Boruto is a Japanese tapas and sake bar located inconspicuously on South Bridge Road. Dimly lit, the decor here is modern yet cozy, putting you at ease as soon as you enter the shop.

Taking over the space that was previously a bank, Boruto retained the bank’s mini vault on the second level and cleverly use it to keep their exclusive range of prized Japanese sake; imagine going into a vault to choose the sake you want! For days when you want to keep your bill down to earth, beers, cocktails, shochu and a more affordable range of sake housed outside the vault are available too.

Led by Head Chef Angus Chow, who was named Chef of the Year 2018 at the 18th World Gourmet Summit Awards of Excellence, Boruto serves a variety of exquisite cold and hot tapas plus small bites and salads. While the prices are slightly high, I wouldn’t mind indulging once in a while since all the Japanese seafood used in their tapas are very fresh and of good quality. Apart from the high grade ingredients imported from Japan, I also like how they pair each raw seafood with the right condiments to bring out their best flavors. While purists may say that quality raw seafood should be eaten naked, I prefer mine to be a complex combination of flavors and textures.

Take for example, the yellowfin tuna. Instead of simply serving the tuna as plain old sashimi (which I am not a fan of), Boruto chooses to lightly torch the tuna cubes before topping them generously with black caviar. The dish is then finished a splash of balsamic and a sprinkle of melt-in-your-mouth olive oil crumbs. The combination of sweet and smoky tuna flesh with tangy balsamic and savory caviar just makes the tuna more palatable to me.

That said, the tapas that really changed my mind about raw food is their Oyster Ponzu!

Even though fresh oysters are highly sought after by many, they were never my type of food. My previous encounters with raw oysters were always unpleasant; each time I tried to "deep-kiss" one, I will end up gagging. After many tries, I avoid them altogether.

The Oyster Ponzu at Boruto was completely different. It was gigantic, plump and dressed in a spicy red radish topped with ponzu shaved ice. It looked too irresistible that I could not say "No"!

As I slurped down the cold, firm and creamy oyster (with a few bites in between), I confirmed my love for it. I like how the saltish and citrusy ponzu granita bring out the sweetness of the oyster while the spicy radish lends an interesting spice kick. Even though the oyster is huge, I won’t mind having a few more.

I once read that nobody dislikes fresh oysters so if you are that nobody, you just haven’t met your Mr. or Ms. Right yet. After trying the Oyster Ponzu, I can attest to this! Depending on where they are from, oysters can vary from being sweet to briny to metallic or even a mix. My perfect match is obviously with the sweet variant.

For those of you who have yet to find your Oyster match, give the Oyster Ponzu from Boruto a try. This might just be your Mr. or Ms. Oyster Right!

But don't think that Boruto is just about raw seafood because their hot tapas (for example the Tori "Charcoal" Karaage) are just as amazing! Budget aside, you will certainly have a yummy time here!