Sakemaru Artisan Sake Hideout Maguro Cheeks
Japanese
Chiefeater Luke Soon and his wife had some samplers at Sakemaru Artisan Sake Hideout and the Maguro Cheeks was on point
Tempura
Stepping into Fujikiya Marunouchi, you are greeted by a striking counter arrangement: baskets and bowls overflowing with seasonal produce — kabocha (pumpkin), renkon (lotus root), gobō (burdock), nasu (eggplant), fresh ginger, sweet potatoes, and shiitake mushrooms. This vibrant display sets the stage for what follows: a tempura experience that celebrates the beauty of Japanese seasonality.
The chefs, working in full view behind the counter, handle the ingredients with precision and calm focus. Watching them transform these earthy vegetables into delicate, golden tempura is part of the theatre. The batter is light, almost ethereal, designed to enhance rather than mask the flavour of each ingredient.
The ambience is quietly elegant — a polished wooden counter, soft lighting, and shelves lined with carefully chosen sake bottles. This is not a rushed meal, but an immersion into a slower rhythm where each dish is presented with intention. What makes Fujikiya distinct is the balance between authenticity and approachability. While it holds the refinement of a traditional tempura-ya, it doesn’t feel intimidating. Instead, it invites you to relax, sip sake, and enjoy the interplay between seasonal vegetables and seafood, fried at their peak.
To be honest, this wasn’t a local’s recommendation, this was AI. I wanted tempura-ya, and those are few outside Japan. Tempura-ya, meaning a tempura (fried food) only specialist. I’ve heard many reasons why they don’t prosper outside Nippon- market share too small, too specialised etc
Let’s start with the above average ingredients - the conger eel and the prized matsutake mushroom; now that’s one big fungi!
It’s so big that the stem actually tastes chewy - I left that alone. Tastes very woody, which is good. The conger eel was the best at 6.5/10
The mushroom maybe a 6.25/10 for novelty. The rest were about 6/10.
I’ve had better tempura in Japan - way better - but this did the job. The use of flour, batter was a tad heavy handed. But with Japanese ingredients you can really do not much wrong.
Fujikiya Marunouchi (ふじ喜屋) is a warm, seasonal, and quietly elegant tempura house in Marunouchi. Perfect for a long lunch, an intimate dinner, or pairing tempura with sake while appreciating the art of Japanese frying.
Business Hours
Opens Daily
11:00 am to 03:00 pm
05:00 pm to 11:00 pm
Hi there, I'm the Chiefeater AI at your service 🤗
Try the preset questions below or type in your own question. Ask me a detailed question and you'll get a more detailed answer!
Thinking...
By using this chatbot, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy. Check with the outlet for correct pricing and information.
There are no reviews yet.
Japanese
$$$$Chiefeater Luke Soon and his wife had some samplers at Sakemaru Artisan Sake Hideout and the Maguro Cheeks was on point
Thai
$$$$Chiefeater Luke Soon loves the authenticity of the Thai cuisine at Un-Yang-Kor-Dai Singapore and he was lucky to score a table
Pizza, Non-Halal
$$$$Chiefeater Luke Soon revisited Beyond the Dough Pizzeria and found that Chef Eddie Murakami’s genius shines even with the random pizza
Western, Fine Dining
$$$$Chiefeater Luke Soon found the savouries and the cocktails at Prada Caffè to be as impeccable as their brand
Steamed Pork, Non-Halal
$$$$Chiefeater Luke Soon and his wife had lunch at Soup Restaurant Thomson and he really enjoyed the salted fish minced pork patty
Pork Chop, Non-Halal
Chiefeater Luke Soon had a hankering for some comfort food and found himself having the pork chop at Tsui Wah The Cathay
Wantan Mee, Street Food, Non-Halal
$$$$Chiefeater Luke Soon now ranks the wantan mee at Ah Wing's Wanton Mee at Empress Road Food Centre as one of the best in Singapore
Italian, Non-Halal
$$$$Chiefeater Luke Soon enjoyed the pasta and pizza he had at Massimo Bottura's Torno Subito and even the cocktails too
Desserts
$$$$Chiefeater Luke Soon very rarely reviews desserts but Arc-en-ciel Pâtisserie Dessert Restaurant is a place that made him break his own rule
Ask our foodie AI about food in KL, PJ, Penang and beyond!
Like “where got buffet in PJ”, “I want halal chicken rice in Puchong”, “mana boleh cari pizza di KL” or “最好的鸡排”