Restaurant Overview
Noci represents a unique culinary intersection—Singapore’s first Korean pasta bar, bringing Seoul’s minimalist dining aesthetic to Suntec City. The establishment combines Italian handmade pasta traditions with Korean hospitality and design sensibilities.
Location: 3 Temasek Boulevard, #01-386, Suntec City, Singapore 038983
Hours: Daily 11am to 11pm
Capacity: 50+ diners
Cuisine Type: Korean-Italian Fusion, Pasta Bar
Price Range: $$ (Mains $21-26++)
Restaurant Review
First Impressions
Noci challenges expectations from the moment you enter. Rather than typical Korean barbecue or stew-focused establishments, this pasta bar introduces handmade Italian pastas and wood-fired pizzas through a Korean lens. The concept is novel—a bridge between two beloved cuisines executed in a contemporary setting.
Culinary Performance
The food at Noci demonstrates technical competence with room for refinement. Highlights include the exceptional Ricotta Crostini and well-executed Margherita pizza, both showcasing balanced flavors and quality ingredients. However, some dishes like the Tomato Stracciatella suffer from overly sweet sauce profiles that mask ingredient complexity. The Ricotta Ravioli’s intense acidity may polarize diners.
Value Proposition
Pricing sits in the mid-range bracket ($14-26++ for appetizers and mains), reasonable for handmade pasta in a central business district location. Portion sizes appear generous, particularly for desserts.
Overall Assessment
Noci earns respect for ambition and execution of fresh pasta, though flavor profiles need refinement. The Seoul-inspired ambience creates strong appeal beyond the food itself. Worth visiting for the unique concept and pleasant atmosphere, with potential to improve as the kitchen finds its rhythm.
Rating: 7/10
Ambience & Interior Design
Design Philosophy
The space embodies minimalist Korean elegance—clean lines, neutral palettes, and thoughtful spatial design reminiscent of upscale pasta bars in Seoul’s Gangnam or Hannam-dong neighborhoods.
Spatial Characteristics
- Airy and Bright: High ceilings and ample natural light create an open, welcoming atmosphere
- Spacious Layout: Comfortable seating arrangements prevent crowding despite 50+ capacity
- Visual Interest: Open pasta-making station near entrance provides theater and transparency
- Color Palette: Whites, warm woods, and soft grays dominate the aesthetic
- Seating Options: Mix of tables for couples, small groups, and larger parties
Atmosphere Traits
- Casual Sophistication: Relaxed enough for lunch meetings, refined enough for dinner dates
- Light and Uplifting: Opposite of moody, dimly-lit trattorias
- Contemporary: Modern fixtures and design language
- Instagram-Worthy: Clean aesthetic appeals to social media documentation
Dining Experience Flow
Lunch rush (12pm-2pm) brings CBD workers, creating energetic buzz and potential queues. Earlier arrival (11am-11:30am) recommended for guaranteed seating. Evening service likely more relaxed.
Complete Menu Analysis
Appetizers
Ricotta Crostini – $14++
Components: Sourdough bread, whipped ricotta cream, Maldon salt, olive oil
Dish Analysis:
- Texture Profile: Crispy-chewy bread exterior contrasts with cloud-like ricotta
- Flavor Layers: Salt enhances natural sweetness of ricotta, olive oil adds fruity richness
- Balance: Surprisingly light despite cream-forward presentation
- Technique: Proper whipping aerates ricotta to mousse-like consistency
Why It Works: The interplay between crusty artisan bread and delicate ricotta creates textural dynamism. Maldon salt’s flaky crystals provide intermittent bursts of salinity rather than uniform seasoning.
Ricotta Ravioli – $24++
Components: Green pasta dough, ricotta-Parmesan filling, sage butter, lemon, peas, pistachios
Dish Analysis:
- Visual Appeal: Festive green hue from spinach or herb-infused dough
- Texture Facets: Soft, chewy pasta (slightly doughy), creamy filling, crunchy nut garnish
- Flavor Profile: Tangy cheese filling, herbaceous sage, bright acidic lemon, sweet peas
- Technical Execution: Pasta thickness needs refinement for silkier mouthfeel
Critical Assessment: Lemon’s intensity borders on aggressive, creating sharp acidity that may overwhelm delicate ricotta. Sage butter adds earthy warmth, but gets lost in citrus dominance. Pistachios provide textural relief.
Pairing Notes: Best for those who enjoy bright, zesty dishes. Not recommended for acid-sensitive palates.
