SHINJI BY KANESAKA (CARLTON HOTEL)

Carlton Hotel Singapore, Lobby Level, 76 Bras Basah Road, S(189558) TEL: 6338 6131

The competition is fairly stiff when it comes to sushi restaurants in Singapore, but there’s one reason Shinji by Kanesaka remains perpetually popular: consistency. No matter how many times you visit, the food is always stellar, and it’s complemented by warm and efficient service, as you’d expect from a top-notch Japanese restaurant. The branch at Carlton Hotel features a hinoki wood sushi counter that can seat more than 10 comfortably and is helmed by two sushi masters. All of the set menus work well—it just depends on how much time you have to spare—but we find that the best plan is to leave it to the experts and get the Chef’s Omakase Special. Yes, the prices make Shinji by Kanesaka the type of restaurant one would only go to for a special occasion, but you’re assured your money’s worth. As far as we know, this is one of the few sushi places in Singapore that’s of the same calibre as those in Ginza—where its flagship resides.