After spending money on a spate of new openings with terrible and expensive food, Ginza Kuroson at Ngee Ann City is a breath of fresh air. Helmed by Japanese chefs, the restaurant is classy, with a long marble bar, displaying fresh seafood flown in from Japan.

We were there for lunch. Suki, our waitress, is considerate. Seeing that we were lost in the extensive menu, she took the initiative to recommend some dishes (we took her recommendations). She volunteered to keep our custard desserts in the fridge first, because we were eating slowly. She took fork and knife for us when she saw we were clumsy with chopsticks. She asked for feedback; she was friendly without being overbearing. One of the best service I had this year.

Suki recommended their specialty tubodai set ($34), salted and dried overnight. The salt preserved the flesh during 20 minutes of grilling on Japanese charcoal (bincho?), so the meat was moist, and tender, and the skin crispy. A good deal at $34 for a whole fish.

The assorted tempura teishoku set ($30) was nice too, not greasy, though nothing special. I suppose the nagakomi don set ($22, chirashi), which the guy beside us was having, has better value than the tempura. Seeing how pristine the sashimi glimmered on the stranger’s bowl, we got gian and ordered 7 types of sashimi ($40).

The sashimi was worth every penny. Firm and fresh. The bonito was burnt on the skin, and still raw within, giving a smokiness. Prawn was sweet. Maguro thick and firm. They also give special yuzu dip, an alternative to the wasabi-soy dip.

We paid $124 for two persons. Left me blissful for the rest of the day. Will definitely be back for more.

Ginza Kuroson

391 Orchard Rd, Ngee Ann City #03-10 Singapore 238873
Tel: +65 6235 3785
11.30am–2pm, 6pm–10pm

Value: 8/10
Decor: 8/10
Service: 9.5/10
Food: 8/10
Rating: 4.188/5

Written by A. Nathanael Ho.