Summary: Sushi veteran Kevin Ho launches his own omakase concept with tranquil views over Clarke Quay. Located within the Blue Zone of The Central, Sushi Kenshin is an intimate Edomae-style sushi restaurant offering omakase lunch sets starting at $88.
Walking through the labyrinth that is The Central in Clarke Quay, I found my way to Sushi Kenshin easily, thanks to the detailed location reel pinned to the restaurant’s Instagram page. Away from the bustle of the mall, the intimate omakase counter sits tucked into a quiet corner overlooking the river, offering a surprising sense of calm in the heart of Clarke Quay.
Having returned from Tokyo just two weeks earlier, I arrived at Sushi Kenshin with impossibly fresh memories of the city’s remarkable food scene still lingering in my mind. Yet as I stepped into the restaurant’s minimalist interiors, bathed in earthy tones as my dining guest observed, it genuinely felt as though I had been transported back to Japan.
Offering only counter seating, the restaurant embodies Japanese aesthetics in both design and spirit. That ethos runs through every fibre of the experience, to the point where I instinctively found myself bowing slightly and thanking the chef with an arigatou gozaimasu each time he placed another expertly crafted piece of sushi before me.
Ushered to our counter seats, we were offered hot tea as we browsed through the lunch menu options. Here for the SHIN Omakase ($88), I also noted the KEN Omakase option at the same price point, though it leaned more heavily into the sushi course. In contrast, the SHIN Omakase set, available only for lunch, offered greater variety across its courses, including an A5 Wagyu donburi and a handroll.
Artfully Crafted Appetizers
The experience began with Zensai, a platter of three seasonal appetizers designed to gently awaken the palate. We were encouraged to sample the dishes in progression, beginning with subtler flavours before moving towards greater intensity. Not usually a fan of snails, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed Sushi Kenshin’s preparation, the flavours carrying an unexpected resemblance to richly flavoured bone marrow. Yet within this beautifully composed platter, it was the meticulously slow-cooked abalone that won my favour. Tender and elevated by a rich liver sauce, it tasted both comforting and unfamiliar at once, quietly hinting at the precision that would define the rest of the meal.
A wobbly chawanmushi followed, the steamed egg custard set to just the right consistency for a delicate, silken bite. Already off to a strong start, the next course emerged as the defining dish of the afternoon. The Homemade Seasonal Kuzu Tofu was as visually striking as it was delicious, garnished with purple and white starfish-shaped pickled lotus root. Crisp on the outside and impossibly silky within, the tofu delivered a beautiful textural contrast alongside earthy umami from mushrooms. It was a deceptively simple dish executed with remarkable precision, the kind of restraint and confidence only years of experience can produce.
Talent in the Kitchen
The intricacy of Japanese cuisine is mastered only over decades, as every bite at Sushi Kenshin attests. The kitchen is helmed by Sushi Master Kevin Ho, who honed his craft across several respected kitchens, including Nogawa Japanese Restaurant, recognised as Singapore’s first authentic omakase restaurant and known for hosting distinguished guests ranging from former prime ministers to international artists. He is supported by Chef Edmund at the private sushi counter and Chef Bryan, who leads the hot kitchen, both of whom also trained at Nogawa.
Omakase, loosely translated as “I leave it up to you”, is the ultimate act of trust between diner and chef. There is no selecting dishes à la carte, no tailoring the experience to personal preference. Instead, the meal unfolds according to the chef’s instincts, guided by the seasonality and quality of the ingredients that arrive each day. At Sushi Kenshin, the menu was planned and executed like a classical composition, each course flowing naturally into the next while building rhythm, contrast, and anticipation without ever overwhelming the diner.
Sushi Course at Sushi Kenshin
The much-anticipated sushi course unfolded one nigiri at a time. Watching Chef Edmund deftly slice the fish, mould the rice, and shape each piece with measured precision was almost meditative. The knifework was exquisite, characteristic of Tokyo’s Edomae-style sushi where every element, from seasoning to slicing technique, is carefully calibrated to reveal the natural character of the fish.
The chef’s confidence was evident in the fact that no additional soy sauce or wasabi was offered alongside the sushi. As I lifted the first white fish nigiri with my chopsticks and tasted it, I understood why. With soy sauce already brushed delicately into the crevices of the Edomae-style cuts, balanced atop lightly vinegared rice with just a whisper of wasabi between the layers, the sushi needed nothing more.
With no condiments to hide behind, and only pickled ginger offered as a palate cleanser, the exceptional quality of the fish and the precision of the craftsmanship became unmistakably clear. No theatrics were necessary when the ingredients and technique spoke so confidently for themselves.
A series of five nigri had us quietly ranking our favourites. While the maguro was plump and pristine, my vote ultimately went to the White Sea Bream Nigiri, elevated by a subtle touch of yuzu kosho that added brightness and surprise. The ease with which the lunch progressed was a testament to the zen-like atmosphere cultivated by the team. Chef Edmund interacted softly with guests seeking greater insight into the dishes, his hands continuing their quiet rhythm as he spoke. Yet solo diners who preferred a more contemplative experience were equally able to enjoy the meal without intrusion.
Final Act
For those reluctant to see the sushi course end, a crisp seaweed handroll arrived next, followed by a small bowl of Wagyu donburi crowned with onsen egg. Just when it seemed the meal had revealed all its surprises, the final course delivered one last memorable moment.
The miso soup served at the end of the meal, deepened with the earthy richness of mushrooms, was arguably the finest miso soup I have had anywhere, in Singapore, Japan, or beyond. As exceptional as the entire omakase experience was, the Kuzu Tofu and that unforgettable bowl of miso soup alone would be reason enough for me to return.
At $88, the SHIN Omakase feels less like a transactional lunch and more like a carefully composed escape. From the restrained elegance of the space to the precision of each bite, Sushi Kenshin captures the quiet poetry that makes great omakase so memorable. For a few hours in the heart of Clarke Quay, it genuinely felt like Tokyo was not so far away after all.
