50 and beyond

What’s the difference between regular sushi from a regular family restaurant and more expensive sushi from more expensive restaurants?

Common sense tells you that the fish would be really fresh. The type/species of fish served would also be more expensive. By the way, salmon is hardly served in higher-end sushi restaurants; white fish is superior.

The quality of rice is also important. The temperature, the texture, the way it’s pressed and molded. Rice is an integral part of each piece of sushi.

Finally, the condiments. Condiments are not for decorative purposes. They are there to enhance the taste of the sushi. When they are very good, they surprise you and make you go WOW! Squid would usually have a sprinkle of salt, whether plain or flavoured. Aburi is applied for selected type of sushi and cuts; when you taste and smell the smoky fragrance which is released from torching the surface of the sashimi, you understand why these pieces were selected for aburi. Even where a sushi bar sources for and prepares seaweed to wrap ikura, uni, or negi toro matters. The taste is different from the sheets you get at supermarkets. And of course, real wasabi will be used instead of powdered or tube green-dyed horseradish. Needless to say, no additional soya sauce is needed. The chef brushes the right amount of marinated soya sauce or other sauces just before placing the piece on your plate.

Hubby and I cannot bear to spend a lot for our date nights. An omakase meal at a famous sushi bar located in a high-end hotel is out of our budget for regular date nights. So, we settle for mid-range Japanese restaurants. Katachi is one of them.

These two photos shows what we had during our first two visits there in March and September 2024. For the budget I was comfortable to spend, they served a decent sushi dinner. Note that this was not not all we had; sometimes I would pop the pieces into my mouth and then realise it’s too late to take photos.

Last week, we went there again and noticed some changes. The regular Singaporean accent chap chef who used to serve us was not around. In his place were two native-sounding Japanese. Oh goody, I thought, we get served by Japanese who would know their sushi really well.

Well, well. On the contrary.

Have a look at what we were served.

We kind of suspected something was amidst at the start when the otoshi we were served was extra salty. How could a restaurant get their otoshi wrong? A simple taste test will show if the appetisers were too salty, right?

Then, after the first batch of sashimi to tease our appetite was over, the sushi pieces came one by one. First piece was nice, then, second piece was also nice…but that was it. It didn’t feel like a wow. In fact, it soon became clear that the sushi was just ordinary. And apart from soya sauce, which by the way, tasted like ordinary soya sauce, there were no condiments to enhance the taste of the sushi. So, well, yes, although they served blue fin tuna, ikura and a lovely uni battleship make, we felt that the dinner did not justify the price we paid for the meal.

I think that I would rather go to Sushiro and have a slightly lower quality sushi (thinner slices too 😆) dinner but pay less than half of what dinner cost at Katachi.

I was all the more offended when I saw the bill and saw that I was billed for four cups of hot matcha tea instead of two. I had asked for a refill of green tea halfway through the meal. Was it because we did not order any alcoholic drinks that I had to pay for refill of hot matcha tea? I don’t recall ever having been charged for top of green tea at this restaurant before. Perhaps I had ordered alcohol when I was there on previous visits?

Whatever the case, I have decided not to return.

On another note, Sushiro is opening a branch within walking distance of where I live! I will definitely be there for date nights when they open.