshness and expert slicing. The perfect piece also comes down to the perfect temperature. Too cold and you won’t get to enjoy the fattiness of your otoro; too warm and your beautiful sea eel will taste limp. Ashino tells us that it all boils down to “making the fish and the rice close in temperature.” Sushi Mieda’s Keisuke Ohno says the rice should be eaten hitohada—that is, at skin temperature.

Better than Fresh

While most sushi restaurants boast about the freshness of their fish, there’s no one better in Singapore than Ashino to tell us about the importance of aging seafood a couple days. After all, his restaurant specializes in the procedure. “Aging is a new technique whose purpose is to maximize the umami of the meat,” he explains. “It softens the sinews and makes it combine better with the rice.”

Minimal Intervention

One of the great pleasures of grabbing a seat at the sushi counter is to watch the graceful sushi pressing sequence by the chef—everyone’s is a little bit difference. But the idea here isn’t to pack the rice and fish as tight as possible. “Don’t touch the fish and rice too much,” Ashino reminds us. “Just shape it beautifully—not too hard, not too soft, just enough to spread nicely in the mouth.”

Sushi Moriawase at Sushi Mieda

Perfect Seasoning

You won’t find little dishes of soy sauce at the luxurious Sushi Mieda. That’s because sushi master Keisuke Ohno believes each piece of sushi should be eaten as is. At his restaurant, he is careful give each piece of fish a light spread of nikiri—soy sauce evaporated with sake—for the perfect amount of savoriness. Flavors also come from additions such as spring onion, seaweed and the process of aburi—if you opt for the latter, be sure to experience the pleasures of a charcoal aburi, even though the gas torch is all too common.

The Order of the Fish

When you opt for an omakase, your sushi master knows that even the best prepared sushi can be ruined when eaten in the wrong order. “When you eat something very strong or sweet right at the beginning,” explains Ohno, “your palate becomes fuzzy.” Start with the simple, relatively bland flavors of white fish, moving onto stronger-tasting fish such as toro. In between, be sure to refresh your palate with a vinegary preparation such as kohada or something sweet, such as the Japanese tiger prawn. Finally, finish out with maki mono, tamago yaki and finally, the soup.

Six months ago, we saw the arrival of the first-ever Singapore edition of the revered Michelin guide. Unsurprisingly, of the nearly 30 restaurants that were awarded stars, seven were Japanese. It’s no secret that Singapore has some of the best Japanese food there is, but these are the ones really worth braving the long waits and the empty wallets for. 

Beni

Japanese chef de cuisine Kenji Yamanaka is at the helm of this beautiful, hushed, one Michelin-starred eatery. The red draped, 24-seater space has a French-leaning seasonal menu with premium Japanese ingredients featured prominently—the rate Ozaki wagyu, blue lobster and the like. Set lunches start at an affordable $68 for a four-course meal, though the all-out eight-course $268 dinner degustation is really something else. Wine, sake and tea pairings are available, too, naturally.   

Shoukouwa

Japanese omakase restaurant Shoukouwa at One Fullerton, the latest venture by the Saint Pierre group, aims to create an authentic Japanese fine dining experience with modern, minimalist interiors and a meditative ambience—and has won not one but two Michelin stars in the process. It's an intimate operation as the main sushi bar seats only eight, and the private dining room allows for a small party of six. Its seasonal degustation menus start from $180 for set lunches and run till $480 for dinner. There is also the option of pairing your meal with a premium selection of Japanese sake, including Junmai Daiginjo from top sake breweries Sawaya Matsumoto, Hakurakusei and Masuizumi.  

Shinji by Kanesaka 

The eponymous chef's famous Ginza sushi restaurant has not one but two branches in Singapore, one at the Raffles Hotel and the other at The St Regis Singapore. But fear not—both have one Michelin star apiece. It's a serious place for serious lovers of Japanese seafood and culinary craftsmanship. Book a spot to sit around chef Kikuchi Shunsuke at the black-and-beige, minimalist sushi counter at the St Regis (there's a pebbled path leading you in) and be dazzled by the omakase selection. Don't forget to save some time for the dedicated sake bar in the next room.  

Sushi Ichi 

Ginza’s Michelin-starred Sushi Ichi is no less decorated right here in Singapore. Their beautiful and zen white-and-beige space at the Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel is all about the sushi, and offers several sets at varying price points ($100-430) for both lunch and dinner. They fly their seafood from Tsukiji a whopping five times a week. The restaurant is adjoined with Kouchi prefecture’s respected sake producers Suigei Shuzo, where you can sample top-shelf stuff as well as more affordable food options, such as the lunch chirashi bowl starting at $33.

Terra

Tokyo native Seita Nakahara runs this exquisite enterprise in a Tras Street shop house that recently turned one with a Michelin star under its belt. The place offers the chef’s brand of Tokyo-Italian cuisine, crafted from ingredients sourced from Japan’s diverse regions. Dig in to his ever popular omakase menus ($128, $168, $208) and watch out for the lauded Acqua Pazza, a seafood broth with seasonal fish, clams, dried tomatoes and olives (which he dries in his own kitchen). The other must-try is the uni bruschetta is also a top pick. The rich creamy seafood provides great contrast to the crisp toast. 

