Singapore 2024

Posted on November 30, 2024 by anon

Recently I traveled to Singapore for the first time. I’d previously had a layover there, but hadn’t stepped foot out of the airport. This time, it was for a friend’s wedding. He’d been an employee at a company in Myanmar where I worked as an *unpaid* intern in the summer of 2016. We hadn’t met since, but he’s made it a point to check in every so often. It’s rare to have friends like those, so when he mentioned he was getting married the last time we chatted, and that he had wanted to invite me but was sure I wouldn’t be able to make it all the way from NYC- I said, why not? If you invite me, I’ll come. He invited me.

It was a 22-hour journey all in all (if you don’t count the time it took to get to the airport for the first leg). I had a short layover in Taipei and landed in Singapore at noon on a Friday. Coincidentally, a friend of mine was working in SG temporarily and said I was welcome to stay at his apartment. He was out of town until the following Monday, however, so I was left to my own devices for a few days.

The weekend did not seem like a good time to do anything remotely touristy, such as walking the botanical gardens. It was also extremely hot and humid, and I was weak after such a long trip. That being said, I probably could have made more of an effort to see the sights.

Day 1- Friday

On my way to pick up my friend’s apartment key, I did some last-minute research on where I should be going to eat in SG. I found an intriguing seafood restaurant called Naked Finn. The only reservation available that I could make was 8:45 the same day, so I locked that in.

After collecting the apartment key, the first order of business was to purchase some clothes. I needed more than two outfits that I could wear in the SG heat that also qualified as smart casual.

I went to the Raffles City mall and spent an hour or so shopping. I came out of it with two buttery tank tops that I love and a pair of black mom jeans that got super comfortable after just two wears. After returning to the apartment for a quick wardrobe change, I headed out for pre-dinner drinks.

My first stop was Club Rangoon. Since 2016, I hadn’t had authentic Burmese food, so I was excited to try their laphet thoke. It was delicious and everything I wanted. On the other hand, their drinks were just so-so. I ordered both the Laphet Martini and the 19th Street cocktails. I had been excited by their descriptions, but their flavor profiles were pretty dull.

Next, I went to The Elephant Room just around the corner. This cocktail bar focuses on South Asian flavors and their signature cocktails are incredibly unique. Their service is also impeccable. I told the bartender I wanted something savory and he recommended the Crab Rasam. This clarified cocktail tasted like a smooth alcoholic broth with a rich umami flavor. The more I sipped on it, the more I became enamored. Unfortunately, I only had time for the one drink, but I made a note to go back on Monday the next time they opened so that I could try their Chicken Curry. I also had a very nice chat with one of the patrons sitting at the bar next to me. He recommended Mixology Salon, a bar specializing in tea-based cocktails that would be closing at the end of the month.

I made it to Naked Finn only slightly late. I ordered a glass of brut, the oyster I had been thinking about since I made the reservation, and the chawanmushi. By the time the champagne and the oyster came, I was already crashing from the jet lag. The oyster was very good, and I ordered another one immediately after eating the first one.

At this point, I hadn’t slept for about 24 hours, so I completely forgot about taking photos for the rest of the meal. Unfortunately, that means the best dish of the trip didn’t make it into my photo roll.

The waiter who introduced the menu to me mentioned they were out of a few things, and that some were modified for the night. One of the modified items was the claypot rice. Originally, it was a “‘Nasi ulam’ donabe (claypot)” with yellow croaker (Larimichthys polyactis)- binchotan grilled, ulam herbs, sambal matah, Koshihikari rice. Instead, they had a Hong Kong-style claypot rice. At first I was dubious- I grew up there, after all- but after perusing the rest of the menu, I decided I’d go for it.

That dish was delicious. I was savoring every bite even though I really wanted to be in bed, asleep. They served it with flair, removing the lid at the table and showing the perfect, slightly charred fish resting on a bed of rice with a fragrant soy dressing and a generous amount of scallion and ginger on top. The waiter then took two spoons and thoroughly mixed the contents in front of me. I watched the dark soy sauce get dispersed evenly onto the white rice and I salivated. The dish really was reminiscent of the classic whole steamed fish with scallion, ginger, and soy sauce, and a sizzling neutral oil poured over the top to unlock the flavors of the aromatics.

