Update as of December 2022:
Having headed down to Omu Nomu Craft Sake & Raw Bar recently, we got to try the newly-introduced Doburoku for ourselves. It's unlike any other sake we’ve ever tried before. This fermented rice beverage presented itself as subtly sweet while zesty – but with an unusual milky texture that most sake drinkers wouldn’t be used to. Pair this with the Overloaded Maki ($68), which is exactly how it sounds: a 10-piece maki roll with uni, ikura, and negitoro. Otherwise, ordering some of the kushiyaki skewers make a solid choice too. Choose between the likes of gyutan ($10), foie gras ($12), and the classic chicken thigh ($4.50).
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It takes some finesse to enjoy a carafe of quality sake – it isn’t at all like shooting back vodka shots or taking a heavy swig of beer. At Omu Nomu Craft Sake & Raw Bar, a Japanese sake bar along Beach Road, they pride themselves on fresh air-flown sashimi and a selection of the best-tasting sakes in the world.
As a craft sake bar, they’re the first in Singapore to promote Doburoku, a special unfiltered sake. It’s known to be a sacred sake that was once offered to the Japanese gods – it’s part of the temple rituals. This particular fermented rice beverage is a novelty for both its straightforward brewing process as well as its unusual simplicity in itself.
Fact is, it isn’t filtered at all. It’s entirely untampered, with whole rice grains visible, looking like a cloudy porridge. While most sake goes through a tedious process of being pressed, pasteurised, and filtered, Doburoku is as “raw” as it gets. It’s perfectly apt for Omu Nomu Craft Sake Bar – they not only serve the freshest sashimi but also have Singapore’s first-ever “raw” selection of sake.
For now, the sake bar has worked with specialty maker Konohanano Brewery to bring in two types of Doburoku into Singapore: Hanagumori, a creamy sake that bears a resemblance to rice pudding and greek yoghurt, and “The Sour”, that’s more tart with its use of white koji (fermentation mould).
The team behind it all? You’ve got Sake Sommelier Alex, who drinks way too much sake and absolutely loves it. As Alex says, “it’s an ancient style of sake I always wanted to feature” – especially since his friend and fellow Sake Sommelier, Reuben Oh, had recently brought back a special temple-brewed bottle of Doburoku from Nara. It was an instant hit with the guests. Then you’ve got sushi chef Rick, who has more than 15 years of sushi-making under his belt.
With sashimi moriawase (from $25) and premium sushi sets ($55) with negitoro (minced tuna), hotate (scallop), and uni (sea urchin), no doubt that this is one bar that prides itself on both good food and solid drinks. There’s also a binchotan grill at the back where you can order traditional smoky kushiyaki (from $3.80) to coal-grilled foie gras ($12), and various otsumami befitting of their craft sake selection (from $7).
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