Ditch your high heels and suits, for a chill out day with your friends and families at Tanjong Pagar. Delicious Japanese and Korean restaurants and fun bars aside, there’s been a recent slew of new openings, which means it’s ripe for a revisit. Here’s how to tackle it this weekend.
First, have brunch at Thirteen Duxton Hill
Located in a small shop house tucked away in a quiet corner of the otherwise happening Duxton Hill, Thirteen Duxton Hill is a contemporary bistro run by the founding chef and sommelier at Melbourne hotspot Lume. The menu changes every day and will be prepared according to what chef Fiechtner buys from the market that morning. Oh, oh be sure to try the croissants ($5) on their breakfast menu; something which their former restaurant was famous for. Drinks wise, they’re keeping it “local” and importing wine and other spirits straight from Australia (prices starting from $10 a glass).
Dessert , tea and Instagram shots at Birds of a Feather
After a fulfilling brunch, hang out at Birds of a Feather, the super pretty new Sichuan restaurant and cafe from Chengdu. You can have some light snacks like crispy pork trotters in a bag, crispy gyoza with truffle soy vinaigrette and a decent selection of cakes and desserts. Pair it off with their pretty extensive list of specialty coffees and teas, fresh juices, smoothies, beer, Old and New World wines, spirits and some classic and house cocktails. They take their coffee-making seriously and offer some nice, freshly roasted filter options.
Work it all off at the high-tech new Virgin Active
Feeling energized after brunch, desserts and caffeine? Time for a spot of obligatory fitness at the new and fancy Virgin Active. The famed fitness chain’s second club at Tanjong Pagar offers altitude training, which will “acclimatize” to conditions of up to 3000 meters above sea level. There are also a range of classes to choose from: conditioning, dance, fitness, mind/body, combat and cycle.
Dinner at Ash & Char
Ash & Char is a modern Asian brasserie styled kitchen and bar, which caters to cafe hunters during lunchtime, and turns into a lavish restaurant by night. It serves authentic Asian cuisines with charred and smoked elements incorporated into them. Their most popular dish is the Vietnamese loaded fries ($12) which really is just regular fries tossed with hoisin, mayo and hotsauce. They also serve Asian dishes like the tom yum seafood pasta ($19) and a slow cooked chicken leg that comes with charred broccoli, sweet potato crumble, king oyster mushroom and truffle chicken jus. Besides the usual spirits, they also have their signature cocktails like the Pestle and Portar ($18) which is a rum based mojito, and the Elder Flower Fuss ($16) which is made up of gin and grapefruit juice.
Round things out at the new Kilo Lounge
At the beginning of the year, we were sad to hear that popular indie club Kilo Lounge had to close down its Kampong Bugis premises due to zoning issues, but we are glad they are back, this time on Tanjong Pagar. Expect to walk through a dark alley, a jungle garden walkway and shake it off at the massive dance flloor. They’ve also been super busy bringing in hot acts already with the likes of ethereal UK DJ Seven Doors and tech and house duo Orio & Roco from Tel Aviv just this Christmas weekend.
Find out other restaurants in Tanjong Pagar here.