Serving up quick, healthy, Japanese-inspired bites is Shinkansen, a newcomer to the CBD area.

Howard Lo (Tanuki Raw and Standing Sushi Bar) is the man behind this fast-casual outlet, which offers rice, salad and soba bowls ($7.50-$12) topped with items of your choice, such as tamago, sundried tomatoes, parma ham and more.

Also available are Shinkansen's signature combinations, including Tuna Loco ($9.80), which features tuna tataki, soba noodles, and onion sauce, as well as California Don ($9.80), sushi rice with crab stick, tamago, avocado and yuzu sauce. Sushi (from $1) and sashimi (from $7) are also on offer.

When night falls, Shinkansen doubles up as The Secret Mermaid (opening end January to early February), a bar modeled on distillery tasting rooms in the US. The 16-seater will feature craft spirits and bar bites like oysters, so for more info, watch this space.