Main Dishes
Tomato Stracciatella – $26++
Components: Fresh tagliolini, beef guanciale, cherry tomatoes, stracciatella cheese, olive oil, black pepper
Dish Analysis:
- Pasta Characteristics: Tagliolini (thin ribbon pasta), handmade, al dente texture with proper bite
- Protein Element: Guanciale (cured pork jowl) provides richness and umami depth
- Dairy Component: Stracciatella (creamy interior of burrata) adds luxurious silkiness
- Sauce Profile: Tomato-based, unfortunately skewing sweet rather than savory-acidic
Critical Points:
- Strength: Excellent pasta texture demonstrates proper cooking technique
- Weakness: Sauce sweetness masks tomato complexity and beef guanciale’s savory notes
- Missing Elements: Needs more depth—possibly from longer tomato reduction, caramelization, or umami enhancement
Improvement Suggestions: Reduce sauce longer to concentrate flavors, add tomato paste for umami, balance sugar content, allow guanciale’s saltiness to shine.
Margherita Pizza – $21++
Components: Pizza dough, tomato sauce, buffalo mozzarella, fresh basil, olive oil
Dish Analysis:
- Textural Mastery: Charred, crispy edges (leopard spotting) transition to chewy, toasty center
- Flavor Harmony: Sweet-tangy tomato, creamy-salty mozzarella, aromatic basil, fruity oil
- Balance Achievement: No single ingredient dominates; true ensemble performance
- Technical Execution: Proper oven temperature creates ideal crust development
Why This Succeeds: Classic Margherita tests fundamentals. Noci demonstrates understanding of ratios, cooking technique, and ingredient quality. This dish shows the kitchen’s potential.
Essence: Simplicity executed well—the hallmark of Italian cooking.
Beverages
Cream Di Noci – $8++
Components: Espresso, cream, walnut crunch, walnut oil
Drink Analysis:
- Inspiration: Korean-style Einspanner (Viennese coffee with whipped cream)
- Texture Layers: Bitter espresso base, sweet creamy top, crunchy walnut pieces
- Flavor Complexity: Coffee bitterness, dairy sweetness, nutty aromatics from walnut oil
- Unique Element: Walnut integration adds sophistication beyond standard cream coffee
Sensory Experience: Visual drama of layered drink, aromatic walnut oil, contrasting temperatures and textures in each sip.
Desserts
Tiramisu – $12++
Components: Mascarpone cream, ladyfinger biscuits, coffee syrup, cocoa powder
Dish Analysis:
- Texture Profile: Extra light and moist, almost mousse-like
- Moisture Content: High saturation from coffee syrup creates “melting” quality
- Serving Size: Generous portion
- Style Interpretation: Lighter, airier version versus traditional dense, rich style
Preference Consideration: Ideal for those who find traditional tiramisu heavy. May disappoint fans of dense, compact texture. “Melts away in a few bites” suggests structural delicacy.
Traditional vs. Noci’s Version:
- Traditional: Dense, rich, substantial
- Noci’s: Light, airy, delicate
Recipe Reconstructions & Cooking Instructions
Ricotta Crostini (Serves 4)
Ingredients:
- 8 slices sourdough bread, cut 1cm thick
- 250g fresh ricotta cheese
- 2 tbsp heavy cream
- Maldon sea salt flakes
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Optional: lemon zest
Instructions:
- Prepare Whipped Ricotta:
- Combine ricotta and heavy cream in mixing bowl
- Whip with electric mixer on medium-high for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy
- Texture should be mousse-like, holding soft peaks
- Refrigerate until serving
- Toast Bread:
- Brush sourdough slices lightly with olive oil both sides
- Toast in 200°C oven for 8-10 minutes until golden and crispy at edges
- Alternatively, grill in ridged pan for char marks
- Bread should remain slightly chewy in center
- Assemble:
- Generously spread whipped ricotta on warm toast (about 3 tbsp per slice)
- Sprinkle Maldon salt flakes over top
- Drizzle with best-quality olive oil
- Optional: add fresh lemon zest for brightness
Chef’s Notes: The key is achieving cloud-like ricotta through proper aeration. Don’t over-whip or it becomes grainy. Serve immediately while toast remains warm and crispy.
