The best omakase experiences in Singapore

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Sushi Masa

Tucked away in an unassuming corner of Cuppage Plaza, Sushi Masa is one of the rare restaurants in Singapore that feel like a well-kept secret. Step in through the noren curtains and you’ll find yourself in an intimate eight-seater enclave where chef Masa takes the stage. With decades of experience around the world, Masa brings with him a unique sensibility. Rooted in tradition and the purity of Japanese ingredients, yet quietly bold and open to innovation, you’ll often find him freestyling at the kitchen counter. While increasingly a lost art, this ability to spontaneously improvise recipes and elevate dishes even further is at the true core of omakase.

The seafood at Sushi Masa is of an impeccable quality, owing to Masa’s close relationship with Ueken, one of Japan’s best fish producers. Fish arrives at the restaurant daily, and Masa applies encyclopaedic knowledge and surgical precision when selecting what to serve guests on any particular day. Putting down an incredibly tender piece of nigiri on my plate, he explains that wild caught horse mackerel, while purchased at a far higher price point, results in a much softer bite.

Masa paces each omakase meal intuitively, breaking up richer flavours with lighter bites and showcasing his fine instincts in truly personalising a meal and giving each guest personal attention. He plays expertly with texture and temperature, like when he crowns a cold botan ebi nigiri with the warm brains of the prawn, resulting in an exquisite mouthfeel. Best of all, the chef is happy regale you with his personal memories and how they have shaped his cooking. As he serves up a stellar final dish of Murasaki uni ladled onto a glistening bed of rice, he decides to add a surprising squeeze of lemon that brings new flavour dimensions out of the already-prized ingredient. Alongside, he shares a quaint story about visiting the beaches in Nigata, where he would crack upon sea urchins and eat the golden uni with nothing but lemon juice. A memorable few hours, this certainly will be.

Sushi Masa by Ki-setsu, 5 Koek Rd, #06-03 Cuppage Plaza, Singapore 228796