PUBLISHED January 3rd, 2019 02:42 pm | UPDATED May 18th, 2020 04:46 pm
Whether you’re back at work and want a good meal to lighten those post-holiday blues or still on break and kicking it with the pals in Singapore, we’ve got new spots to try this month. Fine dining is certainly not be dead with Michelin-starred chefs still opening up in Duxton and Sentosa, but homely meals and comfort food will never go out of trend. For the carnivorous fiends, there’s an affordable new yakiniku joint while craft beer enthusiasts can look forward to two new bars in town.
New Restaurants in Singapore
Restaurant JAG
Duxton Road’s new French fine dining experience comes courtesy of Operations Director Anant Tyagi and Michelin-starred Chef Jeremy Gillon (readers might recognize him from the now-defunct Audace). Taking the artisanal approach – from custom stone and wood work and glassware from Japan to indigenous herbs sourced from the Savoie Mountains in France – Restaurant JAG stands out with attention to the most minute detail. Dinner starts from $98++ for five courses and executive three-course lunches from $58++; this is accompanied by a 200-bottle strong wine list of most French pickings. Diners should also note that only kids aged 10 and above are allowed and they have a smart casual dress code (no shorts and flip flops).
Restaurant JAG is located at 76 Duxton Road, Singapore 089535, p. +65 3138 8477. Open Tue-Fri 12pm-2pm, 6pm-10pm, Sat 6-10pm. Closed Mon & Sun. Bar open 6pm-11.30pm.
15 Stamford by Alvin Leung
For a change, Alvin Leung – demon chef, maverick, and chef-founder of three Michelin-starred Bo Innovation in Hong Kong – has left molecular gastronomy of his new 150-seater restaurant at The Capitol Kempinski. Paying tribute to the different cuisines of Asia through a Singaporean perspective, look forward to starters like Hokkaido Scallop with salted plum and shisho and Spicy Tuna Tartare served with son-in-law egg and prawn cracker. Bigger plates include the Malaysian inspired Chargrilled “Bak Kut Teh” Pork Chop and the Whole Boston Lobster with a mangosteen, tomato, and spicy Thai dressing.
15 Stamford by Alvin Leung is located at Lobby Level, The Capitol Kempinski Hotel Singapore, p. +65 6715 6871. Open Mon-Sun 12pm-3pm, 6pm-10.30pm.
Cook & Tras Social Library
Located on the ground floor of the newly opened Six Senses Maxwell, this social library restaurant and bar has a specially curated book collection of more than 3,000 designed by the UK’s Ultimate Library, which builds bespoke book collections for hotels and private residences around the world. The food and drink programme is heavily influenced by Straits heritage cuisine, featuring an all-day small plates sharing menu, homemade tonics and kombuchas in the afternoon, and signature cocktails when the sun goes down, developed by award-winning bartender Ricky Paiva (previously of Manhattan and Panamericana).
Cook & Tras Social Library is located at Six Senses Maxwell, 2 Cook Street, Singapore 078857, p. +65 6914 1400. Open Mon-Sun 10.30am-10.30pm.
table65
Fresh from clinching one Michelin star for Restaurant 212 in Amsterdam, Chefs Richard van Oostenbrugge and Thomas Groot have opened table65 in collaboration with Resorts World Sentosa a week ago. Known for their contemporary European cuisine served in an unpretentious setting, guests in Singapore are set for a different dining experience that include visual projections on your dining plates and levitating creations. Open for dinner only, the six-course Discovery Menu is priced at $148++ while the nine-course Experiential Menu goes for $218++. A small a la carte menu is also available.
table65 is located at Level 1, Hotel Michael, Resorts World Sentosa, 8 Sentosa Gateway, Singapore 098269,p. +65 6577 7939.
Violet Oon Singapore ION Orchard
One of Singapore’s most esteemed chefs in Peranakan cooking, Violet Oon has opened her fourth outlet in the shopping district of Orchard Road, which also comes with a retail section with treats like Homemade Pineapple Tarts ($28) and authentic Nyonya Kaya ($12.50) on offer. Diners will find soul-warming dishes like her signature VO’s Shepherd’s Pie with House Salad ($24) and Oxtail Stew ($42) in a velvety brandy reduction with mashed potatoes. Don’t finish your meal without the Kueh Beng Kah ($13++), a fresh tapioca cake infused with coconut cream, served with Gula Melaka sauce. Read our full review here.
