Ichiban Boshi

By 10am, I had not one, not two.. but five plasters strategically taped around my feet. The thin braided stripes cut like rope burns with every step I took.. By the time I actually had a chance to rub shoulders with my chair, my right heel had suffered from some serious knackering. They looked so harmless off the shelf! But I swear my black Mango heels were designed by a Nazi.

Any-ho, I still made it for my lunch appointment at Ichiban Boshi Suntec City.. Who am I kidding? If I had to chuck my shoes and walk bare-feet to get to sushi lunch with the girls, I would do it in half a heartbeat. When it comes to standards, I would consider Ichiban Boshi to be in between Sushi Tei and Sakae Sushi.. though the jury is still out on whether I think Sushi Tei is better because it is more expensive. I favour the inventive creations Ichiban comes up with.. Yup, you might as well strike my name off the list of hard-core traditionalists. Oh, it also really helps that you don't have to pay through your nose to enjoy the pleasing variety of ala cartes and sushi, compared to S*SHHH T**.

As a sushi fanatic, I feel it is my utmost duty to share with you 8 ways to commit Sushi Faux Pas. Que Beethoven's Symphony 5.

1. Thou shall demonstrate impressive Jordan-dunking-skills by soaking vinegar rice in the soya suace. 2. Do a Mcdreamy and dissect the sushi into bite-size bites before eating. 3. Openly challenge the itamae on the freshness of the fish. Note: Do prepare to be kicked off the sushi bar with a single ninja-bitch slap. 4. Ask the itamae which soba or udon set you should have just in case you discover sushi's 'not your thang'. 5. Deliberately reject the itame's sushi recommendations in the exact same manner where you would choose the patent cherry-red wedges instead of the azure-blue kitten heels your boyfriend picked out for you, despite you asking him for his opinion. Dude, what does HE KNOW? 6. Hurry the itamae and conveniently remind him that McDonalds is just a ten minute walk away. 7. Demonstrate your unwavering allegiance to Japanese fishermen by spearing sushi with chopsticks. 8. Ask for ketchup.

Of course, I myself am guilty to a faux pas or two (the most, I swear!) but luckily no self-respecting monomaniacal sushi chef would find themself in a converyor belt chain, thus sparing me from an eyes-wide-shut showcase of their knives skills. Today I shunned the ala carte menu and acclimatized myself with the offerings of the belt. A creature of questionables habits, my picks were predictable..

Making quite an impact on every visit is the Deep Impact roll. Yes, the name's a B-grade movie film title but the taste is undoubtly A-class.



Bits of tempura batter wrapped in sweet vinegar rice, topped with a canopy of finely-minced scallop and baby octopus was irresistable. When the chewing gets going, the mish-mash of flavours and textures sent satisfaction signals ringing through my mind.

Which was why I had a second plate..



Chili salmom was an example of the more unsual sushi items IB offers. Made nigiri-style, the grilled cheese and chili sauce lay atop of half-raw salmon. This was a walk down the shady side as I wasn't taken by the overall taste.



Plump and tasty, I turned to the soft shell crab (aka spider) hand roll for more pseudo-healthy comfort. The bond created between the generous crab chunk, yay-for-barely-there cucumber slices, ikura bits and wad of mayo resulted in an attention-grabbing hand roll. Now how can you go wrong with the soft shell crab hand roll?

Eyebrows were raised when I lifted the cheesecake of the belt.. But.. but.. since when did dessert have to be served last? The slice of Japanese cheesecake was part-cheesecake, part-souffle, part-sponge cake and totally satisfying. Asethically fuss-free and lighter than its American (hides a laugh) counterpart, this is great stuff for those who feel that today's cheesecakes have been assailed by an oreo overkill.

I wish I had paid more attention to the ala carte menu. The spread of tempuras, sobas and grilled items had me going, "next time I will order..." As a friend, I would suggest you refrain from meeting up with me for lunch unless you don't mind Ichiban. Haha.. A couple of my lunch mates took on the Kaminabe offer. Though I didn't manage to taste it, the empty pots left by the end of lunch is indicative of the enjoyment derived.



The tempura chanwanmushi set looked amazing. 3 medium-sized prawns, an unusually plump okra, a slice of eggplant and mushroom.. Oh why do parents have such a difficult time coaxing their kids to finish their vegetables? Just toss them (referring to the vegetables here.. *cough*) into the deep fryer and watch those monkeys (referring to the kids here) devour them in 2 minutes flat. Hahaha.. Yes, ever the aspiring nutritionist I am though you won't catch me promoting the "Have 2.3 Kids" campaign anytime soon. Back to the tempura, though the batter could have been lighter, the portion size and overall taste were hard to fault.

Though I'm hardly the most sentimental person alive, I feel emotionally-attached to sushi and I suffer from withdrawal symptoms if I don't have it at least once a week. Arghhh! And after lunch at IB, I'm simply Craving. For. More.

Oh what a tormented soul I am.. I should just go write a song..