Be the first to hear about brand new openings, exciting events and

Transcription

Be the first to hear about brand new openings, exciting events and
2016
Your ultimate guide to over 150 fun and
fabulous eateries around Singapore—from
brunch places to late-night hot spots
www.sgnow.sg
EDITOR’S NOTE
S
ure, we love the $500 Champagne and the $200 degustations, but it’s hard
to complain when affordable eating in Singapore has been getting cooler
and cooler. Who needs lobster thermidor when you have hand-crafted burgers,
hipster hawker stalls, Kinfolk-ready lunches, ramen bowls with cult followings,
artisanal pizza and so much more?
For a comprehensive and totally fun guide to all the best places for a
delicious, affordable outing worth Instagramming about, look no further than
SG Eats 2016. You’ll find the best hotel brunches, the cutest halal-certified cafes,
the juiciest tacos and exactly the best places to go when you are struck by the
midnight munchies. Enjoy!
Who’s in Charge?
Publisher & General Manager
Ric Stockfis
[email protected]
Managing Editor
Mrigaa Sethi
[email protected]
Features Editor
Chelsia Tan
Associate Art Director
Carmen Louise Ho
Senior Designer
Fishy Toh
Designer
Carmen Chua
Senior Finance Associate
Nai Rohmat
[email protected]
Finance and Admin Assistant
Rusydi Ya’akup
2016
Your ultimate guide to over 150 fun and
fabulous eateries around Singapore—from
brunch places to late-night hot spots
On the cover:
www.sgnow.sg
NEW
MEATliquor
(see page 21)
First appearance in SG Eats
Price Guide
$
$$
$$$
$$$$
$$$$$
Under $40
$40-80
$80-120
$120-200
$200 and up
Price per person, including one drink,
appetizer, main course and dessert.
Prices do not include bottles of wine.
Director, Business Development
Intan Agustina
[email protected]
Senior Manager, Media & Marketing
Shernan Plameras
Executive, Media & Marketing
Lee Wee Keong
Junior Executive, Media & Marketing
Sharon Leong
Marketing Manager
Silver Adrienna Ng
[email protected]
Chief Executive Officer
Gretchen Worth
[email protected]
Group Digital Director
Greg Duncan
[email protected]
www.asia-city.com.sg
Asia City Publishing Pte. Ltd.
Block 211 Henderson Rd.
#07-02 Henderson Industrial Park
Singapore 159552
Tel: 65-6323-2512 Fax: 65-6323-2779
sgnow.sg
facebook.com/sgnow.sg
@sg_now
@sg_now
Copyright ©2016
Asia City Publishing Pte Ltd. The title “SG Magazine,”
its associated logos or devices, and the content of SG
Magazine are the property of Asia City Publishing Pte Ltd.
Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is
strictly prohibited. SG Magazine may not be distributed
without the express written consent of Asia City
Publishing Pte Ltd. Contact the Publisher for ad rates
and specifications. All advertising in SG Magazine must
comply with the Publisher’s terms of business, copies of
which are available upon request. MCI (P) 166/12/2015
s g n o w. s g
3
CONTENTS
8 BR UNCH
1 0 BUFFE T S
6 BBQ
1 1 BUrge rs
1 4 DIM SUM
1 6 HA LA L
2 0 H O TP O T
2 1 LA T E NIGHT
1 7 HIPST E R
HA WKE RS
1 2 DE S S E R T
1 8 HEALTHY
LUNCHES
2 4 R A ME N
2 6 TACOS
2 2 PIZZA
2 7 T A PA S
2 8 ZI C HA R
29-30
IN DE X
4
s g n o w. s g
BBQ
Low and slow is the way to go
Burnt Ends
with an open kitchen and a giant
smoker, is an indie barbecue haven
for those who like feeling like they’re
in-the-know. Besides soaking up
smokey-cool vibes, you’ll want to fill
your plate with Texas-style highlights
like beef brisket, tender pulled pork
and all-American sides like brisket
beans, mac & cheese and kale salad.
20 Teck Lim Rd., 6224-3933,
www.burntends.com.sg. Open Tue-Sat
11:45am-2pm, 6pm-midnight. $$$
After snagging bragging rights as
one of San Pellegrino’s Asia Best
Restaurants 2015, this industrial-style
grill has gone from strength to strength
with dishes like the Burnt Ends Sanger,
a brioche bun with pulled pork, and
rump cap with burnt onion and bone
marrow. Just be prepared to wait as
the space doesn’t take reservations.
Charcoal Pit
Meat Smith
Meat Smith
NEW
An American smokehouse by the
Unlisted Collection restaurant group,
this cozy brick-and-concrete place
on the party bit of Telok Ayer Street
specializes in meats smoked on
premises, bourbon and picklebacks
(that is, shots of whisky chased by
shots of pickle brine). Just steer clear of
the deep-fried stuff.
#12-00 Realty Centre, 15 Enggor St.,
8822-5991, www.charcoalpitsg.com.
Open Mon-Fri 11:30am-2:30pm, 5pm10pm; Saturday 11:30am-10pm. $
This rooftop barbecue restaurant is all
about simple, affordable food cooked
on charcoal or various hardwoods.
You’ll find burgers, steaks and meats
like baby back ribs and grilled chicken,
as well as sharing plates of pulled
pork, grilled bone marrow and cheesy
poutine. The 12th story rooftop space is
also perfect for evening drinks.
The Chop House (Katong)
Prime Gyu-Kaku
#01-01/02 Chijmes, 30 Victoria St., 63334001, www.gyu-kaku.com.sg. Open daily
noon-2.30pm, 5.30pm-11pm. $$$
Red Eye Smokehouse
#01-13 112 Katong, 112 East Coast Rd.,
6443-1011, www.wooloo-mooloo.com.
sg. Open daily noon-midnight. $$
The restaurant’s new outlet at Katong
doesn’t stray too far from its flagship,
but at least it features a more chilledout vibe. There are the usual mixed grill
platters, grilled meats served off the
broiler, lamb and pork chops, hearty
burgers and sandwiches, and also a
selection of pasta and seafood dishes if
you’re not up for a steak.
Burnt Ends
An international poolside restaurant,
Cocobolo really comes alive on Fridays
and Saturdays, when they fire up the
grill and cook up mouth-watering
meats like char-grilled NZ Angus
striploin, baby pork ribs and Australian
rack of lamb.
6
102 Amoy St., 9732-5607,
www.sugarhall.sg. Open Mon-Sat
5.30pm-midnight. $$$
NEW
s g n o w. s g
Located at Jalan Besar and housed in
a cavernous, restored warehouse, this
American-style grill restaurant has a
fuss-free buffet style approach, so diners
here pay only how much they can eat.
We prefer the fatty, oozing brisket at
Decker, but Red Eye’s specialty is stuff
like the spicy Sriracha chicken wings and
messy sandwiches.
Sugarhall
#01-17 The Quayside, 60 Robertson
Quay, 6635-8565, www.facebook.com/
deckerbarbecue. Open Tue-Sat
6pm-10pm. $$
This tucked-away spot behind Aussie
grill restaurant Boomerang, all decked
(oops) out in string lights, picnic tables,
NEW
1 Cavan Rd., 6291-0218, www.facebook.
com/redeyesmoke. Open Wed-Sun 5pm10pm; Sat-Sun noon-10pm. $$
Cocobolo Poolside Bar
& Grill
Decker
This is a fun place to hit with friends.
Gyu-Kaku (“horn of the bull” in
Japanese) was one of the first few
places in Singapore to bring in yakiniku.
Options include the prime Wagyu beef
and prime Wagyu plate, the latter
being a bit pricier.
Red Eye Smokehouse
S P O N S O R E D
2/F Park Hotel Clarke Quay, 1 Unity St.,
6593-8855, www.parkhotelgroup.com/
clarkequay. Open Sun-Thu 11am-9pm,
Fri-Sat 11am-10:30pm. $-$$
167 Telok Ayer St., 6221-2262,
www.meatsmith.com.sg. Open Mon-Sat
11:45am-2pm, 5:30-11pm. $$-$$$
Cocobolo Poolside Bar & Grill
Part grill and part rum bar, this
restaurant serves up legit modern
American food. With lots of wood, red
beams, exposed light fixtures and large
communal tables, it’s got a come-andlet-loose vibe to it. On the menu are
simple but hearty mains like pork chop
and whole spring chicken, while the
bar has a rum list and cocktails such as
the rum Negroni.
BRUNCH
Definitely worth getting out of bed for
Artichoke
Dean & Deluca
161 Middle Rd., 6336-6949. www.
arichoke.com.sg. Open Tue-Fri 6:309:45pm; Sat 11:30am-2:45pm, 6:309:45pm; Sun 11:30-2:45pm. $$
It has won the Best Brunch category
in our Readers’ Choice Awards,
and for good reason. Bjorn Shen’s
Mediterranean-meets-graffiti-chic
eatery does Middle Eastern-inspired
brunch options like the cauliflower
sabbich and the can’t-finish-alone,
lamb-packed shakshouka.
Common Man
Coffee Roasters
Common Man
Coffee Roasters
#01-00, 22 Martin Rd., 6836-4695, www.
commonmanroasters.com. Open daily
7:30am-6pm. $$
Queue up here for the good coffee and
rustic brunch options, like the Turkish
Common Man Breakfast, involving
phyllo-wrapped egg swith feta, olives
and hummus and pita. Also amazing
is the Veggie Wonderland, eggs with
haloumi and spinach.
S P O N S O R E D
Dean & Deluca
#01-01 Far East Square, 47 Pekin St.,
6536-2460, www.deananddeluca.com/
singapore. Open Mon-Fri 8am-10pm, Sat
10am-8pm. $
Spruce
SoHo’s famous black and gray food
retailer does all-day breakfast, pastries,
coffee at this branch at Far East Square.
Eggs Benedict fiends shouldn’t miss the
fancy version here, made with jamon
Iberico and mushrooms. Sweet tooths
can be satisfied with the berry and
flapjack topped with ice cream.
The Lokal
136 Neil Rd., 6423-9918. www.
thelokalsingapore.com. Open Mon
8am-5pm, Tue-Fri 8am-10pm, Sun 9am4pm. $
Spuds & Aprons
This pretty blue-and-white tiled spot
in a heritage building on Neil Road
BLACK GOLD
feels a bit like brunching in Melbourne
or Berkeley. The menu puts front and
center our favorite thing about brunch:
the sides. Mix and match from over 20
options like toast, acovado, cauliflower
and cheese, grilled sausage, eggs and
more. Or go for one of their decadent
lobster rolls or French toast.
Open Door Policy
19 Yong Siak St., 6221-9307, www.
odpsingapore.com. Open daily noon3pm, 6pm-11pm. $$$
Tiong Bahru’s refined restaurant is
especially gorgeous in the daytime.