Waku Ghin 

Topnotch, personalized service makes the hefty $450 price tag for this 10course degustation menu worth the splurge. Expect a sublime European/Japanese feast with exquisite creations using premium ingredients, such as grade nine wagyu and Hokkaido uni, in an understated, elegant space. Hold your breath for signatures like the botan shrimp with sea urchin and caviar, and the wagyu with wasabi and citrus soy. There are over 100 options for premium sake, including two developed specifically for the restaurant.    

Singapore’s love affair with Japanese food is hardly new, and neither is our insatiable appetite for tonkatsu—what’s not to love about panko-battered, deep-fried pork cutlets? What’s hot these, however, is the trend of high-end tonkatsu, not the cheap stuff, but premium meats prepared with precision and a focus on good ingredients. With the arrival of Japan Town and other Japanese food enclaves, we’re seeing more and more tonkatsu specialists. 

So what’s so great about what they do? Well, in simple terms, tonkatsu—which incidentally was invented in the last 1800s, when many Westerners were coming to Japan under the Meiji era—is a pork cutlet deep fried in flour, egg and panko breadcrumbs. It comes with a Worchestershire-like tonkatsu sauce and a dollop of Japanese mustard (karashi). Most are either hire-kastu, made from fatty pork loin, and rosu-katsu, a leaner fillet. You can have it on its own with miso and cabbage, with Japanese curry and rice (katsu curry), katsudon (served with egg over a bowl of rice), with cheese and even in a sandwich.

But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. The excellence lies in the details. Most places will opt for regular panko in flour form due to its long shelf life. Nama, or fresh, panko is much more difficult to prepare and has to be used that same day but it does give tonkatsu a softer yet crispier texture. Tonkatsu using nama panko remains crisp and airy for up to 15 minutes after it is cooked. Nama panko uses real bread instead of flour and as a result preparation is a long process of steaming then crumbling the bread, before it is dried and cooled. With fresh panko, the bread doesn’t absorb the oil. Good tonkatsu must not be oily and has to remain crispy for quite some time after it is cooked. The texture must not be too crispy and the panko should be airy enough for the sauce to be fully absorbed.

Think you know great tonkatsu now? Try out your palate at some of these contenders. 

Tonkatsu Ma Maison

GET EM WHILE THEY'RE HOT
Our round-up of the top spots for some battered pork

Ginza Anzu 
#04-48 Wisma Atria, 435 Orchard Rd.,  6262-3408. Open Mon-Fri 11:30am-11pm, Sat-Sun 11am-11pm
Japan Food Town is home to the Singapore outpost of this famous Ginza stalwart, and has the same wood-paneled walls and excellent, premium meat cutlets. 

Hajime Tonkatsu 
#02-07/8/9 myVillage @ Serangoon Garden, 1 Maju Ave. Open Mon-Fri 11:30am-3pm, 6-10pm; Sat-Sun 11:30am-3pm, 5-10pm
Friendly community mall in the north, myVillage recently got a tonkatsu specialist, chef Tan-San, who has been making the dish since 1993.  

Imakatsu
#01-17 The Star Vista, 1 Vista Exchange Green, 6694-6148. Open daily 11:30am-3pm, 5:30-10:30pm
First launched in Roppongi, Japan, where it has a Michelin Bib Gourmand, this katsu specialist at Star Vista uses only Kagoshima pork.

Saboten
#03-10 Itadakimasu by Pacro, 100AM, 110 Tras St. Open daily 11am-10pm
This tonkatsu chain’s latest outlet is at the brand new Japanese food enclave, Itadakimasu by Parco, at 100AM on Tanjong Pagar. Also check them out at 313@somerset and Millenia Walk. 

Tonkichi
#07-06 Orchard Central, 181 Orchard Rd., 6238-7976. Open daily 11am-3pm, 6-11pm
Enjoy affordable tonkatsu in the heart of Orchard at this Pokka chain. Get the Kurobuta option, where you can choose either the shoulder cut or the fillet. 

Tonkatsu Ma Maison
#02-35/36 Mandarin Gallery, 333A Orchard Rd., 6733-4541, . Open Mon-Fri 11am-3pm, 5-10pm; Sat-Sun 11am-10pm 
Easily one of the higher end tonkatsu specialists in town, the cutlets here are as good as you might expect. For a hearty meal, opt for the balanced and delicious katsu curry.

As much as Singaporeans are obsessed with Japanese food, it merits mention that Japanese alcohol is right up there too. And we don’t just mean sake—although Singapore is certainly developing a taste for the good stuff. We also mean all those award-winning whiskies that are sweeping up blind tastings in recent years, and of course, craft beers. Here’s where to try it all in Singapore

Auld Alliance

It might be an oldie, but it’s a goodie. This place stocks well over 1,000 Scotch whiskies on its lofty shelves covering every distillery in Scotland from affordable drops to truly astonishing bottles like the Mortlach 70-year-old, but the hidden gem here is its Japanese whisky offerings. They have a selection of over 250 Japanese whiskies, ranging from well-known names like the Yamazaki, to lesser known but equally enticing distilleries like the Karuizawa, Shinshu Mars and Akashi.  

