Satsuma, to my knowledge, is the only place in Singapore that specializes in Shochu. Shochu, also known as the “poor man's drink”, is a distilled spirit made from a wide variety of products, such as sweet potatoes, black sugar and even chestnuts. Satsuma boasts 20 different types of Shochu in its menu. More potent then Sake, driving home looks to be problematic given the delectable, hard-to-resist selection of shochu. The two storey restaurant, located just beside Gallery hotel, has a cozy little shochu bar at the bottom level and its main restaurant is located on the second level.

• The Vibe
  Bathed in a mellow, orangey light, the shochu bar at the ground level emanates with warmth. Small and cozy, the restaurant beckons its patrons into the glowing space to partake in a decadent, pleasurable Japanese meal, accompanied by an intoxicating round of shochu drinks to accompany the food. Lush throw pillows are the ideal perch for tired legs. Wander upstairs into the restaurant area and be arrested by the visual spectacle of pretty sakura motifs dotting the walls and the dark, teak wooden panels. A gorgeously painted wall mural, with pink sakura petals forms a breathtaking backdrop.
• The Food
  All good food needs good company; in this case, all menu items are specially designed to play accompaniment to the shochu drinks. This heady brew not only enhances the taste of the food, but is also good to drink on its own, especially in cold weather. For starters, the Sweet tomato salad marinated in vinegar, spice and mayonnaise ($7), is a juicy little tune that sings with flavors. The red, juicy vegetable bursts in the mouth in an explosive climax of flavors and tastes, simply delightful for such a humble dish. The Yellow-tail salad ($16) is fresh and chewy, with a wonderful tangy sauce to accompany. Enjoy a steaming hot bowl of stew to warm your tummy with the Gyuu Kimuchi Nabe ($15), tender slices of beef in a delicious bowl of kimchi stew. The broth is tasty and fragrant. Portions were rather small though. Fusion fans should not miss out on the Mentaiko Supagete ($12), a luscious dish of spaghetti in a creamy roe sauce. The sauce has a warm, orange color, and is so well done it slips down the throat like silk. A superb dish down to the last morsel, the only grouse is the small portion. The charcoal-grilled meat and seafood skewers go very well with Shochu too. The oyster skewer was divine.Chewy and juicy, I was left wanting more. Wash everything down with a lychee shochu cocktail, but remember not to drive home! Not enough “shochu kick”? The lime sherbet with shochu ($8) ought to do the trick. Refreshing with a mild shochu taste, this is an ending everyone will surely agree on.

The SD food advisor's take on Satsuma
Superb Japanese food, a heady concoction of shochu cocktails, beautiful interiors and that dark, pulsating air of mystery that shrouds the restaurant makes the Satsuma dining experience a decadent and sensual exploration of Japanese cuisine and culture, as pleasurable and poignant as watching Japanese Noh. Allow yourself to relax and your senses to wander around the sakura laden room, as the intoxicating wiles of shochu and the divine tastes of the food enrobe you lovingly. Alas, the portions were too small, and I found myself picking at every last delicious crumb. It is wise to order a greater variety of plates, in order to truly enjoy a holistic dining experience at Satsuma, satisfying both the pocket and the senses.