Meii Sushi: Thick, Luscious, Overflowing.

Trio of Otoro (Tuna Belly), Salmon and Kanpachi (Yellowtail) Sashimi.

As one who is deeply in love with Japanese cuisine and its finer points and details, Sushi holds a very special place in my heart. As some of us may know, really really good sushi does not come cheap, usually above a hundred dollars for a full course. As such, it is usually reserved for a special occasion, or when I simply have a carnal craving which needs to be satiated immediately. In cases like these, an omakase is in order.

For the uninitiated, the term Omakase means "to entrust" or "I'll leave it to you (the chef)". It involves no form of ordering by the customer, and he leaves it all up to the Chef to present a menu that generally features the chef's signature items, and any special dishes he may have at that point in time. Typically, there is a certain progression to the meal, starting with appetizer(s), a sashimi platter, several dishes, a sushi course and finally ending with dessert.

Some important points to note before having an Omakase:

1) Sit at the counter. An omakase is not an omakase if you are not sitting at the counter with the chef serving you the sushi directly and engaging him in conversation about the meal.

2) Always let the chef know beforehand if you have any dietary restrictions (allergies and preferences) so he knows what NOT to serve you during the course of the meal.

3) As an omakase is usually expensive ($100 and above), never be afraid to ask for the price first. There is absolutely nothing embarrassing about it, and clarifying before hand can prevent any misunderstanding when it comes to payment. Should you wish to have a more personalized omakase (in terms of price, type and quantity of dishes offered) do let your chef know so he can make the necessary arrangements for you, be it if you wish to have a smaller, less expensive meal, or if you wish to go full YOLO (You Only Live Once) mode and splurge half your salary on one meal.

4) When eating the sushi, NEVER, EVER, separate the neta (fish) away from the shari (rice). This is an ultimate insult to the Chef, and you risk being unceremoniously thrown out of the restaurant. 

With all decorum taken in point, I now present to you Meii Sushi.

Sashimi Platter: Otoro, Salmon Belly, Kanpachi

Meii Sushi is a shop very much like what you would find in Japan itself: Small enough for about 15-20 people, unassuming and run by a husband-wife team. In here, the counter seats about 14 people, and they have tables which sit about another 15.

Chef Hong's take on sashimi is to cut it thickly in large slices so as to let his guests enjoy the taste of the fish better with the increased size and exposed surface of the sashimi. Some may frown upon such a way of presenting sashimi as compared to the more conventional way of cutting, but I am not complaining. Having a slice of otoro the thickness of my finger and letting the omega-3 fatty goodness coat my mouth is just simply a sensation which leaves me craving for more.

Uni Onsen: Sea Urchin and soft boiled egg in mirin and sake topped with nori

The uni onsen is something to behold. Take fresh sea urchin that is in season, soft boil an egg to runny goodness, add in a mixture of mirin and sake for dimensionality and to cut through the overall richness of the dish, and you have a bowl of heaven in your hands. Need I say more? 

Fresh Hokkaido Oyster with yuzu and capers. 

As mentioned earlier, if you are lucky, the Chef may have imported some special fish or ingredient. The Hokkaido oyster is a good example. The oyster was HUGE (my hands are gigantic just so you know). Once again, Chef Hong allows the freshness of the oyster to shine by simply just shucking it open and adding a dash of yuzu (Japanese Citrus) and some capers and putting this monster mollusk on my hand. I took it all at one go, and with closed eyes, concentrated my entire being on savouring the texture, freshness and umami goodness of the oyster. Upon swallowing, I let out a big satisfied "aahh" with a smack on my lips like how one would when he drinks a soft fizzy drink on a hot summer's day.

Otoro Nigiri (Tuna Belly) for 4 pax

Sushi. Why is it so expensive despite it only consisting of fish and rice? How can something so simple contain so much depth in flavour?

These are the questions I get when I tell my friends my idea of an ultimate meal, and here are some points which I feel are important for people to begin to understand Sushi.

Simple, because it consists of only 2 main ingredients, the neta and the shari. By stripping away everything else that is unnecessary, one gets to concentrate and focus on the ingredients at hand and what they offer.

Detail: Despite its simplicity, a lot of detail that is often not noticed goes into making a nigiri. The type of rice used, the mixture of the vinegar used to flavour the rice, how many grains go into making a nigiri, the thickness of the fish, its seasonality...These are just tips of the iceberg into the art of sushi making. To be a fully accomplished itamae (Chef of the board, referring to the Sushi Chef), it takes approximately 10 years or more (which is why separating the fish from the rice is a major faux pas), with the first few years of which are devoted to mundane but important tasks such as washing of dishes and knowing how to prepare the rice, which is undoubtedly, the heart of the sushi.

