Ganko Sushi Singapore is Japanese omakase without the super stiff price tag

Ganko Sushi Singapore brings its storied omakase traditions from Osaka to town with a refreshingly casual flair, seasonal precision, and prices that won’t leave your wallet weeping.

Japanese omakase often conjure up the idea of stiff formal dining and even stiffer price tags, but here’s one establishment that seeks to challenge those perceptions — Ganko Sushi. The Singapore outlet of the sprawling Osaka-based restaurant empire, Ganko Sushi delivers the kind of soulful omakase experience you’d expect from a singular, storied sushi-ya that’s just that little bit more casual and approachable.

Tucked away in a corner of what used to be Park Mall on Penang Road, the first Southeast Asian outpost of Ganko Sushi serves up a taste of Japanese culture with the same philosophy of washoku — traditional Japanese cuisine and dining practices — as the group’s over-hundred outlets across the whole of Japan.

In the same spirit, Ganko Sushi in Singapore offers up monthly omakase sets — along with lunch sets and a full a la carte menu — with ingredients air-flown several times a week from Japan to showcase the ever-evolving Japanese seasonality.

Which we highly approve of.

For our omakase experience — the sets may differ depending on seasonal rotation — we sampled several courses starting from a refreshing Scallop with Tomato Dashi Jelly, with the plump bivalve blow-torched at the counter over a hibachi grill before being topped with a savoury jelly and diced tomatoes, to a simple Sashimi course with hamachi, tako suction cups, and the ever-prized chutoro.

Courses flow out in a flurry.

There’s soul-warming Chawanmushi with Salmon, freshly-fried crisp Tempura of mixed vegetables and a deep-fried flakey fish cake, and melt-in-the-mouth slices of Wagyu Beef with Young Potato and Onion Sauce. They were all competently executed.

But where Ganko Sushi truly excels is in Sushi, with the chef skilfully preparing each nigiri in fluid practiced motions at the counter for you — there’s nothing quite like a mouthful of perfectly-seasoned, still-warm shari topped with a piece of expertly-sliced, fresh fish.

The omakase ends with a seasonal dessert. Which, for us, happened to be monaka ice cream. The thin crisp wafers of glutinous rice, traditionally filled with sweet adzuki bean paste, here is filled with palate-cleansing yuzu ice cream for a lighter ending to the meal.

Ganko Sushi may be part of a global chain, but its Singapore outpost feels anything but formulaic. With a stellar culinary philosophy, a commitment to seasonality, and prices that won’t make you wince, it’s the kind of place you’ll want to revisit — whether for a weekday lunch, or a quiet omakase evening.

Interestingly, Ganko means “stubborn” in Japanese. That was the founder’s nickname in school, and he’s turned it into his company’s corporate philosophy of stubbornly devoting itself to satisfying customers.

We’re glad to report Ganko Sushi Singapore manages to do so.

Ganko Sushi

Address 9 Penang Rd, #01-01, Singapore 238459
Opening Hours 11.30am to 2.30pm everyday, 5.30pm to 9.30pm Sunday to Thursday, 5.30pm to 10pm Friday and Saturday
Facebook gankosushisg
Instagram @ganko.sushi_sg
Reservations +65 8828 2280 or Book Here