Tuesday brunch with BB — went for the Salmon Nigiri Terimayo set at $11.80 at a Japanese takeaway / casual restaurant. The aburi (torched) salmon nigiri with teriyaki mayo is one of those small-luxury orders that doesn’t break the budget.

We ordered:

Salmon Nigiri Terimayo (set) — $11.80

Salmon Nigiri Terimayo is the Singapore Japanese-chain take on the classic aburi salmon nigiri. The pieces are torched at the edges for that signature browned-fish-aroma effect, with a generous drizzle of teriyaki-style mayo on top. The mayo is the fusion move — Japanese kewpie mayo blended with teriyaki sauce for a sweet-savoury-rich finishing layer.

The set came as a tray of 6-8 nigiri pieces, plus a small portion of pickled ginger, a wedge of wasabi, and a small ramekin of soy sauce on the side.

The aburi technique was the test. Properly torched salmon has a slight char on the surface that’s distinctively browned (almost caramelised) while the centre of the fish stays nearly raw. The temperature contrast is the whole point — warm browned top, cool raw bottom, with the rice underneath at room temperature.

The teriyaki-mayo drizzle was the upgrade move. Sweet-soy from the teriyaki, creamy from the mayo, slightly tangy from the kewpie egg-yolk-vinegar base. It tied the warm salmon and the rice together.

Sushi rice underneath was the standard short-grain seasoned rice — slightly vinegared, sticky-but-distinct grains, room temperature. Properly cooked rice is the foundation that elevates the whole bite.

At $11.80 for the set, this is fair Japanese chain pricing for the aburi-style nigiri format. Premium sushi spots charge double for the same execution.

Phase 2 reopening had restored casual sushi spots, and the mid-week takeaway slot is the right venue for a small Japanese fix.

Overall: 4.4 / 5. 😋👍🏼 Solid Salmon Nigiri Terimayo set — would re-order.

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