Purity: "Ultimate Simplicity leads to Purity"- Masuhiro Yamamoto, food critic, in "Jiro Dreams of Sushi". This quote pretty much sums up the level of which all sushi chefs want their work to be. Pure and untainted by all other worldly contamination. It's just the fish, the rice, the chef, and you.

Too often, people disregard the rice and only pay attention to the fish. But if you take a slice of high quality otoro and put it on a ball of sub-standard rice, chances are your sushi is not going to taste proper. 

The otoro here is unctuous, creamy and fatty. The rice, served at body temperature offers a slightly acidic but comfortable contrast to the otoro. Together, they provide a sushi that fulfills all aspects of the discerning sushi lover.

Kanpachi Nigiri (Yellowtail)

Yellowtail is a fish that is not very popular with Singaporeans as compared to the more quintessential and ubiquitous Otoro and Salmon Belly. But people who love this fish appreciate it for its mild, clean flavour with its smooth and tender texture that is hard to find except in good yellowtail. Unlike Otoro which plays the role of a foxy vixen that seduces you and renders resistance futile, Kanpachi is like a gentle, docile fairy that lightly caresses your taste buds, leaving you to explore more of what lies beneath its plain surface. 

The yellowtail served by Chef Hong is creamy, savoury and yet light on the palate. With each piece, I imagine myself in a lush green field with a clear blue sky just listening to the wind blow gently...

I digress.

Uni (Sea Urchin)

If there was an item out of Chef Hong's arsenal of ingredients that best defines him, it has to be his Uni. Chef Hong imports different type of Sea Urchin like the Murasaki Uni (Purple Sea Urchin) and Sakura Uni (Cherry Blossom Sea Urchin) which are not common here in Singapore restaurants, and are subject to seasonal availability. Like the thickness of the sashimi, Chef loves to put a little more of the fish/ingredient onto his gunkan such that it overflows slightly. With the Uni about to drip off, I wasted no time in popping this sea-flavoured orgasm bomb and I literally entered into a state of nirvana where the words "Uni...Uni..." became almost like a meditative chant. No words can do justice to his Uni, but suffice to say it is nothing short of divine.

Ikura (Salmon Roe) Gunkan

Ikura is another one of those highly overlooked neta where most people think it is just balls of sodium. I could not disagree more, as good ikura provides a savoury burst with a touch of fruitiness that cannot be replicated by any other ingredient. However, Chef Hong goes one step further and marinates his ikura in sake for a few hours. Upon serving, the ikura is not only salty but has a sweet and almost floral fragrance to it with a gentle and subtle warmth from the alcohol content. The contrast in taste, temperature and texture is dynamic and well-balanced. This is another must-have in Meii Sushi.

Hamburg Sushi: From top to bottom: Green tobiko, Daikon, Salmon Belly, Otoro, Hirame

Occasionally, Chef Hong does take a break away from tradition and has fun with his food, usually by request of his guests. (That does not mean it is okay to ask him to do "Aburi") For the grand finale, Chef Hong decided to just pile on the best of his ingredients onto one single nigiri. The differing flavours and textures of this sushi was overwhelming and came too fast and hard for me to actually detect each single fish used for this sushi, so I had to rely on his words alone. But the taste alone was just once again, out of this world. This was truly the piece de resistance for us and this "hamburger sushi" just blew us all away with no hopes of ever recovering.

Chef Hong

Chef Hong was known to be quite a character in the past in his previous establishments, where he turned down many an unknowing diner who attempted to have things his way and it was difficult to get a place in his restaurant. But fast forward to the present, he is a very down-to-earth and amicable person who takes some time to warm up to. But once you do, he is also quite an amusing man and always ensures that he serves you only the best of what he has to offer, coupled with the occasional piece of information of the dish. I can safely trust him to deliver a consistently positive omakase when the time (and wallet) allows.

This is my type of Omakase: A small restaurant, run by a husband-wife couple, helmed by a Chef with character, and overall, offering simple, pure and unadulterated sushi.

Meii Sushi

#02-54 International Plaza
10 Anson Road

Nearest MRT Station: Tanjong Pagar

6220 3466 (Call for Reservations and Operating Hours)

Please ask for permission before you take any pictures in the restaurant.