New Restaurants, Cafes and Bars in Singapore: December 2016
Despite opening only two months ago, this Italian restaurant in Rail Mall has already been enthusiastically embraced by nearby residents, and we can see why. Their tasty pizzas and alcohol-free desserts make it suitable for families with young kids, while its rustic charm and wide selection of Italian wine labels make it a great date night spot for couples. Start the meal with the Burratina ($28.80) — a simple but well-executed plate of burrata cheese, sweet tomatoes and Parma ham. The Italian chef-owners dish out an impressive selection of wood-fired pizzas that you must try. Truffle enthusiasts will love the Pizza Tartufo ($26) — they use truffle oil in the pizza dough and the pie is generously topped with stringy mozzarella and large shavings of black truffle. End the meal with a classic Tiramisu ($10) made so flawlessly you won't even realise its alcohol-free!
Avg Price: $35 per person
Photo by Burppler Hilary See
Old Hen Coffee Bar has expanded, with a new concept just down the street called Old Hen Kitchen that focuses more on brunch options. The new space is significantly larger, and you have the option of pulling up a seat at the counter to watch them work their magic. We're so glad they've brought over their popular cold brews and espresso-based coffees, with the addition of Japanese tea from Ippudo Tea Co, all great to sip on as you catch up with your friends. Share a side of Chili Crab Fries ($12) while you do so — it's saucy with pronounced bits of crab meat, and has a spicy kick! For mains, try the Salmon Soba ($19) — buckwheat noodles tossed in a citrus teriyaki sauce, topped with sous vide salmon, carrots, edamame and a sprinkle of ikura. Pro tip: Watch out for their newly launched cold brews like the Cold Matcha Milk and seasonal offerings like the Cold Peppermint Chocolate!
Avg Price: $30 per person
Photo by Burppler Alex Chua
At first glance, this corner store at the newly opened coffeeshop along Tyrwhitt Road looks like any regular noodle shop. But take a closer look and you'll find familiar SiChuan dishes like Boiled Dumplings with Chili ($5) and Sour and Spicy Noodles ($5). The selection may be limited, but all we ask for is affordably-priced and perfectly executed SiChuan fare. The owner, who is from SiChuan, shares that his spice levels have been turned down a few notches to suit our local tastebuds, but is more than willing to provide the "authentic" SiChuan taste for spice lovers — just ask for the "perverted" spicy level (bian tai la). We love the Sour and Spicy Noodles ($5), a comforting bowl of chewy noodles swimming in a flavourful chili-vinegar broth that is not too spicy to slurp on. Pair that with a plate of Cold Tossed Pig Ears ($5) and Boiled Dumplings with Chili ($5) and you've got a seriously satisfying meal!
Avg Price: $10 per person
Photo by Burpple Tastemaker Xing Wei Chua
Located next to Royal J's Seafood in Lavender, this coffeeshop stall dishes out quality rice bowls at affordable prices, perfect for nearby office workers looking for new dining options. There are six protein bowls to choose from, and prices range from $7.90 to $12.90. We love the value-for-money Wagyu Beef Don ($12.90) — tender slices of perfectly smoked beef set on a bed of white, fluffy rice and topped with a wobbly sous vide egg. The Mentaiko Salmon Don ($9.90) is commendable too — a nicely seared salmon fillet slathered with a drippy mentaiko sauce that reminded us of Gyoza-Ya's mentaiko miso gyoza. If you're just popping by for a tea break or eating in a group, order their Dragon Fries ($6) — these piped out mashed potatoes are coated with cheese before going into the deep-fryer!
Avg Price: $15 per person
Photo by Burppler Hilary See
Burpplers working around Shaw Towers will appreciate a new lunch option. With an upmarket food hall concept, Wild Market brings together a curated selection of stalls, from local hawker fare like Carrot Cake ($3) and Chicken Chop Rice ($6.50) to more upmarket offerings like French Duck Confit ($14.90). Burppler Jayson Yeo loves the Penang Char Kway Teow ($5) from the Little Penang stall for its wok hei. The chef takes spice seriously so don't ask for extra spicy if you're not up for a sweat. Then again, the heat's something a couple mugs of Draft Denmark Fresh Lager ($5) will easily alleviate! Pro tip: The space is still in its soft launch phase so most stalls close early. Come for lunch or an early dinner.
Avg Price: $15 per person
Photo by Burppler Jayson Yeo
Head to this Korean takeaway spot in the basement of Plaza Singapura for a sweet treat after your meal. Unlike other places where syrups and sugary snacks take precedence, KoKoPanda focuses on premium ingredients that are sourced from Korea — think dried Jeju tangerine for toppings and roasted coconut husk for making their frozen yoghurt. There are three options available on the menu, with the choice of one ($4.90) or three toppings ($5.90) — KoKo Black Yogo (black frozen yoghurt), KoKo White Cremo (milk-based soft serve) and the crowd-pleasing KoKo Twisto, which is a combination of the both the KoKo Black Yogo and the KoKo White Cremo. Follow our community's lead and get the KoKoCrunch (rice puffs and dried fruits), honey butter almonds and dehydrated Jeju tangerines as your toppings! Wash it all down with KoKoPanda's iced teas like the Jeju Rose Green Tea ($2.90) or the Cranberry Snow Pear and Jeju Tangerine ($3.60) that is said to help maintain a healthy digestive system and possesses skin beautifying properties.
