Helmed by executive chef Kunihiro Moroi, the restaurant offers a breadth of modern Japanese fare in a boldly gorgeous setting
Singaporeans’ appetite for Japanese cuisine will never be satiated, evident in the number of restaurants that continue to flood the market—from traditional sushi-ya and izakaya places to ramen joints.
One of the latest, which opened its doors to much fanfare in July, is restaurant Koma at The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands, a lavish modern concept by the Tao Group, which also opened restaurant Lavo and nightclub Marquee at the integrated resort.
Guests enter the restaurant via a dramatically lit 20-metre passageway inspired by the torii gates of the Fushimi Inari Shrine in Kyoto. This leads them to a cavernous and elegant 230-seater restaurant and bar designed by American design firm, Rockwell Group.
In typical Tao Group fashion, the space has a lounge-y—almost club-esque—vibe (similar to Lavo), with its dark wood panelling, dim lighting and easy-listening tunes. However, you’d still feel like you’re in a Japanese restaurant with discernible references smartly incorporated into the design, the most obvious being a traditional Japanese footbridge and reflecting pool that separates the restaurant from the bar. There are also decorative acoustic panels shaped like lily pads on the seven-metre high ceiling, and a 15-seat sushi bar displaying the freshest catch of the day.