PUBLISHED September 1st, 2018 06:00 am | UPDATED May 18th, 2020 04:46 pm
In the blink of an eye, we’re into the final quarter of 2018 — time flies, doesn’t it? We’ve got great diversity in new food places this month, from Swissôtel’s aptly-named dine-in-the-sky restaurant SKAI to a brand new competitor in the hotpot scene in Li Xiang Lan Hotpot. Watering holes are also popping up aplenty — whisky lovers can look forward to whisky bar The Cooperage, while wine connoisseurs welcome the highly anticipated Park90 showcase.
New Restaurants
SKAI
Nestled on the 70th floor of Swissôtel, The Stamford, SKAI is a contemporary grill that promises to combine great food with a stunning view. Chef Paul Hallett’s menu is focused around prime cuts of self-cured beef and fresh seafood — completed with an artisanal Japanese twist — presenting dishes like an Uni Risotto and Loch Fyne Salmon. Their lunch set menus are centred around grains, salads, main courses and dessert, while dinner sees a selection of sharing plates and Ishiyaki (Japanese stone grill) meats.
SKAI is located at 2 Stamford Road, Singapore 178882, p. +65 6837 3322.
Pita Tree Mediterranean Kitchen & Bar
Egyptian head chef Hany Mustafa Basyouni Gabr aims to exhibit the healthy qualities of Mediterranean cuisine-at-large, bringing dishes from all over the region together in his ambitious menu. The Signature Lamb Shank Biryani ($38, serves two) is to die for, with flavours of the fall-off-the-bone lamb and cinnamon-infused rice syncing in perfect harmony. Chef Hany also brews his own Turkish Coffee ($5), which packs a punch — a perfect way to end your meal. Read our full review here.
Pita Tree Mediterranean Kitchen & Bar is located at 14 Lorong Telok, Singapore 0490927, p. +65 6532 2098. Open Mon-Thu 11.30am – 11pm, Fri 11.30pm – 12am, Sat 3pm – 12am. Closed Sun.
Rizu
Sushi aficionados rejoice. Rizu brings authentic Japanese sashimi, air-flown from Japan and other parts of the world, straight to your plate. The Ikedukuri (live fish sashimi) of Boston Lobster, geoduck and abalone provides an unforgettable experience of different flavours and textures. For the less adventurous, the restaurant also does a variety of rolls from the Crunchy Spicy Tuna Roll ($24) to the lavish Eel and Foie Gras Roll ($32).
Rizu is located at 39 Duxton Hill, Singapore 089617, p. +65 6904 8880. Open Tue-Sun 6pm — 11pm. Closed Mon.
Li Xiang Lan Hotpot
The love affair between Singaporeans and hotpots continues with this new joint, located in the heart of Chinatown. Go for the triple-soup based hotpot, which consists of Pork Bone Soup, Tomato Soup and a fiery Sichuan Mala Soup. They also offer a unique ice herb tea — served in a bamboo pipe — that is made from 72 different herbs, which cools the body down after all that spicy goodness. The restaurant places an emphasis on premium ingredients, with American Wagyu beef, Spanish black pork and fresh seafood amongst the options to plop into your pot.
Li Xiang Lan Hotpot is located at 46 Smith Street, Singapore 058956, p. +65 6786 5885. Open 11.30am — 4am daily.
Greenwood Fish Market Dempsey
The fish experts at Greenwood Fish Market have opened their new outlet at Dempsey Hill, with arguably Singapore’s widest selection of fish on offer. As always, their freshly-shucked oysters are a joy, while their Sashimi Platters ($58 for Salmon Moriwase, $88 for Omakase Sashimi) are a delight for sharing. Big groups can dive into the Hot Seafood Platter ($118, serves four), which features virtually all the seafood you can name. For many, the extensive menu might be a bit much to take in but don’t be afraid to ask the friendly staff for recommendations and more information about what you’re ordering.
Greenwood Fish Market Dempsey Hill is located at Block 8D Dempsey Road, #01-01, Singapore 249672, p. +65 6256 1103. Open Tue-Fri 12pm — 10.30pm, Sat-Sun 11am — 10.30pm. Closed Mon.
