SINGAPORE, Jan 25 — Located at 7 Wallich Street, Kuro Maguro will serve bluefin tuna shipped from Misaki Megumi Suisan’s own trawlers, and imported twice a week from Misaki Port in Kanagawa prefecture, Japan to Singapore via ANA air freight. To ensure their freshness, the fish is super frozen at -60°C once they are caught.

The restaurant’s owner says changing tastes around the world mean more people are keen on their products.

"We used to be a wholesaler. Now we are changing, we have restaurants. The population in Japan is decreasing, our stomachs are getting smaller. That is why we started to export. At first, maguro was just for Japanese people, but now everyone likes sushi or sashimi,” said Masa Ishibashi, managing director of Megumi F&S Singapore, Misaki Megumi Suisan’s operations in Singapore, adding that he wanted more people in Singapore to learn about the joys of eating maguro.

Among the dishes to be served at the new Kuro Maguro, which can accommodate 32 diners, include the Otoro Menshi (S$32.80/RM102) with marbled tuna belly, Maguro 3-Cut Sashimi (S$38) and Salmon Oyako Menshi (S$20.80) with salmon chunks and roe.

This would be Misaki Megumi Suisan’s second eatery in Singapore. The famed wholesaler, which has 20 restaurants in Japan, also launched the more upscale Maguro-Donya Miura-Misaki-Kou Sushi & Dining at Suntec City’s Eat At Seven in 2015.

"Before I came to Singapore five years ago, everybody just ate tuna, (which was) not good quality. The colour (of the fish’s flesh) is dark. So I want to introduce maguro — it’s a completely different thing,” said Ishibashi. — TODAY

* Kuro Maguro is located at 7 Wallich Street, #01-04, Singapore 078884. From February 1 to 3, Kuro Maguro’s Grand Opening Sale will entitle all customers to a 50 per cent discount off its Otoro Menshi donburi. Discounts are limited to one bowl per person.