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Forget the pinch of inflation, diners can still enjoy decadent dining experiences at these restaurants offering great quality at unbeatable prices
Omakase is the pinnacle of dining experiences for both aspiring and experienced food lovers, all hoping for a taste of palate-expanding flavours. With anywhere from 10 to 20 courses, diners relinquish control of their meal to accomplished chefs equipped to deliver the very best. Tasting or degustation menus, offer a similar experience usually featuring the restaurant’s signatures, best sellers, or the freshest seasonal ingredients.
Like it or not, with the inescapable burden of inflation, the price of dining has seen a rise in Singapore. However, gourmands should not let this stop them from appeasing their gourmandise. Here is a hand-picked list of restaurants that offer exquisitely prepared meals at wallet-friendly prices, leaving you perfectly content yet eager for the next bite.
Read more: 12 best gourmet set lunches to satisfy fussy gourmands
1. Sushi to Sumi
Above An assortment of sushi served at Sushi to Sumi
An assortment of sushi served at Sushi to Sumi
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Omakase is a long time Singaporean favourite, but of course, the indulgence tastes even better when it doesn’t break the bank. Sushi to Sumi is an ideal option for those seeking affordable omakase dining experiences with its lunch and dinner menus, priced at $38 to $88, and $50 to $80. The lunch sets include a varying number of sushi creations depending on the guest’s choice of ume, take, or matsu meals, followed by grilled seafood and miso soup. ‘Ume’, ‘take’, and ‘matsu’ refer to different ranks of meals served in Japanese restaurants, distinguished by the dishes and quality of fish served. Dinner is similar with a steaming chawanmushi preceding the assortment of sushi.
Sushi to Sumi
Address: 20 Cecil St, Plus, #02-01, S(049705), +65 9646 7010
2. Torio Japanese Restaurant
Above Much loved shio maki at Torio Japanese Restaurant
Much loved shio maki at Torio Japanese Restaurant
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Tucked in the heart of Orchard, Torio Japanese Restaurant offers an approachable omakase experience that balances authenticity with creativity. Helmed by local itamae chef Jackles Tai and Chef Steve Quek, the restaurant is a testament to the growing calibre of Singaporean chefs deeply versed in Japanese culinary traditions. Both chefs bring years of craftsmanship and technical precision to the counter, while adding their own contemporary flair through inventive seasonal creations.
At Torio, freshness takes centre stage. Premium seafood and seasonal ingredients are regularly flown in from Japan to ensure an experience that feels true to the spirit of omakase dining. Diners can look forward to the restaurant’s Kiwame Menu (S$138), which features three kinds of appetisers, a cold entrée, sashimi, hot entrée, seafood course, sushi, sushi bowl, soup and dessert—a thoughtfully paced omakase experience that showcases the chefs’ refined techniques and respect for Japanese cuisine. Combined with its convenient Orchard location, Torio makes for an accessible yet elevated destination for authentic Japanese dining in Singapore.
Torio
Address: 9 Scotts Road, 01-01/02/03 Pacific Plaza, S(228210)
3. Standing Sushi Bar
Treat yourself to an omakase experience at Standing Sushi Bar, where both quality and affordability are in tandem. Helmed by World Sushi Cup Champion and head chef of Shinsora chef Sky Tai, diners are in trusted hands. For $48, guests are treated to a grilled dish and nine pieces of sushi accompanied by a miso soup, while those hungry for more can get 11 pieces of sushi or nine pieces of aburi sushi for $88. With fish freshly filleted on site each morning, Standing Sushi Bar offers a great price for the finest cuts of sashimi like yellowtail, tuna, Norwegian salmon and swordfish.
Standing Sushi Bar
Address: 5 Straits View, Marina One, #B2-47, S(018935), +65 8754 7796; 331 North Bridge Road, Odeon Towers, #01-04, S(188720), +65 6333 1335
4. La Brasserie
Those hoping to be transported to France for the evening will be happy to find themselves sat under the cascading chandelier of La Brasserie at the Fullerton Bay Hotel. The Chef’s Tasting Menu, priced at just $78 for three courses, and $98 for four will satisfy any longing for a taste of classic French brasserie food. Dig into a plate of Angus beef tartare topped with kaluga caviar and a cured egg yolk, creating a perfectly balanced melt-in-the-mouth bite. The plat principal offers choices between beef, lamb, or toothfish. The côte courte de boeuf creates the identifiable European plate with unexpectedly creamy potato fondant and perfectly salted asparagus. To finish the meal, choose between a crème brûlée tart and an apple tart tatin that encases caramelised apples in a bed of buttery puff pastry.
La Brasserie
Address: 80 Collyer Quay, The Fullerton Bay Hotel Singapore, S(049326), +65 3129 8526
5. Moss Cross Tokyo Singapore
Crossing Japanese spirit with Western cuisine, Moss Cross Tokyo Singapore’s tasting menus keep things exciting, presenting unfamiliar dishes made with ingredients sought directly from Japan and its neighbours. The Wakon-Yosai menu embodies this philosophy with seven courses for $150. A menu stand out is the cross-Burg foie gras in a Hamburg steak with apple and onion, perfumed with rosemary, and finished off with wasabi for that familiar Japanese kick. This is chef Akihiro Masuyama’s signature that is exclusively available in the Wakon-Yosai menu. Diners with a slightly smaller appetite can opt for the $128 five course Bishu-Kakou menu that offers the same dishes but fewer served courses. Lucky enough, the five courses still include the ucchin (turmeric) noodles from Okinawa with seaweed and vegetable tempura. With an even balance of texture, the bounce of the noodles is accompanied satisfyingly by the crunch of the tempura.
Moss Cross Tokyo Singapore
Address: 181 South Bridge Rd, 02-01, Capri by Fraser China Square, S(058743), +65 6437 0824
6. Jun Omakase
In Singapore’s year-long summer, Jun Omakase boasts that diners can enjoy Japan’s seasons through its omakase menus. The Natsu omakase at $118 affords great value with seven courses. Diners begin with three seasonal appetisers like shirasu (whitebait) and oysters, followed by chawanmushi that set the stage for the air-flown seafood from Japan. Six pieces of a selection of sashimi then follow, with two seasonal dishes, and a choice of five pieces of nigiri or donburi to finish. This is all washed down with a rich seafood soup, and a sweet dessert for a balanced sweet ending. Check out Jun Omakase’s Instagram page before you head over for a preview of what’s currently in season.
Jun Omakase
Address: 3 Church Street, 01-01, Samsung Hub, S(049483), +65 6224 0311
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7. Empress
Situated within the walls of the Asian Civilisations Museum, Empress offers a lively dining experience of Chinese cuisine through a juxtaposition of traditional flavours with a modern dining space. When the sun comes out to play, diners can revel in the Empress signatures sharing menu at $70 per person at the waterfront al fresco dining space. The menu, tailored to five mouth-watering courses, spoils diners with familiar and comforting flavours. The Sichuan impossible meat mapo tofu stands out when presented in a sizzling hot stone pot in fiery fashion. Vegans rejoice, as the menu is designed with inclusivity in mind, embracing a generous array of dishes that are free of animal products.
Empress
Address: 1 Empress Pl, 01-03, Asian Civilisations Museum, S(179555), +65 6776 0777
