It should be of little surprise that G and I would choose Japanese for our “last date night meal in the foreseeable future.”  While we have never tried Goto, recommendations from a few trusted sources convinced us that this might be the closest to dining in Japan that we would experience locally.  Other convincing factors include: the chef/owner, Goto Hisao, is the former chef of the Japanese Ambassador, and as a geek, how could I possibly pass on a restaurant named thusly.   Skipping to the conclusion: we were very impressed.  While dinner here is not cheap, if you’re in the mood for high class kaiseki- this is the place to visit.

There’s an option of either the $180 or $280 menu.   And for the bargain hunters, the $68 lunch set is apparently an amazing deal.  Since this was a pamper-the-pregnant wife meal, we elected to go with the $280 set, a ten-course journey through the seasonal delicacies of Japan.  Our starter (pictured above) was an array vegetables and seafood all delicately prepared to enhance their natural flavors – a very key part of the kaiseki dining experience.  In particular, the edamame tofu and stewed ume were fantastic.

Next was a clear soup featuring anago and junsai sprouts.  This served as a wonderful palette cleanser for the sashimi platter that followed.  The sashimi was easily one of the freshest that we’ve had in town.  Next was the agemono, a selection of fried items including hotate, soramame, and ebi.  Like good tempura, just a squeeze of lemon and herb-infused salt is all that’s needed for additional flavoring.

The remainder of our savory dishes included an addictive steamed edamame paste, a grilled ayu fish, Kagoshima wagyu, and gohan.

Dessert was a pleasant surprise given that there were four mini-treats, coconut ice cream, grape jelly, mango pudding, and seasonal fruits.  The last course was a traditional mochi with freshly made green tea.

From an aesthetics and ingredients quality standpoint – Goto is certainly one of the best in Singapore.  I haven’t tried the $400+ options in town to compare, but honestly at that price point, G and I could just fly to Japan.  While this is a place that we can’t afford to visit anytime in the near future, we would certainly return given the opportunity.

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Goto
14 Ann Siang Road
+65 6438 1553