Avg Price: $5 per person
Photo by Burppler Jia Hui
Occupying the third floor of 100AM, Itadakimasu by Parco features seven different concepts — you can try one everyday for a week! These include known chains like Ramen Keisuke Tori King, Yakiniku Heijoen and Saboten, as well as new concepts brought in from Japan like Numazu Uogashizushi, Nadai Fujisoba Ni Hachi and Shabu Shabu Gyu Jin. For a quick lunch meal, pop by Nadai Fujisoba Ni Hachi and be blown away by their seriously delicious soba. We love the humble Kitsune Soba ($12) — freshly made soba noodles swimming in a light dashi and yuzu broth, topped with a large slice of tasty tofu and sprinkled with garnishes. It's comforting and easy to slurp up within minutes, perfect if you're rushing for time.
Avg Price: $20 per person
Photo by Burppler Jayne Tan
Popularised by the Korean drama, Descendants of the Sun, dal.komm Coffee has opened its first outlet in Singapore — perfect for DOTS aficionados to reminisce the show over light bites. Located on the first floor of The Centrepoint, this sprawling 120-seater cafe also blasts out trendy music, making it great for a place in town to hang out even if you're not a fan of the drama. Cool down with dal.komm's iced Honey Grapefruit ($8.90), topped with freshly cut grapefruit wedges and drizzled with honey, or sip on their iced coffee Cube ($8.50). The latter is full of frozen coffee cubes that are made using well-balanced coffee blend K1, one of three exclusive Arabica blends available. Sink your teeth into the comforting Injeolmi Toast Red Bean ($8.50) — a toasted sandwich generously slathered with red bean paste, stuffed with chewy rice cake, and dusted with soy powder. If not, share the Cherry Tomato Bingsu (from $10.90). The finely shaved ice treat topped with cherry tomatoes, sweetened milk sauce and plum powder makes for a refreshing dessert to share with a group of friends .
Avg Price: $15 per person
Photo by Burpple Tastemaker Eleanor Tay
Good old chicken rice, along with some local classics, are given a creative twist at this spacious Centrepoint eatery — perfect for a casual lunch. You could play it safe and get the Yin Yang Chicken Rice ($8.90), which serves both poached and soya sauce chicken with rice, but the main draws here are the reinterpretations of chicken rice. Try the Chicken Sushi ($4.90) and Crispy Chicken Rice Balls ($4.90) for something bite-sized and tasty, or go for the Chicken Laksa ($7.90), which comes with a side of tender poached chicken. For dessert, try the Durian Creme Brûlée ($5.90) and Nanyang Coffee Panna Cotta ($5.90).
Avg Price: $10 per person
Photo by Burpple Tastemaker Xing Wei Chua
Bangkok's trendy cafe chain has landed on our shores. Replacing Cedele on the ground level of Paragon, Greyhound combines a chic glasshouse setting with cheeky aesthetics (check out the slogans on the servers' shirts) and Thai-fusion dishes. Signatures include the Greyhound Famous Fried Chicken Wings ($16) and Complicated Noodles ($18), the latter named so because it requires you to nimbly wrap together bite-sized parcels of noodle sheets, minced pork sauce and a couple more toppings. We really like the Fried Salmon Toro with Dip ($14), a starter of salmon belly with tangy tonkatsu sauce and jaew mayo (a moderately spicy Thai dried chili sauce), and the Crab Meat Fried Rice with a Twist ($28). We're not sure what the twist is, but we like that the tasty rice comes topped with real crab meat. If it's your first time to Greyhound, try the Thai Tea Granita ($9.50). Prices here are a lot higher compared to its Bangkok outlets, but it's still worth a visit to find out what all the hype's about. Pro tip: Come early as signatures sell out fast, and also allocate plenty of time for your meal — the servers were rather slow and disorganised when we visited.
Avg Price: $35 per person
Photo by Burppler Muriel A
This gorgeous spot at South Beach is our new place to head to for lunch, dinner and everything in between. Beautifully decked out with marble-topped tables, rattan chairs and warm lighting, Fynn's is ideal for most occasions, be it a dinner date or a catch-up with friends. On a quiet afternoon, make a date with your favourite girlfriend for coffee (from $4, made using beans from Common Man Coffee Roasters) and to share a slab of their Carrot Cake ($11) — it's a large enough slice to comfortably feed two. Otherwise, file this as inspiration for your next dinner date. Tasty mains include a Grilled Chicken with Fried Wild Rice ($19.50), served with edamame, snow peas, egg and pickled vegetables, and Marinated Flank Steak with chimichurri and fries ($26). On weekends, come by for brunch plates like Vanilla Hot Cakes with Coconut Butter and Berry Compote ($19).
Avg Price: $30 per person
Photo by Burpple Tastemaker Xing Wei Chua
Discreetly tucked away on the first floor of Golden Shoe Food Centre, D2TLLRY, the second outlet of DSTLLRY at Media Circle, is the place to unwind with your colleagues over some after-work drinks and tasty bar bites. Order the Sake Chrysanthemum ($22) — junmai sake mixed with dry vermouth and Benedictine D.O.M for a light, refreshing floral drink that Burpple Tastemaker Russell Leong endorses. For light bites, we recommend having the lightly seasoned Crab Cakes ($16 for two) that is stuffed full with crab meat and topped with mentai mayo. Tasty and worth every penny! D2TLLRY serves their well-liked Dons (from $20) from Media Circle for both lunch and dinner service, so you know where to head to when you're craving for an excellent bowl of chirashi. The variations like the Barachirashi Salad ($20) and the Barachirashi Green Tea Soba ($20) (the latter has a splash of Japanese chilli oil for a spicy kick) makes for a great lunch option that does not warrant a food coma back in the office!
Avg Price: $20 per person
Photo by Burppler John Kuan
The top picks, popular finds and newly opened places in Singapore, Malaysia and Philippines, curated by Burpple editors!