Hashida Sushi: One of the Best Omakase in Singapore

CONTENT: Yiew Kai Jie

When the word Omakase comes to mind, one would automatically associate the word with Haute Japanese cuisine that has been elevated to its highest level in terms of culinary skills and technique. While many Omakase veterans will be used to the unpredictable soirée of thinly sliced sashimi and gratuitous servings of uni, first-timers will undoubtedly be put off by the intimidating stature of the chefs and the fact that they have no control over the menu whatsoever. Regardless of whichever category of diners you belong to, the team behind Hashida Sushi is dedicated to giving the best intimidating Omakase dining experience to each and every diner.

After several months of hard work and preparation by Head Chef Kenjiro “Hatch” Hashida and his team, Hashida Sushi has made a new home for itself at 25 Mohamed Sultan Road since its departure from the Mandarin Gallery. The all-new two-storey restaurant is separated into three dining areas that can seat 15, 10 and 8 guests respectively. The second floor is reserved for special occasions such as wedding celebrations and executive meetings that can be held in complete privacy away from the crowds. Following the relaunch of Hashida Sushi Singapore, the fine dining restaurant’s return will be followed by a subsequent launch of another outlet at Kachidoki in Tokyo, Japan next year.

Once the diners are seated down at the table, the staff will hand them a scented towel for them to freshen up and take note of any dietary restrictions or allergies that the diners have. This is also the most appropriate time to tell the staff if diners simply do not want to try a certain type of fish or ingredient as it gives the chefs enough time to come up with a substitution for the course.

The meal usually commences with two appetizers (Yuba with wintermelon topped mushroom and Unagi Chawanmushi with Lotus Root Mochi) to fill the stomach and whet one’s appetite for the various ensembles of sashimi and sushis that will come later.

The sashimi course consists of a wide variety of seafood such as Chutoro (Medium Fatty Tuna), Japanese mackerel, octopus and saba with a special soy sauce. What’s interesting about this course is the wasabi that the restaurant uses involves grinding the plant and combining it with the skin in order to intensify its flavour while saving on wastage cost and saving the environment- one of the commitments that the restaurant has dedicated itself to upholding.

The sushi course features a wide variety of seasonal fishes that are delivered weekly from Japan that ensures the high quality of the dishes are kept. The proteins include Amberjack, Groupa, Halibut, Horsemackarel, Ikura with a uni rice bowl and finally their signature speciality- the Otoro tuna. The Otoro is widely known to be the best part of the bluefin tuna as it comes from the cheek and is phenomenally fatty and succulent and melts instantly when chewed upon. Given its velvety texture and sweet taste, Chef Hashida is usually very generous with this part of the fish and promotes a little interaction with his customers before slicing a paper-thin piece of the protein to serve to them.

Note: The Chef’s Omakase meal ($300-$500) served will differ amongst individual customers, the ingredients used could change depending on seasonal availability.

For the first time, Chef Hashida is also introducing a dedicated bar housed within the restaurant, where his personal sake and spirits selections will be showcased and served together with a dedicated menu of contemporary bar bites to cater to a broader range of lifestyle offerings.

What really impressed me about this restaurant is the manner at how they treated each customer like royalty. For example, the chefs will observe each customer to the point of if they are enjoying their sushis or sashimis or if they appear to be having difficulty in stomaching the raw fish. The chefs will offer to cook it over a charcoal grill or slightly singe it in order to make it more palatable for their customer. Additionally, the pacing is extremely important in a Omakase meal as the sushi chefs will wait for all guests to finish their courses before even starting preparation on the next course. Hopefully, with their attention to detail and dedication to providing the best experience and food to their customers, they might just clinch a One MICHELIN Star award next year!

Hashida Sushi is located at 25 Mohammed Sultan Road, Singapore 238969.
The restaurant is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 12.30pm to 3pm and 7pm to 10pm.

Reservations are highly recommended, for reservarions please visit: https://www.tablecheck.com/shops/hashida/reserve.