Written by Stefanie Yeo
Japan may be known as the land of the rising sun, but us greedy foodies also commonly refer the country as the land of sushi, sashimi, soba, and all sorts of absolutely delicious food that will fill your belly and warm your heart. On my maiden voyage to Japan, I’m determined to try as many scrumptious treats as humanely possible!
One does not go to Japan and not eat sushi - and if you’re looking for affordable sushi, you’ve come to the right place. In the debut of our Omnomnomnivore Adventures, we tell you why the Standing Sushi Bar is one of your best bets.
Japan may be known as the land of the rising sun, but us greedy foodies also commonly refer the country as the land of sushi, sashimi, soba, and all sorts of absolutely delicious food that will fill your belly and warm your heart. On my maiden voyage to Japan, I’m determined to try as many scrumptious treats as humanely possible!
One does not go to Japan and not eat sushi - and if you’re looking for affordable sushi, you’ve come to the right place. In the debut of our Omnomnomnivore Adventures, we tell you why the Standing Sushi Bar is one of your best bets.
Photo by: Bryan Chua
A franchise of restaurants available all over Tokyo, the Standing Sushi Bar has a unique concept, which makes it a great option for people who simply want to eat quality, affordable sushi. It has outlets in many places, including Shibuya, Shinjuku, Ikebukuro and Asakusa.
As the name implies, you eat the sushi while standing at the counter. You enter the restaurant, settle yourself at the nearest available spot, and place your orders with the chef. You actually get to feast your eyes on the sushi being handmade right in front of you, with the skillful sushi chefs wielding their blades, meticulously crafting your delicious meal.
As the name implies, you eat the sushi while standing at the counter. You enter the restaurant, settle yourself at the nearest available spot, and place your orders with the chef. You actually get to feast your eyes on the sushi being handmade right in front of you, with the skillful sushi chefs wielding their blades, meticulously crafting your delicious meal.
Our sushi chef hard at work
Photo by: Bryan Chua
Getting your food is very simple. Just order what you want, and you can keep ordering until you're sated!
from left to right: yaki-salmon mayo, samon, and oo-toro
Photo by: Stefanie Yeo
I ordered three basic kinds of sushi: samon (salmon), yaki-salmon mayo (broiled salmon with mayonnaise), and the utterly sensational oo-toro (fatty tuna belly). The fish were so fresh and the rice was cooked to absolute perfection with a consistent, sticky texture. A note of caution though: if you fear wasabi, let the chef know before he begins preparing your food, as each piece of sushi has a thin layer of wasabi nestled atop the rice, under the raw fish.
Samon (salmon) sushi
Photo by: Stefanie Yeo
The salmon sushi had a very subtle flavour, a great way to start the meal- especially when eaten with soya sauce and washed down with hot green tea. The yaki-salmon-mayo, essentially broiled salmon sushi with mayonnaise, has a slightly charred taste, which complements the salmon and mayonnaise.
Watching the chef broil your sushi with a blowtorch is incredibly exciting, and popping the piece of sushi into your mouth immediately after can only be described as an explosion of flavours in your mouth.
This method of broiling the sushi is known as ‘Aburi’, which refers to grilling the topside of the fish, leaving the rest raw. ‘Aburi’ is only available for certain kinds of sushi, and it is definitely worth eating- the combination of partially cooked fish, rice, and creamy mayonnaise is absolutely to die for.
Yaki-salmon mayo sushi
Photo by: Stefanie Yeo
Our sushi chef broiling salmon
Photo by: Bryan Chua
My personal favourite was the oo-toro sushi. The tuna belly had enough fat to provide a delicious, flavourful taste. The combination of meat and fat exuded an exquisite taste – the tuna was silky, and my taste buds were screaming for joy when I ate the oo-toro sushi.
My personal favourite – oo-toro (fatty tuna belly) sushi
Photo by: Stefanie Yeo
Did I mention the Standing Sushi Bar is value for money?! Each menu item comes in pairs, and most of the sushi cost ¥150 for the two pieces. That works out to ¥75 for one piece of sushi – equivalent to SGD$0.90.
The most expensive sushi, namely my delightful oo-toro sushi and the sea urchin sushi, cost about ¥350 per piece- about SGD $4.20. Overall, I spent about ¥1000 on my sushi- talk about affordability!
The staff at the Standing Sushi Bar is also very friendly, and their service is top-notch. Immediately after a customer leaves, they would immediately wipe down the section of the counter to prepare it for the next.
The sushi chef who handled my meal was a very jovial man, pleasant and quite obviously proud of his job. The smiles on the faces of the staff as they interacted with their patrons made me feel warm on the inside, and I’m fairly certain it was not the work of the wasabi.
On the whole, I had a wonderful experience at the Standing Sushi Bar, and it is one of the few ‘cold food’ places that I will return to time and again. The combination of good, affordable food, great service and convenient locations earns the Standing Sushi Bar a five-star rating from this happy Omnomnomnivore!
