I swore my initial intention was to just stick to the SET LUNCHes ($16.80) when I took position at the counter seat. I love the counter seats, coz that’s where I could gaze lovingly at the fresh fishes hoping they would all eventually be mine. We pored over the ala carte menu with those set lunches fighting hard for my attention. Frazzled by the flurry of the CNY hassles (excuse), I yielded to Chef Hong’s coaxing to go omakase ($60~$70 for lunch - $70 for my case coz I was greedy haha), my usual inclination whenever I dine at Japanese restaurants (bad bad bad) anyway, with special requests for no meat and no clammy & rubbery stuff (aka squid).

I started with an appetizer of crunchy Vegetable Sticks with Miso dip, then an otoshi of pickled Wakame. I passed the leatherjacket strips (rubber) and baby sardine crisps, and waited excitedly for the ankimo that Chef promised earlier. The pieces of monkfish liver, marinated in tangy ponzu sauce and topped with Momiji oroshi (spicy grated daikon radish), tasted decadent, and clearly whetted my appetite for the next course to come.

The sashimi plate came next. I smelt the sea. The beautiful platter had an expertly sliced salmon belly, yummy and fatty, and the most stunning piece of otoro, which has the most intricate marbling I couldn’t help but feel sorry for its plight (LOL). Other darlings include kanpachi bellies and shima-aji. The akagai, though usually not my fav (rubber), however went well with me that day. Just for being so fresh.

I requested for no meat primarily coz I had more indulgent treats on my mind. The foie gras. The foie gras sumiyaki that was beckoning to me from the moment I glanced upon it on the menu. Wish granted. Slightly peppered, the piece of sinful indulge was a total gastro-catastrophe. It sent me to liver haven, after which I was sure I maxed out my total calorie intake for the week (whatever that was left of LOL).

Chef Hong next ordered the Hotate Mentaiyaki for my already tickled palate. Blanketed under a luxe layer of bubbling mentaiko, the scallops were lightly grilled in its shell with Eringi mushrooms. I think this got to be my fav dish (I love scallops!) that day.

Following the usual sequence of a typical kaiseki course, the nimono dish was a symphony of succculent ebi all dressed up in a miso-mayo goo. These prawns had all that extra crunch with spurting juices, and even as I complained about the overkill of mayo, in good time, those nasty tiny little orange roe too were easily mopped up.

I really only wanted to find out the difference between kurobuta pork and the standard ones. Really. But once again, tempted by the Man Of The Day, I conceded and agreed to have just one of those yakitori sticks. Not a very carnivorous person, I must confess I didn’t really like the grease that came with it. Not to mention the gnawing part. The difference? I swear I don’t know!! Chef laughed.

Subsequently, I worked through three pieces of hotategai, tai and uni sushi. The scallop was lightly showered with rock salt and a brush of yuzu before I was ordered to eat it naked, without the standard shoyu and wasabi accompaniments. That tender piece of raw scallop, with its wings all resplendent, seemed to be planning its flight away from being devoured. What stark contrast with those petite little ones that were once swimming about in the steamboat just two nights ago (*yawn*). Those should just hang their heads in shame. The tai (snapper), was another decent piece, umbrella-ing some morsels of chopped negi atop the tiny mound of sushi rice. My favoritest uni came next, creamy and bursting with freshness of the sea. Then I was handed a negi-toro temaki (tuna belly handroll) before the last course of toro yuromi mushi, a clear soup consisting of tuna belly, tofu and mushrooms.

I had to delude myself by washing down all the grease with a mildly tart, yet clean and refreshing yuzu ice-cream. Oh such sins.

Tomo exudes a warm and friendly atmosphere. Coupled with a bunch of fun and giggly cooks, and affable waitresses engaging in candid banter, there was none of those pristine hoity-toity airs. Now this gave me just one (did you say just one?) more reason to return.

I could still taste the smile of satisfaction on my lips when I left.