Mon-TERCERO

Located on the 1nd floor of the Shinagawa Front Building by Shinagawa Station’s Konan Exit, the Spanish restaurant Mon-TERCERO makes paella the centerpiece of the meal, arriving at the table in a cloud of fragrant steam. The classic seafood paella (Mariscos) delivers rice infused to the core with rich seafood stock, cooked to a satisfying al dente bite. Variations are plentiful, ranging from squid ink paella to a combination of Tanba Kurodori chicken with young ginger; grazing on appetizers while the rice slowly cooks in the pan is part of the pleasure here.

The cold and hot starters leading up to the paella are crafted with an eye toward pairing with wine. Tripe simmered with salt-preserved lemon offers a refreshing acidity that matches white wine, yielding an uncharacteristically clean, savory richness compared to conventional stewed tripe. Spreading a varied spread across the table with small plates—such as Kawaba burrata and fig caprese combining creamy cheese with mellow fruit sweetness, or bubbling, fragrant "Kami no Ebi" shrimp ajillo—is well worth doing.

For evenings that call for substantial meat courses, the kitchen also prepares roast Joshu beef, roasted Echigo Mochibuta pork from Niigata Prefecture, and richly flavored beer-braised lamb. Basque cheesecake, featuring a deeply caramelized crust and a smooth, dense cheese center, is widely favored to close out the meal.

The airy, glass-walled interior offers calm table seating as well as terrace options. Its versatility accommodates lunch courses during the day and casual evenings sharing tapas over dinner, making a reservation advisable for weekend visits and peak evening hours.