I tend to get a little finicky when it comes to Japanese cuisine, especially if I’m eating foods of the raw variety — it really has to be fresh. Well, if you’ve been on the hunt for affordable yet high-quality seafood, look no further than SENS Dining.
Located just a minute’s walk from Holland Village MRT station, this under-the-radar establishment serves up a myriad of unique delights. But first — the space. The first level sports a zen-like interior with both sushi counter and table seats, perfect for a quick lunch getaway (hint: with their exclusive lunch promotions, but more on that later).
For a more cosy and intimate vibe, head on up to their second level. The decor and lanterns are bound to make you feel like you’re actually in Japan. While the restaurant isn’t new to the scene, we got to try some of their new offerings — and boy, were we impressed.
If you’re looking to try something a lil’ different, check out their sushi tacos. Yes, you heard right! SENS dining has taco shells are made of prawn crackers for that extra crunch, and come in five different seafood toppings — ebi with tobiko (S$8), negitoro (S$13.20), salmon mentai (S$12.50), tsubugai (whelk, S$8), and hotate uni (S$25.80).
The crispy prawn cracker shells were the perfect accompaniment to the rich seafood, and was definitely a unique take on your regular sushi rolls. If you could only order two flavours, I’d recommend going with the hotate uni and salmon mentai tacos — these had the most balanced flavours and really hit the spot.
Now, I’m not a big fan of lamb, because it tends to be distinctively gamey. You can defo imagine my delight then, when I found that the Kohitsuji Yaki (binchotan-grilled lamb racks, S$42.80) with sweet garlic sauce was oh-so-tender with barely any gaminess to it. It came perfectly charred with a hint of smokiness, and had a great balance of sweet and savoury. For the price point, I’d say it’s pretty affordable as well for such good quality meats.
Ready for the star of the show? Available only in limited quantities daily, the Yagura Ketsuga Sushi Box for 2 to 4 pax (S$88) comprises all the goodies — think uni, scallops, and more. The IG-worthy box is modelled after an ancient Japanese fortress, and has three layers to it. Trust me when I say that you’ve never seen food presented like this before!
You’ll find a chirashi don at the bottom with salmon, tuna, scallops, and hamachi atop truffle rice, while the middle layer has insanely generous servings of creamy avocado, negitoro (minced fatty tuna), ikura, and uni. Enjoy it by itself, or create your own sushi rolls with the seaweed provided — it’s entirely up to you.
If you don’t have the luxury of time, you can also opt for their various dons. These are pretty affordable as well, with rice bowls starting from S$18.90 — plus, they also offer 15% off special lunch sets (inclusive of complimentary drinks) if you dine in.
The next time you’re looking for a quick lunch spot or wanna have a fancy date night, you know where to go!
SENS dining
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???? 243 Holland Ave, Singapore 278977
???? 11am–2.30pm, 5.30pm–9.30pm (Daily)
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Photos by Kylynn Seng
