Lunch at Uni Gallery by Oosterbay @ The Plaza, Beach Road

7500A Beach Road #B1-310 The Plaza, Singapore 199591

Tel: 9838 8209

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UniGallerySG

I am a huge fan of Japanese food and uni (sea urchin), the latter for its buttery texture and creamy taste. Therefore, the opening of Uni Gallery by Oosterbay definitely got me excited. Reviews from personal friends were not bad, therefore I decided to visit for lunch one day.

Decor was a lot more casual than I had expected - my imagination yielded a dimly-lit, cosy bistro-styled yet sophisticated small little diner, especially when they serve premium sake (Japanese wine) collection. The reality was funkier, with wall decor that was near graffiti drawings. Staff crew was professional and friendly though, so it was pleasant stepping into the eatery.

Menu comprised of many seafood items - sushi, sashimi, and uni done in many ways.  Whether you want your Sea Urchin in a rice bowl, deep-fried tempura style or eaten as a sushi dish, they have it all here. There is also a seasonal menu comprising exotic items such as Monkfish Liver, Japanese Firefly Squid, Hokkaido Codfish Milt etc.

We started with the Monkfish Liver (SGD$18.00) seasoned and lightly poached, creamy in texture and having a beautiful taste nearly compatible with foie gras.

Sashimi Platter (SGD$38.00 for 1 pax) included various types of raw fish sashimi, as well as sea urchin, served on a bowl of ice to keep fresh.

Next, Giant Oysters (SGD$36.00 for 6) that were utterly fleshy, smooth to slurp up, and delicious. I wish we had ordered one dozen instead of merely 6 pieces.

Following that, the Uni Chirashi Set (SGD$34.90) - generous servings of creamy, rich sea urchin complemented by shredded omelet, sushi ginger and wasabi on a bowl of Japanese pearl rice. While this was the cream dream of uni lovers, I was hoping for a stronger taste in these slices of uni (like how it is done at Aura @ National Gallery). The set also comes with a bowl of Miso Soup and fresh Salad.

Finally, Salmon Sushi Platter (SGD$20.00) - consisting of 5 pieces of Salmon Sashimi Sushi and 5 pieces of Salmon Belly Sashimi Sushi. Springy-textured with sweet freshness, the salmon sashimi was definitely well-executed here, making the meal very palatable.

Overall, we enjoyed the food here at Uni Gallery, and I look forward to being back on evenings or weekends, when I can have some Sake Wine to pair with my Japanese food for a more lavish experience.