Cover Dish at Suzuki by Kengo Kuma
Dish at Suzuki by Kengo Kuma
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The new omakase restaurant is helmed by skilled head chef Suzuki Yuichiro and designed by renowned Japanese architect Kengo Kuma
Man-made modernity may define the Mondrian Singapore Duxton, but the new restaurant by the hotel’s ground floor entrance feels anything but. Nature envelopes you into its embrace as you walk through the restaurant’s stone-lined passage, flanked by glass façades clad in Kyoto bamboo. Just beside the reception desk—a 600 kg ancient Gifu stone—lies an internal courtyard garden, or nakaniwa, where a Nagano stone fountain is accompanied by the trickling of its kakehi water feature. More bamboo hangs on the ceiling above the 12-seater sushi counter made of 150-year-old hinoki timbre. You are no longer at the heart of one of Singapore’s trendiest neighbourhoods in one of its hottest hotels; you are exploring the depths of a serene Japanese glen. All this beauty—and we haven’t even gotten to the food yet.
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Above Head chef Suzuki Yuichiro
Above Tokyo-based architect Kengo Kuma
Head chef Suzuki Yuichiro
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Suzuki by Kengo Kuma is the product of two Japanese luminaries—head chef Suzuki Yuichiro, and Kengo Kuma, a world-renowned Tokyo-based architect. The restaurant is Kuma’s first commercial project in Singapore, and it is stunning. Bespoke furnishings were sourced for the restaurant, from antique soup bowls, handmade washi paper, cloth napkins, to Kuma’s own modern birch chairs that first appeared in the café of Tokyo’s Nezu museum.
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Above Main dining area, featuring suspended Kyoto bamboo over a sushi counter made of 150-year-old hinoki timbre
Above Nakaniwa, or internal courtyard garden, with Nagano stone fountain
Main dining area, featuring suspended Kyoto bamboo over a sushi counter made of 150-year-old hinoki timbre
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Yuichiro boasts years of experience working in the finest Japanese restaurants across the globe, including at the venerated Kikunoi in Kyoto. He presents an exquisite seasonal sushi and sashimi menu featuring ingredients flown in from Japan four times a week. Uni from Hokkaido makes an appearance on the menu, as does tuna from Kyushu. Sirloin is imported from Miyazaki, and is best enjoyed warmed with shabu-shabu and sukiyakis, or grilled on the bespoke charcoal binchō. As we move into autumn, notogoro, or black-throat sea perch, will also feature on the menu.
Above Ingredients and seasonings are air-flown from Japan four times every week
Above Yuichiro keeps his cooking simple by respecting the quality of his ingredients
Ingredients and seasonings are air-flown from Japan four times every week
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With such premium ingredients, Yuichiro says there is “no need to use a lot of seasoning or even other ingredients”. “If your ingredients are of the highest grade, then all you need to do is focus on their character,” Yuichiro continues, praising the importance of “respect[ing]” the ingredients by keeping the cook simple.
Miura Sota, the F&B assistant director, adds, “There are a lot of sushi bars and restaurants in Singapore, but what sets Suzuki apart is our commitment to creating a luxurious dining experience, both in the setting and the impeccable, refined food created by our extraordinary chef.”
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About
Ethan is a dining writer with Tatler Singapore. Trained in literary arts and filmmaking, their work has previously been published in Esquire Singapore, Men's Folio, and with the Asian Film Archive and the Singapore International and Film Festival, across a wide range of interests from gastronomy to fashion and arts criticism.
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Ethan writes about exciting news in the F&B industry, specialising in fine dining, exclusive spirits launches, and new restaurants. They are always looking for riveting voices to bring something fresh to an already-dynamic industry.
Follow them on Instagram at @faustiangourmand.
