Just Opened March 2015: 10 New Restaurants and Bars to Check Out
PUBLISHED March 5th, 2015 10:00 pm | UPDATED June 19th, 2020 05:01 pm
It’s that time of the month again, where we give you 10 places we’re excited about so you can join in the fun. In March, we see the Unlisted Collection getting their head in the game with two hot new concepts, a new celebrity chef restaurant at Marina Bay Sands, and a cool new bar with 23 beers on tap – and this is just the tip of the iceberg.
Wildfire Kitchen + Bar
Opened by F&B bigwig Michel Lu’s Revolver Asia, this casual burger and craft beer joint caught our attention with their affordable prices. Call us skeptical but premium grain-fed patties starting at $16 for the Classic 001 (with lettuce, tomatoes, beer caramelized onions and cheddar cheese) served with fries? Thankfully, the burgers didn’t disappoint – we actually liked the Chili Con Carne ($19) – but it was really the steaks that sizzled. Specializing in secondary cuts, our Flatiron Steak ($30, Australian Angus MBS2+) was tender, flavourful, and cooked to medium-rare perfection.
Wildfire Kitchen + Bar is located at 26 Evans Road, Singapore 259367. Open 11am-10.30pm daily.
Ginzawa
The folks behind Sushi Kuu have launched a new Japanese concept in the same shop space in Palais Renaissance. The menu at Ginzawa (Silver River in English) covers different facets of Japanese dining like from kaiseki to chirashis, and omakase. The Sake Kinuta Maki, an intricate kaiseki dish of salmon rolled with pickled daikon, seaweed, and chrysanthemum petals is worth a try, but the highlight of our meal was definitely the more substantial plates like the hearty Kurobuta Braised Pork Don and Tokusen Hokkai Chirashi Don, definitely for the sashimi fans with 11 types of seafood like uni, maguro, and chutoro!
Ginzawa is located at #01-07 Palais Renaissance, 390 Orchard Road, Singapore 238871. Open 12pm-3pm, 6pm-10.30pm daily.
Druggists
23 beers on tap; need we to say more? Serving up kickass craft brews from cult breweries all over the world – such as Mikkeller (Denmark), Prairie Artisan (USA), De Struise (Belgium), and Thornbridge (England) – even the geekiest of beer geeks will approve. They also serve up local-inspired bar bites like chicken wontons and anchovies with sambal chili and more substantial eats like sambal fish. Trivia: their name is inspired by the Singapore Chinese Druggists Association, whose premises they occupy!
Druggists is located at 119 Tyrwhitt Road, Singapore 207547. Open Tue-Fri 4pm-12am, Sat 2pm-12am, Sat 2pm-11pm.
LongPlay
Nestled between Haji Lane and Arab Street is Unlisted Collection’s new vinyl-only (records, that is) bar and it’s all about old school aural pleasures – from the glorious music era of the 1950s to the 1970s and spanning across Jazz, Motown, Blues and Glam-rock. Even the cocktails (by The Library’s Nicholas Quattroville) at LongPlay pay homage to iconic musicians and quintessential tracks of the past. Food-wise, there’s a selection of flavourful bar snacks like meatballs and potted salmon.
LongPlay is located at 4 Haji Lane, Singapore 189197. Open Tue-Sat 12pm-3pm and 6pm-12am, Sun 2pm-11pm. Closed Mon.
Tburu
Aka ‘table’ in English, Tburu is brought to you by the people behind Duxton’s kappo izakaya styled restaurant, Kiku. We like the interiors – the sushi bar at this open concept sushi-grill establishment spans over 4 metres and floor length windows lets in loads of natural light, unlike most mall restaurants in the Orchard area. You’ll also be able to order delectable wagyu, kurobuta, and seafood from the Yaki Kitchen, as well as handpick your seafood at T Bar.
Tburu is located at #05-01 Orchard Gateway @ Emerald, 218 Orchard Road, Singapore 238851. Open 11.30am-2.30pm and 5.30pm-10.30pm daily.
Boca
Situated in a conservation shophouse in the foodie nook of Bukit Pasoh, Boca is Singapore’s first authentic Portuguese restaurant. On top of plying you with lesser-known wines of Portugal, expect the menu to reflect Atlantic and Southern European confluences that make up Portuguese cuisine, such as bacalhau (cod fish), chouriço em chamas (chorizo flame grilled in brandy), and – how can we forget – the original Portuguese egg tart.
Boca is located at 6 Bukit Pasoh, Singapore 089820. Open Mon-Fri 12pm-2pm and 6pm-12am, Sat 6pm-12am.
Adrift
Marina Bay Sands has welcomed yet another celebrity chef. This time, it’s LA-based restauranteur David Myers with a new sharing-plates concept inspired by his kaleidoscope of travel experiences. Look forward to modern Asian dishes such as Crispy Buckwheat Chicken with Okinawan Salt, Wagyu Beef Satay, and King Crab Melt with Pimento Cheese. Award-winning bartender, Sam Ross, will be shaking up bespoke cocktails at Adrift’s bar from 12 noon till late.
Adrift is located at Hotel Lobby Tower 2, Marina Bay Sands, 10 Bayfront Avenue, Singapore 018956. Open daily 6pm till late.
Pizza Fabricca
It seems that the shisha ban has already led better restaurants to move into Kampong Glam – and Pizza Fabbrica is one of them. At helm in their kitchen is Chef Matteo Boifava, who has honed his culinary chops in kitchen around the world, including London’s 3-Michelin-starred restaurant, the Fat Duck. Authentic wood-fired pizzas aside, they only serve other Italian staples like homemade pasta and freshly baked biscotti. Pssst, tiramisu fans, their rendition of the classic Italian dessert is pretty good!
Pizza Fabricca is located at 70 Bussorah Street, Singapore 199483. Open Tue-Thu 11.30am-11pm, Fri-Sat 11.30am-12am, Sun 11.30am-11pm. Closed Mon.
Meat Smith
Besides LongPlay, Unlisted Collection’s new self-order American smokehouse Meat Smith is finally open for business, having taken over the now-defunct Sophie’s Bakery along Telok Ayer Street. On top of meats like vinegar brined Pork Belly ($14/100g) and beef Brisket ($16/100g), diners can also expect loads of bourbon and picklebacks – shots of whisky chased by shots of pickle brine.
Meat Smith is located at 169 Telok Ayer, Singapore 068620. Open Mon-Sat 11.45am-2pm and 5.30pm-11pm. Closed Sun.
DSTLLRY
A surefire way to tell if the area is becoming hip? When a cocktail bar and Japanese restaurant moves in. The former takes centre stage in this studio-like space in Infinite Studios, with a team led by Head Bartender Red Chuang creating your bespoke cocktails. Their main concept is cocktail-omakase pairing but there are lunchtime bara chirashi bowls as well as small plates like King Crab with Ikura Sauce.
DSTLLRY is located at #01-01 Infinite Studios, 21 Media Circle, Singapore 138562. Open: Mon-Sat 12pm-3pm and 6pm: Opening of bar, 6.30pm and 8.30pm: Omakase Seating. Closed Sun. Tel: 63344816
Top Image: Wildfire Kitchen + Bar
