Traditional Edomae sushi and the art of shokunin await at Taiga Dining

At Taiga Dining, masterchef Taiga Kanekuni embodies the principles of shokunin kishitsu where he honours the craftsman’s spirit, passionately showcasing his craft of Edomae sushi and offering fine seasonal omakase menus that showcase the finest ingredients.

The brand new 11-seater restaurant – reminiscent of his home prefecture of Kochi – his first namesake overseas post outside of Japan and a culmination of his 20-year experience as a shokunin in Edomae sushi restaurants in Niigata and Tokyo. “After working in Singapore for the past few years, I have grown to like this country very much and it gave me the idea to deliver my vision and style of omakase in a distinctive way,” he shares.

Set amidst an abstract Kochi rocky mountainscape design, the contemporary dining room is aptly called “The Cave”, complete with a cleverly hidden doorway that is concealed as part of the mountain landscape. The short journey starts at the “foothills” at the door. Wrapping around a narrow mountain crevice, the space opens up to the curved hinoki counter with split-face granite in the heart of the cave, complete with hinoki wood fragrances, shimmering metallic weaving and an intuitive Barisol lighting system.

Choose from three omakase menu options; specifically Ino Shika Cho ($280), Ka Cho Huu Getsu ($380) and Hi To To See ($480). The freshest ingredients are procured fastidiously from his single, decade-old trusted source, from whom he also sources unique ingredients from Kochi, such as its iconic buntan (pomelo), the famous katsuo bonito (skipjack tuna), auction-grade wild tuna, Murasaki uni and more. 

Each menu comprises a selection of appetisers, nigiri sushi, miso soup and dessert. What makes Taiga Dining stand apart from its competitors is not only the stellar quality of his ingredients, but also his specially formulated shari (a blend of four different rice and several red and white vinegars) which brilliantly teases out the unique and distinct flavours of the fresh, seasonal seafood. Signature seasonal dishes include Octopus and Monkfish Liver; Flounder with Buntan and Caviar; and Trio of Uni Handroll (all of which are available on the premium Hi To To See menu). 

Kanekuni’s culinary finesse is evident in his signature tako sushi, as he simmers the octopus in shoyu, sugar and sake for an hour for a tender yet toothsome bite, contrasting it with the rich, creamy and slightly sweet winter ankimo monkfish liver. Likewise, he pairs hirame with refreshing Kochi pomelo as it has less acidity and mild bitterness than a regular pomelo, tying the flavours together seamlessly with caviar (the latter ingredient is an ode to his western culinary experience in an Italian restaurant in Tokyo, as is his generous use of seasonal black truffles). Another interesting creation is his decadent Trio of Uni handroll, boasting three types of premium seasonal sea urchin cradled in A-grade jet black nori sheets.

Pair the menus with a discerning sake list, hailing lesser known sakes from small breweries of Kochi Prefecture. For connoisseurs, there is a fine sake range that includes IWA 5 Assemblage 1 and 2; Zankyo Super 7 from the Miyaga region made from rice polished to 7 percent; and La Isojiman, the creme de la creme of the sake world. A wine menu will be introduced at a later date. Also coming up shortly is House, Kanekuni’s adjacent sake lounge and diner also at Regent Singapore, poised to be his vision of a boutique lounge serving rare and exquisite sake from Japan.

Taiga Dining is at #01-03/04 Regent Singapore, 1 Cuscaden Road, Singapore 249715. Tel: 8031 4306