I love heading back to CBD over the weekend for meals because the crowd is more dispersed and there is none of the maddening city traffic to battle and meals can be enjoyed without hurrying to end the seating.
Unlike most other Japanese outlets, Hakumai Sushi entertains diners who would prefer bento sets to the more premium and pricier kaiseki and omakase options.
Salmon Avocado Don ($26.80)
Salmon Avocado and Roe On Rice
Truffle Sauce Chawanmushi
Soup / Salad / Fruit
Amongst their range of affordable bento sets is this particular don that was considerably cheaper than the chirashi going at $39.80. Think thick cuts of salmon sashimi and avocado dressing a bowl of furikake rice.
Sukiyaki Gozen ($26.80)
Beef and Vegetables Cooked with Sweet Sauce
Salmon Sashimi / Truffle Sauce
Chawanmushi / Rice / Soup / Salad / Fruit
Beef sukiyaki for the already hot weather, it strangely did not heat the temperatures up in the restaurant.
Individual pot for cooking. This would suit colder temperatures better, in my opinion.
Sashimi Gozen ($33.80)
Mixed Sashimi /
/ Truffle Sauce Chawanmushi
Salad / Fruit
Portions are on the small side even with this choice being in the next price bracket. The selection of sashimi was decent, not super fresh but good enough.
Tempura Moriawase
I found the selection alright, nothing to scream about the thick batter and limp seafood.
Hot Soba
Lady Bento ($38.80)
Salmon Sashimi / California Maki
Botan Jiru (Prawn Soup)
Salad / Fruit
My lady bento set was served in courses, well almost. The california maki and salmon sashimi arrived first.
And the full set on a lacquer tray.
Truffle Soba
The main highlight of this dish is the truffle oil tossed into the noodles and topped with fish roe and artificial crabmeat.
Truffle Sauce Chawanmushi, another of those gimmicky dishes that played on truffle as the highlight yet was really nothing much beyond truffle oil.
My comparatively more "lady" portions of Mixed Tempura. Two prawns and a carrot.
Grilled Cod with Spicy Cod Roe
Much ado about nothing, even with the spicy cod roe mayo, it still tasted bland. More time over the grill may have helped but this was another of those letdowns.
Very average fare at okay prices, like the omakase that lacks finesse. This perhaps works better in the department of value for money than a proper Japanese dining experience. Techniques and dishes displayed show a time of the past, somewhat passe in my opinion.
Hakumai Sushi
International Plaza, #01-50A
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