Holland Village has never lacked for Japanese food — the stretch between Lorong Liput and Lorong Mambong is practically a Little Tokyo — but Sushi Ichiban is a different proposition entirely. Tucked into a narrow shophouse unit at 42 Lorong Mambong, this 12-seat omakase counter has been operating quietly for six months, and the regulars would very much like it to stay that way. Sorry, regulars.
Chef Takeshi Yamamoto spent 11 years at Shinji by Kanesaka before deciding he wanted a place where he could cook without the corporate overhead. The result is an intimate L-shaped hinoki counter, a handwritten menu that changes daily based on what arrives from Tsukiji and local suppliers, and a pace that feels more like dinner at a friend's house than a formal omakase.
The lunch omakase ($88 for 12 courses) is one of the best-value Japanese meals in Singapore right now. A recent visit opened with a delicate chawanmushi topped with uni from Hokkaido, followed by three cuts of sashimi — hirame, chu-toro, and a shimmer of sayori — that were so clean they barely needed the fresh wasabi grated tableside. The shari (vinegared rice) runs warm and slightly loose, Edomae-style, and each nigiri piece is pressed with a confidence that comes from two decades of muscle memory.
Standout pieces from the nigiri progression: a torched kinmedai with a whisper of yuzu zest, the anago brushed with a tsume so glossy it looked lacquered, and a kohada that was pickled just long enough to balance the silver-skinned fishiness without erasing it. Chef Yamamoto doesn't oversauce or over-garnish — every piece tastes exactly like what it is, amplified.
Dinner omakase runs $168 for 18 courses and includes a few extras: a grilled dish (recent highlight: sawara with miso dengaku), a handroll to close, and a dessert of hojicha ice cream made in-house. Sake pairings ($60) are well-curated with a lean toward dry junmai styles from smaller breweries.
Reservations are by WhatsApp only (+65 8123 4567) and you'll need to book at least two weeks ahead for dinner, one week for lunch. The space seats 12 at the counter and there are no tables — this is an eat-at-the-bar-or-don't-eat situation. Closed Mondays. Lunch seatings at 12pm and 1:30pm; dinner at 6:30pm and 8:30pm.
In a city saturated with omakase options ranging from $50 quick-fire sets to $500 Ginza imports, Sushi Ichiban sits in that sweet spot: serious craft, fair prices, and a chef who lets the fish do the talking. The Holland Village crowd has been keeping this one close to the chest. Now you know.
