Sushi Sei at the Holiday Inn Singapore City Centre has released a new menu highlighting Edomae cuisine. Newly minted head chef Kaoru Mitsuhashi has created a menu celebrating this traditional style, which originated in Tokyo — then known as Edo — in the so-called samurai era, from the 17th to 19th centuries.
We stop by for a quick lunch with the Aya menu ($98++); which begins with minimally prepared dishes and evolves with each course, adding layers of complexity as the meal unfolds.
We begin with eggplant from Kyoto, lightly flavoured with miso. This is followed by a grilled ayu sweetfish, served and eaten whole. It’s crisp, with a touch of smokiness that’s just enough to get us excited for the upcoming courses. Another grilled item — this time a tachiuo (belt fish) — is served with soft baby corn and grated radish with a soy sauce glaze. The cook on the fish this time is stronger, complementing the rich buttery corn.
The meal then progresses into increasingly unique dishes, with a preparation of snow crab and shaved karasumi (salted mullet roe). The gentle sweetness of the crab surprisingly holds its own against the roe’s intense savouriness, creating a well-balanced dish. A cold soba dish follows, with an espuma made of sake, shoyu, and mirin on the side, which takes the place of a typical dipping broth.
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We then move into the sushi courses, beginning with golden eye snapper. We’re told the fish has been wrapped in kombu for three hours; this technique, known as kombujime, softens the flesh and imbues it with a deep umami flavour from the kelp.
Other sushi made by Kaoru during our meal include dry-aged tuna belly from Canada, marinated salmon from Hokkaido peppered with lime zest, mackerel topped with seaweed, and gunkan-maki with uni. Each piece is prepared with unique techniques and ingredient pairings that elevate the otherwise traditional sushi.
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Kaoru, who took over the helm at Sushi Sei from previous head chef Saito Manabu, hails from Tokyo. He came to Singapore after some time heading up his own restaurant at Ginza, bringing along experiences from his travels around the world. The chef works quickly and quietly, with deft yet delicate movements; each course is plated ever so gingerly, so the experience feels intimate and personal, even if the lunch menu is touted as a quick, on-the-go experience.
The meal wraps up with a sweet trio of matcha, milk pudding and warabimochi. It is a simple, understated way to end things off, almost as if to ease us back into a state of calm after the more exciting courses. At this point, the Aya menu leaves us just full enough to continue the work day without falling into a post-lunch food coma; we leave with our palates satiated and ready to take on the second half.
Sushi Sei
11 Cavenagh Road
#01-13/14 Holiday Inn Singapore City Centre
Singapore 229616
Tel: +65 8139 9600
Email: [email protected]
Opening hours: Daily, 12pm – 3pm; 6pm – 10.30pm
