Sushi stalwart Aoki stages comeback with new restaurant, still serving good-value chirashi sets

THE first question on one’s mind when it comes to Aoki restaurant’s new location is: Will he still serve the same value-for-money maze chirashi lunch sets that he used to at his former premises in Shaw Centre?

Yes, he will be, but at a revised price of S$60 (up from S$45) for the generous bowl of sushi rice topped with myriad chopped fish that has consistently been rated among the best chirashi sets (inclusive of salad and dessert) in town. It’s S$70 if you want it with uni, but still a good deal at a time when it’s impossible to eat in a proper sushi-ya without shelling out a minimum three-figures for an omakase-only menu even at lunchtime.

After 20 years as part of the Les Amis group where he held court at the corner of Claymore Hill, chef-owner Kunio Aoki closed shop on Dec 31 last year to strike out on his own. On Jun 13, his new eponymous venture opens in Millenia Walk – right next door to tempura restaurant Tenshima, which faces the Conrad Centennial Singapore.

It is pretty much the same concept as before, says Aoki, who adds that the restaurant is fully funded without any outside partners. He is joined by familiar faces, namely his right-hand man Soh Chee Wai – fondly referred to as Ah Wai by regulars – and Japanese chef Naoya Nakamura.

The restaurant design – by Tokyo-based Design Studio Spin – incorporates the same handmade Japanese wooden screens that graced the old Aoki, now taking pride of place behind the main sushi counter which seats 10 diners.

“The space is almost the same as before, but we have reduced the number of seats to give customers the feeling of having more space,” explains Aoki. “We also have two private rooms with four to seven seats.” Besides the three sushi chefs, there are three other chefs and “one talented local staff I would like to nurture and train to become another skilful sushi chef like Ah Wai”.

Unlike “many sushi restaurants that only serve omakase with the same food items all the time”, Aoki wants to “return to the basics of a sushi restaurant”, he says. “We will offer omakase menus based on the customer’s preference and expand our a la carte options”.

He adds that “prices have increased slightly but not by much”. Lunch sets are priced from S$60 to S$100 and include the chirashi, nine or 11-piece nigiri sets, and grilled or simmered dishes. Dinner sets are priced from S$80 to S$160, or you can set your own price for omakase menus. 

Like restaurants of old, he plans to display a range of fish and other seafood items in see-through cases at the counter, so customers can get a visual feast of what’s on offer. Aoki continues to use the same suppliers that he has cultivated over the past decades, mainly from Toyosu market in Tokyo. “I go to Japan about four times a year when the seasons change,” he says. “We are particular about our tuna, and our favourite supplier is Yukitaka Yamaguchi, whom I’ve known for 23 years – he’s like a comrade-in-arms. We serve fresh raw black tuna from nearby waters all year round.”

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The Millenia Walk location is a change of scenery for Aoki “after having worked in the Orchard area for over 30 years”, but he likes the current street-facing location which houses an enclave of restaurants. He adds that while he’s “grateful for the many investment offers from our customers”, he prefers to go it alone this time.

With a steady base of regulars, and a menu priced to be more accessible to a wider crowd, chances are he’ll soon have plenty of company in his dining room too.

Sushi Aoki is at #01-11 Millenia Walk, 9 Raffles Boulevard, Singapore 039596. Tel: 6333-8015 or WhatsApp 8737-2988.