Black Tap
Yes, it’s the one from New York City – right here in the little red dot. The brainchild of chefs Chris Barish and Joe Isidori, Black Tap delivers award-winning gourmet burgers like the classic All-American Burger to the Greg Norman Burger with Wagyu Beef, which is packed with house buttermilk-dill, blue cheese and arugula. Try their renowned CrazyShake milkshakes that come in flavours like Cotton Candy, Chocolate and Sweet ‘N’ Salty.
Black Tap is located at 10 Bayfront Avenue, #L1-80, The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore 018956, p. +65 6688 9957. Open 11am – 11.30pm daily.
New Bars
Fung Kee Hotdogs
Looking for some drinking nibbles but sick of all the typical fast food? This funky, Danish-inspired hotdog stand lands at Orchard Towers, bringing with it simple but delicious wieners. Select from three options, Classic ($8), Swiss ($8) and Vegan ($8). All hotdogs come with ketchup, mustard and crispy onions but we suggest adding the delicious Remoulade ($1) and Boston Pickles ($1) as well. You don’t even have to stop drinking — they serve beer, champagne, and Negronis as well.
Fung Kee Hotdogs is located at 400 Orchard Road, #04-23 Orchard Towers, Singapore 238875. Open 6pm – late daily.
Park90
Priding itself as Singapore’s ultimate wine showcase, Park90 offers up over 800 labels of the very best of the best. With an affiliation with the Robert Parker Wine Advocate, the world’s most influential buying guide for fine wine, Park90 will give you access to rare wines like Domain Coche-Dury and reds by Domaine Armand Rousseau. Of course, what’s some fine wine without some dine? Pair your glass with dishes like Deep-Fried Frog Legs with Chinese Five Spice ($30) or the Oven-Baked Focaccia with Norcia’s Black Truffle, Robiola Cheese, Provolone and Pecorino ($24).
Park90 is located at Regent Singapore, 1 Cuscaden Road, Singapore 249715, p. +65 6725 3246. Open 6pm — 12am daily.
78 Alkofelic
If you’re the type that orders a coffee when you go to a bar, this place is right up your alley. 78 Alkofelic is a bar focused on coffee-based drinks; you can find it in a wide variety of caffeine-fuelled cocktails, alongside a menu of beers, wines and — unsurprisingly — coffee. Aside from your usual Espresso Martinis and Irish Coffees, satiate your caffeine cravings with the Flying Singaporean, which is a ferocious combination of absinthe, XO, and coffee.
78 Alkofelic is located at 6 Purvis Street, #01-01, Singapore 188585, p. +65 9275 9864. Open Mon-Sat 8am — 12am. Closed Sun.
The Cooperage
If you love your whisky, you’ll enjoy The Cooperage, a brand new whisky bar joining the host of other drinking spots at Hong Kong Street. The Cooperage is the first whisky bar in South East Asia to serve the 100 Years of Dalmore (25, 35 & 40 year-old) Whisky Flight. Premium Macallan and Glenfiddich are amongst many other glasses that the whisky aficionado has to choose from. Food is also a focus here, with their curated menu featuring dishes like Pan-Fried Foie Gras, Lobster Bisque, Black Angus Tenderloin, Duck Confit and Black Angus Tomahawk.
The Cooperage is located at 42 Hong Kong Street, Singapore 059681, p. +65 8699 9366. Open Mon-Thu 3pm — 12am, Fri-Sat 3pm — 1am. Closed Sun.
1927
We’ve had wine, we’ve had whisky — now for the cocktails. The SO Sofitel’s rooftop bar has undergone a revamp and now serves up classic equatorial cocktails like Three Dots & A Dash ($24), a 1940s American cocktail made with rhum agricole, plantation dark, allspice dram, velvet falernum, honey water, lime, orange and angostura bitters, alongside their more contemporary counterparts like the Maybe It’s Mapleine ($22) — burnt butter bulleit, toasted mustard seed maple, pecan bitters, lemon and albumin. Perched at the top of a colonial heritage building, it’ll make a stunning first impression to anyone you bring.
1927 is located at So Sofitel Singapore, 35 Robinson Road, Singapore 068876, p. +65 6701 6800. Open 3pm — late daily.
Top Image: Meat Tasting Platter, SKAI