Toku Nori is a Japanese restaurant serving handrolls in Telok Ayer
Telok Ayer is one of my favourite hangouts for good food and chill vibes after a long day in the office, so you can imagine my excitement when I heard that there was a new kid on the block to check out: Toku Nori. Located just three minutes from Telok Ayer MRT Station by foot, this Japanese restaurant specialises in handrolls made with premium ingredients.
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During our visit, we tried a total of five different handrolls starting with the Hotate ($9++). This one comprises fresh scallops, lime, chives, and yuzu kosho.Â
Every roll is made fresh by the chef in front of you. Also, you’re encouraged to enjoy the handrolls immediately upon being served to ensure the seaweed stays fresh and crispy.
Image credit: Toku Nori
For a lovely textural contrast between soft tuna slices and crispy fried shallots, the Maguro ($8++) is a great choice. There’s also a layer of smoked onion cream in this one, lending a mild sweetness to the handroll.
Image credit: Toku Nori
The Engawa ($9.50++) was a collective favourite thanks to the addition of roast garlic and shiro miso. My colleague and I also found the lightly seared slices of fluke fin in this to be of great quality.
If you enjoy an occasional drink with your food, I recommend getting the Sake Pairing ($18++) with the Toku Nori Set ($38++) for the best experience. The set comes with five different handrolls, including the three aforementioned ones, as well as Hamachi ($8.50++), and Salmon ($8.50++).
There are also premium options for the handroll, including the Wagyu & Uni ($16++) and Foie Gras ($16++) which were equally delicious.Â
The former features Wagyu karubi, Hokkaido uni, and caviar, while the latter comprises aburi foie gras topped with a spicy leek and garlic soy glaze.Â
Moving on to the izakaya platter: we were given a spread of four items to try. Out of these bites, the Chicken Ribs ($14++) were the most memorable as the fried chicken ribs covered in sweet-salty yakisoba sauce remained crispy throughout our time there.Â
A close runner-up would be the Aburi Salmon Crispy Sushi ($16++), starring crisp sushi rice beautifully topped with salmon tartare, mentaiko sauce, and fresh ikura.
For something more unique, I recommend the Maguro Poppers ($12++) where a crispy nori shell is packed with tuna tartare and edamame paste, then finished with tobiko.
Finally, their Kakuni Pork Belly ($12++), the latest addition to the menu, features a tender and juicy pork belly on skewers. Do note that the izakaya items are seasonal, and the menu changes from time to time.
We had a lovely end to our meal with their house-made warabimochi, which served as a surprise finale for the Toku Nori Set. There are three different flavours: Kinako, Goma, and Matcha. Diners are served one depending on what’s available for the day.
My colleague and I had the pretty Sakura Matcha Latte ($6++) and refreshing Yuzu Matcha ($6.50++) with the warabimochi too. The former is mildly sweet and creamy, while the latter strikes a perfect balance of sour and bittersweet favours.
In light of their grand opening, Toku Nori has a 1-for-1 handroll promotion till 30 June 2024. Simply give them a follow on Instagram and present this article to any of their staff to enjoy the deal.
For more new places to check out around the area, read our L’antica Pizzeria da Michele review. Alternatively, check out Daily Beer for Korean fried chicken and craft beer.Â
Address: 200A Telok Ayer Street, Singapore 068638
Opening hours: Mon-Sat 11:45am to 2:30pm, 5:30pm to 11:30pm
Website
Toku Nori is not a halal-certified eatery.
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Photos taken by Maisie Chong.
This was a media tasting at Toku Nori.
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