Sushi Kikuzawa

My enterprising cousin had been raving about this small sushi shop in International Building opposite Coca steamboat, which was introduced to him by his equally greedy girlfriend (who had apparently put on 10kg since they started dating). There were 4 of us there last night all perched along the counter.

Sushi Kikuzawa is rather small - the counter seats about 12 people, and bookings are essential. The place is run by a Japanese chef Kikuzawa-San with 2 other staff, one making sushi and the other pouring tea and serving orders from the kitchen.

You can either order the sushi buffet (weekday prices are $29.90 for lunch, $39.90 for dinner) or go for a la carte orders. I think the sushi sets are only available at lunch time. As true blue Singaporeans, the choice was clear: buffets give maximum volume, and therefore, maximum value for money.

The buffet menu was fairly extensive with a free flow of all types of sushi including negi toro, ika, nama hotate, ama ebi and unagi. However, there's a catch: you're allowed to order whatever you want only after the chef has served you whatever he's planned for the day.

You get a serve of edamame and oden once you've confirmed you want the buffet.

This was almost like an amuse bouche - aji marinated in some soy with spring onions. Surprisingly yummy.

Each buffet order comes with 1 serve of sashimi consisting of maguro, sake, ika, ama ebi and one type of white fish which I thought was tai (sea bream). It was nice and fresh.

The oden

First up: sake and unagi, which was done aburi-style (lightly seared with a blowtorch). The chef placed a black plate on a raised platform in front of each customer, and kept adding the sushi pieces one by one on the plate from behind the counter.

Tobiko and uni (flying rish roe and sea urchin)

I think this was bonito and tai

You can also order other items from the menu including udon, una don, chirashi sushi, tako yaki miso soup, and chawan mushi. Their chawan mushi was decent.

Negi-toro, saba and awabe (minced fatty tuna with scallion, mackeral and abalone)

nama-hotate (scallop) done aburi style...fabulous!

maguro (tuna) marinated with soy and sesame seeds

kajiki(swordfish)

As a finale to the chef's selection, the tamago yaki...nice and sweet.
Forgot what this fish was called. My eating companion, who had been based in Tokyo for 5 years, explained that only fish that is strong tasting (eg. saba and bonito) comes with ginger. So this was one smelly fish.

Tako Yaki (octopus balls)

Because I was so busy eating, I forgot to take pictures of many of the other pieces we had...ama ebi, negi-toro tamaki, and I can't remember what else. Good value for money, but definitely a lot of rice. We ended off the evening with a warm chocolate cake and iced tea at the TCC downstairs.

Sushi Kikuzawa

360 Orchard Road

#02-13 International Building

Tel: 6738 3833

Open daily for lunch and dinner