It’s lean when it comes to fun cocktail bars and, well, essentials like MRT stops, but there’s so much great stuff happening in Alexandra, from fancy new HDB projects and gorgeous old green spaces to new restaurants, hipster kopitiams and, of course, IKEA. Here’s our assessment on whether you should move there.
Accommodation ★★★
Breathing new life to Queenstown is the redevelopment of Dawson Estate, one of Singapore’s oldest neighborhoods. It’s still undergoing metamorphosis with two Build-to-Order (BTO) HDB projects designed by award-winning architects Woha and SCDA Architects—SkyTerrace@Dawson (in between Dawson Road and Margaret Drive), which was completed in May and the upcoming Skyville@Dawson. Both will feature a “Housing-in-the-Park” concept with lush sky terraces and gardens. Ranging from 40-47 stories each, residents also get a panoramic view of the cityscape from these stylish skyscrapers. And while some of the newer HDB housing projects are known to be compact in size, both SkyTerrace and SkyVille offer families more space to expand, such as column and beam-free interiors at SkyVille.
Environment ★★★
There are two major parks just off Alexandra Road. Hort Park (33 Hyderabad Rd.), where you can retreat to swanky French restaurant Vineyard for a hearty meal after walking its themed gardens, or hike right up to the neighboring Kent Ridge Park (Vigilante Dr.) for a more intense workout. Just across the road from Hort Park is Gillman Barracks (9 Lock Rd.), an arts enclave with popular eateries like seafood specialist The Naked Finn (39 Malan Rd., 6694-0807) and farm-to-table restaurant Portico (#01-10 991B Alexandra Rd., 9127-6316).
The Bakehouse by Carpenter & Cook
Dining ★★★★★
Alexandra is a treat for those whose waistlines are the least of their priorities. There are newly-opened options such as The Carvery (Level 7 Park Hotel Alexandra, 323 Alexandra Rd.), a meat-only place by Executive Chef Robert Chan which serves customizable cuts of premium beef, lamb, pork and chicken, with accompaniments like gourmet salts, sauces and house made butters infused with anchovy and truffle. Head next door to Alexandra Central for comforting bites from The Bakehouse by Carpenter & Cook (#01-14 321 Alexandra Rd., 6250-0040). The cafe has its own wood-fired oven for made-to-order 10-inch pizzas that come with toppings such as crabmeat with pink sauce, grilled aubergine with pesto and spicy salami with tomato, and other mains include sandwiches and pastas. More local favorites can be found at Alexandra Village Food Centre (120 Bukit Merah Lane 1), which is a 6-min walk away. Queues throng popular stalls like Lau Phua Chay Autentic Roasted Delicacies (#01-20), for its roasted duck rice and Hainanese Boneless Chicken Rice(#01-15). Next door, Keng Eng Kee Seafood (124 Bukit Merah Lane 1, 6272-1038) is famous for serving up signatures such as salted egg crab, hor fun and cuttle fish kang kong. But if you want variety, pop next door to Salut Coffee Shop (119 Bukit Merah Lane). It has gourmet burgers from Jack The Ripper, French classics from Immanuel French Kitchen and indulgent German cuisine from Stew Kuche.
Bars ★
Leaving much to be desired is the lack of decent watering holes within the estate. To get your fix, trek to Vineyard (#02-02 Hort Park, 33 Hyderabad Rd., 6479-7977) for cocktail specials ranging from Vineyard Spring Harvest (peach schnapps, vodka and cranberry juice) and Vineyard Signature (rum, butterscotch, peach, cranberry and 7-Up). At Alexandra Central, there are craft beers from a wide variety of names such as Paulaner, Stouterik and Westmalle Trappist from Southend Beers and Ciders (#01-20, 321 Alexandra Rd.)—but it’s a tight and narrow squeeze if you want to have a drink there.
Transportation ★★
Bad news for train commuters — there are no MRT lines close by. The nearest ones are located along Farrer Road and Labrador Park, so the easiest way to get around the area is by the several bus services that run through other parts of the island. For those who drive, a new 220m road, Jalan Bukit Merah Lane 4, has recently been introduced to improve traffic conditions. It connects Bukit Merah Lane 2 and 3 to Jalan Bukit Merah, providing an alternative route to Alexandra Village.
Community ★★★★
Drumming up excitement for the area is Park Hotel Alexandra (323 Alexandra Rd., 6828-8888), a new fancy staycation option with an outdoor infinity pool overlooking the town, a sleek swim-up bar and plenty of food choices at adjoining mall Alexandra Central. It’s flanked by older shopping haunts like Queensway Shopping Centre (Alexandra Road), the famous go-to for sporting gear, Anchorpoint Shopping Centre (370 Alexandra Rd., 6475-2257), which is popular among families and the lunch crowd for reliable eateries like cafe The Connoisseur Concerto (#01-07/08) and of course, the iconic Ikea Alexandra (317 Alexandra Road, 6786-6868, www.ikea.com/sg/en/). Located on the fringes of the precinct is Mediapolis (Media Circle), an up-and-coming 1.5 hectare cluster of creative studios, facilities and offices, research and development labs, media schools, retail and entertainment outlets and residential units which will all be completely ready by 2020.