They’ve updated their brunch menu,
and highlights include the potato rosti
with scrambled eggs and pork sausage
and the ODP breakfast burger with
bacon, egg, mushrooms and gruyere.
Spruce
260 Upper Bukit Timah Rd., 6466-5582,
www.spruce.com.sg. For opening times,
visit website. $$
The pub-like vibe at the Firestation
branch of this Italian/American eatery
is perfect for a weekend brunch—as
is the menu, which includes lavish
breakfast platters and (count ‘em) five
different eggs Benedict variations.
Wash them down with Bellinis and
Bloody Marys. There’s also a fancier
branch at Phoenix Park.
S P O N S O R E D
Spuds & Aprons
2/F Faber Peak, 109 Mount Faber Rd.,
6377-9688, www.faberpeaksingapore.
com. Open daily 11am-11pm. $-$$
This no-frills bistro atop Mount Faber
offers a mix of Asian and western
dishes. Order reliable items like the
grilled ribeye, tobiko crusted cod fillet,
crispy pork belly or Hokkien noodles.
They also have an extensive nonalcoholic drinks list, and a wide selection
of wines, spirits, cocktails and beers.
Singapore’s most serious specialty coffee shops
Chye Seng Huat
Hardware
150 Tyrwhitt Rd., 6396-0609. www.
cshhcoffee.com. $
They serve a proper brunch at Papa
Palheta’s Art Deco shophouse space
(formerly a hardware store), but it’s
a tiny spot, with seating around the
360-degree coffee bar, best for a
cuppa and cakes. Try the bottled cold
brew coffee, served with milk and
syrup on the side. It also transforms
into a craft beer bar at night.
8
s g n o w. s g
Jimmy MonKey
#01-51 One-North Residences, 9
One-North Gateway, 6777-8470.
www.jimmymonkey.com. $
A rare specialty coffee shop in
the West, this one is owned by
Melburnian Michael Ryan, who
roasts his beans in-house, brews
them on his Slayer espresso machine
and serves them alongside pastas,
focaccias and cakes.
Nylon Coffee
Roasters
#01-40 4 Everton Park, 6220-2330.
www.nyloncoffee.sg. $
We love parking our butts on one
of the outdoor benches at this tiny
and beloved Everton Park gem.
Considering they’re fancy roasters,
the coffee made on premises is
surprisingly affordable (starting
at $2.50). Take some beans home
when you’re done.
Toby’s Estate
#01-03 8 Rodyk St., 6636-7629,
www.tobysestate.com.sg. $
The counter at this Aussie place
is split between a “fast” espresso
bar, and a “slow” bar serving black
coffee made with Chemex and
Clover equipment. There’s also
direct-sourced beans, equipment to
buy, cafe fare and cakes.
BUFFET
Eyes bigger than your stomach? No problem.
Basilico
2/F The Regent Singapore, 1 Cuscaden
Rd., 6725-3232, www.regenthotels.
com. Open Mon-Sat 6:30am-10pm; Sun
7am-10pm. $$
#01-01 Hotel Miramar, 401 Havelock Rd.,
6887-3788, www.miramar.com.sg. Open
daily 11:30am-2:30pm, 6-11pm. $$
One of the city’s most atmospheric
outfits serves a pretty swish, all-Italian
Sunday brunch, and highlights include
the cheese and seasonal Italian tomato
station and the cold cuts station, with
options like salame Milano and
salame Pugliese.
It doesn’t have the requisite hotel
poshness, but getting a table at this
a la carte Japanese buffet requires a
bit of forward planning nonetheless,
mobbed as it is with fans of their freeflow sashimi and other goodies like
yakitori, tempura and noodle dishes.
Carousel
Lime
Royal Plaza on Scotts, 25 Scotts Rd.,
6589-7799, www.carouselbuffet.com.
sg. Open daily 6-10am, noon-2pm, 3:305:30pm, 6:30-10:30pm. $$
Dig into an extensive international
buffet at this halal-certified crowd
favorite. They serve up international
highlights, including dim sum, maki
rolls, Mediterranean fare and, most
excitingly, a lavish seafood spread.
Don’t miss the chocolate fountain.
Colony
NEW
3/F The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore,
7 Raffles Ave., 6434-5288, www.
ritzcarlton.com. Open daily 6:30am10:30pm. $$
Formerly the beloved Greenhouse
buffet, this swank revamp has probably
has one of the best oyster spreads
we’ve seen and also a cocktail cart
shaking up house-infused spirits and
syrups, although you’ll have to top up
around $20 to order those.
Edge
3/F Pan Pacific Singapore, 7 Raffles
Blvd., 6826-8240, www.panpacific.com.
Open daily 6-10:30am, 6:30-10:30pm;
Mon-Fri noon- 2:30pm; Sat-Sun noon4pm. $$
This huge, 350-seater, all-day dining
restaurant has plenty of themed
buffets on any given night of the week,
including late-night eats, an all-local
Makan Makan evening, among others.
The highlight is the Sunday Champagne
brunch, with a four-hour free-flow.
Flavours At
Zhongshan Park
Ramada Singapore at Zhongshan Park,
16 Ah Hood Rd., 6808-6846, www.
ramadasingapore. com. Open Mon-Fri
6am-10:30pm; Sat-Sun 6am-11pm. $$
The themed weekend buffets here are
a fun touch, with Peranakan favorites
like babi pongteh and a DIY folded bao
station. Everything’s pretty casual and
the airy space is great for large groups.
During the week, they do a semi-buffet
dinner with zi char options.
10
Ikoi Japanese
Restaurant
s g n o w. s g
Carousel
1/F Parkroyal on Pickering, 3 Upper
Pickering St., 6809-8899, www.
parkroyalhotels.com. Open Sun-Thu
6:30am-midnight; Fri-Sat 6:30-2am. $$
With floor-to-ceiling windows and three
open kitchens, this stylish restaurant
predominantly dishes out Asian dishes
with international fare. Our favorite
is the small but delicious section of
Peranakan favorites, including kueh pie
ti and ayam buak keluak.
The Line
The Line
Lower Lobby, Tower Wing, Shangri-La
Hotel, 22 Orange Grove Rd.,
6213-4275, www.shangri-la.com.
Open daily 5-1am. $$
The Line continues to be the place
everybody talks about, thanks in part
to its 16 theater kitchens, including
Japanese, Chinese, Western, Indian,
seafood and dessert.
Marriott Café
G/F Singapore Marriott Hotel, 320
Orchard Rd., 6831-4605, www.
singaporemarriott.com. Open Mon-Sat
6-11am, noon-2:30pm, 3-5:30pm; daily
6:30-10pm; Sun noon-3pm, 3:305:30pm. $$
Flavours at Zhongshan Park
There’s something different going on
here for lunch, high tea, dinner and
weekends, but you can count on the
dazzling seafood selection that includes
oysters, snow crabs and crayfish. Local
food options include like chili crab and
chicken rice.
One-Ninety
Basilico
Four Seasons Hotel, 190 Orchard Blvd.,
6831-7250, www.fourseasons.com. Open
daily 6:30am-10:30pm. $$
This restaurant is famous for its lavish
buffets and sumptuous Champagne
brunch on Sundays. The set-up is
semi-buffet, with a spread of seafood,
carving stations, followed by a la
minute mains, like poached eggs with
truffle and wagyu beef burger.
One-Ninety
BURGERS
The prettiest patties in town
Butchers Club Burger
NEW
#01-01B Clarke Quay, 3A River Valley
Rd., 6837-0675, www.thebutchers.
club/burger-singapore. Open Sun-Tues
noon-10pm; Wed-Thu noon-2am; Fri-Sat
noon-3am. $$
Decked out in cozy, vinyl booths and
wood interiors, this Hong Kong-based
burger chain is big on dry-aged beef
patties. For burgers with distinct Asian
influences, try the Wu Tang that comes
with a patty fried in Sriracha and topped
with tempura sweet potato and kimchi.
For something more sinful, get the Red
Eye Reduction—a dry-aged beef patty
topped with maple-glazed bacon, easy
fried egg and hashbrown smothered
with a maple hollandaise sauce.
Potato Head Folk
De Burg
#02-15 CT Hub, 2 Kallang Ave.,
6538-2874, www.facebook.com/
deburgsingapore. Open Mon-Fri
11:45am-2:45 pm, 5:45pm-9:15pm; SatSun noon-9:15pm. $
This no-frills burger joint is serious
about what’s in the bun. You’ll find
American diner grub like burgers as
well as a range of starters, desserts
and even a small craft beer menu. The
Showdown Challenge involving five
200g patty burgers and 500g of chips
in twenty minutes, gets you a free
meal along with your name on their
Wall Of Fame.
OverEasy
Hard Rock Cafe
#04-01 HPL House, 50 Cuscaden Rd.,
6235-5232, www.hardrock.com/cafes/
singapore. Open Mon-Thu 11:30ammidnight, Fri-Sun 11:30am-2am. $
With great drink deals, live bands and
one-off themed parties, this perennial
favorite remains perfect for blowing
off steam after work. All their burgers
come with brioche buns, rib and brisket
patties and season fries. Our vote is
for the sinful bacon and cheese wagyu
burger, but purists should get the
classic with lettuce, tomato, onion and
your choice of cheese.
The Market Grill
The Market Grill
208 Telok Ayer St., 6221-3323,
www.themarketgrill.com.sg.
Open Mon-Fri 11am-10:30pm;
Sat-Sun 8:30am-10:30pm. $$$
Potato Head Folk
Wildfire
This diner-like grill is always a hot
ticket with their burgers like the Bleu
Cheese with burnt onion marmalade
and bacon. Other fan favorites include
the CW Cod Fish burger and the CW
Burger Breakfast with sunny side egg.
They also offer charcuterie platters,
whole lobsters and premium steaks.
Overeasy
NEW
#01-01 Liat Towers, 541 Orchard Rd.,
6684-1453, www.overeasy.com.sg.
Open Mon-Fri 11am-midnight; Sat-Sun
10am-midnight. $$
This casual, 1940s American-style diner
gets especially busy on weekends. We
highly recommend the To Die For and
The Truffle, decadent in both taste and
size. It also has a cocktail joint serving
twists on classics alongside alcoholic
slushies and American-centric shots. Oh,
they also do some mean milkshakes in
case you’re not feeling too boozy.
Potato Head Folk
36 Keong Saik Rd., 6327-1939,
www.pttheadfolk.com. Open Tue-Sun
11am-midnight. $$
Housed in an old four-storey Chinese
shop house, this whimsical party place
does mean burgers like the Smokin’
B-Boy—a beef patty topped with
double smoked cheese, Dingley Dell
beer, treacle-cured bacon, and loads
of BBQ sauce. Another must-try here is
the Rambo featuring a spicy lamb patty
topped with feta, aubergine pickle and
cumin aioli. We know the bun tends to
distintegrate before you have a chance
to finish, but we like the patties and
sauces a fair bit.
