The word ‘omakase’ means many things to different people. Epicures see it as an ultimate expression of Japanese gastronomy, where guests humble themselves in front of a master, and are duly rewarded with a meal both elegant and artistic. Omakase is often priced to match.
The shy probably imagine themselves keeping their eyes glued firmly to the countertop for the dining duration, avoiding the steely gaze of the resident chef as they scarf down morsels of raw fish and seasoned rice (he’s supposed to adapt the omakase meal according to your preferences, but all he knows is that you prefer not to talk).
Those with big appetites and loud voices might not be too keen either, finding the $250 fee and three-hour commitment of an omakase meal an unworthy price to pay to sit quietly in a tiny restaurant and nibble on bites of sushi, seasonality be damned.
Yet, our notion of what an omakase normally entails shouldn’t make us closed off to the dining experience. Munching on small portions of fine seasonal produce, done simply with thought and attention to detail, is a great way to get more mileage out of shrinking appetites. Eating slowly with long breaks between bites provides plenty of time for socialising, and helps us feel full before we fill up too much.
In any case, with chefs and restaurants around Singapore adjusting the omakase dining experience to better fit busy schedules and tight wallets, or reinterpreting it altogether, there is sure to be an omakase meal that suits your liking. Think cheaper, quicker omakase lunch menus in a larger, more convivial dining room, with cuisine that isn’t even Japanese.
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1. Ammakase
The newly opened Ammakase in One Raffles Place shopping centre spells out its Indian-centric fine dining concept in its name, a portmanteau of the word omakase and amma (meaning mother in many South Indian languages).
The restaurant serves up an Indian-centric interpretation of omakase, putting a twist on time-honoured recipes and ingredients typical of the Indian subcontinent with techniques from other culinary powerhouses like Japan, France and Italy.
Dining highlights include a chef’s signature in a pan-seared, garam masala-infused duck paired with smoky aubergine and a cranberry chutney; as well as a fragrant Sri Lankan curry-inspired seafood soup laden with prawn, mussels and clams.
The lunch omakase menu begins at $79 for a four-course meal, with an option to add $45 for a three-glass wine pairing. You can also opt for a more indulgent six-course lunch set at $139.
Ammakase
Location: One Raffles Place, #04-48, Singapore 048616
Opening Hours: Mon & Tue, noon to 3pm; Wed to Fri, noon to 3pm, 4:30pm – 11pm; Sat & Sun, 11am to 3:30pm, 7pm – 11pm
Tel: +65 8898 5275
Website: https://www.ammakase.com/
2. Ami Patisserie
Have a pastry-focused degustation at the newly launched Ami Patisserie, a temple to the fine art of Japanese sweets tucked away in a black-and-white on Scotts Road.
The cafe’s signature six-course omakase, dubbed the Chef’s Table Discovery Experience ($118), features a mix of sweet and savoury pastry-centric dishes anchored on seasonal Japanese produce ranging from tomato and melon from Shizuoka to Gifu chestnuts.
Star dishes include a bruleed eggplant custard served with a miso-soya ice-cream, as well as a range of indulgent choux pastries.
Ami Patisserie
Location: 27 Scotts Road, Singapore 228222
Opening Hours: Tue to Fri, 11:30am – 6pm
Tel: +65 8907 6146
Website: https://www.facebook.com/amipatisseriesg/
3. Tentsuru
While tempura in Singapore is most often served with rice as a casual grab-and-go meal (some places, like Tenya, even use automated fryers), you can now find loftier interpretations of the dish at ritzy Japanese joints, prepared omakase-style.
The upmarket Tentsuru at The St Regis Singapore hotel, dishes out elevated seasonal ingredients like bafun sea urchin and Japanese lobster alongside heartier classics like anago (sea eel) and kinmedai (golden eye snapper) encased in a thin, crackly crisp batter.
This is probably one you’ll want to save for a special occasion: The tempura omakase lunch menus range from $120 (for three seafood and three veggie tempura items, as well as a tendon, dessert, and appetizer) to $280 (all of the above, plus more seafood and uni tempura). Alcohol pairings are also available.
Tentsuru
Location: 29 Tanglin Road, The St Regis Singapore, Singapore 247911
Opening Hours: Tue to Sun, noon – 2:30pm, 6pm – 10:30pm
Tel: +65 8113 3612
Website: https://www.facebook.com/tentsurusg/
4. Catkin by Huishan
Sweet tidings come in the form of a dessert omakase at the quirkily named Catkin by Huishan, run by chef Soh Hui Shan (previously head pastry chef at contemporary Asian diner Willow).
The dessert bar’s signature Catkin Experience ($45) comes with two full-fledged sweets courses, followed by two mignardises (bite-sized desserts, similar to a petit four) and a tea pairing to round off the dining experience.
Huishan is in the midst of transitioning to the fifth iteration of her Singaporean-inspired dessert menu, which previously featured elevated takes on local treats such as ondeh-ondeh and muah chee.
Her latest flairs include a “poached egg” (it’s actually a textured milk veil cradling a flowy ponkan sorbet centre) and a festive-themed riff on love letters, where the Chinese New Year treat is moulded into cute pineapples and incorporated into an indulgent scoop of gelato.
Catkin by Huishan
Location: 28 Wilkie Road, #01-06, Singapore 228051
Opening Hours: Wed to Fri, noon – 4pm; Sat & Sun, noon – 7pm (4pm to 7pm by reservation only)
Tel: +65 9628 2829
Website: https://www.instagram.com/catkinbyhs/
