The Place Located at 12 Ann Siang Road, Honcho is a new restaurant and lifestyle venue which spans across three levels in the shophouse space. The place takes its name and ethos from the Japanese expression, which means “squad leader”, reflecting its aspiration to be the “head honcho” among creatives. It will showcase and collaborate with Singaporeans from across the creative industries, including mixologists, street artists, graphic designers and content creators. 

On the ground floor is the restaurant Honcho itself, which is a modern izakaya and omakase concept with cocktails and drinks; the rooftop is Jō, a local craft-beer-centric bar; and the basement is Social@Honcho, a cosy space for members to chill and hang out. 

The Food I visited the ground level restaurant where you can opt for the Omakase menu or go for the ala carte options. 

I started with the Sakura Tomatofu (S$14), home-cured sakura mascarpone tofu drizzled in a tangy yuzu vinaigrette and topped with japanese amela tomato. 

The Truffle Tai Carpaccio (S$28) is a Japanese sea bream sashimi topped with cured sea kelp and salmon roe, drizzled with truffle oil. A decent Carpaccio where with a tinge of truffle flavour. 

I love a good toast and the toast options are probably my favourite on the menu. The Tamago Mayo & Ikura on Toast (S$14) is a housemade Japanese egg mayo topped with salmon roe on lightly toasted brioche, where the brioche is slightly crispy.  

A more indulgent option is the Honcho Wagyu Brioche Toast (S$36) which features Japanese A4 prime cut wagyu, sauteed mushroom with minced garlic, topped with oscietra caviar on lightly toasted brioche. I personally find the Tamago Mayo satisfying in terms of price point, as opposed to the pricier Wagyu toast. 

For sushi, there is a wide selection and one sinful option to have is the Foie Gras & Scallop (S$14) where the seared goose liver is topped with hokkaido scallop. This is also one of the dishes I enjoyed here, as I like the melt-in-the-mouth texture of the seared foie gras. 

Other sushi options include Spicy Salmon Mentaiko (S$12) where the Norwegian salmon is topped with with spicy cod roe; AC/DC (S$16) which is fried seafood roll with avocado, cheese and diced condiments of seafood. 

For mains, I had the Saikyo Miso Cranberry Cod (S$36) where the chargrilled pacific cod fish fillet is aged in saikyo-miso and glazed with cranberry sauce and sprinkled with pomegranate seeds. I would prefer that the cod is paired with other vegetables, or even mashed potatoes, rather than salad. 

Rants Some hits and misses for the dishes at Honcho for me.

Will I Return Again? Honcho is more of a drinks and food concept, coupled with loud music and a relaxed vibe. It is not a traditional omakase dining experience if that is what you are looking for. Head to the rooftop bar for post-dinner drinks which gives a good view of Chinatown.

This was an invited tasting, though all opinions expressed are our own.

Make your reservations instantly at Honcho here.

TheRantingPanda says:
Taste bud: 3.5/5
Hole in the pocket: 4/5
Ambience: 3.5/5
Overall Experience: 3.5/5

Honcho 
12 Ann Siang Road 
Singapore 069692 
Tel: +65 8779 9537 
 
Opening Hours 
Monday to Saturday: 5pm to 10:30pm 
Closed on Sundays  

Ranted by The Ranter