Sun With Moon Japanese Dining & Cafe

So suaku me finally made it to Sun With Moon Japanese Dining & Cafe, despite this chain of restaurants having been around for some time and being rather popular among the working crowd. I had not been keen in the past to try the place because it seemed so similar in concept to chains like Waraku and Ichiban Boshi (basically a super-humongous range of sets and no particular specialty), but nevertheless decided to give it a shot today since I was in the central area for a lunch appointment with a business associate. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Sun With Moon at Central is done up in what I call an aspirational modern style, with stylistic flourishes to provide an ambience reminiscent of that in fine-dining restaurants. I had been planning to try the kamameshi (steamed rice pot) which apparently you can’t get elsewhere in Singapore… but it was not to be, it seems that the restaurant does not serve this dish during lunch. My ‘J’ type brain being not used to alternative scenarios couldn’t quite function with this unexpected turn of events and I reverted to habit by ordering a set of Hokkaido ramen with tori karagge. Not clever at all, considering that Sun With Moon is not a ramen specialist (and Santouka which I recently tried and loved is in the same building!) To be fair, the ramen was okay-ish but nothing out of the ordinary, in a characterless miso soup without much depth of flavour - it was basically just salty.

The much-raved about tofu cheesecake came presented in a cage, which was cute in a twee and gimmicky sort of way. I could taste the tofu used in the making but found it pleasant nevertheless - very smooth and slightly tangy, with a crunchy and fragrant biscuit crust, although the usual underlying fragrance and richness of cream was missing. Although I don't think one saves that many calories on this, so the point of using the tofu is kind of lost. And at $5.90 for a teeny slice, it is definitely overpriced.

Well, overall the entire dining experience at Sun With Moon was okay, if not one that I would make an especial detour for next time. At least I can say, "been there done that"!