A prestigious address, stunning city views, and diners dressed to the nines—there’s a lot to like about Japanese kappo restaurant Oumi. The only downside: you have to traipse across its sister outlet Kaarla, which focuses on Australian produce, to reach Oumi. I imagine it’s 1-Group’s attempt to tackle the hiring crunch by having a single front of house for two restaurants.
After a rapturous debut last year, head chef Lamley Chua is back with new 5-, 7-, and 9-course omakase menus. The space has become a lot more competitive now. There are over 10 omakase restaurants within a 500-metre radius of CapitaSpring, where Oumi is at. All boast the same ethos: fresh produce, seasonal seafood, and front-row seats to witness the chef’s skills.
Chua’s unique draw is his charisma and creativity. Banter with the heavily tattooed chef comes easily and Chua is clever enough to turn scarcity into delicious supply. He shares with me how he turned his one donabe into a vessel to cook succulent smoked otoro sushi because the pot could keep the smoke in.
The sashimi platter is presented on a fan-like ceramic plate. Chua lugged them home personally during a trip to Japan. I count at least 10 stacked on the shelves at the back of the open-air kitchen.
Chua’s skill with sushi and sashimi, Japanese culinary mainstays, are clear. He treats all the fish delicately with his sharp knife before being placed in front of the diner. They melt in your mouth and leave you craving for more. Chua tells me he always spends several weeks in Japan to gain knowledge and hone skills before coming up with a new menu.
The main course, a shio koji teppan chicken, has benefited from this. It’s moist and flavourful, yet tender. Everything on the plate, including the curry leaf and garlic flower, add to the experience. None of them are just decorations.
Chua also prepared some off-the-menu items specially for us—several sushi glazed with excellent housemade shari and crunchy seaweed. Watching Chua’s well-trained hands shape and press the rice was a delight, and I’m surprised that the sushi isn’t part of the different omakase menus.
If you pay a visit, you can ask him if he has any fresh sushi waiting to be whipped out. Some clever banter might make him open the fridge door.
Oumi might face stiff competition, but it can hold its own, largely thanks to Chua and his hardworking crew.
