What comes to mind when you think of multi-cultural food? Even for the laymen out there, certain combinations of cuisine just make sense. It doesn’t take much to connect the dots between thick-cut slices of fatty pork belly marinated in savoury gochujang a la South Korea, and the bright, punchy zest of an aromatic, roasted salsa verde from Mexico. However, not all combinations are made equal. In a country as gastronomically diverse as Singapore, the practice is a profoundly delicate balancing act.
How do you build a menu that champions more than one cuisine, without veering into gimmick territory, or, god forbid, giving potential patrons the impression you’re trying a little too hard? Turns out, SUSHISAMBA has had the magic formula squirreled away since its first restaurant opened in New York City in 1999. And in Singapore—the restaurant’s only location in Asia—all the culinary traditions of Japan, Peru and Brazil come together swimmingly under one, sky-high roof.
The wow factor at SUSHISAMBA Singapore begins well before the plates grace your table. As the saying goes: you eat with your eyes first. Situated 52 storeys in the sky at the very top of Capital Tower, the restaurant’s doors open to elegant interiors, framed by softly curving bamboo panels and lush greenery—sophisticated ambience, helped in large part by the stunning bird’s eye view of the surrounding bustle of Singapore’s central business district.
The resulting stage is purpose-built to help you plan your time your way. Want to host a formal, daytime business meeting? What about a casual, eventide hangout? SUSHISAMBA Singapore is a fitting home for gatherings of every nature (case in point: their refreshed iconic Copacabana Brunch channels celebration with more than enough rosé and champagne to go around). The vision for community here even comes with a slew of resident DJs and Samba performances. All these elements come together to ensure a unique kind of aesthetic satisfaction far ahead of your palette’s first forays into the vibrant array of dishes on offer.
And that food? It’s nothing short of masterful. Clever in concept, yet fun in execution; well-researched, while largely avoiding the pitfalls of pretension. Simple, satisfying appetisers like edamame, guacamole and myriad sushi and sashimi options prime the palette before venturing toward the restaurant’s bigger plates. Here, it’s a cornucopia of fresh, carefully sourced meats, from sea and land, cooked on traditional Japanese charcoal grills and josper ovens.
Smoky skewers adorned with the tender flesh of mushrooms, sea bass, beef and chicken. Succulent, decadent wagyu—striploin, tenderloin and ribs—from both Australia and Japan. Lamb chops, spatchcocked chicken and pork belly. All of it is prepared with intention, inspired by the dynamic flavour profiles the trifecta of motherlands are known for. It’s not just soy and wasabi—there are sauces made with koji miso and ginger, as well as ají pancas and chimichurris aplenty.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a Japanese or Peruvian joint (much less a Japanese-Peruvian joint) without fish, and SUSHISAMBA Singapore’s offerings—deeply seasoned with a wildly inventive suite of spices and herbs—are perhaps the clearest indicator of their knack for celebrating different cuisines. Teriyaki and lime tenderise flaky salmon, white miso and shichimi deepen velvety black cod, and a red pepper aji amarillo sauce brings sea bass to life.
Elsewhere on the aquatic front, the aptly named Samba rolls—bundles of delectable sushi jampacked with Latin American and East Asian influences—vie for competition alongside a staggering laundry list of nigiri and sashimi. The former is filled with the likes of chili salsa, barbecue miso, yuzu mayo and leche de tigre. The latter takes the form of three different cuts of tuna; salmon, sea bream or yellowtail; and off the beaten path, sea urchin or scallop from Hokkaido.
If this all seems like a lot to digest, we understand. It’s not always easy to choose between two things, let alone a menu stacked with this many options. But what if there was a world where your choice was always a win? What if the problem was simply choosing between a hearty sushi roll stuffed with A5 wagyu, or Kurobuta pork belly glazed with a rocoto pepper hoisin sauce? Well, then, there isn’t much of a choice at all: it’s all upside. Either way, SUSHISAMBA Singapore will be happy to hold your hand throughout it all.
