First impressions, more often than not, are the most lasting.
For guests of KOMA Singapore, they first enter through a 20m-long passageway inspired by the torii gates of the Fushimi Inari Shrine in Kyoto.
Once inside the bar and lounge, they are greeted by glass owls which line both the bar and a large wood “grid” suspended from the ceiling. (Naturally, the owls represent wisdom, luck and good fortune.) Its soaring 7-m high ceiling features decorative acoustic panels in the shape of lily pads and is designed to mimic the surface of a pond.
Anchoring the dining room is the 15-seat sushi bar with a dazzling display of the day’s offerings.
The “wow” moment, however, is the 2.5m-high Japanese bell with 20 different faces that overlooks a traditional Japanese foot bridge and reflecting pool.
This new Japanese restaurant by TAO Group and Marina Bay Sands (MBS) was officially opened in late July.
Featuring sushi, robata and izakaya style dining, KOMA offers a menu that includes original creations from its Executive Chef Kunihiro Moroi. The restaurant also boasts a bar and lounge that serves an extensive selection of over 30 types of sake sourced from across Japan.
Designed by renowned American design firm Rockwell Group, the 230-seat restaurant, bar and lounge is truly a one-of-a-kind work of art that is breath-taking in every way.
Recently, selected Malaysian media were flown to the Lion City for the eclectic experience that is KOMA.
Needless to say, we were bowled over by its cuisine offerings; especially memorable is the Salmon Pillow, filled with smoked avocado and topped with salmon sashimi and burnt jalapeño peppers.
Another stunning dish is D.I.Y. Spicy Tuna (Do It Yourself) – warm, round, crispy rice “discs” adorn the fingers of a mannequin hand, before they are topped with spicy tuna tartare and sweet soy sauce dips.
One of the highlights of the sushi bar is the Surf & Turf Roll which comprises wagyu beef, Hokkaido uni and caviar. Also not to be missed is the Wild Mushroom Fried Rice with shiitake, enoki, shimeji and maitake mushrooms with koshihikari rice.
No meal is complete without KOMA’s show-stopping Snow Aged Niigata Wagyu Beef, a decadent dish which features the best wagyu available.
This A5 waygu beef is aged in an intriguing process known as Yukimuro, or snow-ageing, a traditional 200-year-old Japanese method of natural preservation. The beef is aged for 30 days to develop its umami flavour, yielding rich marbling and extremely tender textures; all of this ultimately makes for a melt-in-your-mouth experience!
For more information on KOMA Singapore, visit www.KOMAsingapore.com or follow @KOMAsingapore.
