Les Amis Group launches Sukiyakijin, an A5 wagyu sukiyaki concept

There is something almost ritualistic about the way Singaporeans eat together. Whether it’s the clamour of a zi char spread or the slow, unhurried pace of a hotpot dinner, communal dining here isn’t just a preference — it’s practically a love language.

And while food trends come and go with the usual fanfare, the hotpot and its adjacent styles of shared, pot-centred dining have shown no signs of cooling. If anything, they’ve only deepened their hold on the local dining imagination.

For the love of communal dining

Into this well-loved tradition steps Sukiyakijin, the newest addition to the Les Amis Group Japanese Collective, with a concept that takes the communal pot in a decidedly bolder direction.

The new restaurant, located on the ground floor of Shaw Centre, is the group’s latest casual, spirited offering. Think of it less as a fine-dining affair (unlike its flagship concept, the three-Michelin-starred Les Amis) and more as the group flexing its culinary sensibilities in a setting that’s built for good company and repeat visits.

It centres itself entirely around one hero dish, offered in two distinct A5 wagyu “mountain” sukiyaki (Japanese hotpot) iterations: The signature tomato sukiyaki (S$48 per person, minimum of two portions per pot) and the more classically inclined original sukiyaki (S$45 per person, minimum of two portions per pot).

Refined indulgence

The mountain arrives before anything else registers — a generous mound of almost paper-thin A5 wagyu slices, draped dramatically over a full cast of supporting players. 

There’s napa cabbage, Japanese leek, chrysanthemum greens, shimeji mushrooms, silken tofu, and konjac noodles, all sitting in a broth that’s viscous and clinging rather than the watery pools you’d expect from your average hotpot night.

With only two sukiyaki variations on Sukiyakijin’s menu, ordering is refreshingly uncomplicated. The original sukiyaki (S$45 per person, minimum two orders) is built on a tamari shoyu base — a celebrated soy sauce from Nagoya — delivering a deep umami that lets the natural sweetness of the A5 wagyu do most of the talking.

It’s the more contemplative of the two, and for the traditionalist at the table, likely the one that’ll feel most like home. With this, you’ll also get a choice of udon or rice to complement your meal.

The signature tomato sukiyaki (S$48 per person, minimum two orders), which we tried, takes a tangier route — a four-shoyu blend anchored by ripe tomatoes, with a side of freshly chopped chilli padi for those who like a little heat creeping in.

It leans slightly sweet, with the tomato rounding out the umami rather than sharpening it, and the chilli padi offering a customisable kick that keeps things lively without overwhelming the wagyu’s natural richness.

The A5 wagyu portions felt well-calibrated for two, though additional slices are available at $38 per 100g should the situation call for it.

But if there’s one thing we’d tell you not to skip with the signature tomato sukiyaki, it’s the cheese risotto finish (otherwise, you may go with udon as your carb) — and we mean that earnestly.

Once the main event winds down, a server clears the pot of any remaining ingredients, leaving a shallow inch of broth behind — now gloriously enriched by rendered wagyu fat and sweet tomato.

Hokkaido Yumepirika rice is stirred in to absorb all of it, before a heavy handful of mozzarella goes in and a blowtorch gets involved.

The result is oozy, intensely savoury, and punctuated by that sweet umami tomato base, in a way that makes the whole meal feel like it’s been building to this moment. It is genuinely worth the S$48.

For those looking to round out the meal further, add-ons are available — udon (S$4), extra vegetables (S$2), and a Japanese raw egg (S$2) that lends a creamy, luxurious finish to each wagyu-dipped bite.

Both sukiyaki sets also come with a small serving of ice cream to close, which is a neat little touch. At these price points, with A5 wagyu as the centrepiece, Sukiyakijin makes a compelling case that premium doesn’t always have to mean prohibitive.

A round two we’d gladly book

At its core, Sukiyakijin isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel — and it doesn’t need to. What it offers is something far more reliable: A well-executed, generously portioned communal meal that understands exactly what Singaporeans show up for.

The pot at the centre of the table, the slow rhythm of cooking and eating together, the broth that gets better the longer it sits — these are the little dining pleasures that we should all look forward to.

Sukiyakijin simply delivers them with a little more intention, and at a price point that makes coming back feel like a reasonable idea.

This was a hosted tasting.

For more ideas on what to eat, check out Sta Western, Katong’s new western diner, and our guide to Taiwanese food in Singapore.