I dined and (got the bill and) dashed. Fell asleep 3 times on a 15 minute trip back to the apartment.

Chilled Pacific cupped oyster (Crassostrea gigas)- served raw, house-made pink guava hot sauce, lemon verbena

Day 2- Saturday

I woke up bright and early at around 6 (thanks, jet lag). Even though it was an ungodly hour, my stomach complained about being empty, so I got up and headed to Lau Pa Sat in search of sustenance. What I really wanted was some wholesome noodle soup or something like that, but once I got to the hawker center around 8, it was very unclear which stalls were actually open and which were not. Online, it had said one of the places opened at 7, but I was turned away as I was looking at their menu. I got pretty intimidated and ended up just getting some dim sum. Braised chicken feet and pork ribs, yum! It didn’t help that right around when I arrived, hordes of runners started pouring in.

For lunch, I had booked a spot at Sushi Hare すし晴. It was on a list of best restaurants in SG, and I was intrigued by the description I read of the Taiwanese Chef Angus and his method. Honestly, it blew me away. I was able to try two things I had not tried before- tuna chin and fresh salmon roe, still within the egg membrane (sujiko). Tuna chin was not my favorite due to the fattiness of the cut, but the texture was certainly interesting. The salmon roe was a divine experience. It was pure umami, almost sweet, not at all fishy or slimy in the slightest. The best salmon roe I’ve ever eaten.

In the afternoon I started crashing and thought, why not go to Mixology Salon and kill two birds with one stone? I can pre-game and get caffeinated at the same time. (I’m kidding. About the pre-game part.)

To be honest, I was disappointed. The Matcha Godfather that I ordered was cloyingly sweet and lacked the fragrance I had expected from the matcha. I quickly finished and left to catch my cable car to the venue.

I had worried that I would feel too awkward at the wedding, given the groom was the only person I knew, but he had placed me with some of his other ex-coworkers who were very welcoming and fun. The wedding itself was very cute! They had some activities that “tested” how well the bride and groom knew each other, and they told some entertaining stories. I held out as long as I could, but once the desserts started coming out I couldn’t stay awake any longer, took a quick photo with him and the bride, and went back to the apartment.

Day 3- Sunday

I had done some research and found a Korean restaurant called Um Yong Baek that specializes in dweji (daeji?) gukbap (pork and rice soup). I made a reservation for right when they opened. They weren’t quite open yet when I stepped out so I loitered at Lau Pa Sat and bought some pancakes from Munchis because they just looked so irresistibly chewy, even though I’m not a big dessert person.

I got a little confused with the system and asked the table next to me if they had ordered already, since the waiter had not come by. They told me to just flag them down, and we got to chatting after that. They were very nice and asked me about where I’d been, and also recommended some places.

I ordered the thick daejigukbab (bottom left in the menu picture). It was filling and wholesome. I was a little bummed that I wasn’t able to try their KBBQ, which is only available for dinner (no time and nobody to go with).

I didn’t do much in the afternoon. I walked back to the apartment and took a nap. When I got up I figured I should probably get some food, so I found a place called Oyster Bank that did a deal on oysters and cocktails (I know, coming from the East Coast I probably could have picked something better). After that, I walked to Sago House, a bar where their menu changes based on the ingredients in season.

It was a struggle to even order- they sat me at the bar and immediately left. Then, a server came by and asked if someone had explained the menu (no). She said she’d give me some time to consider, then left and did not come by for about 10 minutes, during which time she sat several other people, took their orders, and then chatted with the bartender while I tried to catch her eye. Finally, someone was sat next to me and I leaned over and flagged her down while she was getting that patron water.

I got the Thyme for a change– Havana Club 3 Yrs, orange, lemon, thyme, and absinthe. It was ok. When it arrived, I asked for the check because I was worried I would never get out of there at that rate.

To be honest, I wish I never went there. The premise of seasonal cocktails only is one I can get behind, but the experience was one of the worst I’ve ever had. Not at all worth it, and for some reason it’s on some list for one of the best bars in Asia. I can’t recommend this bar.

