Tomo Tokyo’s new five-course set for two brings fresh, curated dining to Clarke Quay
Think of an izakaya as Japan’s answer to the neighbourhood pub — only instead of peanuts and pints, you’re met with cold sake, small plates of sashimi, and a kind of convivial ease that makes the hours disappear.
It’s a culture built around togetherness; linger, order more, share everything. In Singapore, that spirit has found a home at Tomo Tokyo, a modern izakaya tucked into the Clarke Quay waterfront — with a few twists of its own.
Riverside dining
Named after the Japanese word for “friend” (tomo), Tomo Tokyo wears its ethos in its name. Part of the Katrina Group’s stable of F&B brands — which also includes Bali Thai, So Pho, and Sanchos Tacqueira, among others — Tomo Tokyo emerged from the group’s long-standing presence at Clarke Quay, where its predecessor Tomo Izakaya had previously operated.
The concept was revamped and rebranded in late 2023, repositioning itself as a more refined offering within the same riverside address.
Situated along Clarke Quay’s waterfront promenade, the restaurant offers private dining rooms, divisible by retractable partitions, that lend the space an intimacy suited to everything from date nights to close-knit group dinners.
The food follows the izakaya tradition of small, shareable plates — the chef’s selection of seafood, sashimi, nigiri sushi, charcoal-grilled dishes, and Japanese tapas — executed with a modern Japanese fusion sensibility.
Now, the restaurant is adding a new dimension to its offering: A five-course set for two, designed to take diners through the full breadth of what Tomo Tokyo does best, from delicate seafood starters, to something a little more indulgent by the finish.
Each dish is priced individually rather than as a bundled set, reading more as a curated selection of the kitchen’s strengths than a fixed progression, giving diners a comfortable, unhurried introduction to what the restaurant does well.
In total, it works out to S$143 for two for the whole set. If you’re not quite feeling up to the whole thing, all the items can be ordered individually ala carte, with the exception of the bara chirashi — a set-exclusive.
Made for sharing
Before we get to the meaty parts of this set, let’s kick things off with the drinks — because two mocktails come included, and honestly, it’s a solid way to start.
We went with the lychee blossom and passion fruit cooler (S$14). The former, sweeter and more floral; the latter, a touch tarter.
Both did their job of cooling us down on a warm afternoon in Clarke Quay.
First up among the starters: Two portions of ikura uni chawanmushi (S$28) — a silky steamed egg custard topped with salmon roe and sea urchin. It’s the kind of dish that’s deceptively simple but quietly impressive; savoury and mildly sweet, with just enough umami to announce itself without steamrolling the delicate custard beneath.
It’s a belly-warming opener that sets a nice tone for what’s to come.
Following that, a platter of six freshly shucked oysters with ponzu jelly (S$28) that made quite the impression — and not just in flavour.
Each oyster was generously sized, its flesh almost comically large, topped with a house-made citrus jelly that cut through the brininess with a bright, refreshing lift.
A squeeze of lemon was all it really needed. No Tabasco required!
Sushi arrives in the form of a kanpachi goma (S$26), which takes the traditional preparation of greater amberjack sashimi — typically dressed in a savoury, nutty sesame sauce — and rolls it into sushi with prawn and cucumber, finished with avocado and tobiko.
It’s satisfyingly fresh, with a pleasant crunch running through each piece; the kind of roll you find yourself reaching for, even after you’re nominally full.
Tomo Tokyo’s crown jewel, however, is the Tomo bara chirashi (S$32) — a dish exclusive to this menu and unavailable on the a la carte. A generous bowl of diced mixed sashimi on vinegared sushi rice, the fish selection rotates with the season, rounded out with uni, ikura, diced avocado, and tamagoyaki (rolled omelette).
Our recommendation is to eat it the traditional way, with a dab of wasabi, a drizzle of soy, and the accompanying pickles for a palate-cleansing contrast between bites.
It filled us up fast — which made the arrival of the duck fat chips (S$15) all the more precarious.
And yet, somehow, there was always room for one more. Hand-cut and fried in duck fat, these chips are dangerously addictive — shattering with every bite, richly savoury, and absolutely the kind of thing you keep snacking on between spoonfuls of miso soup and the last bites of chirashi.
A quirky closer for a set meal, but one that works.
Clarke Quay calls
The five-course set for two at Tomo Tokyo won’t overwhelm you with theatrics — and that’s precisely the point.
Between the silky chawanmushi, the briny punch of those oysters, the fresh rolls, and a chirashi that more than holds its own as a set exclusive, there’s enough here to leave you well and truly satisfied — duck fat chips included.
This was a hosted tasting.
For more ideas on what to eat, check out Michelin-recommended Les Ducs’ bouillon lunch menu with nothing over S$50, and our Cuppage Plaza food guide.
Tue 12pm - 3pm, 5pm - 11pm
Wed 12pm - 3pm, 5pm - 11pm
Thu 12pm - 3pm, 5pm - 11pm
Fri 12pm - 3pm, 5pm - 1am
Sat 12pm - 3pm, 5pm - 1am
Sun 12pm - 3pm, 5pm - 11pm
- Fort Canning
Wani is a cat lady who loves a good sweat session in the gym, and is still tracking the lead to the elusive cure for wanderlust.
Read more stories from this writer.
