When omakase comes to mind, I usually think of insane prices — I’m talking easily upwards of S$100, so it’s usually reserved only for special occasions where I’m more willing to splurge on some good food. If you can relate, you’ll be glad to know that Unkai Sushi has released a seasonal 8-course lunch omakase for just S$68++, making it one of the most affordable omakase menus in town!
Hidden away in Orchard Rendezvous Hotel’s lobby, this cosy restaurant is known for its quality Japanese cuisine. They’re big on using fresh seasonal ingredients, so you already know it’s going to be good.
We started off the lunch omakase with their seasonal appetisers — yuba (tofu skin), ikura, and aged koshibi (baby tuna) topped with a ponzu jelly-like sauce. It was light and refreshing, and the perfect teaser for what’s to come. Plus, the tuna was even aged in-house, so it was extra tender and flavourful.
I absolutely adore sashimi, so I was really excited for this one. The next course saw two kinds of seasonal sashimi, and we were lucky enough to get thick slices of akami (lean tuna) and sea bream.
While leaner cuts of tuna tend to have an iron-like taste, this one was buttery and slightly sweet without a hint of fishiness. Plus, the sea bream was so fresh — after all, it was flown in just that morning.
After the cold appetisers, I was definitely glad that the next course was piping hot chawanmushi. This was no ordinary egg custard, either — the toppings change weekly depending on what’s in season, and our chawanmushi was infused with water lily and hairy crab. Talk about luxurious!
The water lily was crunchy and perfectly contrasted the smooth custard, making for an intriguing mouthfeel.
Given a choice between sashimi and cooked fish, my answer has always been the former. However, this particular dish from Unkai Sushi might have just changed my mind.
The Gindara Miso Yaki features smooth black cod lightly seared with a touch of miso, and boy was it good. It was tender and flaky with a perfectly caramelised layer of crispy skin, and the freshness of the fish really shone through. Each and every bite was filled with umami!
What’s an omakase without sushi? For this course, the chef uses premium quality Japanese rice seasoned with a unique blend of umeboshi vinegar. We had chutoro (fatty tuna), shiromi kinmedai (white snapper), and hotate (scallop) sushi — seriously, I don’t think I can go back to sushi chains after this. Plus, the yuzu-infused shoyu gave the indulgent dish the perfect amount of brightness.
After slurping down a hearty miso soup, we were served with their mini don. While the standard omakase menu includes a mini chirashi don (much like those you’ll see in most Japanese restaurants), we opted for an upgrade to their Magic Bowl.
While the upgrade will set you back S$38, I’d implore you to go for it because it was indeed — well, magical. You get a host of premium ingredients like abalone liver sauce, ikura, negitoro, uni (sea urchin), and white shrimp.
I had no idea how to even begin eating this oh-so-pretty don, but the chef shared that it’s best eaten mixed up — and he was spot on. While I felt that the uni had a strong iron taste on its own, I detected none of that once I’d mixed it with the other ingredients.
The combination of creamy abalone liver, fatty minced tuna and buttery uni was only further elevated as the ikura burst in my mouth, giving it extra brininess and umami. Little tempura flakes also provided a slight crunch, making for the perfect mouthfeel.
We rounded up the meal with a matcha ice cream that was served in the cutest espresso cup. While it was a little on the sweet side, I felt that it was just what I needed after all that indulgence.
If you’re looking to really splurge, you can also opt for their fancier lunch omakase menus like 彩 Aya (S$88++) and 真 Shin (S$138++). Heading down to Unkai Sushi for dinner? Be sure to try their exclusive 月 Tsuki (S$138++), 花 Hana (S$188) and Umi Chef’s Choice (S$238++) menus. If the omakase I had was only S$68++, one can only guess what goodness the rest holds!
For those of you who don’t have the luxury of time, you can also opt for their 5-course set lunches. Starting from just S$26++, you’ll get a salad, chawanmushi, miso soup, dessert, and a regular-sized don.
We got to try the Pork Cheek Rice Bowl, which features generous servings of melt-in-your-mouth pork slices. While I could have done with a little more sauce on the rice, it was still pretty flavourful given the addition of furikake and tempura flakes.
Looking for one of the most value-for-money omakase sets around? You know where to go!
Unkai Sushi
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???? 1 Tanglin Rd, #01-10, Singapore 247905
???? 11.30am–2.30pm, 6pm–10pm (Daily)
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Photos by Kylynn Seng