Day 4 – Monday

My friend arrived back at the apartment at around 2 am in the morning (that was why I took a nap in the afternoon). We chatted a bit and then both of us crashed. The next day he rushed out to work and I had a leisurely morning, then headed out to meet him for lunch. We went to a multi-story food court near his office and then he took me to a matcha place nearby that I had been struggling to find. We made plans to meet for dinner at Song Fa for bak kut teh.

In the afternoon, I had meant to go to the gardens by the bay, but it was pouring the whole day. I just rested in the apartment, then headed out a little early before dinner so I could go to Elephant Room again.

The chicken curry was not what I was expected, in a not so great way. It was still a good cocktail, but nowhere near as tasty as the crab rasam. I also tried the King of Toddy, and that wasn’t my favorite either. I could see how both were good, but they weren’t to my personal preference.

I took a Grab to meet my friend for dinner, where we may have ordered too much food.

we did pretty well. no after photos though, you’ll just have to believe me.

I don’t have much to say about Song Fa. It’s popular for a reason- quick, cheap, and wholesome foods. Bak kut teh is pretty similar to the soups my mom made, so nothing out of the ordinary for me. It’s a good place to go as a tourist if you haven’t had that kind of thing before. I enjoyed it.

We walked back to the apartment. It was a decent walk, not too long, but after not living in SE Asia for almost 10 years, the humidity and temperature absolutely ruined me. I was ready to shower and pass out as soon as we got back.

Day 5- Tuesday

Rinse and repeat of yesterday morning. We got lunch and went up to a roofed garden area in the office building he used to work at. It was a nice little oasis. We had pasta, he took me up to the roof, where I swear I almost got heatstroke. He went back to work, and I escaped back to the air conditioned refuge of his apartment. I took another nap in preparation for the night’s activities- I had planned dinner/drinks with my just-married friend and my college friend.

My just-married friend got off work earlier than I thought he would, so I rushed to get ready and then met him at at The Elephant Room (yes, again), where I learned that he had actually never had a proper cocktail before, and didn’t really drink liquor. For some reason this had not occurred to me. I guess looking back, he didn’t really drink when we went out in Yangon back in 2016. Fortunately, he explained that it wasn’t really a conscious choice, because I had purchased an expensive bottle of Kavalan for him as a wedding present. I ended up finishing both of our crab rasams (happily). My other friend came to meet us and we walked over to The Public Izakaya where I had made a reservation.

Not too much to say about the izakaya. It was a good vibe for conversation, had a pretty decent selection for food, and had draft Japanese beer. All I can really ask for. There was a chicken cartilage skewer that was really just cartilage without the fat that usually comes with it. I loved that one.

I don’t remember what part of the chicken they said this was

Eventually our reservation time at Jigger and Pony arrived. I was entertained to find the mall that the izakaya is next door to also provides access to the hotel that the bar is in. We took a short stroll and were shown in shortly. I had been excited for this bar the whole trip. In particular, I wanted to try the Ugly Tomatoes. We all ordered one cocktail each, but then they both said they were done and encouraged me to get whatever I want (lol). I was planning on treating them anyway, so I didn’t feel too guilty doing that considering I didn’t know the next time I would be back.

greatest of all time, ugly tomatoes, strawberry fields

It was a fun night catching up with my friends, and I was glad they got along well too.

Day 6- Wednesday (Departure)

My mom asked me to buy bak kut teh packets, so my friend rushed to the closest grocery with me in the morning to buy them. I had to go to the airport immediately afterwards. Then I was off to Taipei!

Atomix x Mosu

Posted on October 31, 2019 by anon

tl;dr Atomix is an amazing restaurant. I highly recommend!

I love Korean food. When I found out that NYC actually has two restaurants with a two Michelin star rating, I couldn’t wait to try them both. I went on Tock and found out that Atomix was doing a collaboration dinner with Mosu, a Korean one star Michelin restaurant in Seoul. They were sold out, so I pouted a bit, put myself on the waitlist, and expected nothing. After all, this was Thursday and the meal was on Monday.

