Unkai Sushi
Highlights
About Unkai Sushi
Unkai Sushi — meaning 'sea of clouds' — is tucked into a small corner of the Orchard Rendezvous Hotel lobby on Tanglin Road. Chef Eugene Lam opened Unkai in early 2022 with a specific mission: to make quality sushi omakase accessible to younger working adults. At S$68++ for an 8-course lunch, he has arguably succeeded — this is one of the most affordable legitimate omakase experiences in the Orchard area, consistently fully booked since opening.
Chef Eugene is Singaporean, not Japanese — we state this transparently. His 12+ years at Hide Yamamoto, Ashino, Sushi Mieda, and Koji Sushi Bar gave him genuine skills. He exclusively uses Hokkaido rice with a dual-vinegar system (white for white fish, red for fatty fish) — a detail typically found at restaurants charging three times the price.
The 30-seat restaurant is open daily, seven days a week — a rarity among Orchard omakase restaurants. Fish is air-flown 4× weekly from Toyosu Market and Osaka Bay. The atmosphere is warm and deliberately non-intimidating.
Recommended For
Menu & Pricing
Lunch Omakase
| 舞 Mai — 8 courses | S$68++ |
| 彩 Aya — 10 courses | S$88++ |
| 真 Shin — extended | S$138++ |
Dinner Omakase
| 月 Tsuki — 10 sushi | S$138++ |
| 花 Hana — + sashimi, grilled, 11 sushi | S$188++ |
| 海 Umi Chef's Choice — full expression | S$238++ |
À La Carte Highlights
| Kaisen Garlic Fried Rice | S$18++ |
| Salmon & Roe Don | S$28++ |
| Iberico Pork Cheek Rice Bowl | S$26++ |
| Signature Unkai Soba | S$68++ |
| Magic Bowl (advance order) | From S$68++ |
All prices subject to service charge and GST. Menu changes seasonally.
Practical Info
- Daily: 11:30am–2:30pm, 6pm–10pm
- Open 7 days a week
Dietary Info
Photos
Location
1 Tanglin Road, #01-10, Orchard Rendezvous Hotel, Singapore 247905
📍 Open in Google MapsYour Dining Journey at Unkai Sushi
Finding the Counter
Enter the hotel lobby, look left. The counter is warm, intimate, relaxed. For a first-timer, it's the right energy: attentive but not performative. You can talk, ask questions, and relax.
The Dual-Vinegar Sushi
White fish on white vinegar rice first, then fatty fish on red vinegar rice. The contrast is the detail that elevates Unkai from 'affordable' to 'seriously good that happens to be affordable.' The 20-day aged smoked otoro (S$188++ menu) is the crown jewel.
The Magic Bowl
If you're on the Hana (S$188++) menu, ask for the Magic Bowl — uni, chutoro, ikura, abalone liver sauce mixed into an umami bomb. It's the single dish most diners remember weeks later. Available à la carte with advance order (S$68++, 3 days notice).
Departing with Onigiri
If there's leftover sushi rice, the restaurant packs it into onigiri for you to take home. It's a gesture that says everything about Unkai's philosophy — quality does not require pretension. Walk out with a bag of onigiri and the memory of red-vinegar otoro.
Editor's Note
Unkai fills a genuine gap. Most quality omakase in Orchard starts at S$130-180++; Unkai offers S$68++ with real seasonal fish from Japan. The dual-vinegar rice and Magic Bowl are highlights you'd normally pay much more for. Honest caveats: the chef is Singaporean (not Japanese); the S$68++ set excludes premium cuts; pacing can be inconsistent; interaction was sometimes stilted. For first-timers and budget-conscious diners, Unkai is an excellent entry point. For a higher-ceiling experience, Sushi Sato (S$168++) or Ginza Sushi Ichi (S$130++) are the next step.