From his Korean roots, Akira Back blends in a Japanese reverence for subtlety and quality inputs to produce deliciously creative dishes with a nuance of America. The main foundation of the food remains raw fish (Akira is a trained sushi chef) but it has been given a twist using Korean influenced sauces and garnishing. Within all this is a decidedly modern presentation. Akira has restaurants located in Las Vegas, Seoul and Jakarta but we ate at his Singapore branch, which sits in the JW Marriott hotel at South Beach.
The man himself is fascinating, having been a professional snow boarder, but subsequently becoming a successful chef and gaining stature with his restaurant Yellowtail Japanese Restaurant & Lounge in the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas. Akira has even appeared on Iron Chef, and with his outgoing personality, his enthusiasm is infectious. The restaurant in Singapore is helmed by a well-seasoned team who have worked with him in his other outlets but Akira pops by a few times a year. It was on his recent visit that we had the chance to try his omakase menu. The eight course meal was well worth it in our view at around SGD230 per person (excluding drinks).
The restaurant is closed on Sundays and Mondays but open for lunch and dinner all other days. Reservations can be made by phone (+65-68181914) or online through chope reservations.
Our Meal
