It's so hard to find a Japanese eatery that serves authentic and umami Japanese food without burning a big hole in my pocket. Needless to say, the best Japanese food I had or anyone could find, would be in Japan. For now, at least in Singapore, Koh Grill & Sushi Bar is one of the few places I frequently indulge in to satisfy my endless craving for Japanese food.
Some pre-visit messages:
1. Be prepared to pay! Though it may be situated near the food court area, the food prices aren't food court prices! At most times, bills amount to more than common sushi chains such as Sakae Sushi, or even Sushi Tei.
2. Expect appalling service! You might be searching for eye contact or waving hands for more than 10 minutes before you could flag down a waitress. That will be the norm there. Why? Because there's no service charge!! Hahahaaa... On a serious note, I believe it's probably because they are rather understaffed and the restaurant is constantly packed with a never-ending queue lining out there with killing stares! This brings me to my next point.
3. Wear a pair of comfortable shoes! Because you might have to queue for 20 minutes. I read a blogger who said that he queued for an hour! Wow... he was so suay lor... Lucky me.. I've visited Koh Grill & Sushi Bar many times and I've only waited for about 10 minutes or so. The longest waiting time was about 15 minutes.
4. Make reservation please, if you wanna skip the queue and if you're going in a big group. See the contact number at the end of my post!
5. Prepared to get cozy. Many couples visit Koh Grill & Sushi Bar. I've seen three couples sitting side by side in a six-seater table, three girlfriends lining on one side and their boyfriends opposite them, lining on the other side. Haha, they can check out one another's girl/boy. Unless you don't mind counter seats, the tables are placed pretty close to one another.
6. Go with a empty stomach! Koh Grill & Sushi Bar has a very extensive menu. They have sashimi, tempura, sushi, maki, grilled items, fried rice, udon and etc. You'll be spoilt with choices and might not have an idea what to order!
And because you might not know what to order, based on my visit experiences, I shall recommend the following...
Unsweetened Iced Green Tea ($1.50) - With all the strong flavorful food, I prefer something that will cleanse my taste buds.
Salmon Sashimi ($8, 5 slices) - I wouldn't shout a loud "so fresh". But it would not be an exaggeration to say that the sashimi here is fresher than many sushi restaurants.
Shiok Sushi ($6 per piece) - A mouth size sushi with aburi salmon. Basically, a mini version of the shiok maki with a larger slice of salmon wrapped around the sushi.
Shirane Tofu ($8) - Fried tofu with crispy fish skin. The generous amount of sauce did not dampen the crispiness of the tofu and fish skin. The combination was so interesting and by interesting, I meant it in a weird way, but it was surprisingly delicious and refreshing. I like it.
Foie Gras Maki ($28) - Foie gras sushi roll wrapped with aburi swordfish is the BEST maki I had in Koh Grill & Sushi Bar.
Shiok Maki 2nd Generation ($16.80) - Crispy prawn sushi roll wrapped with aburi salmon is better that the original 1st generation, in my opinion. Or maybe because I prefer prawn to eel. Heehee...
Crabby Maki ($18) - Crispy soft-shell crab and seaweed sushi roll wrapped with seared swordfish belly is a must-try if you love soft-shell crab. I like that it is not oily and the crisp remained even after being left on the table while I was busy snapping photos of other dishes.
Tempura Moriawase Special ($15) - Comprises prawns, squid, eggplant, pumpkin, and soft-shell crab tempura. It would be too much and too heavy for one person. The menu also stated that it is ideal for two persons. The batter is light, thus the outer is very crispy. I like the tempura dipping sauce which added flavor to the rather plain tempura.
Grilled Salmon Skin / Shake Kawa ($4) - This is different from the common fried salmon skin. As it is grilled, there's almost no oiliness in the dish. It is lightly salted and I enjoyed it as much as I enjoy potato chips! Maybe they could rename it as Grilled Salmon Chips. Hahahaa..
Asparagus Pork Belly Maki ($3 per stick) - I'm being biased. It's one of my favorite grilled items. Hahahaa...
Beef Fillet ($12) - Comparable to what is served at The Sushi Bar (Far East Plaza) but I'll prefer the beef fillet at Koh Grill & Sushi Bar because of the sauce that comes with it. The sauce is the key that made the beef fillet so delicious. The waitress questioned me in disbelief when I ordered two of this.
Before you leave, just walk near and give a shout-out and thank Patrick! The busy chef who has been torching the famous makis at the bar counter. Patrick is very friendly and will sure return your thanks with a big smile!! (^O^)
Koh Grill & Sushi Bar
Address: #04-21, Wisma Atria Shopping Centre, 435 Orchard Road
Phone: 91803805
Opening hours: (Daily) 11:30 - 22:30
