As fresh as it gets. Salmon Samurai satisfies all your cravings for that sweet, tender flesh in the form of S$9.90 dons, udons and salads. Located conveniently at 100AM (next to Tanjong Pagar MRT), it met a snaking queue of office workers before lunch time even rolled around. As the orders started zooming out of the kitchen and salmon supplies ran low, diners also got a chance to watch the staff masterfully fillet an entire salmon – thick sashimi slices, poke, spicy salmon chunks, garlic shoyu and for that bowl of salmon miso soup.
From the same people that brought you Standing Sushi Bar, Tanuki Raw and Shinkansen (a.k.a. The Secret Mermaid), it was not hard to see their long standing expertise with the famed fish. They are famous for the crazy cheap sashimi deals during happy hours, and the mixed grained sushi rice in their donburis. If you have yet to try their sister outlets’ Garlic Gyu Don, I implore you to.
Back to the star of the show – salmon. My love for them knows no bounds. And, perhaps, yours too.
Even those adverse to savouring raw dishes start off with the salmon. That is not to say it tastes any less amazing cooked. The famous fat, omega-3, is not only healthy but leaves the delicious taste lingering on your palette long after. Sure. Many, like me, love to savour it on its own. A touch of wasabi to cut through the oils and a dap of shoyu for an extra burst of savory. Salmon Samurai, though, takes an extra step.
I’ll admit, I was famished by the time I arrived at the store. Hunger may be the best condiment but they didn’t need it. They greeted me with a warm bowl of Salmon Miso Soup. A simple dish, nothing fancy, but, boy, was it good. You could see a thick layer of omega-3 floating atop the soup, rich with slices of salmon, radishes, mushrooms and carrots. I was in the fringe of CBD, but I felt at home (soup bias alert).
Still, that was not why I was there.
It was the S$9.90 salmon-packed lunch.
My favoritism towards the tender, raw flesh of salmon has me yearning for the poke hours after lunch. While I am not a fan of the poke bowl craze, those lightly seasons salmon chunks sprinkled with sesame seeds made for a great mouthful with the yuzu-ume rice. Remember to top up your bowls with the onsen egg (S$1). The creamy yolk, and soft, bubbly egg white gels the whole mix of ingredients together.
Don’t miss out on the Spicy Salmon if you’re looking for a bit of a kick. It goes well in a salad, but the sweet kewpie mayo would go so well with the yuzu-ume rice. A better accompaniment to a bowl of greens (if you’re worried about your waistline like me) are the earlier mentioned poke or mentaiko-covered salmon slices.
For udon lovers, the Garlic Shoyu and onsen egg combo. Tread carefully if you’re heading back to work. I had a real food coma devouring that heavy combo. Worth it, honestly.
Or, you could always perk yourself back up with a bottle of Tanuki Raw’s Cold Brew Coffee. It is available on its own or as a latte with maple. The latter is a caffeine boost disguised as a dessert. A bottle of their Spices Apple Cider (non-alcoholic) works too.
Tel: +65 6543 6823
