Gninethree | bake.capture.dine.travel

Ever since I tried my very first Aburi Salmon Roll at Wasai in Adelaide, I was in love. For starters, I was never a real fan of salmon but became a convert that night. Lightly seared for that slightly charred appearance but not thoroughly cooked just so the salmon is still melt-worthy when you bite into it. The combination of the creamy mayo, seaweed, crab meat and drizzled with sweet teriyaki sauce was just heavenly and I used to be able to finish 12 rolls all by myself. It was that good.

Since my return, I have been trying to find a worthy adversary of my Wasai Aburi Salmon Roll but to no avail. Most Japanese restaurants here serve their Aburi Salmon Nigiri style, which I often find dismal and not substantial enough to pack a punch. No, I like my Aburi Salmon Futomaki style. I am fussy like that. Because Wasai has spoilt me by setting such high standards. If you ever visit Adelaide, mark a trip down to Wasai.

I was alerted to The Sushi Bar, which is located inconspicuously at the corner of level 3 of Far East Plaza by my sister. This understated and modest-looking eatery according to her, serves the best Aburi Salmon Roll she has had in Singapore. With such a strong endorsement by her, I knew a lunch date was in order.

My sister who had been here multiple times since her first visit a few weeks back, insisted that for once I take the backseat and allow her to do the ordering instead. The excitement was definitely mounting and when this gorgeous platter soon arrived, I wanted to pick a roll up with my chopsticks almost instantly, but luckily I remembered to first capture a few shots.

Salmon Aburi Roll $13.90 (8 rolls)

These lovely cylindrical pieces were exactly what I had been searching for! Substantial and packed with ingredients for that variety of colour and textures. Extremely delightful and satisfying.

Soft Shell Crab Salmon Aburi Roll $15.90 (8 rolls)

And while I thought the regular Aburi Salmon Roll was good, this one blew me away. I loved how you could actually taste the soft shell crab despite everything else going on in the roll. While the crab usually gets drowned out in a sushi roll, this time instead, it accentuated the lightly charred salmon piece sitting on top with its saltiness and crunch. This was truly a stand-out.

Sake (Salmon) Belly $6.90

Unfortunately, I could not judge this as I do not eat sashimi but my sister could not stop raving about how chewy and extremely fresh it was, with tones of sweetness coming through the fatty layer.

Spicy Salmon Maki $4.50

I gamely finished half of this portion despite the sashimi filling because surprisingly the spicy mustard sauce was able to mask that aftertaste of raw fish which I usually shy away from.

Sirloin Steak $14.90 (100gm), $28.90 (200gm)

This beauty was quite the charmer with its gorgeous marbling and sweetness. Seared only on the exterior with the centre of every slice still red with that layer of fat so sinfully juicy and meat so tender. Dip it into the sauces served at the side and eat it with the garlic chips for a complete experience.

Tofu Cheese Cake $4.50

And ending that fantastic meal with the only dessert offering on the menu, this tofu cheese cake was silken smooth and creamy good. The mild cheese flavour meant that it wasnt too heavy or filling and believing that our cake was healthy because there was tofu in it, had us wanting for more!

The Sushi Bar is truly a hidden gem with very affordable prices and most importantly, quality and freshness of ingredients. All prices are also nett with lunch specials of bento sets available too! Can definitely see myself coming back again and again for that amazing Soft Shell Crab Salmon Aburi Roll and Sirloin Steak. And, Sashimi lovers, you will be in for a treat with the wide variety of fish offered here.

The Sushi Bar, you are really something special.

14 Scotts Road
Far East Plaza #03-89
Singapore 228213

Opening hrs:
Monday-Sunday 12-9.30pm