Who would have guessed that there would be a hidden gem in Far East Plaza that serves up quality Japanese food that is so fresh, you literally taste the ocean. When I walked past the restaurant that is located in an inconspicuous corner on Level 3, I saw the chefs in the open kitchen busy unloading fresh seafood from a styrofoam box. Air-flown from Japan, I presumed. I did notice the shipping label in Japanese when one man walked out with the box. So how could I miss out having lunch here? Did a quick query with the first person at the counter, I was told lunch hour would start at 12.30pm so I window shopped till time’s up and headed back there again.

The Sushi Bar is a no-frills, casual Japanese restaurant with more seats right inside (where the glass window is). Its ambience is very different from other Japanese restaurants as it blasts Mandopop songs in the background and the young service staff all converse in fluent Mandarin.

There were 2 groups of people ahead of us in the queue and they were ushered to their tables swiftly with orders taken as well. As we were expecting someone to usher us to a table, it didn’t happen and we were left standing there for quite a while as a few service staff were scurrying around, saw us but did nothing. So my husband and I made our way in and got a table ourselves. And even when we were seated, no one came forward to take order so I had to grab the menu, go to the counter to get someone’s attention and place our order. Not a good start, service wise.

Here’s what we ordered :

Normal Chirashi Don (S$24.90)

The menu offers 3 price ranges of Chirashi Don (sashimi on rice) from Basic $18.90, Normal $24.90 to Premium $34.90 to fit different budgets. We picked the Normal one as I wanted mekajiki (swordfish) which is not present in the Basic don. This Normal Chirashi Don comes with a generous portion of fish roe, scallops, salmon, seared salmon belly, swordfish, yellowtail, tuna, crabstick and tamago (egg). The sashimi are probably one of the best I’ve had in Singapore. Sweet and fresh. It doesn’t taste like it has been frozen and then thawed. The only downside is that there is very little rice at the bottom so if you’re a heavy eater like my husband who needs his carbs, then this is probably not enough.

Salmon Aburi Roll (S$14.50 for 8 pieces)

Again, one of the best salmon aburi roll I’ve had. The salmon is seared to perfection, it is tender with a slight smoky flavour and combines well with the creamy texture of the avocado inside. Pop the whole piece into your mouth and enjoy the sensation of the bursting flavours from the various ingredients. Thumbs up!

Sirloin Steak, Medium Rare (S$14.90 for 100g / S$28.00 for 200g)

It’s my first time eating beef that raw inside as I normally go for medium steak with a pinkish centre. But it is an amazing experience. The steak is thinly sliced with a nice seared crust on the outside. Dip into any of the two sauces provided, it’s just lip-smacking good! I wish they would serve wagyu beef that has way more marbling than standard sirloin. But this is still delicious. I like the side condiment of fried garlic slices too.

We paid S$54.30 for 2 persons (no GST or service charge). Overall, it’s a worthwhile meal as the ingredients used are of pretty good quality. There are some other items on the menu which I’d like to try the next time so we will definitely be back again.

The Sushi Bar Dining
14 Scotts Road
#03-89 Far East Plaza
Opens: 12.30pm to 9.30pm daily
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