It’s hardly a secret anymore, what with a Makansutra stamp of approval and subsequent buzz among foodie bloggers, but Meii Sushi still “feels” like one, thanks to its unlikely location, easy-to-miss frontage and cramped quarters. The menu at first seems limited, but not when you consider it’s staffed by a middle-aged couple—the husband behind the sushi counter, his wife as waitress. There are a few lunch sets at around $25 ($18 for a special ladies set), don (protein on rice) for $15-18. But a la carte is a concession to the neighborhood—Meii is an omakase joint, so go with the chef’s choice set, $80 at lunch or $100 at dinner. You can have a five-star experience at Meii. Which is not to say that it’s a five-star restaurant. When the tiny joint is fully booked on a Friday night and you’re assigned one of the tables at the far end (the place is narrower, and shorter, than a bus), you might find that your set meal isn’t worth the $100 you spent. While the parade of raw dishes—tako (octopus) with wasabi, oysters in ponzu, chunky cut sashimi—is respectable, and there’s no doubt that the seafood here is among the freshest you’ll find anywhere in Singapore, other courses—edamame, cucumber slices with red bean dip, miso soup—are mundane and the grilled whole fish disappointingly dry. And, though we hate to say it, the lone Auntie waitress can’t attend to you quite as often as you might expect. But at another chance encounter at lunch, when a midday downpour has kept the office crowd away and you manage a spot at the counter where the chef can see you—the passion he has for his craft emerges when he can see and hear you getting excited about your meal. That rainy day he treats you to the freshest, most exquisite Hokkaido delicacies (not just fish but also scallops, oysters, sea urchin, and salmon roe) as part of your $80 lunch set. A steal, worth double, triple even. Meii never approaches what can be considered high art, but without the slickness and pretense of fine dining and designer Zen-ish interior, you can truly focus on what is often stunning sushi prepared by a master.
