Mai By Dashi Master Marusaya Tasting Session

Mai By Dashi Master Marusaya Tasting Session
46 Bukit Pasoh Road

Opening Hours:
Mon - Sat: 12pm - 2:30pm (Lunch), 6pm - 11pm (Dinner),
Closed Sun

https://www.facebook.com/mai.by.marusaya/

This was an invited media review. I did not pay for the meal during the free hosted tasting session.
Attended with representatives from Jennifer Yeo Lifestyle, Chubby Botak Koala, Eat Dream Love, and The Arctic Star.

Seasonal Sashimi

Exquisite Japanese Omakse Experience

(Ratings: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 = Worst and 10 = Best)
Overall: 9
Ambience & Setting: 8
Food & Beverage: 10
Service: 9
Value for Money: 10
Budget about SGD $88++ per person.

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Mai By Dashi Master Marusaya opened in July 2019, and is operated by the Marusaya Group (a Japanese katsuobushi wholesaler), which also operates sister restaurants TEN Sushi, Monte Risaia, and the eponymous Dashi Master Marusaya. Specialising in Japanese claypots and affordable omakase meals, Mai By Dashi Master Marusaya stands out from the rest, by being an omakase that incorporate high quality, all-natural dashi (Japanese soup stock) into the majority of their dishes, giving them a distinctive flavour.

Mai By Dashi Master Marusaya Signage

Mai By Dashi Master Marusaya Exterior

Mai By Dashi Master Marusaya Interior

Ambience at Mai By Dashi Master Marusaya is warm and intimate. Intentionally designed to seat up to 38 people only, a meal here is an experience, not just a transaction. Lit by warm lights, the simple but functionally comfortable wooden seats are neatly arrayed, with tables separated by partitions to allow for quiet conversations. There's 2 small private rooms for group dining, but the draw is sitting around the large omakase counter where you get to interact with the chefs.

Entrance

Corridor

Counter

Service at Mai By Dashi Master Marusaya is efficient yet discreet. Many are the times staff quietly top up drinks, softly offer to clear finished plates throughout the meal, and generally, make the dining experience really pleasant. Being an omakase, product knowledge is the highlight here, with customers being able to interact and ask questions of the chefs, who introduce each dish as it's served. If you're seated around the counter, you get to watch them create and plate the dishes masterfully.

Omakase Kitchen

Table Setting

Bonsai

Food at Mai By Dashi Master Marusaya is gourmet Japanese cuisine, using only the freshest, highest quality ingredients. While some dishes are straightforward, the high quality means they taste different, fresher, or bolder than what you'd normally expect. Others are unique house creations, showcasing the artful creativity of the chefs in combining textures and flavours that wow. Portions are sized for individuals. Prices are more affordable than other omakases elsewhere, excellent value for money. Budget about SGD $88++ per person for a meal here.

Seating

Private Room

Mai By Dashi Master Marusaya Menu Tasting

Hailing from Fukushima, Tohoku, Japan, Chef Hiroyuki Ono brings years of culinary skill honed at various Japanese fine dining establishments, including the 1-Michelin star Yamazato Japanese Restaurant and the acclaimed NAMI Restaurant and Bar. Chef Hiroyuki Ono believes in creating artistic dishes which dazzles diners, by combining fresh gourmet ingredients together to create a harmony of different textures and flavours. He happily chats with diners while preparing each dish, explaining the creative process and ingredients, and proudly demonstrates his skill in filleting, torching, rolling, and plating. A humourous individual, Chef Hiroyuki Ono says his favourite Singaporean dish is Wanton Noodles!

Their all-natural basic dashi (Japanese soup stock), known as satsuma hongare-honbushi, is made from skipjack tuna fish / bonito that is smoked and dried for 3 weeks, then fermented for more than 2 years. This aged bonito is then cooked with rishiri kombu kelp seaweed (harvested from the frigid waters of Northen Hokkaido in Japan), for over 1 hour to create their delicious dashi stock, which serves as the base for the majority of dishes here. Besides satsuma hongare-honbushi, they also make other versions of dashi in-house, including niboshi (anchovies & seaweed stock) and sababoshi (cured Spanish mackeral fish & seaweed stock).

Chef Hiroyuki Ono

Chef Hiroyuki Ono Torching

Chef Hiroyuki Ono Slicing

Chef Hiroyuki Ono Plating

Chef Hiroyuki Ono showed us his Hand-Crafted Sushi Knives. These are exactly the same brand of knives, made from the same materials by the same craftsmen; except, the longer knife is brand new, while the shorter knife has been used for over 15 years! Chef demonstrated how he sharpened the knife blade, stroking it swiftly against a sharpening block. He sharpens his knife twice daily - before lunch and before dinner. Through over 15 years of use, the knife has gotten shorter and shorter as it wears down, yet, the blade is as sharp as ever, able to cut paper. These don't come cheap, Chef says the brand new version costs $7,000! He jokingly refers to the 15-year old knife as his "faithful wife" while the brand new knife is his "new girlfriend".

