Omoté (Thomson Plaza)

Omoté (Thomson Plaza) is a casual Japanese restaurant on Level 3 of Thomson Plaza, a mall on Upper Thomson Road. It is the flagship of the Omoté group. It is best known for its chirashi don: a bowl of sushi rice topped with diced raw fish.

The brand began as a small 12-seat sushi spot in this mall. In December 2018 it was renamed Omoté and moved into a larger space in the same building. The group now has outlets elsewhere in Singapore and in the Philippines.

What to order

Chirashi don is the reason most people come, and the menu lists more than ten versions. The signature Omoté Chirashi mixes cubes of assorted raw fish over seasoned rice. For something richer, the Tamago Mentai Chirashi has torched salmon and tuna with slices of sweet omelette and cod roe.

If you are sharing, look at the Super Mount Chirashi. It is a tall pile of mixed seafood, big enough for more than one person. For a cooked option, the Unagi Kabayaki Don comes with grilled eel. The menu also has other rice bowls and sushi.

The bowls are generous for what you pay, which is a big part of the appeal. That makes it a good choice if you want fresh Japanese food without the cost of a formal sushi counter.

The setting

This is a relaxed, casual place rather than a formal sushi bar. Reviews of the current space describe a modern room with Japanese touches, counter seats and tables. The mood suits a quick lunch, a family dinner or a meal after a morning in the nearby nature parks.

Good to know before you go

• Queues: Omoté has a reputation for queues at meal times. Arrive early if you want to avoid a long wait.
• Raw fish: most bowls are built around raw seafood, but there are cooked dishes such as the grilled eel rice bowl.
• Groups: the larger chirashi bowls are made for sharing, so they work well for small groups.

Getting there

The nearest MRT station is Upper Thomson, on the Thomson-East Coast Line. The mall's own directions say to enter Thomson Plaza by the entrance near DBS and 7-Eleven. Many bus routes also serve the mall.

Nearby

Upper Thomson is a good base for nature. The MacRitchie TreeTop Walk and Windsor Nature Park are both in the area. For roti prata, Springleaf Prata Place serves sweet and savoury versions. See more Japanese restaurants, all restaurants in Upper Thomson, or our North Singapore guide.