PUBLISHED October 7th, 2015 04:00 pm | UPDATED June 29th, 2020 05:11 pm
Universal truth: sequels are hardly ever as good as the original.
Well, after a year of satisfying people’s Japanese grill cravings at Orchard Central, it was intriguing to see whether that same booming success would be translated to Sumiya’s new restaurant in the North Wing of Suntec City.
Sake Dispenser at Sumiya’s Entrance
Thankfully, Sumiya demonstrated that they are an old dog with new tricks right off the bat. Parading a snazzy enomatic sake dispenser at the front of the entrance and a polished fish-drying machine that focuses on irori genshiyaki (an ancient Japanese style of charcoal-grilling fish), this follow-up of a restaurant was starting to look real promising.
Sumiya’s High Tech Fish-Drying Machine
Adorned with faded copies of vintage vinyl albums such as Elvis, Bee Gees, and Rod Stewart, the interior looked more tinseltown than fishing village old-town.
Not that any of that mattered of course.
Fresh Bluefin Tuna Sashimi Steak-Style at Sumiya
In fact, the legit-ness of Sumiya’s dishes was vividly apparent for all to see in the supremely freshBluefin Tuna Sashimi Steak-Style ($68), which consisted of one beautifully lacerated hunk of raw fish flesh divided into three components – maguro (lean), chutoro (medium fatty) and otoro (most fatty) meat – all of which were divinely delicious. Our recommendation? Smear the fish with wasabi and gently dip it in truffle sauce for best results!
Fresh Hotate (Scallop) Isoyaki at Sumiya
The Fresh Hotate (Scallop) Isoyaki ($11.80 each) is another exceptional dish. Bathed in a house-made soy sauce-dashi broth, the grilled scallop was mouth-wateringly juicy and yielded a firm, yet toothsome bite.
Semi-dried Kinki Fish at Sumiya
A climax was slowly, but surely, building and its exposition arrived in the form of two variations of Sumiya’s irori genshiyaki-style fish; the Isaki (Grunt Fish, $28.80) and Ren Kodai (Sea Bream, $28.80). Whereas the savoury Isaki had its silken flesh lightly seasoned, the slender Ren Kodai was a shade more crispy and sweet. Though simple, both dishes were exemplars of the fish-drying technique. Just remember that all ingredients are seasonal, so they might not be on the menu when you get there.
Sumiya’s Ryoshi Mushi Of The Day
The pinnacle of our meal was the Ryoshi Mushi (seasonal pricing). Inspired by the way Japanese fishermen traditionally cook fresh catches, various seafood such as oysters, clams, prawns, and fish are submerged in an immensely fragrant broth. We had the chilli padi stock, and its spicy flavour managed to seep through each and every ingredient, be it the fleshy oysters or the luscious clams. Rice is practically mandatory with this dish.
Tropical Dessert at Sumiya
The culinary show came to an end with the introduction of desserts; the Sumiya Tropical Dessert ($18.80), the Mango & Yoghurt with Matcha Ice Cream ($8.80), and the Manju with Matcha Ice Cream ($8.80). All three desserts are worth trying out, but we reckon that the Sumiya Tropical Dessert is definitely more exclusive, since only 15 servings are prepared daily (so pre-orders are a must).
Manju with Matcha Ice Cream at Sumiya
Sumiya might not get your pulse racing or be the blockbuster restaurant you’d be dying to visit, but getting a bang for your buck here is more than assured. This goes to show that you don’t have to be better than the original to make your mark. You only have to be just as good.