Nara Japanese Restaurant
What Makes Nara Japanese Restaurant Special
About Nara Japanese Restaurant
Nara Japanese Restaurant has been a fixture of the Serangoon Gardens dining scene for over two decades. Located at myVillage (formerly Serangoon Garden Country Club), the restaurant occupies a quiet, comfortable space that feels worlds away from the bustle of Singapore's malls and food courts. The atmosphere is intentionally unhurried — Nara describes itself as a 'little Japanese hermitage in the city' where customers can spend two to four hours enjoying a deeply relaxing meal. This is not hyperbole: the pace here is genuinely different from most Japanese restaurants in Singapore, and it is a deliberate choice that has earned the restaurant a devoted following.
What sets Nara apart from the many Japanese restaurants in Singapore is the personal relationship between the chefs and their customers. The experienced chefs here know many of their regular diners by name — they remember preferences, dietary requirements, and even what was ordered on previous visits. This level of personal attention is extraordinary in a dining scene dominated by chains and turnover. The food itself is prepared with ingredients sourced fresh daily, with each dish personally overseen by the chef. Whether you are having a weekday set lunch or a multi-course dinner, the commitment to quality and freshness is consistent. The menu covers the full range of Japanese cuisine: sushi, sashimi, tempura, grilled dishes, teppanyaki, nabemono (hot pot), and seasonal specials. Omakase options are available for those who want to trust the chef entirely.
The restaurant has earned a 4.5/5 rating on Tripadvisor with reviewers consistently praising the freshness of the sashimi, the warmth of the service, and the value of the weekday set lunches. These set lunches are particularly noteworthy — comprehensive Japanese meals at prices that are competitive with casual chains, but with quality that sits firmly in the mid-to-upper range. For dinner, the experience becomes more luxurious: multi-course omakase menus, premium sashimi platters, and seasonal chef's specials that change with the availability of ingredients.
Recommended For
Menu & Pricing
Set Lunch (Weekday)
| Sashimi Set Lunch — Fresh daily sashimi with rice, soup, sides | ~S$22–28 |
| Bento Set Lunch — Chef's combination bento box | ~S$20–25 |
| Grilled Fish Set — Seasonal grilled fish with accompaniments | ~S$22–28 |
| Tempura Set — Assorted tempura with rice and soup | ~S$20–25 |
Dinner & A La Carte
| Omakase Course — Trust the chef for multi-course seasonal menu | from ~S$60++ |
| Sashimi Moriawase — Premium assorted sashimi platter | ~S$35–60++ |
| Chirashi Don — Assorted sashimi over rice | ~S$25–35++ |
| Teppanyaki selections — Grilled on iron plate | varies |
| Nabemono — Japanese hot pot (seasonal) | ~S$35–50++ |
Budget Guide
Practical Information
Dietary Information
Not halal-certified. Menu includes pork-based dishes and sake/alcohol. Seafood-focused options (sashimi, grilled fish) available for those avoiding pork. For halal Japanese nearby, try Hatsumi Donburi at NEX (#01-58, halal-certified, from S$5.90).
Photos
Photos loaded from Google Places. Click to enlarge.
Location
Located at myVillage @ Serangoon Garden (10 Maju Avenue). From Serangoon MRT, take a short bus or taxi ride (~5 min). myVillage car park available. The restaurant is on Level 2 (#02-03/06) — a quiet, tucked-away setting that feels like a hidden gem.
Your Dining Journey
Arriving at the Hermitage
Walking into Nara feels like stepping out of Singapore entirely. The restaurant is tucked away on Level 2 of myVillage, away from the main foot traffic. The space is traditionally Japanese — warm lighting, natural materials, and a calm that immediately lowers your shoulders. The staff greet you warmly and lead you to your seat. If you are a regular, the chef may come out to say hello. This is not a restaurant that rushes you.
The Sashimi — Where Nara Proves Itself
Nara's sashimi is sourced fresh daily and it shows. The fish has a clean, bright flavour with firm texture — nothing tired or limp about it. The cuts are generous and precise, presented on a traditional wooden board with shiso leaves and fresh wasabi. If you are having the chirashi don, the rice beneath is properly seasoned and the proportions are balanced. The Tripadvisor reviewers who praise the sashimi are not wrong — it is genuinely the highlight of the menu and worth the visit alone.
The Set Lunch — Hidden Value
The weekday set lunches are Nara's best-kept secret. For approximately S$20-28, you get a complete Japanese meal — sashimi or grilled fish, rice, miso soup, salad, sides, and dessert — prepared with the same care and fresh ingredients as the dinner menu. The quality rivals restaurants charging 50% more. Come early (11:30am) on weekdays for the best selection.
The Chef Comes to Your Table
This is Nara's most distinctive feature: the experienced chefs make it a point to visit tables, chat with guests, and personally ensure satisfaction. If you are a returning customer, they remember your preferences. If it is your first visit, they may recommend dishes based on what is freshest that day. This level of personal service has earned Nara its loyal following over 21 years. It is the kind of restaurant where the food is excellent, but the relationship is what brings people back.
Nara Japanese Restaurant is the kind of place that makes you pause and appreciate what Japanese dining can be when it is done with genuine care. After 21 years in Serangoon Gardens, this is not a restaurant chasing trends or Instagram moments — it is one that has quietly built a reputation on fresh ingredients, personal service, and consistency. The sashimi is genuinely excellent. The weekday set lunches are arguably the best-value premium Japanese meals in the Serangoon area. And the chef's personal touch — coming to your table, remembering your name, adapting dishes to your preferences — is something that money alone cannot buy. It is the antithesis of chain-restaurant dining. The location at myVillage is slightly off the beaten path, which keeps it from being discovered by the mass market, but those who find it tend to become regulars. For a special dinner, the omakase experience with sake pairing is worth the splurge. For everyday value, the weekday set lunches are unbeatable. This is a restaurant that rewards return visits — the more the chefs know you, the better the experience becomes.