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Every time a Michelin starred chef chooses to open an outlet on Singapore soil, the elves at Chope rejoice, because those stars were earned through quality, and it shows.
The men behind Sushi Ichi, Chef Yuji Yabe and Chef Hiroki Sodou have earned one Michelin star for their restaurant in Ginza, Tokyo, and much like other recent Michelin starred Japanese restaurants that have opened in Singapore recently, a meal there can’t be just described as 'a meal'. It’s an experience. An experience that encompasses everything from the exquisite handmade sushi to the tiny flowers placed in each chopstick holder, and even the chefs' hand-woven kimonos.
It’s hard to identify specific dishes when the dishes change based on what is freshest and best at that time, and when all you do is to decide which priced dinner (or lunch) set you’re having that day. It’s not hard however, to tell why the 24 seats at Sushi Ichi fill up so quickly. The sushi is clearly the star of the evening, made with precision and mastery in front of your very eyes, the produce is fresh, the cuts precise, and the final product perfect.
That isn’t to say that the sashimi or cooked items are any less impressive. They too are exquisite, and will no doubt leave an indelible impression upon your palate. The sushi however, benefits from contrast. Contrast against every sushi one has eaten that has come from a conveyor belt that it feels almost disingenuous to even describe these two foods with the same word.
It is said that master sushi chefs are so skilled and dedicated to their craft that when they shape rice by hand, each piece of sushi usually differs by no more than a few grains of rice. If you’ve ever doubted that claim, then Chope a seat at Sushi Ichi. Trust us. After the meal, you won’t. (May 2012)
The men behind Sushi Ichi, Chef Yuji Yabe and Chef Hiroki Sodou have earned one Michelin star for their restaurant in Ginza, Tokyo, and much like other recent Michelin starred Japanese restaurants that have opened in Singapore recently, a meal there can’t be just described as 'a meal'. It’s an experience. An experience that encompasses everything from the exquisite handmade sushi to the tiny flowers placed in each chopstick holder, and even the chefs' hand-woven kimonos.
It’s hard to identify specific dishes when the dishes change based on what is freshest and best at that time, and when all you do is to decide which priced dinner (or lunch) set you’re having that day. It’s not hard however, to tell why the 24 seats at Sushi Ichi fill up so quickly. The sushi is clearly the star of the evening, made with precision and mastery in front of your very eyes, the produce is fresh, the cuts precise, and the final product perfect.
That isn’t to say that the sashimi or cooked items are any less impressive. They too are exquisite, and will no doubt leave an indelible impression upon your palate. The sushi however, benefits from contrast. Contrast against every sushi one has eaten that has come from a conveyor belt that it feels almost disingenuous to even describe these two foods with the same word.
It is said that master sushi chefs are so skilled and dedicated to their craft that when they shape rice by hand, each piece of sushi usually differs by no more than a few grains of rice. If you’ve ever doubted that claim, then Chope a seat at Sushi Ichi. Trust us. After the meal, you won’t. (May 2012)