Hand-Crafted Sushi Knives

A warm mug of Green Tea (SGD $Complimentary), which is refillable. The thick walls of the ceramic mug help retain the heat, keeping the green tea warm. Has a delicate earthy grassy flavour. Staff regularly check on and top-up the mug discreetly.

Green Tea (SGD $Complimentary)

We sampled the Sushi & Dashi Omakase course during our visit, which consists of 2 appetizers, a platter of seasonal sashimi with 3 or 4 varieties, a Japanese egg omelette / tamago dish, a seasonal fish dish, a seasonal meat dish, a sunomono / palate cleanser, 7 kinds of sushi, a miso soup, and a seasonal dessert. I understand the menu changes every 1 month or so. With up to 16 dishes in all, we were surprised this cost only SGD $88++ per person, a reasonably priced omakase that's great value for money, and cheaper than elsewhere. In fact, Chef Hiroyuki Ono says when he previously worked in Michelin-starred restaurants, this exact omakase using the same ingredients would cost about SGD $300 per person!

Pickled Ginger

The Hotaru Ika, Kairan, Katsuobushi, also known as Firefly Squid, Japanese Kai-Lan, Bonito Flakes, features 2 fresh and small pieces of hotaru ika / firefly squid / sparkling enope squid, which are crunchy and slippery in texture, with delicate sweet savoury flavour, nicely clean-tasting. The kairan / Japanese kai-lan / Japanese kale / Japanese broccoli is crunchy with lovely vegetal sweet earthy flavour. The garnish of wispy katsuobushi / bonito flakes / smoked skipjack tuna fish flakes lend a robust smoky savoury salty flavour. Served in a refreshing dashi and rice vinegar gravy, which excites with its sharp sour savoury notes, opening the palate.

Hotaru Ika, Kairan, Katsuobushi / Firefly Squid, Japanese Kai-Lan, Bonito Flakes

The Kuro To Shiro Goma Tofu To Ikura, also known as Mixed Sesame Tofu With Salmon Roe, is made primarily with mashed kuro goma / black sesame seeds, blended with some mashed shiro goma / white sesame seeds, packed into a firm wobbly dense tofu beancurd. This has deep nutty earthy flavours, with a pudding-like texture. Garnished with juicy globules of bright ikura / salmon fish roe, which burst with briny salty sweet flavour. Served in a refreshing dashi, mirin rice wine, and light soy sauce gravy, which holds robust salty sweet sour savoury flavours.

Kuro To Shiro Goma Tofu To Ikura / Mixed Sesame Tofu With Salmon Roe

The Seasonal Sashimi is served with 3 types of seasonal fish. During our visit, we received these thickly sliced, all super fresh and clean-tasting, having a tender moist succulent bite that indicates the fish was treated and filleted with skill. The meaty akami / tuna fish loin had deep savoury sweet flavour, while the luxurious otoro / tuna fish belly had lovely sweet savoury fatty oily flavour. The supein no saba / Spanish mackerel fish was aburi / lightly torched, and had enticing savoury sweet smoky flavour. The kinmedai / golden eye snapper fish has silky sweet savoury notes that carries a fresh taste, nicely pleasant. Served at room temperature, accompanied by crisp shiso / perilla leaf with earthy minty herbal flavour, grated crunchy daikon radish with vegetal earthy sweet flavour, and crunchy baby spinach dressed with sesame sauce which lent bold vegetal nutty sweet flavour.

Seasonal Sashimi

Seasonal Sashimi

The Tamago To Katsuobushi, also known as Japanese Egg Omelette With Bonito Flakes, features a slice of wobbly spongy soft tamago / Japanese egg omelette, which has delicate eggy sweet flavour. Garnished with wispy katsuobushi / bonito flakes / smoked skipjack tuna fish flakes, which lend robust smoky savoury salty flavours. Served in their basic dashi gravy, which has deep savoury flavours. Yum.

