Singapore Swing II - bargain Japanese in Orchard Road

One of the great Singapore features are food courts and hawker centres. These places can easily feature 30 - 40 different outlets or stalls, each specialising in a particular cuisine, food type or even dish. There will also be a dessert stand, a fruits stand (in Singlish the plural of fruit is fruits - obvious really), a drinks place with juices, and lots more. These are sometimes found in neigbourhood settings - in Singapore everyone basically eats out all the time and why not, when you can get a great meal for $Sing 4 (about £1.60). However, they also crop up in upmarket places - including the bustling Orchard Road, mecca for shopping (the other national sport for Singaporeans apart from eating).

The Food Republic centre in the Wisma Atria, Orchard Road, is one of our favourite places to catch a bite after some exhuasting electronics shopping and book browsing in the excellent and well-stocked branch of Borders at Wheelock Place. There are dozens of places there, with a good emphasis on Malay food and lots of choice...but somehow we always end up at the Koh Grill & Sushi Bar. This is a Japanese eatery, with a counter to sit at or tables for larger parties. Behind the counter are a small army of chefs preparing sushi, rice, frying, broiling and generally preparing some excellent and bargain Japanese food.

We started with a selection of sashimi (sliced raw fish) including some unusual items - raw prawns (really raw, translucent and not at all pink), and sliced clam. Yummy, and not at all easy to find. You can of course get more regular items like salmon, squid, umagi (eel) etc. We followed up with wonderful bento box meals - mine featured grilled salmon, tempura prawns in delicate light better, tempura veggies, rice and tofu with pickles. These set meals are fanstastic value, arouen $Sing 14 - about five English pounds. There are lots of different options too, including sukiyaki, teriyaki chicken and salmon, plenty of help in working out what's what and a range of sakis and cold Japanese beers to wash it all down.

This is not, of course, a place for a relaxing and intimate dinner. It's a bustling place with people coming and going, action all the time and a great spot for food on the way home or indeed on the way out. A great way to get some fine Japanese good at bargain prices right in the heart of the shopping area - and therefore a really good example of a top Seafoodshack! Koh Grill & Sushi Bar, Wisma Atria, #4-21 (Food Republic), tel 65-6836 0609. No website, just drop in and eat.