Shinzo Japanese Cuisine By Chef Lawrence Chia

On a lovely Saturday afternoon, a group of Burpple Tastemakers met up for lunch at Shinzo hosted by the hospitable Chef Lawrence Chia.

The entrance may seem unassuming, but behind the door we were welcomed by the intimate space and friendly greeting from the Shinzo team. 

The seating layout at Shinzo has more seats around the counter, as it was designed specifically for Chef Chia to play host and interact with his guest. Shinzo pledged on their belief, with people coming to Shinzo as strangers but leaving as friends.

Chef Chia said to us in a joking manner; if you don't mind standing throughout your meal, he can host more than 30 person, which makes it a true standing sushi bar. I smiled after hearing this and I'm pretty sure he wasn't really joking when he said that.

Shinzo specialises in Omakase; one of the promotion you should not miss, is this Early Bird Omakase Dinner (6 course and 1 dessert at $68++) featuring Chef Chia's creations made with the season's best ingredients sourced directly from Japan. All you need to do is to enjoy your food, and end your meal before 7.30pm.


Shinzo serves lunch from Monday to Saturday, 12 pm to 3 pm and dinner from 6.00 pm to 10.30 pm.
Back to our lunch meet up, here are some highlights of the menu offering (Lunch Set at $38+ onwards)

Crispy Leather Jacket Fish 

Whitebait with Crawfish Salad

Mentaiko Grilled Cod (Chirashi Set)

Chirashi Don

I was amazed by the unique presentation of my Chirashi don, served in 3 separate bowls of rice.

First up was chopped Tuna, followed by Snow Crab and lastly Horse Mackerel.

Presented in an odd-shaped bowl, it was rather difficult to get a good shot, so I decided to take close up shots of each bowl. 

My fellow tastemakers ordered the Sashimi Lunch Set ($38+) and the Wagyu Beef Lunch Set ($45+).

Lunch set includes a fresh green salad, starter, choice of main, and a miso soup.  

Shinzo Lunch Menu. More can be found here - http://www.shinzo.com.sg/menu

Assorted Tempura (Sashimi Set)

Chef Seasonal Selection (Sashimi Set)

Hot or Cold Udon (Sashimi Set)

Chawanmushi with Truffle Sauce (Beef Set)

Stir fried wagyu beef and vegetables with rice (Beef Set)

To complete our lunch, we were treated to a trio of ice cream dessert made up of classic Japanese flavours - Matcha (Green Tea), Yuzu (Citrus) and Kurogama (Sesame). 

Starting from 1 May 2014, Shinzo will be offering 4 set lunches for the price of 3 every Saturday.

If you are planning for a Saturday lunch with your family or friends, this is definitely a steal you must not miss.

Brief Note about the Chef

Chef Lawrence Chia started Shinzo Japanese Cuisine in September 2013, after spending more than 23 years as honing his skills as a sushi artisan. Trained under the famous Chef Yoshio Nogawa at the renowned Sushi Kaiseki Nogawa; Chef Chia helm the sushi counters of several renowned Japanese restaurants in Singapore, including Hinoki (at China Square), Tatsuya (at Goodwood Park Hotel) and Tatsu (at Asia Square Tower). 

The word Shinzo means heart in the Japanese language. Chef Chia had proven to us his passion for Japanese cuisine and every dish he created was done with love. 

We not only tasted the great quality of food, but also experienced the impeccable service and warm hospitality of the Shinzo team. 

Thank you Chef Lawrence Chia and Shinzo for the incredible experience, we had a great time together. 

Shinzo Address: 17 Carpenter Street, 01-01, Singapore 059906.

Opening Hours: Monday to Saturday, 12 pm to 3 pm / 6.00 pm to 10.30 pm

Reservation is recommended (Tel:) 6438-2921

Like their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/shinzojc

Visit their Official Website: www.shinzo.com.sg