Handroll bar Toku Nori opens a second Lorong Telok outlet, serving sushi sets & free salmon handrolls during opening!
Big fan of salmon and handrolls? Then you need to plan a trip to Toku Nori at Lorong Telok for its opening deals!
If you haven’t heard yet, Telok Ayer’s popular handroll bar Toku Nori has opened a second outlet today (April 23), on a similar sounding street near Boat Quay, Lorong Telok.
It’s been two years since it first opened in a heritage shophouse in Telok Ayer, and the team decided it’s time to expand.
The second outlet will be taking on a bigger space on the first floor of the Lorong Telok shophouse, which can seat up to 26 people.
In an effort to switch things up a bit, the handroll bar will also be offering sushi exclusively at the Lorong Telok outlet — though its signature handrolls are still available, of course.
To mark the occasion, Toku Nori will be giving free salmon handrolls at its new store during the first week of its opening, with every purchase of a sushi or handroll set!
Toku Nori’s sushi sets
Just like at the handrolls, Toku Nori’s sushi will also come with a modern slant.
These are not your usual nigiri — which are usually garnished with simple enhancers such as sea salt or sudachi (Japanese lime) — with more creative ingredients such as ume (plum) being used here.
Similar to the handrolls, the sushi will be served in pre-determined sets: The Jyosen (S$38) and Tokusen (S$48), each comprising five sushi and a mini chirashi don.
Both options start off with a hotate (scallop), which is topped with yuzu kosho, jelly, and chives, giving the fresh and lightly sweet scallop a burst of acidity.
It’s after this piece that the two sets diverge:
- Jyosen (S$38): Hotate, hamachi (yellowtail), maguro (tuna), salmon, and anago (saltwater eel)
- Tokusen (S$48): Hotate, madai (sea bream), chutoro (medium-fatty tuna), aka ebi (red prawn), and foie gras (fatty goose liver).
Some interesting fish include the madai and chutoro.
The former is topped with shio konbu and ume, which introduces a sharp plum contrast to the clean-tasting sea bream, while the former enlists the help of shio konbu and red shiso to cut through its hefty richness.
The award for the most spectacular bite, though, is clinched by the aka ebi easily, where the silky and luscious prawn is further bolstered by a duo of caviar and aka ebi.
Toku Nori sure knows how to make things luxurious — we even joked with the chef that this should be named “atas ebi” instead!
If you really, really like things rich and heavy, then the Tokusen set is the one for you, because the final sushi builds upon the indulgence even further.
The final piece of sushi in the Tokusen set is the foie gras, slicked in tare (sauce), torched, and crowned with a smattering of rice crisps.
Our experience with foie gras is that it could be too greasy or not melt-in-mouth enough. That said, this was well executed, sporting the right amount of melt-in-mouth fattiness, and a good layer of smoky caramelisation.
The rice crisp also provides a nice textural interplay with the creamy foie gras — foie gras sushi isn’t the most common, but Toku Nori’s modern sensibilities really came through articulately here.
To end things off, both sushi sets also come with a mini chirashi don. Not too loaded or extravagant, but the fresh fish is definitely welcome.
There is also a sake pairing option for both sets — an extra S$18 for the Jyosen and S$22 for the Tokusen — where Toku Nori curates a flight of five different sakes to elevate your sushi experience.
We particularly enjoyed how the Oyama Tomizu’s refreshing apple-tinged notes melded into the heavier profile of the tuna!
Also, with five flights for five pieces of sushi, it’s almost like having a sake shot after each piece! (Although we recommend savouring it slowly, rather than throwing it all back!)
Free salmon handroll
While the sushi sets are a nice addition, guests will undoubtedly be most familiar with Toku Nori’s signature handrolls.
If you’re one of them, you can grab yourself a free salmon handroll (U.P. S$8.50) with any Jyosen or Tokusen set (both handroll and sushi), from April 23 to 30.
This salmon handroll is drenched in a spicy mayo and loaded with salmon skin, piling it on with an extra satisfying mix of crunch and kick.
Beyond its sushi and handroll offerings, the Toku Nori Lorong Telok outlet will also be introducing new items such as its truffle scallop somen (S$16).
Regulars will also be able to order the ol’ reliables, such as the red crab crispy sushi (S$18 for three) or the maguro poppers (S$15 for three).
As for the sweets, it’s business as usual, with the handmade warabi mochi trio (S$12), which come tantalising coated in kinako (roasted soy bean), black sesame, and matcha.
And if you’re a basic matcha fanatic like us, don’t miss out on a glass of the matcha latte (S$5.50) or matcha yuzu (S$6.50) — nice and fragrant, great for warmer days.
Candidly, we still preferred the handrolls over the sushi, but if you are looking for sushi done with bolder, more experimental touches, without having to break the bank for an omakase, this could be it.
Not to mention, there’s a free salmon handroll in it for you if you visit Toku Nori at Lorong Telok during its first week!
This was a hosted tasting.
For more ideas on what to eat, read our stories on the adorable Sushi Express Powerpuff Girl collab and where to get the best bites in Star Vista!
Wed 11.45am - 2.30pm, 5.30pm - 11.30pm
Thu 11.45am - 2.30pm, 5.30pm - 11.30pm
Fri 11.45am - 2.30pm, 5.30pm - 11.30pm
Sat 11.45am - 2.30pm, 5.30pm - 11.30pm
Sun 11.45am - 2.30pm, 5.30pm - 11.30pm
- Raffles Place
- Clarke Quay
Evan started off writing about food on Instagram, before joining outlets such as Buro and Confirm Good to pursue his passion. His best work usually comes after his first whisky shot in the morning.
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