As the golden rays of sunset washed over buzzy Taman Pelangi in Johor Bahru, a select group of guests arrived at Sushi Yoru, one of the hottest new omakase restaurants in the neighbourhood, for a night of haute horlogerie. In the main room of Sushi Yoru, these guests were among the first to view A Lange & Söhne’s special presentation of its present-day novelties.
The beauties on display from the Saxon watchmaker included the Zeitwerk Date, Richard Lange Jumping Seconds, Lange 1 Time Zone and Little Lange 1 Moon Phase. The latter is a svelte exercise in artistic wizardry, with nine different finishing techniques—from artistic decoration and polishing to engraving—deployed to achieve its overall aesthetic.
Beyond the sensational horology brought by A Lange & Söhne, there was also an undeniable infusion of exciting gastronomy from the young team at Sushi Yoru—the restaurant so named for the Japanese word meaning ‘night’. From its ‘starlit’ private dining room to the remarkable main omakase counter, Sushi Yoru’s unique interiors provided an enigmatic stage for guests to enjoy a procession of culinary highlights such as the flavourful uni on a dashi jelly, Argentine red shrimp (akaebi) on mozuku seaweed, and foie gras seared with binchotan. An IWA 5 sake, blended by former Dom Perignon cellar master Richard Geoffray, was served cold and crisp to pair with the courses, conferring its floral and signature white pepper notes to the various sashimi and nigiri sushi, including umami-rich scallops topped with smelt roe and springy shima-aji (striped jack).
A succession of dishes and a convivial atmosphere saw guests return to the topic of A Lange & Söhne and its superlati7ve timepieces. The stories ran from its links to the Saxon court of prince-bishops, electors of the pope in the late 19th century, to its current collections that embody the manufacture’s devotion to the art of watchmaking. From double assembly of movements to perfect finishing on parts that lie within the movement, these tell-tale signs bear testimony to Walter Lange, the fourth-generation owner who revived his family legacy following the fall of the Berlin Wall, who said: “There is something that you demand not only of your watch but also of yourself: never stand still.”
Photos: Marcus Wong/MV Perspective ; Sushi Yoru
Video: Sushi Yoru
