Japanese Western food isn’t super popular in Singapore yet but there’s just something about it that I love. I am not refering to mass market chain restaurants (like Waraku of the past, which has since closed down) but those nice boutique cosy cafe like Japanese western places. I love how it feels homely and simple.

In my trip to Tokyo last year I chanced upon a hole in the wall Japanese-Italian restaurant and I loved it.

This hidden gem in Suntec City is part of the Eat at Seven cluster at the Sky Garden, which houses seven Japanese restaurant. Honestly, when it comes to Suntec I usually head straight to the basement fountain area and never bother finding out what’s on top. I’m quite sure many of you agree too!

While browsing the iPad menu deciding what to eat, the staff passed us 2 vouchers for free wine by the glass. Hence we got their house pour white to go with our meal. I’m glad this happened because it was way better this way! I didn’t find out what wine it was, but the white I had was smooth and I liked it.

Grilled Camembert Cheese with Vegetables – $16.50++

This was from the tapas section. Melted cheese is always a good idea and I’ve been wanting to try something like this for a while so I was pleased to see grilled camembert on the menu. I’ve never had cooked camembert before this and I wish I tried it earlier. Some grilled veggies and crispy baguette was provided to dip into the molten cheese. So good. Even better with my white wine.

Mushroom and Pork Belly Spaghetti– $18.00++

The pork was more like smoked pork, something like bacon. The combination was very aromatic and tasty with a hint of truffle.

Nigiro Mentai Spaghetti – $18.50++

I always loved mentaiko pasta! When I saw it on the menu I knew I had to get this. This was good, but not as interesting as the other pasta above because this was essentially just one flavour throughout. The sauce was a bit too starchy and I think I would have preferred Dazzling Cafe‘s version, but still it was good in it’s own way. No regrets trying it!

Nigiro cafe has a homely and cosy vibe to it, but a little too homely that the fumes from the kitchen got into the dining area and I smelt it throughout my meal. Not a big issue since it’s a casual dinner, but for people who want to smell good you got to take note.

Overall, my food paired well with the wine and I enjoyed this simple meal. Now who says wine dinners has to be a fancy affair!

Ambiance: 7/10
Food: 7/10
Value: 7/10
Overall: A hidden gem for Japanese-western food.