Wasabi Tei: Hidden gem selling thick slabs of salmon sashimi found in Far East Plaza
Imagine my shock when I came across Wasabi Tei in Far East Plaza, a mall that I’ve leisured at throughout my teenage days, idling aimlessly around the mall and never noticing what actually occupies the store. Serving up both hot and cold Japanese foods, the restaurant resembles an authentic Japanese restaurant because of how it looks and feels.
Its exterior is really unassuming, located just diagonally across New Station Snack Bar— an eatery popular amongst youths for pocket-friendly and yummy tze char dishes, as well as their famous salted egg pork ribs rice. I can say for sure that I’ve never noticed Wasabi Tei until chancing upon it on the internet. I was shocked to find it directly in my vicinity all the time but I never seemed to notice it.
Posters of their set lunch prices are laid along the glass panels of the store that cover what you see inside. Something tells me that they are very private about the dining experience here at Wasabi Tei, like most omakase experiences. Not sure if that’s an unsaid feature about most Japanese restaurants though!
I took a peep in from their entrance, and what I noticed was that the whole place sat about 15 people at once. It is a counter-seating area that hugs the open kitchen in a shape of a square. Patrons are allowed to see the works of the chef in action slicing fresh pieces of fish, or firing sushi up with a blow torch. There’s also a hot kitchen at the back of the restaurant that is semi-concealed by the noren.
Because of how exclusive the space is, patrons are seated rather closely to each other. And if I have to be honest, the space between each seating might be too little for my liking. This could be because of how much I value my personal space, just my preference!
What I tried at Wasabi Tei
For starters, there’s a complimentary seaweed broth filled with hijiki (a term for another type of seaweed) and tofu skin. It is packed with flavour and its hint of sweetness probably comes with the common ingredient of mirin in most Japanese dishes. I almost drank this like a sweet drink, don’t call me out for that please!
Let’s start off with the raw foods! I had the Special Chirashi Sushi— the larger and slightly more premium selection out of the chirashi spreads as I was with my family. It is priced at S$38, and comes with a large portion of sliced raw fishes from salmon, tuna, swordfish, scallops, sweet prawn and octopus. It’s topped with tamago and ebiko for an extra burst of flavours!
Zooming in, their sashimi is by far one of the thickest cuts I’ve seen. Thus it explains its price point for the premium quality cuts that you’ll get! However, those on smaller budget could opt for their lunch sets— the Sanshoku Chirashi Don is priced at S$18— for the same thick cuts of salmon, tuna, swordfish and sushi rice. I believe that you’ll be getting a bang for your buck because it is worth every penny.
In terms of taste, the salmon sashimi was extremely tender and juicy. And when paired with the sweet sushi rice, I tasted absolute perfection.
Moving on to hot foods, I ordered my ever-staple, Aburi Salmon Maki (S$18). Blow-torched right in front of you, the pairing of hot salmon encircling the sushi rice was simply amazing! For those who’ve tried the neighbouring sushi bar at the other side of town, Koh Grill and Sushi Bar, this is almost alike to the Shiok Maki that they are famous for. Definitely a must-try!
Coated with a generous portion of sauce, you won’t be left begging for more. Their portions are very generous and you’d be enjoying a mouthful of happiness.
Last but not the least, I saved the best for my finale. I ordered most of their hot dishes available like the Chicken Katsu Don (S$14) and Gyuniku Yaki Teishoku (S$20). But the best one I had was this— Gindara Teriyaki Teishoku (S$22). It is on the pricier side, but I’ll assure you that it is incredible. In layman terms, it is essentially black cod that has a charred exterior and very tender flesh on the inside. It tastes like unagi, except with the added element of char that brings it up a notch.
Alternatively, the other options were great too. For the Chicken Katsu Don, it was very affordable for thick slabs of golden battered chicken. The ratio of skin to meat to egg was also well thought out. All set meals came with a bowl of miso soup and rice.
Final thoughts
They prioritise balanced meals; just like how they started off with soup, they ended off with fruits. To sum it up quickly, I had a fantastic meal. I believe this is one of my best experiences considering the rich quality and thickness of meat. Undeniably, my satisfaction level is at an all-time high.
Well, now you know— the next time you’re looking for a place to eat in town, the hidden yet impactful Wasabi Tei is right around the corner. Wish I found this sooner!
Expected damage: S$14 – S$38 per pax
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