These general Japanese restaurants are the best restaurants to take the entire family as everyone's preferences will be satisfied.
Mikuni
For robatayaki, teppanyaki, sushi, or all
You can choose to dine at any of the three concepts at Mikuni, or experience it all by sitting at the general tables. At the robatayaki counter, chef Tsunenori Yamamoto expertly grills succulent cuts of Kagoshima beef ($75), Kurobuta pork (from $28), Hokkaido scallops ($30) and the catch of the day – fresh from Japan’s Tsukiji market – to your liking, serving the final result with a traditional wooden paddle; just as they do in Japan. At the teppan counter, chef Eric Yong entertains with cutting, chopping and flipping cuts of Japanese Wagyu ($160), Australian sirlion ($60) and foie gras ($42); the climactic flambé always gets us. For a more restrained performance, observe executive chef Moon Kyung Soo at the sushi station as he plates truffle kampachi ($28) – thinly sliced yellow tail toped with yuzu and black truffle soy, the ebi tempura ($33) and the sous vide octopus ($30) tempura. Have spare cash to splash on a culinary journey? Mikuni has a nine-course Grand Tasting Tour for $220 – worth it for the quality, if you ask us.
Mikuni | Address: 3/F Fairmont Singapore, 80 Bras Basah Road | Tel: 64316156 | Opening hours: noon-2.30pm, 6.30-10.30pm
Rakuzen
For aburi sushi, beef and everything else
This Malaysia-originated chain has done quite well in Singapore, with two branches frequented by office workers in the Millenia and Tampines areas. We like the menu (same at both outlets) for the all-inclusive selection of grilled items, sashimi and maki rolls. The saikoro steak yasai itame (diced beef steak with pan-fried vegetables, $15), thickly-sliced aburi sushi moriawase (torch-grilled assorted sushi, $25), six kinds of sashimi (12 pieces for $30), and crunchy "Dragon" roll with fried king prawn topped with avocado ($14) are what we always have at our table. Though the menu sounds very run-of-the-mill, these guys are dedicated to quality: they polish their imported, unmilled, Akitakomachi rice in the kitchen every day for use, and they claim the fish they import sleep during the journey from Japan to Singapore.
Rakuzen | Address: 9 Raffles Boulevard, Millenia Walk #01-14 | Tel: 63331171 | Opening hours: Mon-Thu 11.30am-3pm, 6-10pm; Fri-Sun 11.30am-10pm