Handmade Ricotta Ravioli (Serves 4)
Fresh Pasta Dough:
- 300g “00” flour
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Pinch salt
- Fresh spinach or herbs for green color (blanched, squeezed, puréed)
Ricotta Filling:
- 400g ricotta cheese, drained
- 100g Parmesan, finely grated
- 1 egg yolk
- Nutmeg, pinch
- Salt and pepper
- Lemon zest (optional)
Sage Butter Sauce:
- 100g butter
- 12-15 fresh sage leaves
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Fresh peas (blanched)
- Crushed pistachios
- Pasta cooking water
Instructions:
- Make Pasta Dough:
- Form flour into well on clean surface
- Add eggs, oil, salt, and spinach purée to center
- Gradually incorporate flour from edges, kneading until smooth (10 minutes)
- Dough should be elastic, not sticky
- Wrap in plastic, rest 30 minutes room temperature
- Prepare Filling:
- Mix ricotta, Parmesan, egg yolk, nutmeg, salt, pepper
- Should be thick enough to hold shape
- If too wet, drain ricotta longer or add more Parmesan
- Form Ravioli:
- Roll dough through pasta machine to setting #6 or #7 (thin but not transparent)
- Cut into strips, place filling teaspoons 4cm apart on half the strips
- Brush edges with water, cover with remaining strips
- Press firmly to seal, removing air pockets
- Cut into individual ravioli with cutter or knife
- Dust with flour, refrigerate on tray
- Cook & Sauce:
- Boil salted water, cook ravioli 3-4 minutes until they float
- Meanwhile, melt butter in pan, add sage leaves until crispy
- Add lemon juice carefully (it will sputter)
- Transfer cooked ravioli to sage butter with pasta water splash
- Toss gently to coat
- Plate, garnish with peas, pistachios, extra Parmesan
Critical Techniques:
- Proper sealing prevents filling leakage during cooking
- Don’t overcook pasta—it should be tender but with slight resistance
- Balance lemon juice carefully; start with half, add more to taste
Classic Margherita Pizza (Makes 2 pizzas)
Pizza Dough:
- 500g “00” flour or bread flour
- 325ml warm water (35°C)
- 10g salt
- 7g instant yeast
- 15ml olive oil
Toppings:
- 200g San Marzano tomatoes, crushed (or quality tomato sauce)
- 300g buffalo mozzarella, torn
- Fresh basil leaves
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Sea salt
Instructions:
- Make Dough (24 hours ahead):
- Dissolve yeast in warm water, let bloom 5 minutes
- Mix flour and salt in large bowl
- Add yeast water and olive oil, mix until shaggy
- Knead 10 minutes until smooth and elastic
- Place in oiled bowl, cover, refrigerate 24 hours for flavor development
- Remove 2 hours before baking, divide into 2 balls, rest covered
- Prepare Sauce:
- If using whole tomatoes: crush by hand, season with salt, olive oil
- Should be simple—tomatoes, salt, maybe garlic
- Don’t overcomplicate
- Shape & Top:
- Preheat oven to maximum temperature (250-280°C) with pizza stone 45 minutes
- Stretch dough gently from center, preserving air in crust edges
- Transfer to semolina-dusted peel
- Spread thin layer of tomato sauce (less is more)
- Tear mozzarella, distribute evenly (not too much or pizza gets soggy)
- Drizzle olive oil, pinch of salt
- Bake:
- Slide onto preheated stone
- Bake 8-12 minutes until crust has leopard spots and cheese bubbles
- Watch carefully—high heat works fast
- Remove, immediately top with fresh basil
- Drizzle more olive oil
- Let rest 2 minutes before slicing
Key Success Factors:
- Temperature: Hottest possible oven mimics wood-fired conditions
- Hydration: Wetter dough = airier crust, but harder to handle
- Less is More: Resist over-topping; simplicity showcases quality
- Crust Development: Don’t deflate edges when stretching—those air pockets create texture
Detailed Dish Facets & Traits
Textural Taxonomy
Crispy-Crunchy Family:
- Sourdough crostini edges
- Pizza crust charred exterior
- Pistachio garnish on ravioli
- Walnut crunch in coffee
Soft-Creamy Family:
- Whipped ricotta
- Stracciatella cheese
- Mascarpone in tiramisu
- Cream layer in coffee
Chewy-Al Dente Family:
- Sourdough interior
- Fresh pasta (when properly cooked)
- Pizza dough center
Delicate-Tender Family:
- Buffalo mozzarella
- Coffee-soaked ladyfingers
Flavor Essence Breakdown
Umami Sources:
- Parmesan cheese
- Beef guanciale
- Tomato reduction
- Aged mozzarella
Acid Providers:
- Lemon juice (ravioli)
- Tomato sauce
- Coffee
Sweetness Elements:
- Natural ricotta lactose
- Tomato sugars (sometimes excessive)
- Mascarpone
- Heavy cream
Aromatic Compounds:
- Fresh basil (anise notes)
- Sage (earthy, peppery)
- Olive oil (fruity, grassy)
- Walnut oil (nutty, buttery)
- Espresso (roasted, chocolate notes)
Salt & Saline:
- Maldon sea salt (clean, mineral)
- Parmesan (salty, nutty)
- Guanciale (cured, savory)
Layering Techniques Observed
Vertical Layering (Tiramisu):
- Cocoa powder (bitter)
- Mascarpone cream (sweet, rich)
- Coffee-soaked ladyfingers (bitter, soft)
- Repeat pattern creates flavor oscillation
Component Layering (Crostini):
- Base: Toasted sourdough (crispy, yeasty)
- Middle: Whipped ricotta (creamy, mild)
- Finish: Salt + oil (seasoning, richness)
Sauce Integration (Pasta):
- Foundation: Fresh noodles (neutral, chewy)
- Body: Tomato sauce or butter (main flavor)
- Enrichment: Cheese (creaminess, salt)
- Accent: Herbs, acid, garnish (brightness, texture)
Delivery & Takeaway Options
Current Status: Based on the review, no explicit delivery information is provided. Restaurant appears to focus on dine-in experience given the emphasis on fresh handmade pasta and ambience.
