Meet Ki Su Shoujin Omakase: An Alice in Veggieland. It might even be one-of-its-kind.

As a staunch non-vegetarian and seafood lover, I’ve always found “mock meat/anything” a tough sell. Try as I might, my brain just refuses to swap the word meat for something else entirely... and I know I’m not alone.

So for today’s feature, I brought in a special guest to co-journey with me into this curious green wonderland: my lovely ex-copywriting associate, Srinidhi, who’s been vegetarian all her life and who has a ridiculously sharp palate. (You’ll see what I mean soon enough) *.*

Let me just preface this whole thing: this one’s a solid, unique find.

Srinidhi and I both agree: this is an Alice in Veggieland experience. In the best way possible. Every dish felt to me like a wild trojan horse; and the flavours? So deceptively layered. So delightfully unpredictable. But before I start raving, let’s start at the beginning...

Meet Mr. Huang Yen Kun, the man behind the popular Joie Restaurant, and now, Ki Su Shoujin Omakase. The idea for Ki Su came from something deeply personal: on his wedding anniversary, his wife wished for a vegetarian omakase dinner.

But there was a problem... there wasn’t one. Not in Singapore. Not even globally, from what Mr. Huang could find!

So he did what any true romantic (and restaurateur) would do: he created it himself.

Still playfully teasing us non-vegetarian loyalists, he turned a seemingly niche idea into a full-blown, whimsical 10-course love letter to vegetables (and his wife).

Our own "love-letter" from the restaurant!

Dining at Ki Su feels like flipping through the pages of a surreal storybook. For a non-vegetarian like me, the experience was humbling. Take the nigiri course for example. One piece looked uncannily like uni (sea urchin) and roe, and I braced myself for that familiar briny pop. Instead? Squash! That red tuna? Roasted capsicum!

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My brain sputtered. Srinidhi, of course, was spot on:“Oh, definitely squash. And maybe some carrot juice in the glaze?” she said.

I spent half the night guessing (wrongly) at ingredients, while she rattled them off like a human tasting menu.

The texture? Spot on. It actually replicated sushi. (Yes, fellow non-vegetarians... you read that right.) The taste? Not even close to fish... HAHA. And that’s exactly the point. It wasn’t trying to imitate; it was doing its own thing!!

Half the time, I was spewing wild comparisons to a sweetly confused Srinidhi, who had no idea what I was talking about. She’d just smile and say, “Oh? Wow! That does sound cool.”

And honestly? I think I was more taken by the experience than Srinidhi was, objectively speaking.

The first dish <3

That’s what fascinated me about the whole experience, really. Vegetarians don’t walk into a dish with comparisons in mind. They meet food for what it is. And in a setting like this, that feels like a real advantage. For me, it was a food trap. But a delightful one! The kind that kept my curious brain happily guessing.

I debated whether to share the full ingredient list with you, reader. But after thinking about it, I’ve decided not to spoil it. Why? Because part of the joy at Ki Su is the guessing, the playful curiosity they're so good at.

Creative plating and wondrously imaginative

So here’s just a peek at the course titles: names only! To give you a sense of the storytelling at play. (Also, keep in mind: the menu might change. Creativity knows no bounds.)

• Prelude – Golden Snow Zensai

• Seasonal Appetisers (3 Types)

• Nigiri Sushi (4 Types)

• Truffle Pâté

• Morel Blossom

• Simmered Dong Po Rou

• Mertensia Umi

• Main

• Soup

• Dessert (two parts)

  
  

Whether you’re a lifelong vegetarian like Srinidhi, or a skeptical non-veg like me... you’ll walk away impressed, delighted, and a little more open-minded. As someone who doesn’t usually seek out vegetarian meals, I left Ki Su with more than just a full stomach. I left with a changed perspective.

Vegetarian or not... if you’re even remotely curious, this is one unique find experience you won’t want to miss :)

Location: Ki Su Shoujin Omakase, 60 Tras St, #01-01, Singapore 078999