Given that Japanese restaurants have permeated every shopping mall in Singapore, I expected lunch at Hoshino Coffee to be a mundane affair.

Nothing could be further from the truth. Hoshino Coffee exceeded my expectations by providing us a private room. We didn’t even have to do anything special to get this cherished space; it was just gifted to us. It was a blessing because it meant we could feed the warrior princess without worrying that her cries would distract other customers.

As a compulsive bookworm, the second thing that caught my attention was the comprehensive range of books and magazines for people of all ages. It sent a welcoming signal that we could take our time and not stress about it.

Exploring the premises with the warrior princess, I noticed the dark brown chandeliers and walls contrasting nicely with the clean white walls. Calm and steady - that’s the atmosphere it evoked, complemented by the jazz music playing gently in the background.

As someone who loves all things bilingual, I was fascinated by the coffee paintings depicting English words and Chinese calligraphy. East meets West, and they both have a place in this cozy restaurant.

Oh, the spaghetti, lava cake, mint ice cream, and iced coffee were Oishii, but you wouldn’t expect anything less in the Land of the Rising Sun.