Relish by Wild Rocket
#02-01 Cluny Court, 501 Bukit Timah Rd.,
6763-1547, www.wildrocket.com.sg.
Open Tues-Sun 9am-11pm. $
Willin Low’s casual bistro burger joint
does quirky, over-the-top burgers
like the soft bone pork BBQ Charsiew
burger, Ram-Lee burger, and the Hae
Bee Hiam Spaghettini with spicy dried
shrimp and scallops. If you’d like to
go easy on the beef, there’s also
a selection of pastas and salads to
choose from, too.
Wildfire
NEW
#01-06 Evans Lodge, 26 Evans Rd., 67342080, www.wildfireburgers.com. Open
Mon-Fri 11am-10:30pm; Sat-Sun 8.30am10:30pm. $
A sleeper hit from last year, this cozy
corner by the Botanic Gardens is all
about the meat. Sure to hit the spot
is The Works with spinach, a bacon
weave, rosti, parmesan, onion rings, a
fried egg, beer caramelized onions and
guac. Also worth trying are their Asianinspired renditions like the Sriracha
Chicken or Umami burger.
s g n o w. s g
11
DESSERT
The city’s best Happy Endings
Antoinette
with touches of pink, this Dempsey
dessert cafe is perfect for an afternoon
out. Don’t miss their signature Crepe
Suzette that’s flambeed tableside, as
well as Singapore-only desserts like
The Dome, a confection of strawberries
and chocolate.
30 Penhas Rd., 6293-3921, www.
antoinette.com.sg. Open Mon-Thu 11am10pm; Fri 11am-11pm; Sat 10am-11pm;
Sun 10am-10pm. $
Aside from brunch, the Paris-style
tea room has macaroons and sweet
treats like crepes with salted caramel
and nutella; gooey warm chocolate
cake; and rose petal meringues. They
recently started doing salt yolk lava
croissants, too.
Ladurée
Sunday Folks
Carpenter & Cook
More of a grab-and-go takeaway
store, this Paris transplant is just as
pretty with its mint green swirls and
Versailles-style decor. The macaroons
may not come cheap but their wide
array of ever-changing flavors has the
perfect sweetness level and a great
crunchy shell.
#01-06 19 Lorong Kilat, 6463-3648,
www.carpenterandcook.com. Open TueSat 10am-10pm; Sun 10am-7pm. $
Not only do they serve great
sandwiches and quiches, this place also
has tons of cakes. The selection rotates
sometimes, but regulars include the
carrot cake, cheesecakes (with flavors
like blueberry and caramel walnut)
and tarts like passionfruit meringue
and fruit frangipane. There’s another
location on Jasmine Road.
Lady M
Henri Charpentier
#01-02 The Working Capitol, 1
Keong Saik Rd., 6338-8035, www.
thedailyroundup.com.sg. Open Mon-Fri
8am-9:30pm; Sat-Sun 9am-9:30pm. $
Marmalade Pantry
#03-22 ION Orchard, 2 Orchard Turn,
6734-2700, www.themarmaladepantry.
com.sg. Open Mon-Fri 10am-10pm; SatSun 9am-10pm. $
Laudrée
This casual bistro does solid sandwiches,
salads and brunch foods, but the
highlight has to be their creative and
delicious cupcakes, with flavors like
Granny’s Apples, with spiced apples,
cinnamon cake and topped with cream
cheese and Smores, a chocolate cupcake
covered with graham cookies and
topped with marshmallow.
Fabulous Baker Boy
#01-15 The Foothills, 70 River Valley Rd.,
6649-8336. www.fabulousbakerboy.
com. Open Tue-Thu 11am-10pm, Fri-Sat
11am-11pm, Sun 10am-5pm. $
If all you want to round up the day with
a giant slice of cake, look no further
than this pretty glass-walled spot in Fort
Canning. In addition to basic pasta, pot
pies and brunch staples, owner Juwanda
Hassim has on display nearly a dozen,
very tall layered cakes: stuff like bitter
marmalade, flourless chocolate, classic
carrot cake and unusual flavors like
lavender and early grey.
Sunday Folks
The Daily Roundup
Henri Charpentier
9A Dempsey Rd., 6479-5518, www.
henricharpentier.asia. Open Mon-Thu
noon-10pm; Fri noon-11pm; Sat 11am11pm; Sun 11am-10pm. $
Posh, French-inspired pastries and
desserts are the norm at this Japanese
patisserie. Decked out in dark wood
12
s g n o w. s g
#01-10 One Fullerton, 1 Fullerton Rd.,
6820-0830, www.ladym.com.sg. Open
Sun-Thu 11am-11pm; Fri-Sat 11ammidnight. $
This mille-feuille cake specialist has
been drawing crowds since it debuted
in Singapore. The cakes themselves are
20 layers of thin crepes sandwiched
with cream in all sorts of flavors like
matcha tea and strawberry. Also good
are the tarts and gateaux.
The Daily Roundup
This pretty pastel-tinged and light
wooden space specializes in French
Brittany-style sweet crepes and savory
galettes, with 13 different flavors
and toppings like the Nutella-inspired
hazelnut crepe and the salted caramel
crepe with Tonka beans.
#02-09 Takashimaya, Ngee Ann City 391
Orchard Rd., 6884-7361, www.facebook.
com/ladureesingapore. Open daily
10am-9:30pm. $
Lady M
#01-52 Chip Bee Gardens, 44 Jln Merah
Saga, 6479-9166, www.sundayfolks.
com. Open Tues-Fri 1pm-10pm; Sat-Sun
noon-10pm. $
This dessert bar in Chip Bee Gardens
has six different flavors of creamy softserve ice cream with flavors like seasalt
gula melaka, served towering over
their freshly-baked waffles. Besides ice
cream and waffles, they’ve also got
other sweet treats like the sticky toffee
cake and the layered matcha cake.
DIM SUM
pretty pockets of pure pleasure
126 Dim Sum
126 Sims Ave., 6746-4757.
Open 24 hours. $
It gets no prizes for atmosphere, but
late-night revellers swear by this
Hong Kong-style dim sum restaurant
for its delish midnight munchies like
pork belly buns and locally-inspired
mantou with chilli crab sauce. Located
in Geylang, land of late-night eateries,
among glaring neon lights and plastic
chairs, 126 Dim Sum is a solid option.
Cherry Garden
Min Jiang
5/F Marina Square Mandarin Oriental
Singapore 5 Raffles Ave., 6885-3550,
www.mandarinoriental.com. Open
Mon-Fri noon-2:30pm, 6:30pm-10:30pm;
Sat-Sun 11am-1pm, 1:30-3pm, noon2:30pm, 6:30-10:30pm. $$
Easily one of the best Chinese
restaurants in town, this elegant fine
dining establishment serves Cantonese
cuisine presented with an artistic touch.
Noteworthy dishes from their weekend
dim sum buffet lunches include the
steamed custard buns with yam and
juicy xiao long bao.
Hai Tien Lo
126 Dim Sum
3/F Pan Pacific Singapore, 7 Raffles
Blvd., 6826-8240, www.panpacific.com/
en/singapore. Open daily 11:30am2.30pm, 6:30-10:30pm. $$
It’s an all-you-can-eat affair during the
buffet on weekends. There are tons of
classics like the steamed barbecue pork
buns, stir-fried carrot cake in XO chilli
sauce and the deep-fried whitebait
with oat flakes—and of course, freeflow Champagne.
Jade
G/F The Fullerton Hotel, 1 Fullerton Sq.,
6877-8188, www.fullertonhotel.com.
Open daily 11:30am-3pm, 6:30pm11pm. $$
Cherry Garden
This sophisticated restaurant often has
a month-long waitlist—but it’s worth
it, with over 50 dishes including liu sha
bao (custard bun) and other favorites.
Min Jiang
G/F Goodwood Park Hotel, 22 Scotts Rd.,
6730-1704, www.goodwoodparkhotel.
com/min-jiang. Open Mon-Fri 11:30am2:30pm, 6:30-10:30pm; Sat-Sun
11:30am-2:30pm, 3-5:30pm,
6:30-10:30pm. $$-$$$
Its contemporary interior,
attractive furnishings
and poolside dining
option aside, it’s the
consistently good food
that makes Min Jiang
Swee Choon Tim Sum Restaurant
14
s g n o w. s g
worth a visit. The delectable dim sum
is a steady draw with favorites like the
char siew soh, fried spring rolls with
mango and cheong fun.
Swee Choon Tim
Sum Restaurant
191 Jalan Besar, 6225-7788,
www.sweechoon.com. Open daily
6pm-6am. $
The cheap and rather expansive eatery
carries both Hong Kong and Shanghaistyle dim sum, with an extensive
menu of siew mai, har kow and the
famous Swee Choon big pau. On the
Shanghainese front, there’s chive
pork dumplings and xiao long bao. It’s
always mobbed, but their surprisingly
organized queuing system makes it all
quite manageable.
Tim Ho Wan
#01-29A Plaza Singapura, 68 Orchard
Rd., 6251-2000, www.timhowan.com.
Open Mon-Fri 10am-10pm; Sat-Sun
9am-10pm. $
Housed in a relaxed 100-seat space
is the first overseas outpost of this
famed eatery, with chef Mak Kwai
Pui at the helm. Highlights not to be
missed include pan-fried carrot cake,
vermicelli roll with pig’s liver and
Mak’s signature baked buns with BBQ
pork—a delicious crispy-topped boluo
(pineapple) bun stuffed with char
siew. For those with a sweet tooth,
the fluffy steamed egg cake and tonic
medlar and osmanthus jelly should do
the trick.
Yan Ting
1/F The St Regis Singapore, 29
Tanglin Rd., 6506-6887, www.
yantingrestaurant.com. Open daily 122:30pm, 6:30-10:30pm. $$
It’s no wonder that the dining hall
at Yan Ting, replete with stained
glass panels, chandeliers and plush
booths (perfect for canoodling), is
as luxurious it gets. Aside from the
famed weekend dim sum brunch,
the food is as pretty as the decor, so
expect excellent Cantonese cuisine
and attentive, well-trained wait staff.
Tim Ho Wan
Start your day with the latest lifestyle news,
direct to your inbox.
daily
Be the first to hear about brand new openings,
exciting events and news you actually care about
• Sent Mon-Fri before 9am • Optimized for your phone
• Share straight to social media • 100% free
Sign up now at
is.gd/sgdaily
HALAL
Divinely delicious
1 Market by Chef Wan
this cafe’s strong points are the pretty
desserts like rainbow cakes, macaroons
and cheesecakes. Wash it down with
some of their creative cocktails.
