Junryo Sushi Bar: Intimate Sushi by Yuta

In January last year, we featured Yuta, a cozy hole-in-the-wall eatery in Orchard Plaza offering Japanese omakase meals for $115++. They managed to strike a good balance between quality and price, thus earning a loyal following over the past 18 months.

Now, with the same strategy, the owners have opened a sushi bar just a marble’s throw away. (A marble’s throw is typically less than 10 meters, unlike a stone’s throw, which is around 30 meters.) Or put in another way, it’s within a day’s journey for a snail.

Cozy 8-seater sushi bar helmed by Chef Samuel Lau

The intimate little sushi counter sits 8 pax and the austere setup features laminated walls, flour and a tabletop. Even the kitchen is a simple setup. There is no exhaust or deep fryer, just a rice cooker and a small induction stove to cook soup.

What they do have is Chef Samuel Lau, a sushi chef with over a decade of experience. His resume includes time at the Michelin-starred Shinji, where he worked in the private rooms.

At Junryo, you’ll experience Samuel’s expert knife skills, fresh fish flown in from Japan, and perfectly molded sushi rice. This spot is perfect for sushi purists who appreciate freshly hand-molded sushi without any unnecessary frills or inflated prices.

Omakase Meals

They offer a 12-course Lunch Omakase with 9 pieces of sushi for $78++ and a 16-course Dinner Omakase with 12 pieces of sushi for $118++. In this post, we highlight the dinner course, which includes a Seasonal Appetizer, 12 pieces of sushi, Kaisen Don, Soup, and Dessert.

The quality of the fish is very good, though some compromises have been made to keep prices competitive. Naturally, if cost isn’t a concern, the discerning sushi connoisseur would choose a sushi bar that serves only wild-caught fish and fresh wasabi roots from Shizuoka.

However, for the budget-conscious who still want to enjoy good sushi, farmed fish and frozen tuna might be a good compromise, in order to avoid burning a big hole in the pocket. That said, the quality of fish at Junryo is very good. Chef Samuel’s focus on simplicity means you get a great piece of fish on nicely molded rice that should satisfy your sushi craving.

Due to limited kitchen equipment, you won’t find many cooked dishes here. If you’re expecting stewed, grilled, or fried options, you might be disappointed, as the only warm item served is the concluding soup.

If you are looking for a wider variety of cooked dishes with some sushi and sashimi, Yuta might be a better choice. However, if you’re focused on enjoying quality seafood, Junryo is the place to be.

Conclusion

The debut of Junryo adds another indie eatery to Orchard Plaza’s bohemian dining scene. Accommodating only eight diners, Junryo embodies simplicity and authenticity with its austere, minimalistic setting.

Despite its modest kitchen facilities, the establishment manages to maintain a high standard of seafood quality. This is certainly another prospective destination for Sushi enthusiasts to satisfy their cravings.

Disclosure: This was a media tasting.

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