ISHI Japanese Fine Dining @ Intercontinental Robertson Quay

ISHI, loosely translated as ’stone’, presents Japanese fine dining at an affordable price in the InterContinental Singapore Robertson Quay. At ISHI, you can easily feel like you are dining in a classic restaurant in Japan.

Taking a Zen approach, ISHI’s interior design is about elegant simplicity. The flushed sliding door to the restaurant can be mistaken for a decorative wall panel. It is easy to walk down the corridor on the second floor of InterContinental Robertson Quay without knowing that there are entrances to ISHI.

Inside, the restaurant is clutter free and has a serene atmosphere. ISHI can seat up to 28. There are private rooms as well as seats at the sushi counter where you can marvel at the skills of the chefs.

ISHI Singapore Menu

ISHI Japanese Restaurant offers omakase and set meals. The lunch sets start from $68 and the dinner sets range from $195 to $300. Below are pictures of the lunch menu and dinner menu of ISHI as well as random pages from its extensive drinks list.

ISHI Wagyu Beef Don Set

We ordered a 4 course Wagyu Beef Don Set ($78).

The starters comprised two small items – seared bonito and cod milt & roe. Both looked great. Each one had a combination of flavours and textures that was very delightful. A great way to start a meal.

Miso soup and the main event, the wagyu beef bowl, were served next. The bowl of fluffy rice topped with smoky slices of tender well-marbled beef was a real treat.

Dessert, a firm jelly like mochi, was refreshing and enjoyable.

ISHI Lunch Menu – Botan

We also ordered a Botan Set ($120) which comprised 8 pieces of sushi, a rice bowl and other items. The person ordering the Botan Set said he had just started a low carbohydrate diet. The attentive waitress said she could tell the chef to use less rice. How about no rice? “No problem” she said without hesitation; the chef would serve sashimi instead of sushi and there would be no rice in the rice bowl.

The starters were the same as the  Wagyu Beef Don Set – bonito and cod milt & roe. The appetizer was Chawanmushi which came in a beautiful cup. The steamed savoury egg custard had fillings such as crabmeat, ginkgo nuts and mushrooms.

Next came a procession of sashimi (in lieu of the 8 pieces of sushi). I did not get all the names but they included tuna, barracuda, sea bream, yellowtail and Spanish mackerel. The fresh and premium quality sashimi came in a variety of shapes and colours. Each piece had its own unique flavour and texture.

The uni and ikura rice bowl was indeed served without rice. Instead, strips of seaweeds were given so that the sea urchin and fish roe could be eaten like a wrap or roll. The sea urchin had a creamy texture and did not taste fishy. The cured fish roe released a rich flavour as they pop in the mouth. Having a uni and ikura rice bowl without rice was certainly an interesting and worthwhile experience.

The same desert was served for both the Botan set and the Beef Don set. Throughout the meal, we were served hot green tea constantly; not by topping up our cups but giving us a new cups of hot tea and taking away the empty cups or cups with tea that had cooled down.

Food & Service Excellent

We enjoyed our lunch at ISHI Japanese Restaurant. ISHI’s minimalist approach is evident from its aesthetics to food menu. The small restaurant is a calm and elegant setting in which to enjoy Japanese fine dining with impeccable service at a reasonable price.

Ratings
Food: 4
Service: 5
Value: 4
Atmosphere: 4
Overall Rating: 4 TOP s  

 

ISHI
02-06/07 InterContinental Singapore Robertson Quay
1 Nanson Road
Singapore 238909

Tel: +65 6826 5000

Opening Hours:
Tue-Sun: 12 noon – 2.30 pm;  6.30 pm – 10.30 pm
Closed on Monday

ishi.com.sg

---

The Ordinary Patrons | Real Dining Experience of Ordinary People
an independent Singapore food blog