The first thing I noticed about this new conveyor belt sushi restaurant was the energy. But more on that later.
Gatten Sushi がってん寿司 has opened at ION Orchard, taking over the former Itacho Sushi space at Basement 3.
The name may not immediately ring a bell for everyone, but Gatten Sushi is not exactly a small unknown brand.
It is a Japanese conveyor belt sushi chain from Kumagaya, Saitama, and has been around since the late 1980s.
So, this is not the quiet, polite, peaceful kind of sushi restaurant.
Staff call out greetings “Gatten Shouchi!” across the counter, respond to one another, and keep the whole place moving with that Japanese style kakegoe, or call and response service.
If you are seated near the counter, it can feel quite lively, sometimes even a little boisterous.
But I did not mind it. At least the place felt awake, with a marketplace-style dining environment.
There may also be occasional fish cutting demonstrations (which I happened to catch), showing off the freshness of the ingredients while adding a bit of entertainment.
Ordering can be done via touchscreen, while sushi also moves along the conveyor belt. (One thing to note, plates taken from the lane are not reflected on the screen, so the total amount shown may not be your final bill.)
There are sections for Salmon, Shrimp, Tuna, Fish Roe, Sea Urchin, Red Sea Bream, Crab, Squid, Octopus, Conger Eel, assorted sushi sets, sashimi, rolls, sides, miso soup, chawanmushi and desserts.
Price wise, I thought it was more reasonable than expected for ION Orchard.
Many sushi items sit around the $3 to $6.80 range, with items like Salmon ($3.80), Fatty Salmon ($4.80), Thick Cut Salmon ($5.80), Seared Salmon with Mentaiko Mayonnaise ($4.80), Sweet Shrimp ($3.80), Red Prawn ($5.80), Scallop ($6.80), and Sea Urchin ($9.80).
The Seared Salmon with Mentaiko Mayonnaise ($4.80) was one of my favourites.
Let’s just say it was a crowd pleaser, with lightly torched salmon, creamy mentaiko, enough richness to make it feel indulgent.
I also ordered the Popular Sushi 5-Piece Set ($9.40) because it saved me from overthinking the menu.
It came with Bigeye Tuna, Swordtip Squid, Salmon, Whelk and Flounder Fin, so this was the “safe but useful” sampler.
Gatten Sushi uses 100% Japanese grown rice, with vinegar blended for acidity, sweetness and saltiness, giving the sushi rice a cleaner balance beneath the toppings.
The Overflowing Seafood Roll ($8.80) was more of the fun order, piled with chopped seafood and roe on top.
Messier to eat, but visually more interesting than another neat row of maki.
For ION Orchard, the prices at Gatten Sushi are not too ‘scary’.
Add the lively counter calls, and the occasional fish cutting moment, and it does feel closer to a casual kaiten sushi meal in Japan.
Gatten Sushi
ION Orchard #B3-20, 2 Orchard Turn, Singapore 238801
Opening Hours: 11am – 10pm (Mon – Sun)
Other Related Entries
Sushiro (Orchard Road)
Sushidan (Raffles City)
SUN with MOON (Wheelock Place)
SUKIYA (JEM)
Onigiri Gon (Fortune Centre)
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