Wafts Of Steam

Tamago To Katsuobushi / Japanese Egg Omelette With Bonito Flakes

The Sunomono Uni, Kegani, Shinsen'na Kombu, also known as Vinegar Dressed Sea Urchin, Hairy Crab, Fresh Kelp Seaweed, is a palate cleanser, and is the most luxurious palate cleanser I've ever eaten. The creamy fresh uni / sea urchin has delicate sweet briny salty flavour, while the deshelled stringy soft kegani / hairy crab meat is succulent and tender and beautifully sweet savoury. The base of crunchy shinsen'na kombu / fresh kelp seaweed holds vegetal earthy briny salty flavours. The entire dish is dressed with su / vinegar, of the sweet rice vinegar varietal, lending a sharp sour sweet note to the dish that lifts the palate.

Sunomono Uni, Kegani, Shinsen'na Kombu / Vinegar Dressed Sea Urchin, Hairy Crab, Fresh Kelp Seaweed

The Sakura Ebi & Ashitaba Tempura, also known as Cherry Blossom Shrimp & Angelica Keiskei Fritters, feature a light crisp tempura / fritter batter that is non-greasy and airy, crunching softly when bit and releasing a grainy sweet salty flavour. Within, are whole sakura ebi / cherry blossom shrimp which are juicy and hold savoury sweet flavour, along with crisp ashitaba / angelica keiskei leaves which have vegetal earthy bitter herbal notes. Served with a small Japanese lime which has bright zesty tangy sour citrus notes. Oddly, there's no tentsuyu / tempura dipping sauce, instead, they served a unique matcha kaien shio / green tea sea salt which has earthy grassy salty notes, and which tasted delicious in pairing.

Sakura Ebi & Ashitaba Tempura / Cherry Blossom Shrimp & Angelica Keiskei Fritters

The Iwate Wagyu Gyuniku Kubi, Kairan, Takenoko, also known as Iwate Wagyu Beef Neck, Japanese Kai-Lan, Bamboo Shoot, features thick yet tender moist slices of Iwate wagyu gyuniku kubi / beef neck, which fall apart with a succulent chew, releasing a deep meaty savoury flavour. The kairan / Japanese kai-lan / Japanese kale / Japanese broccoli is crunchy with lovely vegetal sweet earthy flavour. The crunchy tender takenoko / bamboo shoot has delicate vegetal earthy sweet flavour, but I felt it didn't quite pair well with the meat. Completed with a robust savoury salty sukiyaki gravy made from dashi stock, mirin rice wine, white sugar, and light soy sauce.

Iwate Wagyu Gyuniku Kubi, Kairan, Takenoko / Iwate Wagyu Beef Neck, Japanese Kai-Lan, Bamboo Shoot

Carefully stacked by hand and passed directly to diners, the Uni & Hotate Temaki, also known as Sea Urchin & Scallop Hand Roll, features a crisp nori / dried seaweed sheet with vegetal earthy salty flavour, filled with sticky fluffy vinegared sushi rice which has grainy sweet sour flavour. I understand the rice is sourced from Hokkaido, Japan, and is seasoned with apple vinegar, red vinegar, rice vinegar, sugar, and salt. Completed with luxurious creamy fresh uni / sea urchin which has delicate sweet briny salty flavour, and bouncy tender succulent hotate / scallop which has natural sweet savoury flavour. To prevent it from being messy, you'll have to fold and consume it carefully.

Uni & Hotate Temaki / Sea Urchin & Scallop Hand Roll

The Tai To Kanzo Nigirizushi, also known as Red Snapper With Liver Hand-Pressed Sushi, features a hand-pressed ball of sticky fluffy vinegared sushi rice with grainy sweet sour flavour, as the base. Topped with a thick cut, tender firm silky tai / red snapper fish fillet, dressed with usukuchi shoyu / light soy sauce, and a creamy grainy dollop of mashed kanzo / liver from the tai / red snapper fish. This starts with a meaty sweet salty savoury flavour, then you get the earthy mineral savoury notes. Unique, a little like eating chilled foie gras in taste.

Tai To Kanzo Nigirizushi / Red Snapper With Liver Hand-Pressed Sushi

The Ni Maguro Nigirizushi, also known as Duo Of Tuna Hand-Pressed Sushi, features a hand-pressed ball of sticky fluffy vinegared sushi rice with grainy sweet sour flavour, as the base. Topped with a thick cut, aburi / lightly torched fillet of luxurious otoro / tuna fish belly which has lovely smoky sweet savoury fatty oily flavour, and blanketed with a thick cut, mirin rice wine marinated fillet of meaty akami / tuna fish loin with deep savoury sweet flavour. The contast of textures and flavours is pleasantly enticing. Chef said maguro / tuna fish is his favourite fish, he likes working with it and eating it.

