At one stage in my quest for makan nirvana, I had this fear of popping into one of those typically authentic and quaint Japanese omakase-onegaishimasu eateries where you sit out by a counter in front of the chef and they pretty much cook whatever they feel you should eat. It literally means ‘I trust you, please do me a favour’ and deliver me thy culinary inspirations.

One reason was the fear of the unknown. The other was the inability to do what I enjoy with such dining experiences – get really chatty with the chef (doesn’t matter how broken the language barrier is) over sake and share silly stories about life and people, till we fall off the chair in utter contentment, as the fish roe egg roll is getting dressed in miso sauce and mustard. One brave night, I mustered enough courage, grabbed that fear by the horns and sauntered into this little residential Japanese set-up in the east. The whole place could sit a little more than twenty guests and most had a clear view of the stern and diligent Japanese chef, in between flipping their manga magazines. After the customary welcome shouts and getting seated, I noticed a master sushi chef twirling raw fish and rice in his hand. I gave the Chef Hozumi Kazuhiro the cool acknowledge-and-smile routine with the ‘I hope that you’ll feed me well with the $100 omakase budget” look. He returned with a “the budget is up to me’ look. I shrunk and retreated to my seat. I looked forward to the food but not the idea of bantering with him as his command of English is only as good as my pretend Japanese.

The stunning Kannazuki Omakase spread

Then it happened. The food came comfortably fast- fresh sushi, seasonal sashimi, teapot seafood soup tinged with lemon, oyster tempura with ponsu sauce, roasted snow yam with vinegared greens, cod sperm and even snow crabs. I saw the light and it was almost a culinary epiphany and there was no celebratory conversation. That was about six years ago.

Now, his restaurant has expanded to another bigger outlet and he still helms the counter kitchen there. This time around Chef Hozumi is no longer the shy leave-me-alone-just-let-me-do-my-job professional and he’s also not so shy with his fractured English. Over his stunning Kannazuki Omakase (October’s special menu at $68), this long time Singapore resident makan wizard calls Singapore his home because “my wife is Singaporean, my friends all here, so Japan ah, not so home anymore”. He arrived here in the mid 80’s and paid his dues as a main chef in the famous Suntory kitchen with later stints at Kuriya Restaurant and at the Furama Hotel. He then realized that the local clientele is obsessed with taste, presentation and value. Just spare them the hype about over-rated ingredients. Singaporeans make up about 70 percent of his clientele.

Hozumi Kazuhiro is more at home here than in Japan

Although he serves the lighter Kansai style flavours, he has over the years allowed touches from the west to creep in without bastardizing the heritage. Point in case- his little teacup of lightly vinegarish sushi rice sitting atop a fat slice of meltingly soft foie gras, was a breath of fresh air from Japan, yet not quite. He shuns cheese and introduces truffle oil occasionally. The set begins with his supremely fresh sushi platter, smooth and expertly cut for finesse in texture (try his after a meal at the conveyor belt sushi joints and you’ll know what I mean). Then he brings out the sea bream sashimi, and partners it with little cuts of cured dried fish roe – gently gummy and a perfect pairing for the raw fish. His follow up autumn collection of chestnuts, grilled lotus, fish roe, duck slice, sweet potatoes and grilled gingko nuts was a plate of poetry. He lowers the tempo with a pleasant bowl of mini yamaimo yam nodules and gingko nuts before he kicks it up with flame grilled beef with Wahiro sesame topping and green peppers. Again, he slows it with a mushroom and vegetable stew with pan-fried salmon, and then resets the pace with fish tempura with shiso leaf and plum.

Then he finishes me off with a quip as I down the green tea ice cream, “You must say my wife Sandra very helpful, I very love and appreciate. Otherwise, very difficult for me. You understand ok?” his stern face almost gave way to an impish smile.

I nearly fell off the chair.

Wahiro Restaurant

Address 1 Goldhill Plaza, #01-19/21 12pm-2pm, 6pm-10pm daily

Opening Hours 62531692