BANGKOK RESTAURANT
Sabu Chan
This is Bangkok’s first omakase restaurant dedicated to shellfish.
The latest Japanese restaurant in Rain Hill on Sukhumvit road is also run by chef Masahiro Misaki, who has helmed his approachable omakase restaurant, Sushi Misaki, for a year or so. At Sabu Chan, the place that named after his favorite singer’s name, is the one and only place in town that does omakase with the focus shifted on shellfish.
Here, chef Misaki rather hides behind the stage and let his friend from Hokkaido, chef Kimizono Ryuji, to play in the spotlight. He cuts and slices clams and shells in an open kitchen in the clean light wooden room, that tucked behind a small tanks of live shellfishes as a window on the slatted-wood facade to sneak your eyes through.
Ryuji serves up both a quick lunch set at B700, and an omakase dinner of 18 courses at B3,000 which march in for you to try eye-popping various kinds of clams, including nizubu (conches cooked in soy sauce, B380), shirae (surf clams in tofu sauce, B200), and a set of clams on ice to grill or dip in kombu seaweed soup as shabu.
The chef prepares with a little touch of not-so-traditional technique as you can see in his condiments, including the konashoyu (shoyu powder that tastes similar to yuzukocho, spicy citrus paste you have with shabu) and the thick tofu sauce with sesame on an poached oyster in soy sauce.
You can drop by for a dinner with no reservation in advance which they will only serve you only as a la carte with stuffs that no need of much time to prepare.
Chef Masahiro Misaki, the guy behind Sushi Misaki, Rain Hill’s approachable omakase restaurant, is throwing his weight behind another minimalist venture in the mall.
Sabu Chan is Bangkok’s first omakase restaurant dedicated to shellfish. Misaki has brought over his friend from Hokkaido, chef Kimizono Ryuji, to work his magic on a medley of mollusks and crustaceans.
Over an 18-course dinner (B3,000) or five-course lunch (B700), you get to dine on tender nizubu (conches cooked in soy sauce, B380), shirae (surf clams in tofu sauce, B200), and a selection of geoducks (a type of giant saltwater clam), scallops and conches to grill or dip in kombu seaweed soup as shabu (starting from B450).
Drop by without a reservation and you can still dine a la carte.
The buzz: Chef Masahiro Misaki, the guy behind Sushi Misaki, Rain Hill’s high-end yet approachable omakase restaurant, is throwing his weight behind another minimalist venture in the mall. At Sabu Chan, he’s brought over chef Kimizono Ryuji, formerly of the one-Michelin-starred Aichiya restaurant in Yokohama, to work his magic on a medley of mollusks and crustaceans.
The decor: The brightly lit, wood-heavy space is almost identical to Misaki’s first spot. Reservations aren’t necessary but with only 10 seats at the counter, you’ll want to make sure you nab one. Watch the chef cut, slice, boil, toss and sear right before your eyes, while a small fish tank full of mollusks on a grand slatted wood facade even gives a sneak peek of your dinner.
The food: It’s all about shellfish, prepared with not-so-traditional techniques. Different condiments play with the texture and form: spicy-tasting shoyu powder; pungent yuzu paste with steamed scallop; thick tofu sauce with a touch of sesame on a poached briny oyster in soy sauce. For the full experience, opt for the B3,000 16-course set menu. Sesame tofu, flavorful clear short-neck clams, firm yet sweet conches cooked in soy sauce and charbroiled oysters in miso all feature. You’ll also get to try a selection of bouncy surf clam, crisp sliced geoduck and sweet fresh scallop (either grilled or in shabu with kombu [kelp] soup). The shellfish are imported from places, like Hokkaido and Chiba—including the buttery abalone steak that’s sure to get you salivating as it’s cooked up just a meter away. Set lunch menus start at a very enticing B700 per person and include 4-5 appetizers, with your choice of fish boiled in soy sauce or mirin (sweet rice wine). Alternatively, you can order dishes a la carte.
The drinks: A comprehensive sake list includes bottles from different regions, including Masuizumi Junmai Daiginjo (a 2015 vintage sake from Toyama, B360/glass) and Houraisen Junmai Daiginjo Bi (B600/glass), that’s renowned for its beautifully mild, sweet flavor. At the top end of the scale is Kokuryu Shizuku from Fukui—a 720ml bottle costs B7,000.
Why we’d come back: This is the only omakase place in town that focuses solely on shellfish, and the serious dining experience carries a relatively low price tag. Wanvida Jiralertpaiboon
Venue Details
| Address: | Sabu Chan, G/F, Rain Hill, Sukhumvit Soi 47, Bangkok, Thailand |
| Phone: | 02-258-0578 |
| Cuisine: | Japanese |
| Price Range: | BB - BBBB |
| Open since: | September, 2017 |
| Opening hours: | Tue-Sun 10:30am-1:30pm, 5-9pm |
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