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“Premium imports from Japan”
If you are looking to indulge in some premium Japanese food that would not leave you scrimping on a budget at the end of the month, then Kinsa Sushi will be the ideal place to eat at. The restaurant has put a new spin on the ‘Kaiten‘ (Conveyor Belt) concept in Singapore by featuring Singapore very first ‘levitating’ sushi belt.
Over a single piece table-counter, sushi plates were magnetically attracted to the moving glowing conveyor belt. I couldn’t help but think of how easy clean-up would be. Very clever.
The restaurant provides a homely and cosy ambiance, with rather wood-driven furniture much to the style of Japanese shops. They have also been kind enough to install blinders for those who are seated at the windows; it can get pretty bright sometimes.
I immediately noticed a strange sight a few steps into the restaurant. There were fresh seafood within a fish tank up for display! Upon further inquiry, it was found out that Kinsa Sushi actually enables customers to decide how they wanted their picks of seafood to be prepared. The restaurant guarantees the freshness of the fishes by flying them in every two to three days directly from various regions in Japan.
Usually, the most asked-for way of preparing the fishes would be to prepare both sides of the fish as Sashimi, with the rest of the fish made into a broth. I thought it was really magnanimous of the restaurant to only charge for the cost of the actual fish and not for the preparation methods.
I marvelled at just how fresh the Isaki Sashimi – Grunt Fish ($32) was when I placed it in my mouth. It was excellent even on its own but when paired with a tad of the Japanese vinaigrette the restaurant had provided? Heavenly. It seemed as though the meat simply melted with every chew, releasing nuances of sweetness which kept me attacking the fish fervently with my chopsticks.
The Salmon Sashimi ($4.80 for 3pcs) were cut thickly and I felt that it was quite good value-for-money.
After finishing the Isaki, the bones are made into a broth like so.
Kinsa Sushi’s Foie Gras Mizore Mushi (Foie Gras Soup, $6.80) surprised me because of its richness and fragrance. Balanced delicately with minced radishes, the soup was not overpowered simply by the taste of foie gras. Instead, hints of mushroom still peeked through mouthfuls of soup. The foie gras cubes themselves were also absolutely tender.
Kinsa Sushi’s prized Wagyu Don ($24.90) had me feeling just a little bit disappointed. There might have been a little too much sauce drizzled over the dish as it was slightly too sweet for my liking.
Furthermore, even though the marbling of the Kagoshima A4 Wagyu Beef Slices was awe-worthy, I would have preferred if the beef was a tad more flavourful. The rice, on the other hand, was utterly fluffy and aromatic.
I can already imagine how salivation-inducing the Wagyu Don would be if there was less sauce and if the beef was given a tad more flavour.
My favourite dish has got to be their Kanpachi Kama (Amberjack Collar, $16.80). The meat was tender and wonderfully grilled to perfection. A touch of lemon juice also brought out the natural flavour of the fish meat; overall a highly enjoyable dish.
I think that the combination of cucumber, avocado, aburi salmon and salmon roe can never go wrong and Kinsa Sushi has proved me right with their delightfully delicious Kinsa Roll ($14.80).
Things get more interesting with the restaurant’s Dragon Roll ($14.80), where Fried King Prawn meets avocado, mango and also flying fish roe. I wasn’t a big fan of the pairing of mango with avocado but the crispiness of the fried prawn really meshed well with the mushiness of avocado.
Peanut Mochi ($4), Black Sesame Mochi ($4), Yuzu Sherbet ($4.50), Green Tea Ice cream ($3.80). Out of all the deserts which Kinsa Sushi offered, I liked their Yuzu Sherbet the most. It was light and refreshing, wholly infused with the tangy flavour of Yuzu; the epitome of a sorbet.
Overall, I feel that it would be rather hard to find another restaurant which offers such great value-for-money like Kinsa Sushi does. They really do employ premium ingredients imported directly from Japan and the quality of food they serve is telling of that fact. I would definitely return for more of their Kanpachi Kama (Amberjack Collar) and Seasonal Fish Sashimi.
Expected Damage: $20 – $40 per pax
