Issue 15

Why does Singapore sometimes feel like Little Tokyo? There must be more Japanese eateries per square mile in this town than in central Tokyo. One of the newest to open is Akashi in the space formerly occupied by the Manchester United boutique. There are two entrances, each bringing you to a different Akashi restaurant: the one facing the Orchard Parade Hotel’s main driveway leads to a small robatayaki – traditional Japanese barbecue – room, while the second (the subject of this review) has its entrance through a narrow alley to the side. 

Akashi has plenty to enthuse about, including its pleasingly spare interiors framed by blond timber, hessian-covered lamps and coarsely textured wallpaper. The service staff was well informed; the Japanese names of dishes tripped fluently off their tongues. Meanwhile, the menu is a comprehensive blend of fresh seafood paired with a satisfying mix of fried meats and soupy noodles. Better yet: orders arrived at a whip-cracking pace, even during busy periods. 

Nothing was overplayed, not even the simple plate of grilled stumps of corn. The sushi and sashimi were cut and plated with consummate mastery, and the modest portions were offset by their fine texture and taste. The sushi rice, in particular, was formed into moist, lightly vinegared bricks, a welcome change from the hard lumps that often pass for acceptable in this town, especially on the conveyor belt-style eateries. The smoky-scented fatty-tuna belly sushi – both the fresh and seared versions – crumbled and melted in the mouth like top-grade foie gras, while the flounder tasted as if it had just been fished out of the sea that morning. 

Side dishes, too, were prepared with aplomb. Garlic fried rice dazzled with its heady flavour and golden specks of egg. A thick side of grilled mackerel, its thin skin lightly charred, astonished with simple sweetness, its flavours given a boost when squirted with some lemon and dressed with freshly grated ginger and daikon. The braised pork belly, lightly drizzled with mustard, disappointed with its dry texture, but this rare misstep was overcome by the arrival of a roasted eggplant log swathed with a sweet white-bean paste and sprinkled with sesame seeds. 

The set meals are reliable standbys if the lunch hour is short. The maguro set featured a shallow lacquered bowl of rice heaped with pretty splashes of tuna, avocado and omelette cubes; this came with a light tofu-specked consommé, cabbage salad and watermelon triangles. At a second lunch, the sillago set was a generous portion of lightly crumbed fish served with an addictive tartar. The dessert menu is small, but the wasabi ice cream was superb, its creamy texture barely touched with an intriguing hint of mustard. 

One main complaint: after a while, the loud cries from the chefs shouting to each other, as they called for service behind the sushi counter, or as guests entered and left, became a little annoying. The caterwauls went on through the entire meal. Sometimes, it’s precisely what you don’t need after a long day at the office, or if you just want a peaceful meal. 

Further information on Akashi.