A few hours later, as I was playing a game of Dominion with my coworkers, I got a call. Turns out, they had a last-minute cancellation for the 9 PM seating and I was the next one on the waitlist. Of course, I said yes!

Come Monday, I’m exhausted at work, not super excited to be having a late dinner. It was a done deal, though, so I woke myself up with a brisk 20-minute walk to Atomix from the office, arriving exactly on time. The lady at the front desk took my coat, but I wasn’t handed a coat check tag. I was directed to the bar, where I ordered a cocktail to pass the time.

Ingrained Wisdom: El Dorado 12-year rum, barley tea-infused Tokki soju, bitters blend

After about ten minutes, I was shown downstairs. The experience had been described as “communal,” which didn’t exactly paint a picture in my mind, so I was pleasantly surprised when I saw that the seating was around a horseshoe-shaped bar. There were no separate tables, though the chairs were subtly grouped together, with a noticeable but not blatant gap between each party. There were fourteen seats at the Monday 9 PM seating.

The snacks were served asynchronously between diners. The first one was a dehydrated (see: intensely crunchy) burdock skin, placed over cultured butter with seaweed. This is a signature dish from Mosu. They told us to use our hands and break it up to scoop the butter. I do wish that they provided us with towelettes or some such, but it was delicious even with the worry that I was consuming some sort of odd bacteria.

The next dish was odd and slightly disconcerting. I’m as much a fan of intestines and offal as the next person, but having what looks like an orange candy presented to me and being told that it’s filled with fish gizzards is quite off-putting. Never mind that it was served atop a literal pile of disembodied fish heads, eyes white and unseeing. The orange shell turns out to be candied carrot, dusted with matcha powder. I have to say this one wasn’t enjoyable.

The next dish was king crab in a dried kelp shell. This one, while tasty, really just seemed like an elevated potato salad. I wasn’t blown away. However, these were just the snacks.

Before we started the meal, Chef Junghyun Park, the owner of Atomix, stepped out to introduce Chef Ahn Sung-jae, the owner of Mosu. Both of them greeted us and briefly spoke about the spirit of the collaboration dinner. We “cheers”-ed them with a drink, a clear liquid that is at once tart and savory, with a bit of a marine flavor. I couldn’t figure out what it was, but it was wonderfully refreshing.

On to the meal! The first course is julienned water radish over yellowtail sashimi, served in an apple jus made with clementines and a hint of gochugaru. One of the lady waitstaff approaches and redirects me to using the spoon instead of chopsticks. The dish is refreshing with a light taste of citrus. I love yellowtail.

Second course is shredded mushrooms and what seems like jicama. One of the menu cards informs us that the only added flavoring is salt, with all other flavors coming from the fermentation process. My eyes widen and I sample the dish, focused. Fermentation is super cool.

Third course is a butternut squash terrine in pumpkin seed milk with a generous heap of caviar on top. We’re told there’s preserved chili in the dish, which I personally don’t notice at all. The terrine has an interesting texture; the edges are caramelized and hard to break up, not soft like I expect. The seed milk is surprisingly rich with a nutty flavor. While in all it is a little sweet for my liking, it’s an interesting medley of ingredients. The briny caviar pairs well with the sweetness of the terrine and the creaminess of the milk.

Butternut terrine with pumpkin seed milk and caviar

At this point, one of the servers asks if I want some wine. I tell her I’m not a fan of white and prefer full-bodied reds, but will try whatever pairs well with the next courses. It would be odd to have a merlot with fish. “Some half-glasses, perhaps?” They bring me my first half-glass, a light red called Le Trousseau.

The next dish is smoked Japanese mackerel in a ginger carrot jus. The first taste short-circuits something in my brain. I don’t like carrots, as a general rule, but the jus tastes like straight butterscotch. What??? My mind is blown. The buttery, toffee-like flavor is so concentrated that when I taste lemon a third of the way through the fish, I’m shocked out of a kind of stupor. I could feel the richness of the jus creeping up on me, but all of a sudden the citric acid cuts through all of it and balances me out. What a divine concoction. I clean out my plate and sit back, still reeling.

Smoked Japanese mackerel with ~~butterscotch~~ ginger carrot jus.