Violet Oon at ION Orchard is located at ION Orchard #03-28, 2 Orchard Turn, Singapore 238801, p.+65 9834 9935. Open 10am-10pm daily.
Gaston Burgundy Bistro & Wine Bar
Be transported to the countryside of Burgundy at this convivial bistro and wine bar on Keong Saik Road. Look forward to the region’s most famous dishes such as Bouef Bourgignon, a classic rich beef stew simmered with red wine, and Truite a l’Aligoté showcasing trout fish with white wine reduction of Aligoté, an indigenous white grape from Burgundy.Wines at this all-day drinking spot are sourced directly from the vintners; oenophiles can expect an extensive wine-by-the-glass programme of close to fifteen wines (including premium Champagnes), as well as a rotating “Wine Flight of the Week”.
Gaston Burgundy Bistro & Wine Bar is located at 25 Keong Saik Road, Singapore 089132, +65 8661 2788. Open Mon 5pm-12am, Tue-Thu 11am-12am, Fri-Sat 11am-12am. Closed Sun.
New Ubin Zhongshan Park
Fans of zi char restaurants won’t find New Ubin Seafood unfamiliar; and folks who miss their original Sin Ming eatery will find their third outlet (their other two are at CHIJMES and Hillview) at Zhongshan Park a stone’s throw away a sort of homecoming. Aside from their signature dishes like the USDA Black Angus “Choice” Rib Eye with Heart Attack Fried Rice, as well as Hokkien Mee Special, look forward to more extravagant dishes only available at the new outlet like Carabinero Prawn Sashimi and the Foie Gras Egg Special.
New Ubin Zhongshan Park is located at Ramada by Wyndham Singapore, 16 Ah Hood Road, Singapore 329982, p. +65 9740 6870. Open Mon-Thu 12pm-3pm, 6pm-10.30pm, Fri-Sun 12pm-3pm, 5.30pm-11pm.
Owned by two chefs from Hokkaido and social media influencer Yan Kay Kay, this yakiniku restaurant joins other restaurants like Binomio and Pasta Brava on Craig Rd.
Serving up 32 cuts of the Hokkaido black cow – the beef is chilled, never frozen – reared on the Farm Chiyuoda Biei-Cho, prices start from an 80g portion for brisket at $15++ to $43++ for 80g of premium tenderloin.
Set menus for large groups start from $48++ while lunchtime will see the likes of Wagyu Hamburg Donburi and Remen with Wagyu Niku Miso Tofu going for $14.90++.
Niku Kin is located at 53 Craig Road, Singapore 089691, +65 9817 0591. Open 11.30am-2pm, 5pm-10.30pm daily.
New Bars in Singapore
Almost Famous
Almost Famous is the new kid on the block at CHIJMES. Offering 15 craft beers on tap from $14 a pint, you can enjoy brews such as the crisp Passionfruit Wheat Ale by Vietnamese brewery Pasteur Street or Anderson Valley’s Barney Flats Oatmeal Stout, a smooth roasted malt with slight chocolate notes. Premium craft beers are available at $16 a pint, boasting selections like the Lemon Tea Pale Ale by Young Master x Smith Street Taps and fruity Love Wild Ipa by Brewlander, amongst others. Hungry? Try their Encierro Garlic Wings ($14).
Almost Famous is located at #01-06 CHIJMES, 30 Victoria Street, Singapore 187996, p. +65 9772 1787. Open 3pm-12am daily.
Orh Gao Taproom
Orh Gao Taproom is a celebration of Singapore’s local coffee shop culture, and in more ways than one. Literally meaning “black dog” in Hokkien, Orh Gao is the Hokkien kopitiammoniker for stout so unsurprisingly, the space hosts Kiliney Kopitiam by day and turns into a cosy taproom in the evening. Food options here definitely skew Asian, with Har Cheong Gai ($10, prawn paste chicken), Calamari with Sambal Tartar ($12), and Salted Egg Yolk Chicken Burger ($16, with fries).
Orh Gao Taproom is located at #01-03 Serene Centre, 10 Jalan Serene, Singapore 258748, p. +65 6904 8308. Open Tue-Thu 4pm-11pm, Fri-Sat 4pm-12am, Sun 4pm-11pm. Closed Mon.
Top Image: Hokkaido Scallop with Salted Plum and Shiso, 15 Stamford