Sumi Yakitori, which recently opened in Centrepoint's new-fangled second basement level, is unlike any Japanese restaurant I've visited.

First of all, there's the decor. While most other Japanese restaurants prefer deep, dark colours, Sumi Yakitori is bright and cheery with its light-coloured furnishings. Its simple, fuss-free layout also helps to give the place a spacious, airy, uncluttered feel. Worth mentioning is its state-of-the art exhaust system which draws away all the fumes from the in-built yakitori grills on each table so that the smell of food doesn't get onto your clothes. In fact, the only fumes that you are likely to detect are those from the nearby bak kua (sweetened barbecued meat) stall.

The menu is impressive - not only does the restaurant serve various types of yakitori, it also serves a variety of unusual appetisers and side dishes. Take the momotaro tomato (right), for example. This appetiser features a large, organic tomato generously doused in wasabi and sesame sauce. The wasabi brings out the sweetness of the juicy tomato, which has a slight tanginess that is complimented by the sesame sauce. This is one appetiser that lives up to its name - the unusual combination of tastes 'wakes up' your taste buds and paves the way for the rest of the dishes.

The mixed tempura that followed was well-prepared - each golden piece was crisp and light with no oily residue. However, the accompanying sauce was too bland for my liking and did not do the tempura justice. Perhaps I'm used to the saltier versions found in Japan, yet I believe that tempura sauce should actively enhance the flavour of the tempura instead of merely being something to dip into.

Other unusual finger food I tried included dried pufferfish, dried stingray fin, dried baby sardines and fried oysters. Of the four, my favourite was the pufferfish which was chewy and had a pleasant sweet and sour taste, thanks to the plum sauce. The dried baby sardines were a sight to behold - each piece was a lattice of tiny fishes flattened into a thin sheet.

My mother particularly enjoyed the fried oysters with potato starch coating. The oysters were sweet while the fried coating had a hint of savoury flavour, thanks to the mirin (slightly sweet wine), salt, ginger and onions used in the coating.

The highlight of any yakitori restaurant is, of course, the yakitori itself, and in this respect, Sumi Yakitori does not disappoint. It is one of the few, if not the only, yakitori restaurants in Singapore with a built-in grill at each table. You can choose to have your orders prepared by the chefs, or you could be more hands-on and do it yourself over the grill embedded in the table. Sumi Yakitori's general manager and executive chef Yeo Kian Tiong explained that he wanted to do something special to differentiate the restaurant from the other yakitori places in Singapore, and that he wanted the restaurant to appeal to the masses, including students and young people who would enjoy grilling their own yakitori.

Sumi Yakitori uses binchotan, a premium grade of white charcoal which is able to burn at temperatures as high as 1,000?C for several hours. The consistent, high heat of the charcoal ensures that the yakitori is quickly cooked and seals in the meat's flavour and juices. You can choose from a variety of meats including chicken, pork and beef. Noteworthy is the fact that the restaurant offers wagyu (marbled beef) yakitori - using Level 8-9 wagyu to boot. At $12 a stick it may not seem cheap for casual diners who are easily satisfied with regular beef, but it is a good (and affordable!) way for a curious diner to try this prized beef without having to fork out over $100 for it.

Other yakitori items on the must-try list include the scallops (large and fresh), USDA beef (tender and flavourful), bacon with enoki mushrooms (juicy and savoury) and chicken meatballs. Chef Yeo has created an assortment of unique sauces to go along with the yakitori, such as honey mustard, carrot, spicy mayo, wasabe mayo and even mint. They are worth trying, especially if you want to go off the beaten track.

Another must-try is the corn on cob (right). My mother, who loves corn, gleefully polished off her serving and declared it to be sweet and juicy. Even after we had left the restaurant, she was still raving over the vegetable, which was a special hybrid grown in Cameroon Highlands.

Sumi Yakitori also serves up an assortment of desserts, made from their own recipe. The strawberry yoghurt (below) can be rather addictive, and its slight sourness does a good job of cleansing your palate after the meal. The orange peel sorbet is also a must-try, particularly if you prefer your dessert to be fat-free.

Sumi Yakitori's menu is extensive, with a wide rage of prices. This means that you can get a decent set meal from $12.90 onwards, or splurge on premium dishes. The only drawback is its location - it is tucked away in a corner at Centrepoint's Basement 2 and it can take a bit of effort to find - but it is well worth the effort, particularly if you love Japanese food. If you are driving, park at B2 and once you enter the shopping centre itself, you will see Sumi Yakitori on your left.

Sumi Yakitori
176 Orchard Road
The Centrepoint
B2-102
(S) 238843
Tel: 68360912
www.sumi.com.sg