I comment on the butterscotch impression and am informed that the butteriness actually comes from a butter-roasted pine cone. So it wasn’t magic after all, but still a stroke of genius.

The next dish is charcoal-grilled Japanese tilefish with burnt kale oil and white kimchi. Chef JP comes around with some sauce: sea urchin and dashi. While the combination of ingredients sounds OP, the taste is quite familiar. I’m not sure I’ve ever had tilefish before, but it reminds me of cod. I’m not nearly as blown away by this dish as I was by the previous one, but it is delicious nonetheless. The fish is tender and perfectly done.

Our first meat dish is a roasted French quail. The bird is accompanied by a beautiful oblong scoop of beetroot mole, made with gochujang and the traditional chocolate. Foie gras fat glistens on the golden skin and adds flavor to the quail jus, spooned onto our plates by Chef JP. Chicken stock and soy sauce are also key players.

The quail is served with a banchan, not pictured above. I didn’t find the flavor of the banchan particularly complementary to the quail, so I left most of it unconsumed.

Next is a monkfish liver custard with mushrooms and cheonggukjang. Chef JP pours a clear mussel broth over the concoction. The mushrooms are pleasantly buttery and fragrant, balanced well by the light coolness of the mussel broth. The custard is glossy and rich. There is an herb that tastes like citrus, small veiny leaves floating on the surface of the broth.

Chateau Calon Ségur Saint-Estèphe, Grand Cru Classé

My second half glass of wine is a full-bodied red. It’s the 2010 vintage of Chateau Calon Ségur Grand Cru Classé, from Saint-Estèphe, France. “Exclusive for this collaboration dinner,” they tell me. I find out later that I was charged $55 for the whopping 2.5 oz (a standard half-glass) of wine. Oh well… it was delicious, and it paired perfectly with the following course.

Everything has been fairly light so far, so the next dish is heavy by comparison. It’s a tender portion of lamb, overlaid with a thin slice of something I couldn’t quite figure out. It’s served with a side of perfectly fluffy white rice, topped with eggplant fried in lamb fat. I’m not generally a lamb-lover, but this course was fulfilling and exactly on point as the last main dish.

To round off the night’s menu, we have two dessert courses. Of course, I can’t say no to a dessert wine. I’m presented with a 2006 vintage of Chateau Pajzos Tokaji Aszu 5 Puttonyos, a beautifully tinted wine from Hungary. Not too sweet, but a half-glass is the perfect amount.

2006 Chateau Pajzos Tokaji Aszu 5 Puttonyos

The first is a ginger cream with a ginger, cinnamon, and black pepper oil sauce. Thin slices of muscat adorn the mound of cream. There’s a sprinkling of popping candy on top for some extra pizzazz. “Just for fun!” The cream is cold, subtly sweet, and airy like a cloud.

The second dessert is a mousse ice cream with a caramel sauce and apple bits. Simple, but wonderfully executed. The warm caramel is rich and buttery but complements the light ice cream well.

I’ve definitely consumed a significant amount of food, but I don’t feel greasy and heavy. When I’m presented with a wood box and told I’m to have it for breakfast in the morning, I don’t laugh at the prospect of ever being hungry again (as sometimes happens when I overeat).

Each diner is given a small goodie bag, filled with the aforementioned breakfast treat box and the menu cards. Mine also contains a list of restaurant recommendations, curated by the staff of Atoboy. It even includes a personal recommendation by Chef JP. I was given this because I mentioned I’d only recently moved to the city.

The checks are brought around in a timely manner, but I don’t feel rushed as everyone starts clearing out. We’re personally escorted upstairs one by one, so that there’s no congestion at the coat check. Understandably, I’m all smiles as I exit, waving at everyone whom I chatted with during the night.

Final thoughts

While this meal was undeniably a splurge on my part, I believe that it was worth it. Even without the fact that it was a one-of-a-kind collaboration dinner, it was evident that Atomix upholds high standards in terms of food, ambience, and service. I felt that I was welcomed as a solo diner and personally addressed, even though there were other diners who were familiar with the chefs or members of the staff. The atmosphere was one that was both friendly and serious about the culinary experience. I’d love to go back again, perhaps with some friends or coworkers.

