Move aside, Genki Sushi and Itacho Sushi for there is a new kid on the block!

After what seemed like an eternity, Japan’s largest conveyor belt sushi chain Sushiro has finally reached our shores, bestowing us with not one, not two but three outlets across the island in just a span of 6 months (with the newest one at Causeway Point) to satisfy our insatiable appetite for sushi!

What’s the difference, the uninitiated may ask, between Sushiro and the many existing kaiten sushi chains here that warrants your attention? For a start, Sushiro has an extensive menu. Having tried Sushiro at their Taipei branch last year, I knew very well that the newcomer to Singapore’s food scene wasn’t going to disappoint in terms of their offerings. Apart from the usual sushi staples, you can expect other ingenious sushi creations as well, such as sea urchin and roasted beef (yes, this is actually one dish – best of both worlds for people like me!), monkfish liver gunkan, baby scallop and dongpo pork, not forgetting outlet-exclusive ingredients (which I will be elaborating on shortly)! Their appetiser and dessert menu is nothing short of inventive and decadent as well, with items like cold chawanmushi, mango shaved ice and heavenly catalana that will ignite the fireworks of enjoyment in you.

As my companion and I already had our orders in mind (we had long craved for a number of Sushiro dishes so their inception in Singapore was extremely timely!), we jumped straight into adding them to our virtual cart on the tablet. Within minutes, our personal conveyor belt (which is a division from the main lane) would be jam-packed with our orders and we had to scramble to bring them down onto our table (we had clearly underestimated the preparation time and trust me, it got crazier towards the end when we couldn’t find space on the table for approaching orders). Talk about efficiency 😅 Lesson learnt; clear your plates before you place new orders!

Now, here’s a fun fact: did you know that every sushi plate has an IC (short for integrated circuit) tag integrated into it to ensure that any sushi that has travelled 350 metres around the conveyor belt would be replaced with fresh ones? As someone who tends to avoid picking up sushi on the conveyor belt (as you wouldn’t know what other patrons had done to them before they reached you..), this certainly gives me a peace of mind.

Without further ado, let’s get right down to the truckload of food we had at Sushiro (so that you won’t need to) and some of our honest opinions on a selected few. Be warned, though, that the abundance of food pictures coming your way may trigger your hunger pangs so if you’re reading this at night, S-T-A-Y A-W-A-Y(and come back later 🤣).

(Note: prices stated are exclusive of prevailing GST and Service Charge)

Appetisers

The cold chawanmushi was intriguing as it was something different from the norm. It had chunks of dashi stock that had been gelatinised to look like little pieces of precious gemstones that shimmered as the light bounced off the individual bits and pieces. Taste-wise, it was very similar to the hot version (I suppose the cold one would make a more refreshing alternative during sweltering days!) but I wouldn’t recommend this if you have sensitive teeth like me 😫

Mini Ramen, Sushi and Sashimi

The moment I saw this on the menu, I knew I had to get it because I absolutely love uni! I was rather impressed by the amount of uni (which is an expensive delicacy, if you didn’t know) served with such a small portion of noodles. The al dente te noodles were unfortunately clumped together which made it hard to eat. Furthermore, it would be a tad dry if not for the uni sauce. However, the dollop of uni compensated for all the shortfall.

And in case I wasn’t clear enough, the portion of the Uni Ramen is too small to be eaten as a main dish, but is definitely sufficient in satisfying your exquisite taste for uni! I totally wouldn’t mind returning just for this.

One of the crowd favourites, the salmon with basil cheese sushi is an east-meets-west fusion dish done right. The basil cheese added a different dimension and flavour profile to the sushi. The cheese might be a little too overwhelming to the extent that it kind of masked the taste of the fish, but it is still a unique dish that is worth trying nonetheless.

Available for a limited time only, the otoro sushi was value for money with mouthwatering marbling of fats to give a meatier chew.

