Just Opened #5: Singapore’s newest restaurants and bars
PUBLISHED September 18th, 2013 12:40 am | UPDATED May 18th, 2020 04:47 pm
Shabestan
Situated in Robertson Quay, Shabestan offers a taste of the exotic by the riverside. They promise to bring the exquisite taste of authentic Persian cuisine to Singapore. But you may ask….what exactly is Persian food? Well, you can expect heady blends of Middle Eastern spices and fresh herbs, lots of fresh vegetables and chunky meat cuts, that make for aromatic, delicious and surprisingly healthy flavours. Also, important to note that while main dishes (kebabs and stews) tend to be meat orientated, many of the starters and sides are vegetable-based, and honestly, sound delicious enough to catch the eye of any fervant meat-eater so this is a great spot to take any vegetarian friends. With acclaimed Iranian Chef Mohammad Hosseini, at the helm, we’re excited to try Shabestan, even more so when we heard that all their breads are freshly made on site in a traditional clay oven…mmmm, bread and hummus!
Shabestan is located at 80 Mohamed Sultan Road #01-13, 239013. Exact opening hours are unconfirmed, but their website says they are open daily for lunch and dinner. For more information, see their Facebook page here and their website here.
Aoi Sushi
‘Tis always the way…just as we round up our top Sushi spots, a new kid on the block pops up on our radar and it has garnered quite the reputation for delicious and super fresh offerings. Aoi Sushi, a cosy little shop house along Killiney Road may not look like a bastion of excellence but it’s got some serious experience and reputation behind it. Chef Ah Wah, the man with the big knife, is a veteran with 25 years under his belt and he was taught by none other than Tokyo-born master-sushi-chef Hideaki Yoshida, so you know you’re in good hands. With the freshest of fish imported from Tokyo each week, there’s a big emphasis on quality and taste, and should you decide to order omakase style, we hear that Chef Ah Wah puts together some truly unique and exciting flavours.
Aoi Sushi is located at 87 Killiney Road, 239533. Opening hours are Monday – Sunday: 12pm – 2.30 & 6pm – 10.30pm. For more information, check out their Facebook page here and to make a reservation please call 6737 4767.
Fleur De Sel
Located on Tras Street in an inviting little shophouse is Fleur De Sel, the embodiment of Chef Alexandre Lozachmeur’s immense love for fine French cuisine and wine, and his years of experience working in the kitchens of some of the best restaurants in the world, including the Spoon restaurants and Alain Ducasse Au Plaza Athénée, alongside world-acclaimed chef, Alain Ducasse. Anyone who’s eaten at Spoon will know to be excited, as the food is delectable and sumptuous yet reasonably priced with an a la carte menu, set lunch and dinner menus. Plus we’ve heard that there’s an immense eight-course degustation menu which sounds just the sort of challenge we’d like to accept! After a quick look at the menu, it all looks delicious, but being the sweet tooths that we are, you won’t be surprised that this particular dish…Grand Marnier soaked baba, paired with vanilla-bean whipped cream and dark pools of chocolate sauce…caught our eye. One to loosen the belt buckle for!
Fleur De Sel is located at #01-01 64 Tras St, 079003. Opening hours are Mondays – Saturday lunch 12pm – 2.30 pm & dinner 6.30pm to 10.30pm. For more information take a look at their website here.
Table 24
In the heart of China Town lies Table 24 offering…wait, what?….shrimp and grits! Table 24 is all about American cuisine with an Asian twist, so seafoods, steaks, hearty fare with wines and some fruity ciders thrown in for good measure. We’re loving the decor, all quirky mis-matched chairs and a wall of vintage stereos and we’re super loving the ethos of promoting independent music. Playlists at Table 24 are curated with care, featuring independent music by artistes in Singapore and the region. Music showcases, workshops and other events will take place periodically on Sundays at Table 24 which we’re looking forward to hearing more about, but in the meantime, we’ll be heading down for some Southern American (via Singapore) hospitality!
Table 24 is located at 24 Temple Street, 058569. Opening hours are Monday – Thursday: 5pm- 11pm & Friday – Saturday: 5pm – 12am. For more information, view their Facebook page here and their website here.
Sauce Bar
Not so much a brand new opening as a total sexy revamp…Sauce Bar at the Esplanade has re-invented itself as a rather marvellous-looking, vintage-y, Alice in Wonderland-esque bar! The decor is fab and when we read that the menu is specifically meatball focused- we weren’t entirely sure what that meant, but heh, meatballs are gooooood so we are not complaining, oh no! On further investigation, it seems that the menu comprises of 6 different meatball flavours (including a veggie option) to be paired with 6 sauce options, to be eaten in a variety of hearty ways, including on top of spaghetti, together with old-fashioned sides & the ‘Ultimate Hero’ way in between a slab of baguette. Meatball pick and mix! With delicious-sounding sides, some awesome sounding ice-creams (popcorn favour anyone?) and some divine-sounding cocktails, we’ll soon be hitting the sauce (geddit?)
Sauce Bar is located at 8 Raffles Ave, Esplanade Mall #01-10/12, Singapore, 039802. Opening hours are Monday – Thursday: 5pm – 1am, Friday: 5pm – 3am, Saturday 6pm – 2am, Sunday 6pm – 1am. For more information check out their Facebook page 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