Sushi Satsuki (★)

Posted on October 27, 2019October 27, 2019 by anon

A less-than-stellar iPhone photo of the third course

This past Thursday, I made a personal breakthrough. I finally got over my prejudice against going out to eat alone and booked a few restaurants over the next month. Maybe I can rope a coworker into going with me in the future, but for now I’m excited to experience them solo.

The restaurant

The first restaurant I picked was Sushi Satsuki, a 1-Michelin star omakase sushi bar. It is part of Suzuki, a restaurant in Midtown Manhattan. There wasn’t really any particular reason I chose Sushi Satsuki for my first foray into solo dinners except for the fact that it came up on Tock as available for a 7:30 reservation the next day. Suzuki is run by Yuta Suzuki, the son of Toshio Suzuki, owner of the famed Sushi Zen. It’s a three-part venture. Satsuki is a 10-seat sushi bar presided over by Toshio Suzuki and Kentaro Sawada, who worked at Zen. Three Pillars is a cocktail, wine, and sake bar. Suzuki is a kaiseki restaurant. All three are housed in the same basement space, a bit of a maze.

The beginning

I went to the gym after work and made it to the restaurant right on time. I was the first to arrive for the 7:30 seating. After I checked my coat, I was seated directly in front of Chef Toshio Suzuki’s working area. As soon as I arrived, he brought the two boxes of fish in front of me and named each fish and its source.

I ordered a Kagua Blanc, a Belgian-style beer with a strong aroma of yuzu, and watched Chef Suzuki prepare for the meal ahead as the remaining guests arrived. As each party arrived, he displayed each box of fish again and gave a complete listing. The waiter asked me for any dietary restrictions or allergies. I told him no wasabi (I know, but I hate horseradish).

There were 18 courses in all, to my reckoning. I won’t go into detail for all of them, but I’ll pick out the ones I had comments about.

The appetizers

bluefin tuna tartar and monkfish liver
bonito sashimi salad with yuzu
mixed platter: sashimi and cooked foods

I’m a huge fan of monkfish liver and haven’t had it in a long time, so although it was canned, I enjoyed it. The tartar was fresh but not spectacular in terms of texture or taste. As I finished the dish, the waiter asked me again- no wasabi? Yes, no wasabi. He placed a small paper sign in front of me, facing Chef Suzuki.

Chūtoro was the centerpiece of the mixed platter, which was served with two sauces. The waiter gave me instructions as to which sauce to use for each bite, and recommended leaving the crab meat in tomato water for last. Seeing the beautiful presentation of the platter, I was thoroughly excited to try each small bite, and for the most part I was not disappointed. However, I have to say I was let down by some of the cooked foods. The fried fig with peanut sauce and the fried octopus suckers were mediocre at best. The fig stem was still on, and after being fried and cooled, it was tough and inedible. What was described as “crunchy” suckers were rubbery and cold, and the breading on both bites was stale and unpleasant. To be honest, I had already had my reservations about these two items as I watched Chef Suzuki and his assistant plate them. Deep-fried foods are not meant to sit on cold plates for twenty minutes.

The crab in tomato water was fantastic. The meat was tender and juicy from being soaked, and the water was crisp and refreshing with a light aroma of tomatoes. The chūtoro was just fatty enough that I couldn’t eat two pieces consecutively, but still had a bite to it instead of just dissolving like ōtoro does.

Nigiri

shima-aji
black herring with kelp
ink squid
flying fish with flying fish roe
razor clam
kimedai
maguro
ōtoro
seared nodoguro
Hokkaido uni
anago
[one mystery fish that I forgot to write down]

The platter was the last of the appetizers. Twelve pieces of nigiri followed. I’m a slave to texture, so my favorites were the ink squid and the razor clam. The squid was creamy and had a great bite to it, and the razor clam was crunchy and flavorful.

I did find that many of the other nigiri were a tad too salty for my taste, a problem I didn’t quite know how to address since Chef Suzuki painted soy sauce over each piece of nigiri before serving. It seemed rude to ask for yet another alteration when I’d already asked for no wasabi. Of note was the Hokkaido uni nigiri. The uni itself was already salty, so the addition of salt flakes on top kicked it into the field of extreme saltiness.

