Always unable to decide what to order? At Teppei Japanese Restaurant, opting for the omakase set solves that problem.
When you order omakase, you’re leaving it up to the chef. And with Chef Yamashita helming the kitchen, you know you’re in good hands.
A cheerful chef who enjoys cooking for his customers, Chef Yamashita creates all the dishes in the menu himself. Having lived in Singapore since 2006, he tries to reimagine the food in Singapore for his menu. Diners at Teppei are always in for a treat!
For $80, you get an omakase dinner with 17 different dishes. How amazing is that?
We started off the meal with six appetisers, arranged on a segmented plate. The Salmon Miso With Roe came on a thin slice of cucumber, and the salmon chunks were topped with salmon roe which popped in my mouth. The Squid With Codfish Roe was surprisingly light on the palate, with a chewy and bouncy texture.
The Fried Fish Cake was a more substantial snack with a slightly sweet taste, and I could taste the fish bits too. Another more filling bite on the plate was the Season Rice Cake, which had a red bean filling and a chewy outer layer.
The Namasu, a radish and seaweed salad, was served in a hollowed-out lemon. The sourness of this dish really helped to open up my appetite! My personal favourite from the plate was the Homemade Tofu, which was actually denser than expected. The texture was almost like pudding, with a light hint of soybean.
I’m a huge fan of sashimi, so the raw fish platter was one of the highlights for me. There were seven different types of fish! Each slice was thick and generously cut. The Salmon was beautifully marbled, with fats that simply melted in my mouth. There were two different cuts of tuna: Bluefin Tuna Loin and Bluefin Tuna Belly. The loin portion was leaner and chewier, while the fatty belly cut was smooth and creamy.
The Silver Beltfish was chewy with a lingering sweet flavour, and I enjoyed how light it tasted too. While the Golden Eye Snapper came in a smaller portion, it had a very smooth texture. The Striped Mackerel had a creamy and rich flavour which I enjoyed too. I was less impressed with the Flounder, mainly because it was a lot chewier and a little rough.
Freshly imported from the Shizuoka prefecture, Chef Yamashita ground the wasabi root on the spot. The fresh wasabi was also lightly sweet without any of the sharp stinging taste that comes with the powdered form.
Next up, a Negitoro Handroll rolled with minced tuna and tempura fried batter for a crunchy bite, and a more filling dish of carbs.
When you’re dining at Teppei, get ready for some exciting experiences. Chef Yamashita sometimes feeds his customers right off the spoon! The Torched Scallop With Fresh Yuzu came served on a spoon, and the mouthful of scallop was super soft and fresh. I really loved the slightly sour tang of the yuzu at first, and the sweeter flavour of the scallop came out near the end.
Another fresh seafood dish is the Fresh Oyster With Yuzu Chilli, The Hiroshima oyster was huge and juicy, and likewise, the fresh briny flavour went well with the spicy tang of the yuzu chilli.
The Steamed Butterfish With Turnip has a hint of citrus which blends together with the oily fish and turnip for a lightly flavourful broth dish.
The Japanese Popped Rice is a light and quick snack, which tasted like a healthier version of popcorn. Japanese Baby Yam was served on a skewer, and this lightly fried snack had a slightly smoky flavour that went well with the sweeter flavour of the yam.
The highlight was the Waygu Beef Mille-Feuille, thin layers of A4 Wagyu beef with wasabi sandwiched in between. With the beef oil coating my tongue, I didn’t taste the sharp spiciness of the wasabi, but the fragrance still remained.
The Tonkotsu Somen Soup was a warm and comforting bowl of noodle soup. I enjoyed the complex flavours of the broth, which was infused with the sweet and savoury pork flavours.
At the end of the meal, you’ll get to pick one main dish from a selection of three – we had an assortment of sushi, made with the Niigata Koshihikari rice.
The Aji (horse mackerel) sushi was tender, and had a light fishy flavour. The Akagai (ark shell) sushi started off with a mild briny taste which became more obvious upon chewing.
The Tuna Belly sushi was drizzled with truffle soy sauce, which paired well with the tuna belly which melted in my mouth the moment I took a bite.
Chef Yamashita also piled a generous serving of uni on the Sea Urchin sushi. It may be high in cholesterol, but it’s good to indulge every once in a while!
An alternative main dish selection was the Wagyu or Uni fried rice, which could be a bit too filling after such a long meal. I’d stick with the sushis.
If you want to treat yourself, or bring that special someone out on a date, the omakase at Teppei Japanese Restaurant should be the top on your list! Make your reservations early, so that you don’t miss out on this unforgettable omakase experience.
Do note that Teppei’s omakase dinner does not accept walk-ins, and reservation seats are released on the first weekend of the prior month in advance via Teppei’s online booking system – you will need to reserve seats online. Visit Teppei’s facebook page for more information on how to book.
Expected Damage: $80 per pax
