“A taste of puffer fish outside of Japan”
On the top my “Countries to go to” list is Japan – land of sushi, cherry blossoms and countless shrines. But what else? Of course, one thing we cannot miss out is Fugu, or the puffer fish. It is believed that the Japanese were the first to consume this poisonous creature, with evidence found in the form of bones hidden in shell mounds which date back to more than 2,000 years ago.
The question is, why? No one knows for sure, but today many enjoy this delicacy, as unnerving as it seems. If you, too, want to have a taste of this fish, fret not, because no longer will you have to purchase a pricey air ticket to Japan to eat it. Just head down to FUKU, which is located between the Clarke Quay and Dhoby Ghaut stations.
Being the first restaurant in Asia outside of Japan to specialise in fugu certainly sounds daunting, but calm your anxious minds; the fugu here is safe to eat. Fuku adheres strictly to regulations by the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA), importing the puffer fish with their organs, the most poisonous parts, removed.
Besides that, the team at FUKU specialises in preparing fugu with more than 20 years of experience. So no worries, you will be in safe hands here.
Even I composed myself and banished my unnecessary paranoia after a couple of bites of this delicious fish. It probably helped that the first dish served looked pretty normal.
Kobachi, or braised fugu, is an Appetizer here. Its texture is similar to regular fish slices, but slightly firmer and thicker. I could also taste a hint of sweetness, probably from the sauce, and it was a good start to the meal there.
Another appetiser served was Gelatine Meat, in a sour and savoury sauce. I really liked this one as it had such a refreshing taste and a chewy texture, similar to jellyfish. This also has fantastic benefits for your skin due to the collagen in it. So of course, besides finishing what was in my bowl I also wanted to ask for seconds. But too paiseh la.
Both the Appetizer and Gelatine Meat are complimentary starters for all customers!
Up next is probably the most known, fugu dish; Tessa ($39.00), or fugu sashimi which looked like a work of art when it was served. Arranged in concentric circles, the sashimi formed what looked like a huge flower. The Tessa slices were amazingly thin, to the point where they were almost transparent. I was quite intrigued by the fact that I could see the colours at the bottom of the plate. That’s some fine knife skills there.
Fugu sashimi is slightly chewier then the regular salmon or tuna, so not really a melt-in-your-mouth kind of experience, but has a pretty good texture. The sashimi itself is very subtle, so eat it with the ponzu or soy sauce provided for more flavour. Ponzu is appetising and a nice alternative which clings well to the Tessa.
The Fugu Sushi ($9.00 for 3) had thicker slices of fugu and tasted similar to the sashimi. I preferred the latter though.
The next one item was a pleasant surprise. We had the Deep Fried Fugu ($19.00), which was wonderfully light and crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. I had never really been a fan of kaarage, which can become overly tough and difficult to bite into, but this fugu version had a batter in an entirely different class of its own.
The fugu tasted a bit like chicken here, just slightly softer and more succulent. I like how this tasted like an upgraded version of the familiar kaarage. This would be great to order when eating with large groups as it is sure to be a crowd pleaser.
Next we had some Nabe, or Japanese hotpots. The first was a new flavour, the Soya Bean ($70++) broth. Slightly sweet and fragrant, it came with some fugu, tofu, vegetables and mushrooms. The soup looked milky and I could see the characteristic white curds of the soya bean in it.
We also had a more traditional soup base, the Tecchiri or clear soup ($70++). This one tasted a little bland after having the soya bean broth. However, this light soup had a hint of aroma and was great to have after so many courses.
Besides these two soups, FUKU has also released a new red miso base. It sounds interesting, so be sure to give it a try.
Finally, we had their grade Shabu Shabu Hotpot with A5 Miyazaki Beef ($70++). You would not expect much of the beef served at a restaurant that specialises in fugu (although if you know your beef, the wagyu brand is a giveaway already). But this could possibly be the best beef I ever had. The aroma of the beef was wonderful, and I could have eaten it plain even without the ponzu served for dipping.
If you are not adventurous enough for fugu, just visit for the beef. It is worth it.
I had a great first experience consuming fugu and found all the dishes to be very unique. If you are bored of usual Japanese fare in Singapore, come to FUKU for some heart-racing and new flavours.
FUKU will be having a promotion in the month of June 2015, where each hotpot goes for $60++ (1-2 pax) instead of $70++. Whether you are curious or a veteran fugu consumer, June is a great time to go give FUKU a try.
*Other than the hotpots, figures of all other dishes are add-on prices with each hotpot purchase.
Expected Damage: $50 – $80 per pax
