SINGAPORE — Another fine sushi restaurant has come to town, this time by way of chef Emmanuel Stroobant’s restaurant group in partnership with the owner of three-Michelin-starred Sushi Shikon in Hong Kong. Located right beside his new Saint Pierre restaurant on the second floor of One Fullerton, Shoukouwa is austere in its approach to food and design, even if its prices are not.

THE VIBE

Like most other high-end sushi restaurants, this one sits in a window-less room lined with brushed wood and slate walls. Its sushi counter is fronted by just eight seats, which puts the focus squarely on the rotating roster of three Japanese chefs and their food, most of which feature ingredients imported directly from Tokyo’s Tsukiji market every day.

WHAT TO ORDER

If nothing else, the limited number of seats is indicative of what it costs to dine here. There are only three menus: A S$150 set lunch and omakase for S$320 and S$480. For those prices, you get between 12 and 14 pieces of sushi, an appetiser, miso soup, tamago (omelette), dessert and several cooked dishes (or just one if you’re having the lunch set). Sashimi is only included in the omakase experience.

The variety and freshness of the food, both raw and cooked, cannot be faulted. At lunch, sushi chef Masa-chan cut precise slices of tuna in varying degrees of fatness, culminating it with otoro, the richest part of the belly. He torched its surface by holding bars of hot charcoal placed on a metal grill just above the fish, allowing the heat to release its 
delicious oils.

For the most part, the preparation of our meal were uncomplicated affairs — abalone from Chiba, to the north of Tokyo, was braised, sliced and served with a sauce made from its liver, egg, oil and miso to form a sort of earthy mayonnaise. Tongues of murasaki uni — sweet, cold and creamy — were piled on a nugget of pressed akita komachi rice, from the Yamagata prefecture.

In fact, unimpeachable fish aside, we found near-perfection in the sushi rice. To pair with the lighter cuts of white fish, the rice is seasoned with white vinegar, while red vinegar flavours the grains meant for 
fattier flesh.

WHAT TO SKIP

One of the less traditional offerings during our meal was a deep-fried croquette filled with a crabmeat bechamel (white sauce). While it was as crisp and velvety as any good croquette should be, the enjoyment of it was marred by the muddy-tasting crabmeat.

THE VERDICT

The restaurant has yet to build a following or a reputation, which makes its prices a bit of a tough sell. Right now, there is little that sets it apart from its competition in the sense that it lacks the energy and splendour of Shinji by Kanesaka’s interiors, or the cult of personality that chef Kenjiro Hashida and his team have built at 
Hashida Sushi.

No doubt, it is early days for 
Shoukouwa, and, if nothing else, one of its strengths lies in the excellent service meted out by its smart-suited service manager. With time perhaps, its team of chefs will build a rapport with diners to ensure their repeat patronage and a build a solid brand name for the restaurant.

Shoukouwa (http://shoukouwa.com.sg/)

Where: #02-02A One Fullerton

1 Fullerton Road

Telephone: 6423 9939

Opening hours: Tuesday to Saturday 11.30am to 3pm, 6.30pm to 11pm, Sunday 6.30pm to 11pm