04/45-49 Plaza Singapura, 68 Orchard
Rd., 6341-9159, www.1market.com.sg.
Open daily 11:30-2:30pm, 6-10pm. $$
This mid-range buffet place has a loyal
following for its classic Asian dishes,
ranging from Penang rojak and kueh
pie tee to hard-to-find fresh sushi and
sashimi and gulai ayam.
Olivye Café
#01-2009, Blk 5 Changi Village Rd.,
6543-9518, www.olivye.com. Open daily
11:30am-9:30pm. $
Located in Changi Village, the cafe does
lots of pastas but we’re really in it for
the gelato that comes in fun flavors like
Horlicks, durian and chili chocolate.
Badoque
298 Bedok Rd., 6446-6928, www.
facebook.com/badoquecafesg. Open
daily noon-11pm. $
The cozy bistro has a loyal following,
thanks to its industrial-chic vibes and
halal dishes like pasta carbonara and
the beef ribs. They also have a second
outlet on Upper Thomson.
The Orange Lantern
There are not many halal restaurants
in Singapore that serve bona fide
Vietnamese fare so we’re keeping this
one in our little black book for awhile.
Come for beef or chicken pho, of
course, but don’t forget the spring rolls.
Fika Café
#01-20 Millenia Walk, 9 Raffles Blvd.,
6336-734, www.fikacafe.com. Open MonFri 11am-10pm; Sat-Sun 11am-11pm. $
On the menu here are Swedish classics
like meatballs, baked potato with
skagen, mayo and dill, as well as
Swedish pancakes and crepes. There’s
also a cozy branch on Beach Road.
J’s Restaurant
#01-01, 7 Purvis St., 6887-4787, www.
dineatjs.com. For opening hours, visit
the website. $
Fix
#01-06 HomeTeam NS JOM Clubhouse, 31
Ah Hood Rd., 6256-1484, www.fix.com.
sg. Open daily 11am-11pm. $
This alfresco, poolside cafe has the
whole industrial look with exposed
ceilings and Edison bulbs. On the
menu are naanwiches with fillings like
chicken tikka and beef with kimchi.
La Marelle
25A Baghdad St., 8138-7654, www.
facebook.com/lamarellecafe. Open daily
10am-11pm. $
Cutesy, cloud-stencilled decor aside,
Fix
73 Killiney Rd., 6732-8032, www.orangelantern.com. Open daily 11am-1pm. $
A rare Latin American restaurant
that’s also halal-certified, this one
does classic jalapeno poppers and
juicy adobo chicken in soft tortilla and
cilantro dressing.
Badoque
TK
Straits Kitchen
G/F Grand Hyatt Singapore, 10 Scotts Rd,
www.singapore.grand.hyattrestaurants.
com. Open daily. See website for
timings. $
Dishing out a marketplace concept
with several theater kitchens cooking
various Singaporean cuisines, this
upscale buffet place has a nice variety
of Asian delicacies like beef rendang,
oyster omelette, kung pao chicken and
palak paneer.
DANG, DELISH
Straits Kitchen
The island’s best nasi padang
Hajah Maimunah
11 Jln. Pisang., 6297-4294, www.
hjmaimunah.com. Open Mon-Sat
7am-8pm. $
Their focus may be on catering
for events, but there are also set
menus available for groups of six
to 60. The restaurant-caterer’s
signatures include sambal goreng,
tahu telur, beef rendang and
oxtail soup, among more than 40
kampong-style plates on the menu.
16
s g n o w. s g
Warong Nasi
Pariaman
736/738 North Bridge Rd., 62922374, www.pariaman.com.sg.
Open daily 7:30am-10:00pm. $
This is possibly the oldest family-run
nasi padang stall in Singapore. They
are known for their authentic dishes
like beef rendang, ayam bakar,
ikan bakar and sambal goreng. Be
warned: they sell out fast.
Sari Ratu
20 Pahang St., 6294-9983,
www.sariratu.sg. Open daily
10am-9pm. $
The world is divided into those who
swear by Warong Nasi Pariaman
and those who swear by Sari
Ratu. This nasi padang institution
does authentic, affordable and
comforting plates. The no-frills
eatery has an equally simple menu
of dishes like ikan gulai (fish in
curry), cumi gulai (cuttlefish in
gravy) and ayam goreng kampong.
Tambuah Mas
#04-10/13 Tanglin Shopping
Centre, 19 Tanglin Rd., 67333333, www.tambuahmas.com.sg.
Open daily 11am-10pm. $
For a restaurant located in a mall,
this place sure serves great Padang,
Sulawesi and Javanese food. For
a complete taster of regional
Indonesian food, get items like
gado-gado, the famous Indonesian
salad drenched in peanut sauce; all
sorts of satay; opor ayam, a chicken
curry; and ikan pepes, seabass
wrapped in banana.
HIPSTER HAWKERS
Chic, cheap and cheerful
Bincho
Jack The Ripper
78 Moh Guan Terrace, 6438-4567, www.
bincho.com.sg. Open Tue-Sun noon-3pm,
6pm-midnight. $$-$$$
#01-40 Salut Coffeeshop, 119 Bukit
Merah Ln. 1, 9665-0785, www.facebook.
com/jackrippersingapore. Open Tues-Sun
11:30am-3pm, 5:30pm-10pm. $
Part of Loh Lik Peng’s Unlisted
Collection group, this eatery in one
of Tiong Bahru’s Art Deco blocks
leads a double life. In the day, it’s an
old-school mee pok stall and at night,
it transforms into a so-hip-it-hurts
Japanese yakitori bar.
Day & Night
A Noodle Story
#01-46, 56 Eng Hoon St., 6222-6881,
www.dayandnightbistro.com. Open
Mon-Thu 5pm-11pm; Fri-Sat 5:30pmmidnight; Sun 10am-10pm. $
Previously known as Two Face Pizza,
this spot is a kopitiam by day and by
night, it’s a self-service pizzeria serving
locally-inspired grub and craft beer.
The Good Beer Company
#02-58 Chinatown Complex,
335 Smith St., 9430-2750, www.
facebook.com/goodbeersg. Open
Mon-Sat 6pm-10pm. $
Bincho
As one of the first alternative hawker
stalls to pop up around town, this place
specializes in craft brews from all over
the world. They stock over 60 different
labels from places like America, Taiwan
and the Netherlands—it doesn’t hurt to
have some good suds to accompany
that plate of char kway teow. Their
all-taps sister stall, Smith Street Taps
is nearby.
Hambaobao
#04-49 Beauty World Centre, 144 Upper
Bukit Timah Rd., 9475-1457, www.
facebook.com/hambaobaosg. Open WedSun noon-8pm
The Good Beer Company
An adorable young couple run this stall
at Beauty World Centre. Your options
are few but solid and intriguing: classic
beef, crispy pork belly, baked Dory fish,
ayam buah keluak and pulled pork, all
hovering around the $5 mark. Don’t
miss the handcut Fairy Fries that are $1
extra with any burger.
This homemade burger stall is a
collaboration between Absinthe’s
Nicholas Reynard and German stall
Stew Kuche (see below). Each burger
has a female name, like Annie, oozing
with spicy guacamole, jalapenos and
roasted capsicums, as well as the
signature Fairy Fay, which comes
with 150g patty, cheese and a special
sauce. If you’re feeling super hungry,
go straight for the Emma and Martha, a
300g double patty stuffed with cheese.
A Noodle Story
#01-39 Amoy Street Centre, www.
facebook.com/anoodlestory. Open MonFri 11:30am-2:30pm, 5:30-7:30pm, Sat
10:30am-2pm. $
A hip hawker specializing in what it
calls Singapore-style ramen, A Noodle
Story was set up by culinary school
graduates whose training is apparent
in their fixings: sous vide char siew,
luscious HK-style wonton, Vietnaminspired potato-wrapped prawn and
other goodies. Around for almost three
years, it still draws a crowd—especially
when a bowl starts at a mere $5.
Stew Kuche
#01-40 119 Bukit Merah Ln.1, 62766445, www.facebook.com/stewkuche.
Open Tues-Sat 11:30am-10pm. $
A Swiss-German stall on the corner of
the busy upscale kopitiam, Salut, Stew
Kuche serves up favorites like pork
knuckle and tons of sausages sourced
from Huber’s Butcher and Indoguna.
They’ve also got an extensive menu of
reliable classics like pastas and meats
with mashed potato.
Immanuel French
Kitchen
#01-40 119 Bukit Merah Ln. 1,
9297-3285, www.facebook.com/
immanuelfrenchkitchen. Open Tues-Sun
noon-2.30pm, 6pm-9:30pm. $
Jack the Ripper
Helmed by local chef Immanuel Tee
who’s had stints at Jaan, Guy Savoy and
Keystone, this stall serves fancy stuff
like duck rillette and Camembert cheese
gratin. For something more indulgent,
try the chicken liver mousse pate, frogs
legs or sous-vide chicken breast.
Bincho
s g n o w. s g
17
HEALTHY LUNCHES
Because you are what you eat
Afterglow
24 Keong Saik Rd., 6334-8921, www.
facebook.com/afterglowsg. Open Mon,
Wed-Sat noon-11pm; Tue 5:30-11pm. $
Raw food takes center stage at
this hipster-friendly, industrial-chic
space. Try interesting creations like a
deconstructed sushi bowl with avocado
and miso dressing and raw blueberry
cheesecake with macadamia and
cashew nuts.
Aloha Poke
NEW
92 Amoy St., 6348-6559, www.
alohapoke.com.sg, Open Mon-Sat
11:30am-2pm, 5pm till late. $
Tangerine
Dosirak
Specializing in Hawaiian salad bowls
(poke) that typically have chopped raw
ahi tuna, this local eatery also offers
salmon or vegetarian options, with a
choice of white or brown rice and you
can also choose to add on toppings like
chia seeds, avocado, flying fish roe.
Plus, if you really need some lunchtime therapy, they also do Hawaiian
craft beers.
Dosirak
01-02 China Square, 18 Cross St., 65366034, www.dosirak.com.sg. Open MonFri 11am-5pm. $
Aloha Poke
This Korean lunch box-inspired
bistro, a heathier rice bowl fixture at
China Square Central, now offers an
expanded menu with more vegetarian
choices like sweet potato & avocado
with white radish, bean sprouts,
shiitake mushrooms and spinach,
and pumpkin & tofu which has enoki
mushrooms, spinach, white radish,
black beans and purple cabbage.
Grain Traders
NEW
#01-01/02/03 CapitaGreen, 138 Market
St., 6348-6559, www.grain-traders.com,
Open Mon-Fri 8am-8pm. $
Saint Pierre Market
There are plenty of “customize your
own healthy bowl” lunch places in the
CBD and now the folks behind fusion
resto Kilo have hopped on to the DIY
bandwagon. Each mix-and-match bowl
will get you a complete nutritional
package comprising grains like quinoa,
brown rice and soba noodles, hot or
cold veggies, proteins with meat and
fish choices, toppings such as crushed
peanuts and furikake and gourmet sauces
like coconut curry and salsa verde.
Joe & The Juice
NEW
01-35A Chevron House, 30 Raffles
Place, 6221-2126, www.facebook.com/
joeandthejuicesg. Open Mon-Fri 8am8pm, Sat 8am-3pm. $
Grain Traders
18
s g n o w. s g
If you’re committed to a liquid diet or
just thinking about grabbing a quick
bite, pop down to this newly-opened
Danish coffee and juice bar. The menu
boasts choices inspired by the diet of
athletes, like the Power Shake with
strawberries, banana and vanilla milk
and Breakfast Club with avocado,
banana, strawberry, vanilla milk and
granola along with a selection of crispy
grilled sandwiches.
Saint Pierre Market
NEW
02-11 Takashimaya Shopping Centre,
391 Orchard Rd., 6348-6559, www.
facebook.com/saintpierremarket. Open
daily 8am-7pm. $
Chef Emmanuel Stroobant has set up a
gourmet deli offering those grabbing
lunch on-the-go clean-eating bites.
On the menu are six different types of
salads ranging from kale soba to caesar
bacon, whole-wheat tortilla wraps,
sandwiches made from French cereal
baguettes, quiches and hearty soups.
You can even indulge in a healthy-ish
dessert like a flourless chocolate cake,
apple Danish and gluten-free muffins.
Tangerine
1 Espa, Resorts World Sentosa, 8 Sentosa
Gateway, 6577-6688, www.rwsentosa.
com. Open daily 10am-10pm. $
You’ll definitely feel a lot more
virtuous after dining at this bright
and airy restaurant, which is nestled
in the tranquility of Espa. The eatery
has Thai celeb chef Ian Kittichai
serving as consulting chef, and offers
dishes with Thai influences using the
freshest produce, so everything’s
light, nutritious and healthy, of course.
Dishes like Thai-inspired sous vide pork
and Asian-style sea bass and salsa
veer on the small side, so expect to
order lots.
YOLO
NEW
#01-01 Icon Village, 12 Gopeng St., 63313029, www.yolofood.com.sg. Open MonSat 8am-9.30pm; Sun 11am-3pm. $
Doing healthy versions of normally
unhealthy dishes (chicken rice, nasi
goreng, pasta, the works), this deli
gives weight watchers different menu
options to complement their diets, like
protein-based or vegetarian meals, and
dairy, gluten and wheat-free items. Our
picks include the coconut chicken on
brown rice, high protein pancakes with
bananas, blueberries and maple syrup
and the nasi(er) goreng with brown
basmati rice, chilli and eggs.
HOTPOT
For rainy day reunions
Cuisine Master Hotpot
ingredients like Kurobota pork belly and
beef prime rib. We could spend hours
perfecting our own dipping sauce from
the 12-condiment rack they put down
at each table.
68 Boat Quay., 6438-9979, www.
cuisinemaster.com.sg. Open Mon-Fri
11am-11pm; Sat 5:30pm-11pm. $$-$$$
This place serves premium sets
including multiple courses of top-notch
ingredients like baby lobster, grouper
and Australian ribeye. There are also
affordable noodle bowls, with toppings
such as slipper lobster and Kurobuta
pork, for lunch.
Shabu Shabu On-Yasai
Hotpot Kingdom
With six soup bases, this place has a
hotpot buffet that covers ingredients like
pork belly, pork collar, beef chuck roll and
wagyu chuck roll—and they’ve recently
updated their side dishes, too. Their
premium buffet set is what you want if
you’re all about the wagyu and Kurobuta.
You’ll get to choose two different soup
bases at no extra charge.
Hai Di Lao
#02-04 Blk D Clarke Quay, 3D River
Valley Rd., 6337-8626, www.haidilao.
com/sg. Open daily 10:30am-11pm. $
The oft-packed Sichuan hotpot chain
offers good service and affordable
grub. The food doesn’t disappoint with
seven savory soup bases, a double
flavor option and a comprehensive list
of hotpot items including their famous
mashed shrimp and homemade tofu.
Tsukada Nojo
Imperial Treasure Steamboat Restaurant
Hotpot Kingdom
#03-81 Plaza Singapura, 68 Orchard
Rd., 9129-0244, www.facebook.com/
TsukadaNojoSingapore.ap. Open daily
11:30pm-3pm, 5pm-10pm. $
A cozy 30-seater specializing in bijin
nabe, or “beauty pot” in Japanese, this
place prides itself on the provenance
of its high-quality chicken. The hotpot
comes with white, collagen-rich
pudding pieces that once heated create
a creamy golden broth. Additions
include chicken meatballs, zucchini,
prawns and enoki mushrooms.
#B1-01B The Shoppes at Marina Bay
Sands, 2 Bayfront Ave., 6688-7222,
www.hotpotkingdom.com. Open daily
11am-11pm. $$-$$$
It doesn’t get fancier than this spot
at MBS, which specializes in high-end
ingredients like Macanese pork
bone, pork tripe with pepper soup,
la-la seafood soup and traditional
herbal chicken soup. The ingredients
also include seafood like Polka dot
garoupa, lobster and abalone as well as
cuttlefish, scallops and live prawns.
MK Restaurant
#B3-30 313@Somerset, 313 Orchard Rd.,
6884-9224, www.mkrestaurant.sg. Open
daily 11am-10pm. $
Imperial Treasure
Steamboat Restaurant
This popular suki (Thai-style hotpot)
chain features a wide variety of
ingredients to be cooked in a tom yum
or vegetable soup base. Dip the cooked
meats in flavorful sauces like their
signature suki or fish sauce. Other notto-be-missed options are the MK Roast
Duck and homemade red ruby dessert.
21/23 TripleOne Somerset, 111 Somerset
Rd., 6732-8231, www.imperialtreasure.
com. Open daily 11am-3pm,
6pm-11pm. $$
Not quite as high end as the one at
MBS, but still with plenty of fancy
#01-03/04 Chijmes, 30 Victoria St., 63364002, www.on-yasai.com.sg. Open daily
noon-11pm. $
Hai Di Lao
WE SCREAM
Where to get the best ice cream in town
The Daily
Scoop
#01-04 Clementi
Swensen’s
Arcade, 6463-3365,
www.thedailyscoop.
com.sg. Open Mon-Sat
11am-9pm, Sun 2-9pm. $
Their locations in Clementi, SOTA,
Chip Bee Gardens and Sembawang
all offer up egg-free ice creams in
exotic flavors like brandied fig &
honey and ginger crumble.
20
s g n o w. s g
Neh Neh Pop
161 Middle Rd., www.facebook.
com/nehnehpopsg. $
Bjorn Shen’s cheekily named
creamsicle line does double-coated
creations like mango sticky rice
and toasted coconut flakes. They’re
constantly doing new, crazy flavors,
too. They’re also stocked at several
shops around the city.
S P O N S O R E D
Swensen’s
For a full list of locations, visit
www.swensens.com.sg. $
It’s endless nostalgic delights at
everyone’s favorite childhood ice
cream place, where they still do
classics like the Earthquake and
the banana split, but the selection
of local sundaes like Salted Gula
Melaka Heaven and Chendol Delight
are also great.
Udders
246D Upper Thomson Rd.,
6452-0803, www.udders.com.sg.
Open Sun-Thu noon-1am, Fri-Sat
noon-2am. $
With outlets in Novena, Bukit
Timah, Siglap and elsewhere, this
specialty dessert chain has won
hearts with local flavors like Mao
Shan Wang durian. Don’t miss
the boozy flavors like Choya Lime
Umeshu and Tira-miss-u.
LATE NIGHT EATS
The night is always young
2am Dessert Bar
Meatliquor
21A Lorong Liput, 6291-9727,
www.2amdessertbar.com. Open Tue-Fri
3pm-2am; Sat-Sun 2pm-2am. $-$$
99 Duxton Rd., 6221-5343, www.
meatliquor.com.sg. Open Mon-Thu
5-11pm, Fri-Sat 5pm-1am. $-$$
Chef-owner Janice Wong’s dessert
lounge has innovative creations that
feature unusual ingredients in surprising
ways. Try favorites like the chocolate
tart and the Black Gold with three layers
of chocolate truffle mousse.
The London burger joint is a good
bet if you want greasy, fuss-free and
downright delicious burgers until late
on the weekend. Not only are the
burgers grilled to perfection, you can
get equally satisfying sides of huge
onion rings, sambal fries and chicken
wings. The raucous place also churns
out huge glasses of cocktails like the
House Grog Slushy.
Boon Tong Kee
425 River Valley Rd., 6736-3213.
www.boontongkee.com.sg. Open
Mon-Sat 11:15am-4pm, 4:30pm-4am;
Sun11:15am-4pm; 4:30pm-3am. $
Highlander
Old House
This popular chicken rice chain has
tons of outlets islandwide and for good
reason. They make legit white chicken
rice on top of other Chinese-style
dishes like oyster sauce kai lan and
braised tofu.
25 Neil Rd., 6223-1633. www.
oldhousefood.com. Open daily
10am-4am. $
the Black Swan
The Quadrant, 19 Cecil St., 6438-3757,
www.theblackswan.com.sg. Open Mon
11.30am-11pm; Tues-Thu 11.30ammidnight; Fri-Sat 11.30am-1am. $-$$
MEATliquor
A 1920’s-style joint, this restaurant
offers bistro classics with a
contemporary twist, such as steak
tartare, a baked bone marrow dish
and a mean burger. They also have a
great oysters and Champagne happy
hour combo, as well as a condensed
late-night supper menu.
SPIZE
409 River Valley Rd., 6337 7493,
www.spize.sg. Open Mon-Fri noon-5am;
Sat-Sun noon-6am. $
Highlander
#B1-05 Chijmes 30 Victoria St, 64386767, www.highlandersasia.com. Open
Mon-Thu 3pm-3am; Fri-Sat 5pm-4am;
Sun 4-11pm. $-$$
The Highlander outlet in the historic
Chijmes is open well beyond midnight,
with a complete “Wee Bites” supper
menu in tow. There are delicious items
like scotch eggs and potted crab with
truffle butter, which you can order to
get you through the night. Don’t miss
their list of light whisky cocktails and
the whisky-doused prawns. There’s also
the original branch at Clarke Quay.
This home-style restaurant is known for
its delicious Dinosaur prawn noodles.
Whether you have it dry or with soup,
the combination of huge prawns, pork
bone and springy egg noodles make
for an addictive mix. They’ve also got
a pretty extensive zi char-style seafood
menu with items stingray cooked in a
spicy paste, steamed or in one of their
signature sauces.
Spize
Touted as the go to place for prata and
mee goreng, all cuisines from Indian to
Mediterranean to Western are pretty
much covered here. Don’t stray too far
from their street food forte and opt for
pratas, curries and mees. Not only is
the place affordable, it’s also open until
6am (or 7am on Fridays
and Saturdays).
Tiger’s Milk
NEW
The Club Hotel 28 Ann Siang Rd., 68082183, www.theclub.sg. Open Mon-Thu
5pm-1am; Fri-Sat 5pm-2am. $-$$
Tiger’s Milk
Kko Kko Na Ra
Fried Chicken
68 Tanjong Pagar Rd., 6225-9282, www.
kkokkonara.com. Open Mon-Sat noon3pm, 6pm-3am; Sun 6pm-3am. $
Whether you choose the hot & spicy
rendition (bool dak) or the sweet &
spicy versions, there’s no going wrong.
Plus, you can also just get traditional
ramyun noodles or bibimbap.
The Club’s rooftop bar and grill comes
in the form of a Peruvian restaurant
and cocktail bar. The breezy and
traditional pisco bar-inspired space
has a dedicated ceviche bar preparing
ceviches, tiraditos (a variation of
crudos), causas, a potato-based dish
and salads. It’s also got an extensive
selection of pisco and pisco infusions
for their range of cocktails.
The Black Swan
s g n o w. s g
21
PIZZA
Great wheels of fun
Alt. Pizza
NEW
#01-06 60 Robertson Quay, 6836-9207,
www.facebook.com/altpizza. Open
Wed-Thu 5pm-10pm; Fri 5pm-11pm; Sat
11am-11pm; Sun 11am-10pm. $
La Nonna
26 Lorong Mambong, 6468-1982, www.
lanonna.sg. Open daily noon-2pm, 6pm10pm. $-$$
The new branch of this contemporary
pizza bar (the original is at Suntec)
has a maverick, multiple-flour
recipe for the crust and a DIY
customizable concept with toppings
like Manchego cheese, chipotle
chicken, chorizo, white truffle oil and
more. They also stock craft beers
from California’s Lost Coast Brewery.
This affordable Italian eatery does thincrust pizza justice—plate-sized wheels
of goodness come in mouth-watering
variations like their signature La
Nonna, a tomato-based concoction of
mozzarella, Parmesan, asparagus, black
truffle and a sunny-side up egg in the
middle. For something adventurous,
choose the Nera, which has squid ink,
scallops, prawns and calamari.
Crust Gourmet
Pizza Bar
Motorino
34B Lorong Mambong, 6467-2224,
www.crustpizza.com.sg. Open Mon-Thu
noon-11pm; Fri-Sat noon-1am; Sun
noon-midnight. $
This Aussie import has proven itself
with the quick takeaway concept
and solid pizzas. Not only do they do
a dizzying array of nine sauces like
Hoisin, satay and sweet chilli, they also
offer delicious thin-crust rectangular
pizzas with progressive options like
roast duck complete with bok choy,
spring onions and sesame seeds; and
classic reinventions like smoked ham
and pineapple, and a new version of
a Hawaiian made with brie cheese
and basil.
Da Paolo Pizza Bar
#01-46 44 Jalan Merah Saga, 6479-6059,
www.dapaolo.com.sg. Open Mon-Fri
Noon-2:30pm, 5:30pm-10:30pm; Sat-Sun
11am-10:30pm. $
A mainstay with the Holland Village
crowd, this casual pizza joint has a
huge wine selection and good pizza
options. There are sandwiches, meat
balls, and salads, as well as desserts
like sinful profiteroles. We love the
thin-crusted tomato, mozzarella, pink
peppercorn, avocado and rosemary
chicken, but their simple ricotta,
parmesan and salami calzone (folded
pizza) are worth trying too.
Etna Italian
Restaurant & Pizzeria
49/50 Duxton Road, 6220-5513, www.
etnaitalianrestaurant.com.sg. Open daily
noon-2:30pm, 6pm-10:30pm. $-$$
If there’s something you must get at
this Sicilian eatery, it’s their pizza or
pizza-related dishes, starting from their
pizza crust-like bread (schiacciata), with
mascarpone and truffle, to their thincrust Neapolitan-style white pizza with
mozzarella, porcini mushrooms, truffle
paste and homemade pork sausage.
22
s g n o w. s g
Alt. Pizza
NEW
#01-01A Merchant’s Court 3A
River Valley Rd, 6334-4968, www.
motorinopizza.com/singapore. Open
Sun-Thu 11.30am-11pm; Fri-Sat
11.30am-midnight. $-$$
This New York-style pizza joint from
Brooklyn, is a no-frills, tile-walled
place that has an oven right in the
middle of the dining room. Pushing out
Neapolitan-style gourmet pies with
toppings like brocolli rabe, pancetta
and mozzarella, their tangy tomato
sauce is definitely something to write
home about.
Etna Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria
Pizzeria Mozza
#B1-42/46 The Shoppes at Marina
Bay Sands, 2 Bayfront Avenue, www.
singapore.pizzeriamozza.com. Open daily
noon-11pm. $$
When it comes to making pizzas, few
do it better than Mario Batali. His
famed pizza bar (however divisive)
puts out some good plates. Although
we may skip the appetizers, don’t miss
pizzas like fennel sausage with cream,
red onion and scallions; a hearty egg,
guanciale, greens and bagna cuada
(a garlic-anchovy butter sauce); and a
creamy buricotta (a hybrid of burrata
and ricotta), peperonata and olives.
Motorino
PS. Café Petit
38 Martin Rd., 8188-6191, www.pscafe.
com. Open daily 9.30am-11pm. $-$$
The tranquil second outlet of this
takeaway concept has a larger eat-in
space. Don’t miss the the tomatobased Kurobuta pork fennel sausage,
capsicum and mozzarella creation.
Vegetarians should go for the decadent
Green Goddess, with broccoli, peas,
French beans, spinach, capsicum, sugar
snaps, mozzarella and goat cheese.
Pizzeria Mozza
PS. Caé Petit
PS. Café Petit
w ww.spruce.co m . s g
REFINED
ITALIAN CLASSICS
COMFORT
AMERICAN FOOD
WEEKEND BRUNCH
SAT, SUN, & PH
9 AM TO 3.45 PM
FREE PARKING
For all event enquiries, email us
at [email protected]
Savour wholesome Italian recipes in a tree-house setting at heritage
enclave Phoenix Park or tuck into hearty American fare at the former
Bukit Timah Fire Station along the Rail Corridor.
PHOENIX PARK
Ristorante
320 Tanglin Road, Singapore 247980
T: 6836 5528
FIRE STATION
Restaurant & Bar
260 Upper Bukit Timah Road, Singapore 588190
T: 6466 5582
s g n o w. s g
23
RAMEN
For a slurpin’ good time
Buta Ramen
Marutama Ramen
#01-04 Far East Square 137 Amoy St.,
www.butaramen.com. Open Mon-Fri
11am-6pm. $
#03-90/91 The Central, 6 Eu Tong Sen
Street., 6534-8090, www.marutamaramen.
com. Open daily 11am-10pm. $
The ramen choices on offer are not
quite traditional so don’t expect
authentic creations here. The
combination of grilled, marinated pork
ribs and rich tonkotsu broth in their
signature Boss Rib ramen is a winner.
Not a fan of pork-based broths? This
restaurant makes a mean chickenbased ramen that’s light yet satisfying.
Go for the tamago ramen to get your
lava egg fix at the same time. Visit the
Liang Court branch, too.
Ippudo
Ippudo
Ramen Matsuri
#01-55 207 River Valley Rd., 6887-5315,
www.ippudo.com.sg. Open Mon-Thu
11:30am-3pm, 5:30pm-midnight; FriSat 11:30am-3pm, 5:30pm-2am; Sun
11:30am-11pm. $
7 North Canal Road., 6553-0845, www.
ramenmatsuri.com. Open Mon-Sat
11.30am-3pm, 6-10pm. $
Get in line for a taste of the good
stuff—Ippudo doesn’t take reservations
so you’re gonna have to wait like
everyone else to try hotsellers like
the tonkotsu-based Akamaru Shin-aji
ramen, served with pork belly.
Chef Kenichi Ikehata left Marutama to
do his own ramen, and it’s working.
Located at 7 North Canal Road, this
place serves ramen with a light broth.
Try the Kohaku clear soup ramen or the
Spicy Miso Tamago Ramen.
Ippudo
Sanpoutei Ramen
#01-01 253 Holland Ave., 6463-7277, www.
sanpoutei.sg. Open daily 11.30am-11pm. $
Hokkaido Ramen
Santouka
This is easily one of Holland Village’s
best kept secrets as the ingredients are
from the Niigata prefecture in Japan.
Try the rich tori x spicy miso ramen if
you can take the heat; it looks like a
bowl of laksa. More centrally located is
Shaw House branch.
Cuppage Terrace 21 Cuppage Road.,
6235-1059, www.facebook.com/
ramensantoukasingapore.com. Open
Mon-Fri noon-3pm, 5.30pm-midnight;
Sat noon-midnight; Sun noon-9.30pm. $
Nestled at Cuppage, the broth of the
shio (salt)-flavored Tokusen Toroniku
ramen is surprisingly light. We also
can’t get enough of the incredibly
tender (and thick) pork cheek slices
that come with it.
Yoshimaru Ramen Bar
Buta Ramen
31 Lorong Liput Holland Village., 64633132, www.yoshimaruramen.com.sg.
Open Mon-Fri 11am-3pm, 6-11pm; SatSun 11am-11pm. $
Keisuke Tonkotsu King
When you order the traditional
hakata ramen, don’t expect curly,
springy noodles in the usual shio or
shoyu stock—the operative phrase
here is “Hakata ramen” [read: thin,
straight noodles in a rich, slightly
milky tonkotsu (pork bone) stock].
Special mention must be made for the
egg—it’s gloriously melt-in-your-mouth
good, with a creamy, slightly runny
yolk and smooth
egg white.
#01-19 Orchard Hotel Singapore 1 Tras
Link., 6636-0855, www.keisuke.sg. Open
Mon-Sat 11.30am-3pm, 6pm-10.30pm;
Sun 6pm-10.30pm. $
If you think waiting in line for Ippudo is
bad, you obviously haven’t been to this
super popular spot at Orchid Hotel. Arrive
after six on a Friday evening and you’ll
probably end up standing around for 20
to 30 minutes. But trust us, the original
tonkotsu ramen is well worth the wait.
Yoshimaru Ramen Bar
MEAT UP
Great places for value-for-money steak
Bistecca Tuscan
Steakhouse
25 Mohamed Sultan R., 6735-6739,
www.bistecca.com.sg. $$$
With dim lights, wood-paneled
walls and animal heads mounted
on the wall, Bistecca specializes
in Tuscan sharing steaks. Their
signature is a bone-in wagyu
ribeye, though individual options
include grass-fed Angus, too.
24
s g n o w. s g
Bochinche
L’Entrecote
#02-02 22 Martin Rd., 6235 4990.
www.bochinche.com.sg. $$
36 Duxton Hill,
6690-7561, www.
lentrecote.sg. $$-$$$
Diego Jacquet’s Argentinean
bar and grill has had a change
in direction in recent months,
loosening up the vibe a bit. They
still have their Argentinean,
free-range, grass-fed steaks,
though, served with sauces like
chimmichurri and criolla.
Lawry’s The
Prime Rib
Lawry’s The
Prime Rib
This cute, Amelie-esque
French steak-frites place has
expanded with a few branches,
but we’re partial to the Duxton Hill
original. There may be only one
main on the menu, but don’t miss
escargots and their creme caramel.
#04-31 Mandarin Gallery,
33A Orchard Rd., 6836-3333,
www.lawrys.com.sg. $$$
An American institution with an
old world charm and a super central
location, Lawry’s serves USDA prime
rib with classic sides like creamed
spinach, Idaho mashed potatoes
and Yorkshire pudding.
THE INSIDER’S GUIDE TO SINGAPORE
BEST OF THE CITY LISTS
DAILY
LIFESTYLE
NEWS
“No one covers Singapore lifestyle like we do—
we update our site throughout the day to keep
readers in the loop”
“In 2015, a whopping 2.9 million
unique visitors accessed our site,
31% more than the year before”
NEIGHBORHOOD
GUIDES
“Site traffic in 2015 increased
35% from the previous year”
“Big brands like Airbnb, Marina Bay
Sands, Chope and Resorts World
Sentosa advertise with us—because
they know it works”
EXCITING
EVENTS
“Our clients enjoyed a 63% increase in ad
impressions over the last 12 months”
F&B
TRENDS
FUN
QUIZZES
Which Singaporean hawker dish are
you?
www.sgnow.sg
To advertise, call us at 6323-2512
or email [email protected]
now
TACOS
Holy guAcamole!
Café Iguana
Piedra Negra
#01-05/06 Riverside Point 30 Merchant
Rd., 6438-7438, www.cafeiguana.com.
Open Mon-Thu 4pm-1am; Fri 4pm-3am;
Sat noon-3am; Sun noon-1am. $
241 Beach Rd., 6291-1297. www.
facebook.com/piedra.negra.haji.lane.
Open daily noon-1am. $
They’ve got the full enchilada (heh!)
when it comes to Tex-Mex basics:
burritos, tacos, chimichangas, fajitas.
But what’s nice about their limited but
solid taco selection are the handmade
soft corn tacos that come with sides of
beans and Mexican rice. Fillings include
sabroso chicken and good ol’ carnitas.
Check out their daily “Margarita
Madness” happy hour deals.
El Mero Mero
El Mero Mero
#01-20 Chijmes, 30 Victoria St., 63371377, www.elmeromero.com. Open daily
noon-3pm, 5:30pm-1am. $$
Definitely the fanciest of the lot,
this fine dining outfit at Chijmes is
by the folks beehind Senor Tacos.
The restaurant had a menu overhaul
last year, and the expanded taco list
features 10 elevated and progressive
filling options, like Kurobuta pork al
pastor, dorper lamb with eggplant
tahini and tiger prawn tempura with
mango and coconut.
Super Loco
Guzman Y Gomez
#B1-07 Chevron House 30 Raffles Place.,
6532-1248, www.gyg.com.sg. Open
Mon-Fri 10:30am-8.30pm. $
This casual Mexican eatery does all the
basics: nachos, quesadillas, burritos
and of course, tacos. Fillings include
pulled pork with chipotle adobo,
fire-grilled flank steak and seared fish
fillets with a light lime and garlic sauce.
For sides and drinks, choose from the
ever-popular churros, frozen margaritas
or Coronas.
Vatos Urban Tacos
Muchachos
22 Keong Saik Rd., 6220-0458, www.
facebook.com/muchachos.sg. Open
Mon-Thu noon-4pm, 6pm-10pm; Fri-Sat
noon-10pm. $
Value-for-money and hearty portions—
what more could you ask for? They’ve
got a make-your-own-taco concept that
lets you pick and choose your favorite
salsas, proteins and carbs according
to your liking. They are also whipping
up tasty burrito bowls and quesadillas.
Don’t forget to pair your meal with a
side of tortilla chips and a chilled bottle
of Jarritos soda to wash it all down.
Guzman Y Gomez
Senor Taco
26
s g n o w. s g
Haji Lane’s most colorful Mexican
restaurant has a riotous party
atmosphere and is the go-to place
for Day of the Dead and Mexican
Independence Day. Tacos aside, they
also serve some unusual dishes that
are hard to find elsewhere like the
cactus salad and plantain-stuffed
habanero peppers.
Senor Taco
#01-12 3D River Valley Rd., 6336-6376.
www.senortaco.sg. Open daily
5:30pm-2am. $
Look no further if you need a late-night
fill after a boozy evening at Clarke
Quay. This Mexican taqueria serves
some of the best tacos in town with
options like their signature al pastor
tacos, chorizo tacos and the decadent
Baja fish tacos—along with burritos,
flautas and killer margaritas. Our secret
guilty pleasure involves grabbing an
outside table on Taco Tuesdays, when
tacos are half-off.
Super Loco
#01-13 The Quayside 60 Robertson Quay.,
6235-8900, www.super-loco.com. Open
Mon-Thu 5pm-midnight; Friday 5pm-1am;
Sat 10am-3:30pm, 5pm-1am; Sun 10am3:30pm, 5pm-1am. $$
The Duxton Hill outlet may be snazzier,
but we have a soft spot for this
Robertson Quay offshoot, not least
because of their cute taco window
that’s open for lunch (when the rest
of the restaurant is closed). Other than
the usual al pastor and grilled fish,
there’s the cordero taco with minced
lamb and the vegetarian hongos taco
with wild mushroom.
Vatos Urban Tacos
NEW
South Beach, 36 Beach Rd., 6385-6010,
www.vatoskorea.com. Open
Mon-Thu 11:30am-11pm, Fri-Sat
11:30am-midnight. $$
This popular South Korean franchise
fuses classic Mexican bites with
Southern Californian and Korean twists
and the menu features the signature
Urban Tacos range like the galbi short
rib, chili lime shrimp and braised
carnitas, salads, burritos, quesadillas
and a selection of burgers. Wash them
all down with frozen margaritas and
the makgeolita, a mix of tequila and
Korean rice wine.
SMALL PLATES
Sharing has never been this fun
BAM! Tapas & Sake Bar
38 Tras St., 6226-0500, www.
bamtapassake.com. Open Mon-Thu
noon-2pm, 6-10:30pm; Fri-Sat 6-11:30pm.
$$-$$$
Lolla
22 Ann Siang Rd., 6423-1228, www.lolla.
com.sg. Open Mon-Sat noon-2:30pm,
6pm-11pm. $$-$$$
Esquina
The Club Street stalwart has great regional
Mediterranean tapas like scrambled eggs
with bottarga and the popular sea urchin
pudding. Get a seat at the cozy basement
communal table if you can. The wine list is
brief but lovingly curated.
This industrial chic-meets-pop art spot
on Tras Street succeeds at the oddly
harmonious match of tapas and sake.
There’s even a sake-pairing menu
where Japanese ingredients get the
Latin treatment. Don’t miss the smoke
burrata with mentaiko and beetroot.
Moosehead
110 Telok Ayer St, 6636-8055, www.
moosheadproject.com. Open MonFri 11am-2:30pm, 6-10:30pm; Sat
6-10:30pm. $-$$
Binomio
#01-02 Craig Place, 20 Craig Rd., 65570547, www.binomio.sg. Open Mon-Sat
noon-1:45pm, 6-10:30pm. $$-$$$
This corner shop always lifts our spirits
with its flirty service, good music and
sexy veg options. Get the roasted
cauliflower with leek confit; and the
three-bean plate with roast padron
peppers, snowpeas, edamame and
feta. Carnivores, ask for the pork belly
with mustard dressing and pickles.
Always a solid bet for classic tapas
dishes like tortilla de patatas (Spanish
potato omelette) or baby octopus with
potato escabeche. Don’t miss their
roasted suckling pig, which can be
shared by three people.
Esquina
FOC
OLA Cocina Del Mar
16 Jiak Chuan Rd., 6222-1616, www.
esquina.com.sg. Open Mon-Fri noon2:30pm, 6-10:30pm; Sat 6-10:30pm.
$$-$$$
#01-06 Marina Bay Financial Centre
Tower 3, 12 Marina Boulevard., 66047050, www.olarestaurant.sg. Open
Mon-Fri 11:30am-2pm, 5:30pm-10pm;
Sat 6-10pm. $$-$$$
Michelin-starred Jason Atherton’s baby
is standing the test of time. The chef
is now Carlos Montobbio, who trained
under the famed Roca brothers. Tapas
range from $6-30. Get the raw scallops
with sesame, lemon and or the beef
cheeks with baked bone marrow,
served with corn tortilla.
This hidden Spanish restaurant, with a
vibrant open bar counter and kitchen
atmosphere, has got quite the pedigree
with Peruvian chef Daniel Chavez
(formerly of now-defunct Santi at MBS)
behind the kitchen. The spot has simple
food with dishes like grilled octopus
with chickpeas and romesco sauce.
FOC
40 Hongkong St., 6100-4040, www.
focrestaurant.com. Open Mon-Sat noon2:30pm, 6-11pm. $-$$
Bam! Tapas & Sake Bar
#01-22A Raffles City Shopping Centre, 252
North Bridge Rd., 6837-0995, www.salttapas.
com. Open daily 11:30am-11pm. $$
Tapas and cocktail joint by Michelinstarred Nandu Jubany in collaboration
with Jordi Noguera and Dario Nocentini
pushes out surprisingly affordable stuff.
Modern takes on classics include black
paella with seafood and garlic mayo,
but Jubany has added some Asian flair
with onion soup ramen noodles.
The second offering from Australian
chef-restaurateur Luke Mangan is
bustling till late most nights. It doesn’t
hurt that it’s an attractive space and
boasts Spanish staples like charcuterie
and the veal and pork meatballs, as
well as Mangan’s red sangria recipe.
S P O N S O R E D
Zsofi Tapas Bar
Jamie’s Italian
#01-04 Forum, 583 Orchard Rd., 66557676, www.jamieoliver.com/italian/
singapore. Open Sun-Thu 11:30am-10pm,
Fri-Sat 11:30am-11pm. $$
Everyone knows Jamie’s Italian for the
rustic pastas, but the antipasti menu
has some unusual dishes great for
sharing. Try the Italian pate bruschetta,
the cauliflower fritti and the crab
arancini. For purists, there are platters
of charcuterie and cured and crispy fish.
The original branch is at VivoCity.
Salt Tapas & Bar
Jamie’s Italian
Lolla
68 Dunlop St., 6297-5875, www.
tapasbar.com.sg. Open Mon-Fri 5pm1am; Sat noon-2pm, 5pm-midnight; Sun
noon-2pm, 5-11pm. $
Located unexpectedly among the
hostels around Little India, this
unpretentious spot is set in a heritage
building and revives the old tradition
of serving one complimentary tapas
for every drink ordered. Don’t expect
fireworks, but their classics like patatas
bravas and the seafood paella are solid
and prettily plated.
s g n o w. s g
27
ZI CHAR
local delights, done right
Diamond Kitchen
New Ubin Seafood
#01-22/23 Laguna Park, 5000F
Marine Parade Rd., 6448-0629, www.
diamondkitchen.com.sg. Open daily
11:30am-2:30pm, 5:30pm-10:30pm. $
#01-174 Block 27 Sin Ming Industrial
Estate Sector A, 6466-9558, www.
ubonseafood.com. Open Tue-Sun 11am2pm, 5:30-10:30pm; Mon 5:30-10:30pm.
$-$$
Started by young entrepreneurs
Lambert Chen and Josh Chou, Diamond
Kitchen is a hidden gem that’s located
unexpectedly in a Marine Parade
condo. Chef de cuisine Kevin Lau whips
up seafood and zi char signatures like
Champagne pork ribs, prawn paste
chicken, superior stock clam bee hoon
and gan xiang crab. Desserts include
items like yam paste and bird’s nest.
Long Ji Zi Char
#01-72, 57 Eng Hoon St, 9790-5682, [No
website]. Open daily 5am-10:30pm. $
Started by a few people from the
famous Golden Spoon eatery, also in
Tiong Bahru, it takes just a quick glance
at dinner to discover the specialty
here: giant platters of crab bee hoon
in a shallow pool of creamy broth.
Also amazing is the delicately steamed
grouper with ginger and the salted yolk
pork ribs. The place is a magnet for big
groups, but do call ahead and book if
you have a posse in tow.
Kok Sen Restaurant
30 Keong Saik Rd., 6223-2005. Open
daily 11:30-2:30pm, 5-11pm. $
gg
is t
s
Diamond Kitchen
Por Kee Eating House
#01-02 69 Seng Poh Ln., 6221-0582. $
There are several strong zi char
contenders in Tiong Bahru, and
there are many a fan in the corner
of Por Kee. The low-ceilinged indoor
dining room is forever packed, as
are the outdoor tables, the service
is inconsistent and lackadaisical, but
the food is outstanding. Get the
Champagne pork ribs, the fresh
black pepper crab (they’ll
bring you a live one to
appraise first, of course)
and the butter prawns.
SWEET & SUDSY
Dr
u
It’s super handy having an amazing,
unassuming, fluorescent-lit zi char
place right in the middle of rocking
Keong Saik—though do be aware that
it closes at 11:30pm. Still, it’s great
to end a weeknight with Kok Sen’s
signature claypot yong tau fu, with
homemade pastes, and prawn
paste chicken.
It started life decades ago on Pulau
Ubin and then refashioned itself after
moving to the mainland. Located
in a nondescript corner of Sin Ming
Industrial Estate, this no-frills,
traditional seafood joint serves up an
assortment of seafood dishes, like
salted yolk crab and their signature
hokkien mee. They’ve gotten
increasingly fancier, serving nice wines,
ribeye and foie gras, but we stay stick
to the seafood basics. Remember to
book well ahead, and order 24 hours in
advance if you want something special.
Long Ji Zi Char
New Ubin Seafood
Our favorite craft beer bars
Druggists
119 Tyrwhitt
Rd., 6341-5967,
www.facebook.
com/druggistssg.
$-$$
Occupying the space formerly
used by the Chinese Druggists
Association near Jalan Besar, this
bar stocks 23 rotating taps of brews
from places like To-Ol, Mikkeller
and Thornbridge. They have good
snacks, too, like lotus root chips
with chili padi and kalamansi.
28
s g n o w. s g
Jibiru
Smith Street Taps
Tap Craft Beer Bar
#01-26 313@somerset, 313 Orchard
Rd., 6732-6884, www.jibiru.com. $
#02-62 Chinatown Food Complex,
335 Smith St., 9430-2750, www.
facebook.com/goodbeersg. $
#01-88/89/90 Capitol Piazza, 15
Stamford Rd., 6384-7188, www.
tapthat.com.sg. $-$$
Just a couple doors down from
the Good Beer Brewing Company
and its bottle beer selection is this
all-taps alternative run by the same
people. Only the most interesting
of brews make it on to these taps.
Plus, you can choose from tons
of hawker stalls to pair with your
beer. Watch their Facebook page
for new arrivals and sell-outs.
A new venture by the Thirsty bottle
shop people, this Capitol Piazza bar
has 20 beers on tap and a rotating
list of 80 craft beer bottles like
Modern Times’ Lomaland saison
and Black House coffee stout, and
Hong Kong Beer Company brews. If
you’re peckish go for bites like pork
belly confit, sausage platters and
beef meatballs.
It may be located in a mall but
with its semi-outdoor location and
a great selection of Japanese craft
beers, it’s one we go back to often.
On the menu, you’ll find beers like
the well-known Hitachino, as well
as stuff from breweries like Echiigo
and Yo-Ho.
INDEX
#
G
1 Market by Chef Wan ................16
126 Dim Sum ...............................14
2am Dessert Bar ..........................21
The Good Beer Company ............17
Grain Traders ...............................18
Guzman Y Gomez ........................26
A
Afterglow .....................................18
Aloha Poke ..................................18
Alt. Pizza ......................................22
Antoinette ...................................12
Artichoke .......................................8
B
Badoque ......................................16
BAM! Tapas & Sake Bar ..............27
Basilico .......................................10
Bincho ..........................................17
Binomio .......................................27
Bistecca Tuscan Steakhouse........24
Black Swan .................................21
Bochinche ....................................24
Boon Tong Kee ............................21
Burnt Ends .....................................6
Buta Ramen ................................24
Butchers Club Burger...................11
H
D
Dosirak
The Daily Roundup ......................12
The Daily Scoop ...........................20
Da Paolo Pizza Bar ......................22
Day & Night .................................17
De Burg ........................................11
Dean & Deluca ...............................8
Decker ............................................6
Diamond Kitchen .........................28
Dosirak .........................................18
Druggists......................................28
Hai Di Lao ...................................20
Hai Tien Lo ..................................14
Hajah Maimunah ........................16
Hambaobao .................................17
Hard Rock Cafe ............................11
Henri Charpentier ........................12
Highlander ...................................21
Hokkaido Ramen Santouka .........24
Hotpot Kingdom ..........................20
Ippudo
I
Colony
C
Café Iguana ................................26
Carousel ......................................10
Carpenter & Cook ........................12
Charcoal Pit ....................................6
Cherry Garden..............................14
The Chop House (Katong) .............6
Chye Seng Huat Hardware ...........8
Cocobolo Poolside Bar & Grill........6
Colony ..........................................10
Common Man Coffee Roasters......8
Crust Gourmet Pizza Bar..............22
Cuisine Master Hotpot .................20
E
Esquina
Edge ............................................10
El Mero Mero ...............................26
Esquina ........................................27
Etna Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria...
.....................................................22
F
Fabulous Baker Boy .....................12
Fika Café .....................................16
Fix ................................................16
Flavours At Zhongshan Park ......10
FOC ...............................................27
Ikoi Japanese Restaurant ...........10
Immanuel French Kitchen ...........17
Imperial Treasure Steamboat
Restaurant ...................................20
Ippudo..........................................24
J
J’s Restaurant...............................16
Jack The Ripper ...........................17
Jade ..............................................14
Jamie’s Italian..............................27
Jibiru ............................................28
Jimmy Monkey ..............................8
Joe & The Juice ............................18
K
Keisuke Tonkotsu King ................24
Kko Kko Na Ra Fried Chicken ......21
Kok Sen Restaurant .....................28
s g n o w. s g
29
INDEX
O
OLA Cocina Del Mar .....................27
Old House ....................................21
Olivye Café .................................16
One-Ninety .................................10
Open Door Policy ..........................8
Overeasy ......................................11
Lady M
L
L’Entrecote ...................................24
La Marelle ...................................16
La Nonna .....................................22
Ladurée ........................................12
Lady M .........................................12
Lawry’s The Prime Rib ...............24
Lime ............................................10
The Line ......................................10
The Lokal .......................................8
Lolla .............................................27
Long Ji Zi Char ..............................28
P
Piedra Negra ...............................26
Pizzeria Mozza .............................22
Por Kee Eating House ..................28
Potato Head Folk .........................11
Prime Gyu-Kaku.............................6
PS. Café Petit ...............................22
R
Ramen Matsuri ............................24
Red Eye Smokehouse ....................6
Relish by Wild Rocket..................11
Tangerine
T
Tambuah Mas ..............................16
Tangerine.....................................18
Tap Craft Beer Bar .......................28
The Orange Lantern ....................16
Tiger’s Milk ..................................21
Tim Ho Wan .................................14
Toby’s Estate .................................8
Tskukada Nojo .............................20
U
Udders .........................................20
V
Vatos Urban Tacos .......................26
W
Meatliquor
M
The Market Grill ...........................11
Marmalade Pantry.......................12
Marriott Café................................10
Marutama Ramen .......................24
Meat Smith ....................................6
MEATliquor ...................................21
Min Jiang......................................14
MK Restaurant ............................20
Moosehead ..................................27
Motorino ......................................22
Muchachos ...................................26
N
Neh Neh Pop ...............................20
New Ubin Seafood ......................28
A Noodle Story ............................17
Nylon Coffee Roasters ...................8
30
s g n o w. s g
Senor Taco
S
Saint Pierre Market .....................18
Salt Tapas & Bar ..........................27
Sanpoutei Ramen ........................24
Sari Ratu ......................................16
Senor Taco ...................................26
Shabu Shabu On-Yasai ................20
Smith Street Taps ........................28
SPIZE ............................................21
Spruce ............................................8
Spuds & Aprons .............................8
Straits Kitchen..............................16
Stew Kuche .................................17
Sugarhall .......................................6
Sunday Folks ................................12
Super Loco ..................................26
Swee Choon Tim Sum .................14
Swensen’s ...................................20
Warong Nasi Pariaman ...............16
Wildfire ........................................11
Y
Yan Ting .......................................14
YOLO.............................................18
Yoshimaru Ramen Bar.................24
Z
Zsofi Tapas Bar ...........................27