Suzuki Restaurant Lunch

Entering Suzuki Restaurant for the first time, diners will forget for a moment that they are in Singapore and imagine themselves in Japan with the rows of bamboo lining both sides of the entrance and even the ceiling. Suzuki was designed by award-winning architect Kengo Kuma and his trademark usage of materials in experimental ways is evident in the 600kg ancient piece of stone at the entrance and the diagonally-clad bamboo poles seemingly emanating from the ceiling of the chef’s preparation area.

We ducked into Suzuki for a lunch chat. A fellow colleague wanted somewhere ‘private’ to discuss - and so we ventured here.

This place gives me Kimura vibes (Palais Royale) but if you’re asking me - the vibes at the latter is warmer (probably bcos we know the head chef Kimura). Suzuki Restaurant gives off clean and ultra utilitarian vibes - I suppose more suitable for a power lunch meeting. Having had countless omakases I could not point out which sushi was extra good or a standout - I guess at this (Michelin) level.

Every little eg the ambience and even the sushi table (carved from one bloc and designed by a famous person) counts.

Overall a solid 7/10 experience at Suzuki. Not the first time @ Mondrian Hotel (there’s a steak place upstairs) but Suzuki takes the cake for fine dining IMO.

At SGD128 per head for lunch - it’s not cheap, but I’ve seen ‘worse’ eg Oshino’s $250 decadence of an arvo soirée. Definitely recommended (Suzuki) for those weekday blues when you need that extra little hum or hymn.