Review: Hidden Japanese Restaurant In Seletar Country Club Offering Authentic Omakase and Japanese Cuisine

Feb 8

While there are plenty of Omakase restaurants across this little island, Jō Japanese Restaurant is a hidden gem situated in the idyllic Seletar Country Club. This place offers an authentic Japanese dining experience where you can enjoy Omakase and a medley of dishes made with the finest ingredients. They are served in the traditional style of Kaiseki by their chefs with many years of experience working in the Japanese association.

The restaurant exudes a warm and cosy vibe, decked in a minimalistic interior. It also has a 15-seater bar counter allowing its customers to have an intimate dining experience.

My favourite thing about this restaurant is the outdoor seating surrounded by greenery and a stone walkway that makes me feel like I am dining in a garden.

We went for the Chef Omakase course ($188 to $280) and started the meal with a savoury Seasonal Appetizer. It is served with pickled wakasagi fish wrapped with kunbu, bursting with umami flavour. Smoked crunchy radish with cream cheese that melts in your mouth. Pickled sweet potato, wine tomato, and kuromame (black bean).

Next, we had this bowl of goodness, Sashimi, that comes with Shima aji, Salmon, and Akami tuna. They were thickly cut and freshly prepared. For non-sashimi lovers, you can request it to be torched. The flavours are just as rich with a subtle hint of smokiness.

Moving on, we had an assortment of Tempura coated with a flavourful crispy batter, including tiger prawn, seasonal sprout, and ume seabream wrapped in oba leaf. We especially loved the tiger prawn tempura for its plump and juicy meat.

For the following course, we had this savoury Japanese amberjack with yuzu shoyu sauce. The meat has a rich flavour with a slight sweetness which complemented well with the tangy yuzu shoyu sauce.

Onto the mains, we tried the Sakura Ebi Kakiage Don boasting an aromatic flavour with a crispy texture. Served alongside is a bowl of comforting miso soup.

You can alternatively choose Inaniwa udon instead of rice.

To finish off the meal, we had this pleasurable Coffee Pudding. It is soft and silky, bursting with a strong coffee flavor.

Here at Jō Japanese Restaurant, you can also find a medley selection of sake, beer, and whiskey to pair with the dishes for a perfect Omakase experience.