Recommendations for Takeaway-Friendly Items:
- Pizza: Travels well, maintains structure
- Crostini: Recommend separating ricotta and bread to prevent sogginess
- Tiramisu: Desserts typically package well
Items Best Enjoyed In-House:
- Fresh Pasta Dishes: Al dente texture deteriorates during transport
- Ravioli: Delicate pasta may overcook in container
- Coffee Beverages: Layered presentation and temperature-dependent
Suggested Inquiry: Contact restaurant directly for delivery partnerships (GrabFood, Deliveroo, Foodpanda) or self-pickup options.
Phone: Not provided in review—check website or call Suntec directory
Dining Recommendations & Tips
What to Order (First-Time Visitors)
- Ricotta Crostini – Must-try appetizer, universally appealing
- Margherita Pizza – Best-executed dish, showcases kitchen’s skills
- Cream Di Noci – Unique offering, worth experiencing
What to Approach Cautiously
- Ricotta Ravioli – Only if you enjoy very acidic, lemony flavors
- Tomato Stracciatella – Wait for potential menu refinement on sauce sweetness
Timing Strategy
- Optimal Arrival: 11:00-11:30am for lunch, or after 2pm to avoid CBD rush
- Avoid: 12:00-1:30pm (peak queue time)
- Evening: Likely more relaxed, confirmation needed
Party Size Considerations
- Solo/Couples: Intimate seating available, ideal for focused food experience
- Groups 4-6: Spacious layout accommodates comfortably
- Large Groups 8+: Call ahead to confirm table availability
Budget Planning
- Light Meal: $25-35 per person (1 appetizer, 1 coffee)
- Full Experience: $45-60 per person (appetizer, main, dessert, beverage)
- Remember: All prices subject to ++ (service charge + GST)
Final Verdict & Unique Positioning
What Makes Noci Special:
- Only Korean-owned pasta bar in Singapore
- Handmade pasta commitment (visible production)
- Seoul-inspired minimalist aesthetic rare in Italian restaurants
- Fresh concept in saturated dining scene
Room for Growth:
- Flavor refinement (sauce balance, acidity control)
- Pasta texture perfection (reducing doughiness)
- Menu expansion potential
Who Will Love Noci:
- Korean food enthusiasts curious about fusion
- Pasta lovers seeking fresh, handmade options
- Instagram aesthetics appreciators
- Suntec CBD workers wanting quality casual dining
Who Might Be Disappointed:
- Traditional Italian purists
- Those seeking bold, intense flavors throughout
- Budget-conscious diners
Return Likelihood: High, based on reviewer’s stated intention. The ambience and concept create draw beyond current food execution level.
Conclusion
Noci enters Singapore’s competitive dining landscape with a differentiated concept—marrying Korean design sensibilities with Italian pasta traditions. While the food demonstrates technical competence with standout moments (Ricotta Crostini, Margherita), inconsistencies in flavor balance prevent full realization of the menu’s potential.
The restaurant’s greatest strength lies in its ambience and the theater of fresh pasta-making, creating an experience that transcends the plate. As the kitchen refines its approach to sauce construction and flavor layering, Noci has potential to become a CBD destination.
Worth visiting for the unique concept, pleasant atmosphere, and glimpses of culinary promise, with expectations set for a solid rather than spectacular meal.
Overall Rating: 7/10
Ambience: 8.5/10
Food: 6.5/10
Value: 7/10
Uniqueness: 9/10