· BURPPLE

New Restaurants, Cafes & Bars In Singapore: December 2020

Round up the year with these hot new restaurants in town, from a Middle Eastern izakaya to a new Boat Quay spot specialising in European fusion cuisine and creative cocktails!


Picante

For Cocktails and European Fusion Cuisine
Along the bustling stretch of Boat Quay, those looking to enjoy all kinds of beers, cocktails & select from a range of wines can head over to Picante for lunch or dinner. With year-end festivities around the corner, they offer hearty 5-course set menus boasting refreshing salads, tender starters and succulent meaty mains paired with drinks of your choice! You can make a reservation for seats with the Singapore River view and relish Picante's cheery ambience right in the heart of Singapore.

The Hainan Story
Photo by Burppler Xing Wei Chua

For Hainanese Cuisine
Seeking familiar Hainanese flavours and dishes? Boasting a stunning decor, The Hainan Story houses the biggest congregation of Hainanese cuisine in one place with a menu featuring modern interpretations by Hainanese chefs and their in-house culinary team. A must-try speciality is their Newspaper Hainanese Curry Rice which offers 6 different sets to choose from, alongside signature claypots, noodle dishes, and comforting traditional porridge. Amongst the sweet selection, Burppler Xing Wei Chua especially appreciates the Homemade Gula Melaka Kaya & Butter Toast where the earthy sweetness of the Gula Melaka goes exceptionally well with the slab of cold butter slapped in between pillowy-soft UFO buns. He also recommends pairing this with Butter Kopi for the full Hainanese breakfast affair.

Menbaka Fire Ramen
Photo by Burppler The RantingPanda

For a New Dining Experience
Fire ramen has been the rave all over social media. Haven't tried it? Kyoto's famous Menbaka is now open in Singapore offering an exhilarating dining experience with live preparation of their Signature Fire Ramen! Their menu features tonkotsu ($18.90), a new and exclusive flavour to Singapore's outlet as well as sides like crispy charcoal karaage salad ($14.90). It's a feast for your eyes and stomach as you can admire the dancing flames and satisfy your ramen cravings with custom-made ramen soaked in a smoky rich broth. Burppler Julius Lim highly recommends the Shoyu Fire Ramen for its chicken-based broth which has a flavourful blend of Bonito & Mackerel flakes.

Habibi-san
Photo by Burppler Liz .

For Middle Eastern Dishes
Habibi-san is a bar and grill restaurant dishing out unique Middle Eastern dishes with specialities like the perfectly-grilled Stockyard’s Angus Ribeye ($59, 300g), tender and smoky Kushiyaki ($8 for Shish Tawook and $12 for Iberico Pork Jowl variety), and fresh and soft Grilled Coral Trout ($30). For those wanting to end their meal on a sweeter note, Burppler Fiona Ting recommends the Truffle Brie & Salami box ($56) which she will definitely order again for the generously schmeared brie with creamy truffle paste, spicy Hungarian salami, truffle salami, and fig sumac balsamic jam.

Yang Guo Fu Mala Tang
Photo by Burppler Terence Ong

For Mala Lovers
Paging all mala lovers across Singapore. Yang Guo Fu, the world's largest mala tang chain is here! With outlets at SingPost Centre and Bugis Village, Yang Guo Fu offers a plethora of over 60 ingredients with 3 ways to enjoy: their Signature Spicy Mala Beef Broth, Tomato Broth, or the Mala Ban. Pick and pair with sauces of aromatic spices and various types of chillies to your heart's content! Burppler Kenneth Soh was reminded of the authentic flavours he experienced in China and reminds you not to forget to have it with their special sesame sauce! Prices are charged accordingly at $2.88 per 100g of ingredients.

The Dempsey Project
Photo by Burppler Xing Wei Chua

For Diverse Cuisines
The Dempsey Project is a gourmet restaurant with a relaxed and casual vibe for you to reset and renew. Their all-day menu presents dishes of diverse cuisines like classic Avo on toast, za'atar baked eggs, wellness-infused Ayurveda khichdi, 9 hour slow-cooked pork ribs, and indulgent cheese boards paired with wines and in-house baked goods. There are also hearty and healthy alternatives if you’re gluten-free, vegan, or on a paleo diet alongside their handpicked selection of artisanal products for off-the-shelf purchase. Burppler Xing Wei Chua's pick was the Grilled Australian Eggplant, Kenyan Beans, Coconut Milk served with French Baguette which absolutely satisfied his craving. The curry was thick, rich and creamy from the coconut milk which had a sweet, savoury and nutty mix of flavours without being overly spicy while the soft eggplants were accompanied by crunchy Kenya Beans, onions and toast on the side.

Barossa Bar & Grill
Photo by Burppler Julius Lim

For Meat Lovers
Barossa Bar & Grill in VivoCity specialises in dry-aged Australian beef and Josper oven-grilled dishes. With top-quality beef imported from renowned Australian brands, namely The Bass Strait, Wanderer, Josedale and Carrara, their Signature dry-aged Australian beef is very tender in texture with concentrated and intense flavours. Using a Josper charcoal oven, meats and seafood are grilled to retain natural juices for perfect browning. Choose from several of their specially made sauces like the Whisky Double Mustard or Chimichurri to go along with your beef, chicken, pork, lamb or seafood! Besides their signatures, other must-tries include the Australian Full Blood Wagyu Ribeye MS7/8 300g ($98), Ora King Salmon ($35) and their charcoal-grilled Ah Hua Kelong’s Tiger Prawn ($26).