Just Opened #1: City Nomads checks out the city’s latest offerings

If we could split ourselves in half or do a ‘honey I shrunk the kids’ type of experiment, enabling us to multiply each Nomad into 5 mini-Nomads, relentlessly and intrepidly seeking out the best new joints for you, believe us…we would!

It seems that Singapore is speedily and excitingly renewing and shaping it’s culinary scene. Barely a week goes by without a host of fabulous new restaurants, bars and coffee havens popping up all over the city, and despite our valiant efforts to drink as many cocktails as we can (in the interest of thorough research of course! we’re not just a bunch of lushes) there simply aren’t enough meals in the day for us to keep up!

So, here’s our round up of JUST OPENED spots that we are yet to review, but we wanted you guys to be ahead of the curve!

Burnt Ends

Carnivores are having a fabulous time in Singapore at the moment with the influx of restaurants that are unabashedly dedicated to excellent cuts of meat, cooked to perfection. Burnt Ends is the latest offering from Loh Lik Peng, whose local eatery Esquina has been a huge hit with those seeking delicious flavours in an unpretentious, casual dining environment. Word on the street is that Burnt Ends successfully follows the same recipe and has the same ‘feast for the eyes’ appeal. Food is prepared in full sight either in the decidedly macho-looking, wood-burning, custom-built brick kiln, or out on the open grill, so do expect a little char with your dinner and perhaps a lingering fragrance of smoke – but as a meat-lover, this place seems like an absolute winner.

Burnt Ends is located at 20 Teck Lim Road, Singapore 088391. Opening hours are 18:00 – 00:00. For reservations call +65 6224 3933. Or for more information, check out their website here

Bull & Butcher

Another carnivore-pleaser has sprung up in the newly-renovated, now absolutely vast Plaza Singapora. The Bull & Butcher asks, how do you like your steak done? Because there, you can get it any way you want. At this steakhouse the signature cuts of meat are flown in from Australia and the US, whilst much of the seafood is sourced locally, and all prepared on their customized charcoal grill. Apparently the seats are upholstered in cow hide, which tickles our fancy, and the decor is sleek and masculine with pictures of cows everywhere!

Bull & Butcher is located at Plaza Singapura, 68 Orchard Road, #01-33/35, Singapore 238839. Open Mon-Fri 11am-10pm, Sat-Sun 11am-11pm. For reservations call +65 9734 3665. Or for more information, check out their website here

Lime House

Jerk Chicken, rice and peas, oh how we have longed for you! Well, good news folks, the conspicuous absence of Caribbean food in Singapore’s vast culinary range is no more. Lime House opened last week, serving up a combination of classic Caribbean dishes such as jerk chicken skewers and goat curry with plantain batons and coconut rice, along with modern, tapas-style creations designed as an introduction for those unfamiliar with the region’s cuisine. The drinks menu is rumoured to be rum-based, in accordance with the Caribbean’s tipple of choice for that easy, breezy, chill vibe, and even the name ‘The Lime House’ is in reference to the national pastime of loafing around with friends, enjoying good food, drinks and company. We’re very much looking forward to sampling a slice of Caribbean life in Asia, and with a tasting coming up soon, we’ll keep you posted!

Lime house is located at 2 Jiak Chuan Rd, Singapore 089260. Opening hours are 12:00 – 00:00. For reservations call +65 6222 3130. Or for more information, check out their website here

Department of Caffeine

Hidden behind a skinny door right at the start of Duxton Road is Department of Caffeine: a bright, airy and decidedly cool industrial-looking coffee shop that this Nomad briefly passed through and gave the thumbs up, but one coffee and a cake (albeit an absolutely delicious one) does not a full review make. So until we’ve had time to head down and scoff everything on the menu, we have to withhold judgement. However, all the signs are positive, as the Five Sense coffee beans make for a very well-rounded java fix, the Honey-Lavender cake was an absolute delight, and the vibe is laid-back and cool, making it a hipster haven.

Department of Caffeine is located at 15 Duxton Road, Singapore 089481. Open Mon-Fri 1030am-730pm and Sat-Sun 930am-730pm. You can call them on  + 65 6223 3426. Or for more information, check out their website here

C Side

Watch out Tanjong Beach Club, you’ve got competition! The latest beach playground to pop up in Sentosa is C Side, opening at the end of this month and billed as ‘the ultimate escape from the hustle and bustle of the city’. We must confess that the photos look fabulous – very reminiscent of lazy Bali or Thailand days, with an expansive beach, deck space, and large numbers of day beds which will hopefully mean that booking 2 months in advance is unnecessary! (ahem, yes we mean you TBC..) It remains to be seen whether it will become desperately hip or whether it can maintain a chilled, stumbled out the surf/sand in your hair vibe, but either way, this one is definitely on our places to check out list.
C Side is located at 50 Siloso Beach Walk, Singapore, 099000. Opening hours are yet to be confirmed. For more information, check out their website here

You asked us to tell you about brand new places and we listened – that’s just how we roll! If you know of a new spot in town that we’ve not mentioned yet, please do let us know… we value your recommendations, and we hope you never get over the fun of discovering something new and exciting. Thanks Nomads.


Written by Heh Zee