Ikoi Japanese Restaurant

 

Ikoi Japanese Restaurant is my typical go-to place to satiate my sashimi cravings. While it is an ala-carte buffet-style restaurant that also offers sushi, makimono, yakimono & tempura, the biggest draw for me is still its fresh, quality sashimi.

The meal starts off with 2 slices of salmon belly that is served by default to welcome you. This  is not part of the buffet menu and is a one-time serving. 

Your first serving of sashimi order also arrives in a boat-shaped dish that will surely delight Instagram fans. Subsequent orders will come in normal serving plates, so make sure you get that shot away properly! 

The sashimi on offer includes salmon, tuna, yellow tail, swordfish (which was unfortunately unavailable on the day of my visit), cuttlefish and octopus. What I really love apart from the freshness is the fact that the chef cuts them in thick slices - almost an inch thick. This method of slicing enhances the taste of the fish for me as I get to taste more of the natural juices out of every bite.

There are more than 80 items available on the ala-carte menu, and apart from the sashimi, I zero in on the yakimono (grilled dishes). The tebasaki (grilled mid wings) are my personal favourite and I can polish off multiple wings at one go. It is grilled very simply with salt to draw out the natural flavour of the meat, with a wonderfully crispy skin on the outside. Too good not to go for multiple orders!

Other grilled dishes like the saba shioyaki, yakitori and shishamo are done pretty well too.

The tempura (deep-fried) items available are quite extensive too. Apart from the usual ebi (prawns), yasai (vegetables) and ika (cuttlefish), items like mushroom, lotus root and big onion are also available. You could try out the breaded version too. For me, while the tempura were served hot and crispy, and you could tell that the oil used was clean and fresh, the batter was just a little under-flavoured for me - missing that little savory saltiness that would have made it much more addictive.
 

The underlying grievance among patrons is that reservations at Ikoi are hard to make - their reservation hotline often goes unanswered. However, they have since introduced a What's App booking system and my enquiry was answered quite promptly and reservation made pretty easily. Reservations are a must - otherwise, chances of snaring a table via walk-in is very low!

Another drawback for me was that the wait in between order and serving was a too long. So one tip for you would be that when you do get the chance to submit your order with one of the friendly waitresses,  don't hold back and just order what you think you can finish. 

Prices have increased to $45++ though (from $37++) but given the variety of sashimi on offer, I think you will be hard-pressed to find a better deal anywhere else. 

You can check out my TikTok video below for a closer look at the ambience and dishes:
Jeff's TikTok Video on Ikoi Japanese Restaurant

Ikoi Japanese Restaurant
Miramar Hotel (Lobby Level)
Opens daily
Lunch 11.30am to 2.30pm
Dinner 6pm to 10.45pm
Reservations Hotline: 6887 3788
What's App Number: 9114 6463

Date of Last Visit: 6th May 2022