New Restaurants, Cafes And Bars: December 2015

Providing a safe alcoholic shelter for stressed out professionals in the CBD is Copper on Stanley, a sake bar which offers an extensive range of sakes by the bottle or glass (with the latter priced from just $7!) as well as a small selection of cocktails. Share some bar grub to go with your tipple, like the Korean Fried Chicken Wings ($7) or the Duck Rillettes and Granny Smith Crostinis ($7). Alternatively, go for the Gyu Don ($11) for something more substantial. From the cocktail menu, you should try the Pear Cocktail (sake, pear eau de vie, elderflower, pomegranate), which marries the concepts of sake and cocktail to perfection. This affordable, tasty little sake bar (no GST, no service charge!) might just be your next happy place. See you there?

Tucked away on the second floor of Tanjong Pagar Plaza, this homely little Thai dessert café decked out in wood and Thai-themed ornaments is a lovely spot to relax with a sweet treat. It serves a wide variety of sweets like the classic Mango Sticky Rice ($6.00), but it is the unique gems like the Jasmine Jelly ($4.50) that you should really try. This humble-looking jelly sits atop shaved ice, and other condiments such as red ruby and tapioca pearls, providing a chewy bite against the soft, yielding jelly. For a light tea-time snack, go for their steamed bread served with a variety of dips, such as the Steamed Bread with Durian dip ($5) — the potent flavour of the fruit is carried by a creamy, smooth spread that really is quite irresistible.

New to hipster enclave of The Bedok Marketplace is Hot Pans, a stall which focuses solely on Dutch baby pancakes. Open from noon till 10pm, you'll be able to settle your cravings long before dinner. For the uninitiated, these babies are warm, eggy, crepe-like pancakes served in a small pan. The Classic Dutch Baby is the simplest of the variations served here — a choice of drizzle and a scoop of ice cream— allowing you to experience it in its true form. For something a little fancier, go for the Cinnamon Apple Crumble ($7.50) that comes with caramelised apples, raisins and salted caramel ice cream. This is a great dessert to share after a good meal.

Perched on the gorgeous, newly renovated outdoor piazza of Marina Square overlooking The Esplanade, The East Bureau is Supply & Demand's latest concept. This modern bistro boasts a playful industrial feel with eclectic furnishing, and makes for a fun place to have a meal with colleagues or friends. The Asian-focused menu teases with familiar flavours taking on unusual pairings and forms — think Local Pasta with Orecchiette ($19), a fun Southeast Asian play on pasta that ingeniously incorporates wok hei, or the Reinterpreted Seafood Tom Yum Goong On Ice ($13) featuring sashimi and abalone on tom yum-flavoured ice. Then, in a whimsical end, stuff your face with an assorted tower of cream puffs chock full of salted egg yolk cream, and luscious orh nee paste in the Ménage A Trois ($19).