Itacho or Ichiban?

March, April 2013.
Ichiban Boshi is one of my favourite chain of Japanese restaurants as compared to the more pricey Sushi Tei and I seldom try Itacho Sushi until recently when it popped up at Star Vista located near my school.

For lunch, Itacho Sushi offers a variety of affordable lunch sets and discounted sushi such as their signature Salmon with Soy Sauce which goes for 40 cents after discount (but limited to 2 servings per person). To be honest, it was delish.

I also ordered their Salmon Lobster Salad Roll (3.60 SGD for 2) and their Roasted Salmon Roll (3.80 SGD for 2). Both of which aren’t as impressive as their simple Salmon and Soy Sauce Nigiri Sushi. However, in their sushi, the salmon are fresh with a succulent, smooth and fatty texture.

The item that I really enjoyed at Itacho Sushi is probably their Sakura Don Set Lunch (9.90 SGD), an assorted sashimi on rice item featuring salmon, white fish, octopus, flying fish roe, egg and cucumber. The rice was nicely seasoned and the seafood toppings were fresh.

In contrast, the chirashi I had in Ichiban Boshi pales in comparison, the rice was dry and quite tough and the seafood toppings don’t quite go well together.

Other items in my set meal at Ichiban Boshi, a gozen item include hot cha-soba noodles, chawanmushi, pickled vegetables, fried chicken, assorted tempura, miso soup and a duo of watermelon slices. The set-meal cost about 24 SGD and it’s a mix of hit and misses. The friend chicken was too tough, the tempura was okay and I enjoyed the chawanmushi a lot. The cha-soba however was bland and lukewarm. But all these still beats the overnight food I had for the past few days when I was burning midnight oil for my assignment.

Between Itacho Sushi and Ichiban Boshi, I don’t have a clear favourite, but if I am to have chirashi again, I won’t hesitate to go back Itacho Sushi.

Price-wise, both aren’t cheap to be honest. Itacho Sushi cumulative costs could total up to a painful bill. If you looking for complimentary green tea, the plus point is that Itacho Sushi offers that if you spend a certain amount, at Ichiban Boshi however, you had to pay extra.


Itacho Sushi (Star Vista)

1 Vista Exchange Green
#B1-12 The Star Vista
Tel: 66940880


Ichiban Boshi (Velocity)

238 Thomson Road
#02-13/14 Novena Velocity
Te l: 62557767

Both Itacho Sushi and Ichiban Boshi have branches elsewhere.