Ichi Tei - Net-Priced Aburi Dons, Unagi Udon & Sashimi

Hidden among the printing shops of Sunshine Plaza is Ichi Tei, a Japanese eatery that has been quietly serving rice bowls, grilled sets and sashimi since 2009. The kitchen builds its reputation on aburi dons finished with a blowtorch at the counter, sashimi cut thick from daily deliveries, and a miso soup simmered from salmon bones rather than powder. Prices are net, with no tax or service charge added, which is unusual for Japanese dining in the city centre. The dishes below show why a stall this small has kept a following for more than fifteen years.

Mentaiko Salmon Aburi Don — $13.50

The dish most tables order is the Mentaiko Salmon Aburi Don. Slices of salmon are laid across sushi rice, coated in mentaiko sauce, then blow-torched at the counter until the surface takes on a light char. The torching draws out a smoky note that plays against the natural sweetness of the fish, while the mentaiko adds a savoury, roe-rich layer on top. Sesame seeds and tobiko finish the bowl, the latter lending small bursts of texture against the soft salmon. The rice beneath is seasoned with a dark soya sauce rather than left plain, carrying the flavour through to the base of the bowl.

Hokkaido Scallop & Salmon Mentaiko Aburi Don — $17.50

This bowl builds on the signature aburi don by adding Hokkaido scallops to the torched salmon and mentaiko. The scallops are sliced thin and laid over the salmon before the whole surface is dressed with mentaiko and lit with the blowtorch. The searing warms the scallop just enough to bring out its subtle sweetness while keeping the centre tender. Despite its modest footprint, the bowl is generously packed, with the layered salmon and scallop sitting on a mound of sushi rice.

Kaisen Don — $20

The Kaisen Don gathers the stall’s sashimi in a single bowl, combining salmon, Hokkaido scallop and aka ebi with nishin, a slice of herring served atop its own pale yellow roe. The nishin is the distinctive element here, an ingredient rarely seen on affordable Japanese menus in Singapore, and its roe adds a fine, crunchy contrast to the softer cuts around it. Because the sashimi selection depends on the day’s supply, the exact composition of the bowl can vary.

Sashimi Moriawase — $26

For those who want the sashimi on its own, the Sashimi Moriawase brings together four kinds of raw fish in one platter. The cuts are notably thick, and the selection changes with what arrives fresh, so a serving may include salmon, albacore tuna, scallop or other options on any given day. The stall recommends checking the available sashimi for the day before ordering, since the line-up shifts with supply.

Unagi Udon — $14

This bowl brings together two of Ichi Tei’s mainstays, the grilled unagi and the curry udon, in a single dish. Slices of eel are grilled to order and glazed with the kitchen’s smoky-sweet soya sauce, then laid over udon in the thick Japanese curry. The richness of the eel plays against the depth of the curry, while the udon soaks up both the glaze and the sauce. It is one of the more indulgent noodle options on a menu where udon otherwise appears in lighter, broth-based form.

Saba Shio Set — $11.50

The Saba Shio Set has been on the menu since the eatery opened and remains one of its longest-standing dishes. A large fillet of mackerel is seasoned with salt and grilled in a Japanese oven that heats from above, crisping the skin while keeping the flesh underneath moist. A squeeze of lemon cuts through the natural oiliness of the fish. Like the other sets, it comes with miso soup, Japanese rice or udon and a side salad, making it one of the more substantial value options on the menu.

Ika Teriyaki Set — $18

The Ika Teriyaki Set features squid glazed in teriyaki sauce and grilled. The sauce lends a sweet-savoury coating to the squid, which is cooked to keep a tender bite rather than turning rubbery. As with the other teishoku sets, it arrives with miso soup and a side salad, rounding the plate into a complete meal.

Chicken Curry — $12

For a departure from the raw and grilled seafood, the Chicken Curry offers a warm, comforting option. The chicken is prepared with crisp skin and juicy meat, then served with Japanese curry. It is one of the heartier choices on a menu otherwise dominated by sashimi and grilled fish, and comes with the same accompaniments of soup and salad found across the sets.

The Salmon-Bone Miso Soup

The miso soup served alongside every set is worth singling out. Instead of the powdered version common at many eateries, the kitchen simmers salmon bones and parts, typically discarded elsewhere, for hours to build the base. Chunks of fatty salmon and cubes of radish are added, yielding a rich, concentrated broth with body drawn from the collagen in the bones. Regular customers have noted that the kitchen will sometimes offer a refill of the soup, which speaks to how central it is to the meal here.

Ichi Tei has held its place at Sunshine Plaza for more than fifteen years by keeping its focus narrow: fresh sashimi, blow-torched dons, carefully grilled fish and a soup built from scratch, all at net prices. For anyone looking for quality Japanese food in the city centre without the usual mark-up, it remains a reliable stop worth seeking out.

91 Bencoolen Street, #01-51 Sunshine Plaza, Singapore 189652
Opening Hours: Monday to Friday 11:15am to 7:45pm | Saturday 11:15am to 2:30pm | Closed Sundays
Tel: +65 9139 1746
Facebook: Ichi Tei Japanese Dining