BAM Tapas Sake Bar

Sample the unusual pairing of sake and Spanish tapas at this gastro bar. This casual Spanish-Japanese eatery by Chef Pepe Moncayo has close to 100 sake labels in the glass-paned cellar and of course, a sake sommelier on hand. On offer are premium sake offerings from renowned distilleries like Juyondai, Nabeshima and Isojiman. Besides small plates, the restaurant also offers omakase and set lunches (from $38), with items such as cold capellini with tobiko and bamboo clam; and Spanish pork with organic mushrooms and ginger rice. 

Bar Ippudo 

Located right across Ippudo Ramen, 12-seater sake gastrobar offshoot of the famous noodle chain carries around 70 bottles of sake from over 20 sake breweries all over Japan, and the space doubles as a bottle shop, too. Pair each sake with otsumami, or bar bites like oden ($2 per ingredient), a yong tau foo-like dish comprising items like a boiled egg, daikon, fishcakes and konjac jelly; crispy corn ($6) and beef tataki ($6). Don’t worry, there’s still their Hakata-style ramen available, too.

Plenty more where that came from. The Bite! Japan Facebook page is full of the latest Japanese restaurants and izakaya in Singapore, new promotions and bits of information to impressive your friends with. Follow us here.

Helmed by Ginza celeb bartender Daiki Kanetaka, this bar at Bukit Pasoh does interesting Japanese-inspired cocktails alongside its impressive array of Armagnac, calvados and imported blends of Japanese whisky and cherry brandy. There’s not much food at this 28-seater space, but who needs bar bites when you're in good company? It’s not cheap, but with Kanetaka’s elegant, theatrical antics and impeccable attire, the entertainment value is pretty priceless—not to mention the drinks are good. 

Elixir Bar

Perched over the hustle and bustle of Orchard Road is the massive but cozy restaurant Kuvo and its attached bar Elixir. The space, outfitted with lots of dark wooden shelves and a long lit bar, is helmed by Japanese bartender Yutaka Nakashima who shakes up Japanese inspired cocktails. For whisky, they have single and double malt offerings from Yamazaki, Yoichi, Miyagikyo and cult favorites like the Hibiki and Taketsuru. They also offer a glossary of mood words to help you pick your very own bespoke cocktail.

Horse’s Mouth

This underground bar at the Forum on Orchard is known for its bustling and dimly lit, chic atmosphere and for its Japanese-style drinks. Whether it's using sake or other Japanese ingredients, the concoctions here are inventive and really pop against the muted backdrop. Splashes of color come from the origami-like cascades by the wall, and you can order food from Uma Uma Ramen upstairs to fulfill that midnight craving. 

Jibiru

There’s more to Japanese drinking than fancy whisky and bottles of sake. The Japanese craft beer trend has been going steady in Singapore for a while, and one of the only dedicated Japanese craft beer bars in Singapore, Jibiru is pretty well-trafficked as it's located in 313@somerset. Nonetheless, it loses none of its charm with heavy wooden tables and a breezy alfresco atmosphere. Here, you'll find beers like the well-known Hitachino, as well as an interesting Minoh Cabernet made with grapes. FYI, they also just opened the more upscale Craft Beer Bar Takumi.

Kakure

A relative newcomer is the bar attachment to Japanese kaiseki restaurant Ki-sho at Scotts 29 lifestyle enclave—and it’s perfect for fans of sake. Dim lighting, a cozy wooden top bar and plush leather seats add to the sexiness of this bar. A must-try is Kakure's house sake, the Tatenokawa Junmai Daiginjo, Nakadori Ki-sho label ($60) which features a delicate aromatic brew with a fruity after taste. If you prefer something that’s more soft and crisp, try the Kinshi Masamune, Matsuya Kyuubei Junmai Daiginjo label ($80) with a clean, fresh aftertaste that goes easy on the palate. 

Orihara Shoten 

Specializing in sake, shochu and all things Japanese and boozy, this Singaporean offshoot of the well-known Japanese liquor store is a place to discover a still relatively underappreciated drink. Their dark and non-descript location in the Robertson Quay area belies its immense popularity with Japanese and non-Japanese alike. The diffident store manager Naoki Satoh is a wealth of knowledge, whether you’re drinking in (with their excellent drinking snacks) or buying bottles to take home.

La Terre

This sleek, narrow space on Upper Circular Road is a mix of modern and traditional. Near the entrance is a well-lit cellar made of white onyx, and inside is a Japanese cedar bar counter. On the menu are top notch drinks: a well curated selection of mostly Old World wines (from $20/glass; $68/bottle) and an exhaustive list of whiskies, with options like Yamazakura blended shot ($20) as well as blowout bottles such as Karuizawa Samurai Cask 1984 ($11,250). The bar bites—including duck rillettes ($12) and cheese ($6 per 25g)—are a great complement to the swish sips, and owner and sommelier Daisuke Kawai is a gem.