As for the roasted beef sushi (which makes an unusual choice of sushi ingredient), the sauce complemented the cut of beef rather well. The cut of beef was cooked evenly although it might be a little too well done and was chewy at certain parts. Even so, it was not difficult to chew and swallow. The texture was also pretty soft for a cut of beef that was cooked well. If you like sea urchin (uni), be sure to opt for sea urchin and roasted beef sushi instead!

Desserts and Beverages

This paled in comparison to the real deal I had in Osaka last year as it did not give me that melt-in-your-mouth goodness I was anticipating. The texture felt more like that of a jelly – slightly rigid and rubbery. I say give this a miss unless you need some bitterness (from the matcha powder) to balance out the sweetness of other desserts that you are having.

Hattendo might have bade farewell to its patrons at Tanjong Pagar Centre following its store closure but its legacy remains. Sushiro has collaborated with Hattendo to continue to offer you its famous custard and chocolate cream buns, and matcha and coconut puddings! The coconut pudding had a satisfying crunch to it and the taste was rather close to chendol. However, we were slightly dismayed by the flat taste of the matcha one.

The mango shaved ice dessert lost out in terms of the richness of its mango flavour and sweetness although it can be argued as a healthier choice for people who are more conscious about their sugar intake. Texture-wise, the ice was shaved super thinly and was actually a joy to eat. This, combined with its not-so-sweet profile, meant that the dessert would be a hit among both young and old. The serving portion is huge too and can be shared between two or more people.

The chicken karaage, I would say, was a glorified version of har cheong gai – but I’m not complaining! Served piping hot, the batter was light and crispy and did not retain as much oil. It was so fragrant that I could actually smell it while on its way to me, and I just couldn’t resist having seconds! (And by seconds, I meant, like, repeated order 😛)

The catalana dessert was what I missed most about Sushiro during my stay in Taiwan. I even resorted to searching for the recipe online – that’s how much I loved it! Hence, when I got wind of Sushiro’s venture into Singapore, all that went through my mind was catalana… catalana… catalana… 🤤

Catalana (or Crema Catalana as the Spanish calls it) is very similar to the French crème brûlée, but is made from milk and then thickened with cornstarch and eggs. It consists of a rich custard base topped with a texturally contrasting layer of hardened caramelised sugar. I do not consider myself as one with a sweet tooth, but the catalana somehow managed to hit all the sweet spots!

Ah, yes, we were pretty amazed by the capacity of our stomachs as well. But it probably took me five trips to the gym to finally get rid of all the calories I gained that night. Still, stuffing my face with such great food from Sushiro was so worth it.

Despite the paranoia surrounding the virus outbreak, their Isetan Scott outlet was abuzz with diners lining up to secure a seat when I was there a few weeks ago and I am pretty sure the crowd hasn’t subsided yet (because there are only three outlets? And not a single one in the North-East region? How can?!). Hence, I thought it was very thoughtful of Sushiro to roll out a mobile application [Download: iOS / Android] for customers to make reservations for tables. The app also allows you to monitor your waiting time so that you won’t have to hang around the restaurant mindlessly when you could be doing something more meaningful (like shopping at Isetan Department Store? 😉) Oh, and don’t worry about table hoggers because there is a 60-minute dine-in period. This means you’ll definitely get a table within this time frame.

What do you think? Have you tried Sushiro before? What do you think about their food? Let me know your views in the comments below!

Thanks for reading!

Sushiro (Isetan Scotts) · 350 Orchard Rd #04-00 Shaw House Singapore 238868 · Operating hours: 11.00 am – 9.00 pm (Sun – Thu) & 11.00 am – 9.30 pm (Fri & Sat) (Please refer to THIS FACEBOOK POST for temporary closing times) · Nearest MRT station: Orchard (NS22) · For more information, please visit Sushiro FACEBOOK PAGE, INSTAGRAM or WEBSITE.

this was a media invitation. ALL OPINIONS EXPRESSED ARE MY OWN.

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