Preparation

Ni Maguro Nigirizushi / Duo Of Tuna Hand-Pressed Sushi

Winner of longest name here, is the Aburi Supein No Saba To Momiji Oroshi Nigirizushi, also known as Lightly Torched Spanish Mackerel With Spicy Grated Daikon Radish Hand-Pressed Sushi. The base is a ball of vinegared sushi rice, hand-pressed, having a sticky fluffy texture and grainy sweet sour flavour. Topped with a thick cut, aburi / lightly torched fillet of supein no saba / Spanish mackerel fish which has enticing savoury sweet smoky flavour. The grainy dollop of momiji oroshi / spicy grated daikon radish lends bright spicy sweet flavour, and the fiery kick with a lingering burn is fierce to cater to the Singapore palate. Chef says he makes this with grated red daikon radish, yuzu juice, ginger, sesame oil, chili, and more chili. I love it!

Aburi Supein No Saba To Momiji Oroshi Nigirizushi / Lightly Torched Spanish Mackerel With Spicy Grated Daikon Radish Hand-Pressed Sushi

Chef says his favourite seafood to work with and to eat is squid, so it's no surprise the Aori Ika Nigirizushi, also known as Bigfin Reef Squid Hand-Pressed Sushi, makes an appearance in his omakase menu. The base is a ball of vinegared sushi rice, hand-pressed, having a sticky fluffy texture and grainy sweet sour flavour. Topped with a thick cut, scored aori ika / bigfin reef squid, which is slippery and lightly crunchy with a delicate sweet flavour. It's marinated in a mix of mirin rice wine and koikuchi shoyu / dark soy sauce, giving it a salty savoury sweet flavour. Simple and straightforward, the freshness of the ingredients really shines here.

Aori Ika Nigirizushi / Bigfin Reef Squid Hand-Pressed Sushi

This was my favourite dish of our visit, the Rano Tsumeta Kuruma Ebi Nigirizushi, also known as Egg Yolk Stuffed Japanese Tiger Prawn Hand-Pressed Sushi. Over a base of vinegared sushi rice, which has a grainy sweet sour flavour with sticky fluffy texture, is hand-pressed and moulded some grainy rano / egg yolk, which holds bright sweet eggy flavour. It's then covered with a piece of deshelled fresh kuruma ebi / Japanese tiger prawn, which has a succulent tender juicy crunch and bright natural sweet savoury flavour. Bite in, and you get the complementary layering of sweet notes. A creative dish.

Rano Tsumeta Kuruma Ebi Nigirizushi / Egg Yolk Stuffed Japanese Tiger Prawn Hand-Pressed Sushi

Chef prepares this makizushi / rolled sushi with a sheet of crisp nori / dried seaweed sheet with vegetal earthy salty flavour, filling it with sticky fluffy vinegared sushi rice which has grainy sweet sour flavour. The Toro Taku Futomaki, also known as Tuna Belly & Pickles Roll, is completed with a sliced fillet of luxurious otoro / tuna fish belly, julienned cucumbers, takuan / pickled daikon radish, and aburi / lightly torched pieces of chopped otoro / tuna fish belly, garnished with juicy globules of bright ikura / salmon fish roe, which burst with briny salty sweet flavour. Bite in and you get a beautiful succulent juicy crunch with a light tender chew to texture, followed by a burst of sour savoury sweet vegetal meaty fatty oily flavours.

Preparation

Toro Taku Futomaki / Tuna Belly & Pickles Roll

Next, we were served the Misoshiru, also known as Miso Soup. With a cloudy thin texture, the taste of the quality miso paste is bold within, having a robust earthy savoury salty flavour. It's garnished with crunchy kyabetsu / cabbage with vegetal sweet flavour, and chewy kamaboko / fish cake with light savoury sweet flavour. A calming note to finish.

Misoshiru / Miso Soup

The Daifuku Mochi, also known as Great Luck Glutinous Rice Cake, is a Japanese dessert confection. It features a sticky chewy round mochi / glutinous rice cake, filled with thick sticky anko / azuki red bean paste, which has an earthy sweet flavour. Chef has additionally filled his version with a juicy strawberry in the middle, which bursts with fruity sweet flavour, complementing the other ingredients. An enjoyable morsel.

Daifuku Mochi / Great Luck Glutinous Rice Cake

Rounding off the meal with a cup of Coffee, strong and aromatic.

Coffee

Overall, we loved our dining experience at Mai By Dashi Master Marusaya, and will definitely return again. It's possibly the best omakase restaurant concept under the Marusaya Group, and I look forward to having more memorable meals at Mai By Dashi Master Marusaya.

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Mai By Dashi Master Marusaya Tasting Session

CONVERSATION

Ivan Teh - RunningMan

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Mai By Dashi Master Marusaya Tasting Session

CONVERSATION

Ivan Teh - RunningMan

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