It is tradition in my family to have a nice meal together, before anyone in the family goes off for an extended trip. So just before their 20 day sojourn to Germany, my parents chose to go to Fukuichi Japanese Dining for dinner.
I’ve heard good things about Fukuichi, especially about it’s attention to quality, so I was pretty psyched to go. We ordered a few things, so I’ll spare you the details and focus on what I thought was great there.
Cornerstones Covered
The test of a proper Japanese sit-down type of restaurant is the sashimi. It’s a sensitive type of food which calls for a high level of care and attention. There’s so much that goes into good sashimi, even before it arrives in the restaurant. Fish has to be fresh, well-chosen and transported properly, so a good supplier needs to be chosen. The cost of such bringing in such quality is already high. Once it hits the restaurant, how the fish is handled is another hurdle that only the chef can cross. How the chef slices the fish and presents it will decide how much freshness is brought out.
So, did Fukuichi deliver on the Sashimi? Absolutely.
The Sashimi Moriawase is a delight to have. The fish is sourced and handled by a parent company, so they have direct control from ship to table. This means safety from food poisoning from both bacteria and parasites, highly important for raw fish.
The fish is generously sliced, but not overwhelmingly so. The swordfish was my favourite – firm and refreshingly juicy at the same time. More crucially, the prawns possessed a sweetness that is hard to find here in Singapore (at this price at least). Needless to say, the scallops were on point.
Quality Sashimi
The sashimi was the star, but the sushi is the silent workhorse. It doesn’t shout out loud, it’s not fancy but it does the job effectively. Every Nigiri sushi had a thinly sliced piece of fish with just the right amount of wasabi and the tuna maki was easy to chow down on. The rice was slightly heavier than I thought it should be, but it didn’t hurt the overall experience. I would definitely order this again for a group setting.
The Workhorse – Sushi
Grilled Surprise
While we didn’t order many cooked items, the one that really stood out for me was the grilled beef with miso sauce.
Got beef?
If you’re asking where the Miso is, it’s hidden under the beef nicely. It’s a thick layer of miso paste right under the meat, meant to give the beef a robust flavour. Not to say that the beef doesn’t do well alone. It’s tender and palatable, but the miso does motivate you to take just “one more piece“.
Quality and Affordability
It’s a simple combination that works. Fukuichi Japanese Dining does do a heck of a job with its food, and does very well to keep it within reason. It’s near impossible to have Japanese food of this quality along Orchard Road without going over the $80 mark, but the management at Fukuichi has achieved the near-impossible.
Just one thing to take note: While we did make a reservation online the day before, we were not placed on the list. While our service experience was less than ideal, it was in no way deal-breaking for me. After all, who doesn’t make a mistake or two?
Details:
What: Fukuichi Japanese Dining
Where: 111 Somerset Road, #02-11/12
Reservations: 6271 5586 / 6472 8269 or online (Click on “Contact”)
Remember to order: Sashimi Moriawase (Jyo), Sushi Moriawase
