Miyu

Miyu is a Japanese omakase restaurant at 13A Dempsey Road, on Dempsey Hill. Omakase means "I leave it to you": the chef decides each course based on what is in season. The focus here is Edomae-style sushi, the Tokyo tradition of nigiri on seasoned rice, along with menus of cooked dishes.

The restaurant is small and built around counter dining, so you can watch the chef at work. It opened in 2019 and is about ten minutes by car from Orchard Road, in a green part of the city.

The chef and team

Executive chef and owner Ng Kam Kwan has more than 20 years of experience in Japanese cooking. Before Miyu, he worked at several Japanese restaurants, including Hide Yamamoto and Kacyo. His cooking follows shun, the Japanese idea of using each ingredient at its seasonal peak. Seafood and other produce are flown in each week from Toyosu Market in Tokyo.

The founder is hospitality businessman Tan Xu Teng, who earlier set up Wave House Sentosa. Sous chef Cheng Wee Jian works alongside Chef Kwan in the kitchen.

What to order

You choose one omakase set, and the courses arrive one at a time. The exact dishes change with the seasons, but each menu follows a clear pattern:

• Sushi omakase: a seasonal starter, sashimi, hot and cold dishes, nigiri sushi, a toro and uni roll, tamago, soup and fruit.
• Chef's omakase: the fullest dinner menu, with more sashimi and extra hot dishes.
• Cooked omakase: tempura, chawanmushi, dobinmushi and other hot dishes, with no raw seafood. It is called Akaibara at dinner and Aka at lunch.
• Lunch sets: shorter menus, such as one built around ten pieces of nigiri.

A few terms help. Chawanmushi is a savoury steamed egg custard. Dobinmushi is a clear broth steamed and served in a small teapot. Tamago is a sweet, layered Japanese omelette.

The toro and uni roll appears on several menus and shows the house style well. Premium Japanese wagyu can be added on request. Sake and wine are available to pair with your meal.

Good to know before you go

• Book ahead: seats are limited. The restaurant suggests booking at least a week ahead for lunch and two to three weeks ahead for dinner, especially at weekends.
• How to book: reserve online through the website or send a WhatsApp message. The team says a message works better than a call during service.
• Celebrations: mention a birthday or anniversary when you book, and the team can arrange a cake or candles.
• Raw fish: if you do not eat it, choose the cooked omakase. Share other dietary needs when you reserve.
• Timing: an omakase meal unfolds course by course, so allow plenty of time, especially at dinner.

Nearby

Dempsey Hill is a cluster of restaurants and shops in former army barracks, so it is easy to make an evening of it. Read our guide to Dempsey Hill, or walk through the Singapore Botanic Gardens before lunch. For more sushi in this part of town, look at Sushi Sato or our full list of Japanese restaurants in Singapore. Other well-liked meals on Dempsey Hill include Burnt Ends and Canchita Peruvian Cuisine. You can also browse all restaurants in Dempsey, Tanglin and Holland.