Takeshi-San elevates the sushi experience with jumbo scallops, Aburi Mentai & Cheese Kaidan Sets at Holland Village

When I entered Takeshi-san, I was instantly taken by the ceiling of gorgeous handmade blooms by The Paper Bloom, called “The Giant Sakura Flowers”. They bid customers a warm, cosy welcome, along with the minimalistic yet stylish interior. As I was seated, I found my eyes roving towards the giant sakuras; and I remember feeling excited to have this new restaurant transport me to Japan.

I wanted the elevated experience, so the Kaidan sets are a must. The Japanese term “Kaidan” means staircase or stairway in English, and so when I ordered the Takeshi Kaidan set, Aburi Mentai Kaidan set, Aburi Cheese Kaidan set, and Nigiri Kaidan set, I was simply delighted by the presentation – sushi on steps!

The effect is breathtaking. The sushis are somehow put effortlessly into the spotlight, and each piece is somehow amplified – on an overall glance, it’s more visually attractive than the ones on flat plating. This brings to mind the set of Deal or No Deal, and how each suitcase looks amplified when elevated. What a great idea for food to be presented this way as well. Now for the taste!

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The Takeshi Kaidan Set $26 contains six pieces of premium sushi: Salmon aburi, aburi salmon mentai, aburi hamachi ponzu jelly, hotate aburi, unagi, and uni with ikura. 

The Nigiri Kaidan Set $15 contains ebi, salmon, hamachi, tamago, hotate, tuna, ika (squid), and the Aburi Mentai $22 and Aburi Cheese Mentai $22 sets are variations of the Nigiri Kaidan set, as the names suggest.

It’s not just a feast for the eyes, but a feast for my stomach! The hotates served are by far the most impressive-sized scallops I’d ever seen. The sizes are consistent throughout each Kaidan set too! They’re juicy and fresh, and easily the standout of each Kaidan set. In fact, I truly enjoyed the freshness of all the nigiri sushis, as well as the creative spin of the aburi cheese sushis. If I had to choose, I’d go for the Takeshi Kaidan Set, largely because of the premium ingredients and the sheer generosity of the fish cuts.

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Next up, I tried the Salmon Carpaccio and felt that the dish was a little underwhelming. While the sauce was not bad, I wish there were larger cuts of salmon or that they gave more pieces of salmon. Nonetheless, taste-wise, it was pleasant and refreshing. If you’re looking to share this dish, maybe it’s not a good idea, as it seems to feed only one.

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Finally, I had the Scallop Pasta $24. It was served hot, with light mentaiko sauce and three pieces of cooked scallops. The scallops were as huge as the ones served on the Kaidan sets, so I was impressed again by the sheer size of the scallops (especially since they were cooked!).

Personally, I felt that the pasta would’ve worked better as a cold pasta, and perhaps the scallops could also have been served raw. Otherwise, the subtly-flavoured mentaiko sauce suited the dish well, and the portion was just right. The angel hair pasta somehow was a bit clumped together, but with the mentaiko sauce, it sort of didn’t bother me too much.

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Overall, I’m glad I came here. This place did not disappoint. All my seafood favourites (scallops, uni, hamachi, salmon) were served fresh and affordable, and tasted amazing. The Kaidan experience is a unique one, and I highly recommend for sushi-lovers to give this place a try! You will enjoy the entire “package”; from welcoming interior, to beautiful presentation, and to delicious sushi and sashimi that are flown in twice a week from Japan.

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Takeshi-San

38 Lorong Mambong, Singapore 277694

Tel: +65 8875 1515

Daily: 11:30AM – 3PM, 5:30PM – 10PM

Website: https://www.facebook.com/Takeshisansg

*Words by @chowbaccas