[SG EATS] Sushi Chiharu by Tamaya Dining – A Taste of Edomae-Sushi
Sushi Chiharu by Tamaya Dining たまやis hidden within the ground floor interior of Tamaya Dining along Cuppage Terrace. It is just few minutes walk away from Somerset MRT station. Sushi Chiharu specialised in Edomae-sushi, a tradition that spans over 150 years, honouring Japan’s best seasonal ingredients. It is also described as how the chef was able to create a new style of sushi.
What is Edomae-sushi?
The concept pays homage to the Japanese Edo period ( 1603 to 1868), where the lack of refrigeration technology meant that special marinating techniques had to be employed to preserve fresh seafood. The techniques include boiling, and curing with salt, vinegar or soy sauce.
There are two seasonal menus at Sushi Chiharu currently. For S$140.00++, diners can look forward to an Omakase Menu ( 3 appetisers, 2 seasonal sashimi, 1 seasonal dish and restaurant’s signature 10 piece nigiri sushi, a soup and dessert). And for S$90.00++, diners can try the signature 10-piece Nigiri Sushi Course.
Lucky me! I got to try out their 17- course Omakase Menu the other day. Let’s move on to my Omakase dining experience.
We started off with Kabocha Suri Nagashi, which is the light and yet intense flavour of pumpkin puree and topped with capsicum.
Hamo Su Jure– Almera tomato with conger pike eel and topped with citrus yuzu jelly.It is ideal to be served as appetiser.
Then, we are served with Tachiou– Belt fish topped with caviar and sprinkled off with yuzu zest.
Next, we had the slightly torched Maguro (Tuna) and Red Snapper (Kinmedai) . And best to enjoy with salt (it comes from the seaweed) and fresh wasabi.
My favourite Torched Taraba Kani Kimi Sunose. Chunks of crab meat slightly torched and topped with egg infused with vinegar.
Moving on is the sushi series. The sushi is ideally savoured the moment it’s ready. And it is served at ‘skin temperature’. We watched how chef is action delicately prepare the sushi. Diners like us of course can opt to eat with our fingers or with chopsticks.
Here are the beautifully crafted sushis. And for Edomae sushi, the chef will daub on a single coating with a brush before serving it to us. It can be a form of broth soy sauce or other condiments.
Ika (Squid with black squid ink salt)
Flounder
Zuke Maguro (Pickled raw tuna with a dot of Japanese mustard)
Kampachi (Great Amberjack cured with white soy sauce and ginger).
Sardine with ponzu. The sardine is slightly torched before serving it together with the ponzu. Sardine has a rich flavour its own but surprisingly the flavour was fleeting. It is submerged in a homemade vinegar blend between one to three minutes and then sliced and topped with finely chopped spring onions and ginger.
Kisu (Sand Borer with plum sauce)
Rockfish
Anago Nigiri. It is uniquely prepared by first boiling the Anago (sea eel), then grilled it atop a sasa leaf on the hibachi grill and finished off with sweet sauce glazed on top before presenting to us.
Negitoro– Maguro tatare served with freshly roasted seaweed. So good that I wish I can have second serving!
Kerayaki (Egg)
This is their signature tamago that comes with a bread-like texture, lightly sweet and amazing fluffy and soft texture. Egg whites are whipped up into a meringue and the yolks are folded in, This explains the texture with a small amount of sushi rice wrapped within.
Flavorful Miso Soup
Dessert-Sweet Japanese Rock Melon to end the wonderful meal.
Sushi Chiharu is an intimate 12-seater restaurant and it is best to make reservation before hand. It originates from Osaka, Japan, where its flagship store has appeared for three years in a row on the Michelin recommended Bib Gourmand List ( 2016 to 2018). It was pleasant dining experience learning about Edomae-sushi. Each piece is prepared to its finesses. There will be launching ala-carte dishes soon. I can’t wait to visit them for more.
Sushi Chiharu by Tamaya Dining
Address: 45A Cuppage Rd
Singapore 229464
Operating Hours:
Mondays to Saturdays 6:00PM – 11:30PM (Last Order 11:00PM)
Sundays & Public Holidays 6:00PM – 10:30PM (Last Order 10:00PM)
Website: http://chiharu.sg/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChiharuSG/