Chope’s Diners’ Choice Awards 2016 – Winners Announced!

PUBLISHED December 6th, 2016 06:30 am

Advocating democracy in taste since 2014, Chope’s Diners’ Choice Awards is back for the third year running!

Chope‘s annual campaign doesn’t just benefit the newly crowned winners, but also those who enjoy the finer, more palatable things in life. Apart from an additional opportunity to visit the nominated establishments and enjoy exclusively-priced Diners’ Choice Tasting Set Menus, Chope diners simply have to cast their vote to stand a chance to be rewarded with transport vouchers from preferred transport partner ComfortDelGro Taxi, an EU Asia Taiwan tour package from preferred media partner Weekender, and more.

This year’s edition of the competition has seen some of the most hotly contested titles since the inception of the campaign, with 12 different categories up for voting. Here are the winning establishments of the Diners’ Choice Awards 2016:

Restaurant of the Year 2016 – Wild Honey (Mandarin Gallery)

Located in the heart of town, Wild Honey takes all-day breakfast and brunch to a whole new level. Inviting guests to feast on not just the classics, the restaurant also offers breakfast flavours from more exotic locales like Turkey, Denmark and the Middle East, available exclusively at the Mandarin Gallery branch.

New Restaurant of the Year 2016 – Naughty Nuri’s Singapore (Capitol Piazza)

The original restaurant in Bali has achieved something of cult status for its succulently tender barbecued pork ribs, so it’s not surprising that the warung-styled eatery Naughty Nuri’s has been welcomed with open arms by Singaporeans. It’s probably a good idea to bring a sizeable kampung along with you to tuck into the hearty Indonesian fare.

Best Café 2016 – Sin Lee Foods

Featuring modern European, Japanese, and Singaporean flavours interwoven in its dishes, Sin Lee Foods’ reconceptualisation of hawker food as cafe cuisine has now officially been proven to be a worthwhile one – adding to the brunch allure of the Tiong Bahru district.

Best Seafood 2016 – The Boiler

It’s clear that the appeal of getting down and dirty by digging straight into your dinner with your hands has certainly resonated with guests. Don’t come expecting your typical Long Beach Chinese-style seafood, because the fare here is South American-styled, through and through.

Most Romantic 2016 – The White Rabbit

Old, refurbished chapel? Check. Beautiful stained glass? Check. In the middle of some lush greenery? It doesn’t get any more verdant in Singapore than Dempsey. Excellent food? Some of the very best in Singapore. With all these lovely ingredients, we’d say the real challenge would be to mess up that perfect date.

Hotspot of the Year 2016 – Keong Saik Road

Talk about gentrification of old districts! Keong Saik Road, known by the older generations for being the red light district, has now cleaned up its act (mostly) and is currently playing host to some of the biggest names in the local fine dining food and beverage scene.

Best Watering Hole 2016 – Manhattan

It’s difficult to replicate the sense of stepping into a world of timeless decadence that you get when you walk through the doors of Manhattan. The artfully concocted cocktails that pack a punch, the innovative bar bites that pay tribute to different districts in New York City, and the convivial service, all play a role in setting the gold standard for cocktail bars in Singapore.

Best Buffet 2016 – Shin Minori Japanese Restaurant

From sushi to tempura and more, fulfill your Japanese cuisine cravings here at Shin Minori, where quantity meets quality. Apart from the traditional selections, the menu also showcases creative inventions by the kitchen team, perfect for those whose tastebuds are itching to try something new.

Best Halal Spot 2016 – Carousel

When you consider the impressive variety of foods and cuisines, all Halal-certified and freely flowing, it’s easy to see why Carousel got the votes. Featuring four uniquely themed dining spaces and a wide array of dishes, a meal at Carousel will certainly be a satisfying experience, to say the least.

Chef of the Year 2016 – Jason Tan (Corner House)

We’re fairly certain that the unique cuisine offered at Corner House within the Botanic Gardens played a huge part in its one Michelin star win. The brainchild of chef Jason Tan, Gastro-Botanica is the combination of his creativity, his passion for nature, and refined contemporary culinary techniques.

Best Dessert 2016 – Sunday Folks

This really shouldn’t come as a surprise, judging from how it’s always hard pressed to get a seat. Just a stone’s throw away from Holland Village, Sunday Folks is sweet treat heaven, with indulgent cakes and delicate ice cream over hearty waffles.

Trend of the Year 2016 – Salted Egg

No matter how people were bemoaning the almost maniacal obsession with salted egg, and how just about every establishment was jumping on the bandwagon, you have to admit that supply is very much provoked by demand. We dare say that you had at least one curious little taste!

This post is sponsored by Chope.