Isao

From the outside, this narrow two-story shophouse looks like just another sushi bar in a city of countless raw fish eateries, even if the sleek granite and glass frontage does give it a modern touch. But step inside and you discover Isao offers something different. For a start, there is a relaxed homey feel. Simple booths run along the bamboo-clad wall while the rest of the space is dominated by the sushi bar and counter. You also get a warm welcome from the attentive and well informed staff. Ask them for a recommendation and you get a detailed explanation of the entire menu. It helps as Isao does sushi with a distinctly US twist­—one of the chefs worked in Chicago’s Green Tea sushi bar. From our experience at Isao, it was time well spent. For appetizers don’t miss the volcano, a spicy scallop served in its shell and which looks like a glowering mound of molten lava. The result is far more appetizing: juicy, rich, tangy and spiced to perfection. Another favorite is the rosy salmon, melt in your mouth salmon and shavings of lemon formed into a delicate rose. Isao does have standard Japanese items but we recommend skipping the sushi platters in favor of the fusion offerings like Winter, a light and refreshing mix of soft white crab meat, ebi shrimp, avocado and carrot, all wrapped in delicately sliced cucumber and served with a zesty sauce. Another intriguing mix is the sushi sandwich, which has layers of tuna, salmon and sushi rice wedged between a crispy crust of deep fried tempura. It has to be said that the fusion experiment doesn’t always work. Crunchy, made of tempura batter stuffed with spicy salmon has a rather strong caramel flavor making it more like a dessert. But surely half the fun in fusion food is the adventure of trying new combinations and, for the large part, Isao hits the mark­ with artfully presented dishes that are innovative, fun and incredibly tasty. Corkage B300.