That being said, although there was a paper stating “no wasabi” placed in front of me, and Chef Suzuki had a system of placing my nigiri in its own column on his work area, I did receive a nigiri with wasabi in it (the flying fish one). With an effort, I chewed, swallowed, and weakly reported the mistake. From then on, I kept close attention.

I also have to critique the preparation of the fish a bit. While most of the fish was sliced well and had the right texture, the seared nodoguro had an uncut tendon that made swallowing uncomfortable and the anago (cooked) had a bone that took me a bit of effort to retrieve (after mashing it all up thoroughly).

Regardless of how it reads, I did enjoy my sushi! The rice was wonderfully flavored, and the ratio of rice to fish was perfect. All of it was fresh and nothing was too fishy. The ōtoro was extremely high quality, though it was a little too fatty for my liking. I think it would have been excellent seared.

The sendoff

tamago and pickled cucumber
daikon and chūtoro hand roll
red miso soup
roasted green tea ice cream sandwich

The traditional tamago, made with whitefish here, was served with pickled cucumber alongside. I would say that it wasn’t my favorite in terms of texture, but I think it was done pretty well. Could have a been a bit more moist, perhaps.

Finally, there was a pickled daikon, chive, and chūtoro hand roll. This actually happens to be a variation on my mom’s favorite sushi. Every time we do omakase, she asks for a daikon, tuna, and shiso hand roll. The three ingredients are chopped together and made into a roll. It seems to be becoming more common everywhere. Chef Suzuki kept the chūtoro pieces fairly large, so there was a bite to it.

While it was tasty, I prefer the chopped version because the mixture becomes more homogenous. However, I found this sushi entertaining because it was the first time I saw someone toast seaweed on an induction cooktop. The iron rack that is usually over coals was placed upside down on the portable induction cooktop, and Chef Suzuki toasted each piece by dragging it over the top of the rack. Curious, but certainly less spectacular than the pot of smoking coals that I’m used to seeing countertop at omakase sushi bars.

We finished up the meal with a red miso soup containing succulent tiny mushrooms and an ice cream sandwich. The sandwich was composed of a scoop of roasted green tea ice cream, soft mochi, and some red bean paste between two delightfully crunchy, airy rice crackers, shaped with a lip so that no ice cream escaped from the sides when they were pressed together. So functional, so delicious.

Closing notes

While it wasn’t perfect, my experience at Satsuki was overall enjoyable. However, the meal was just a bit off the mark for me in terms of flavors and textures. Nothing egregious, just personal preference.

Although I won’t be returning to the sushi bar anytime soon, I do want to try kaiseki dining at Suzuki and drinks at Three Pillars. Seasonal menus are always enticing. Also, the drinks are supposed to be hangover-free, and I’ve always wanted to witness sorcery.

bluefin tuna tartar and monkfish liver
bonito sashimi salad with yuzu
mixed platter: sashimi and cooked foods
shima-aji
black herring with kelp
ink squid
flying fish with flying fish roe
razor clam
kimedai
maguro (akami)
ōtoro
seared nodoguro
Hokkaido uni
anago
[one mystery fish that I forgot to write down]
tamago and pickled cucumber
daikon and chūtoro hand roll
red miso soup
roasted green tea ice cream sandwich

Japanese terms

I’m not Japanese, but these are some terms that I’ve heard and used over the years. A lot of them are specific to sushi.

akami lean tuna

anago sea eel

chūtoro medium fatty tuna

kaiseki a traditional multi-course Japanese dinner

kimedai red snapper

maguro bluefin tuna, but if you ask for this at a restaurant without specifying what cut, you’ll get akami

nodoguro blackthroat seaperch

omakase “I’ll leave it up to you.” In dining, a meal consisting of dishes selected by the chef. Typically with an emphasis on sushi.

ōtoro the fattiest part of the tuna

shima-aji striped jack, sometimes called striped horsemackerel

tamago rolled egg

uni sea urchin

Category: Restaurants