KYUU BY SHUNSUI
29 Keong Saik Road, S(089136) T 6221-7098
“We wanted a [signature] dish that was Instagram-friendly,” reveals chef Takamasa Suzuki. He’s nailed it, clearly – the Nanatsuboshi rice (from Hokkaido) piled with gleaming ikura is what first gets us excited about venturing under the noren (fabric door curtain) of this Keong Saik restaurant.
Opened in September 2017, this sister to Kappo Shunsui at Cuppage Plaza quickly made waves on social media. We can see why: As the 33-year-old chef heaps the ikura onto the cup (or bowl – we get to choose) of rice grown over long summer days by cool mountain-water streams, the entire staff chimes, “yo-i-sho, yo-i-sho, yo-i-sho”. The way this dish is served was inspired by an experience Suzuki had in Hokkaido, and before he begins, he again relegates control to the diner: “Please tell me when you want me to stop [ heaping on the ikura].”
Greedy as we are, five scoops would be overkill.
While omotenashi (Japanesestyle hospitality) comes across strongly in this dish, Suzuki’s tight ship of four means pouring your own sake; slight delays in the removal of empty plates are common too. Also, the two chefs are only open to a la carte orders after 8pm. Fortunately, these issues don’t take much away from the casual dining experience.
Suzuki’s plates are deeply rooted in traditional Japanese elements, and heavy with natural flavours: the juicy tomato with setouchi seaweed salt needs little other than its jade leaf-like plate and the binchotan smoke that licked it. Ditto for the grilled king oyster mushroom brushed with sweet soya sauce, the sweet king crab served with vinegar and sudachi lime, as well as the medium-rare Kagoshima A3 wagyu beef sirloin partnered with a robust red wine sauce.
And the more than 40 kinds of sake (from sparkling to junmai daiginjo) offered help add up to one guaranteed spirited experience.