Who says you can’t teach an old dog new tricks? As much as we love the spate of new F&B joints popping up everyday, there’s some respect to be had for a restaurant that’s stood the test of time in tumultuous Singapore, and continued to keep things fresh for its loyal fans. Every month, we scope out some of your best-loved places for the new menus they’re bringing to the table.
Auntie’s Wok and Steam
Something a little different is arriving at Auntie’s Wok and Steam this 2020, as the Andaz Singapore restaurant is flying in some of Hyatt’s top female chefs from around Asia to helm its kitchen. Every so often, expect to find new and special menus that showcase the various chefs’ home country’s street eats, creating fresh and fun experiences for diners. For the launch of the hotel’s Streetfood Chefs Series, the Chinese restaurant saw the presentation of authentic Thai cuisine from Northeast Isan by Chef Tubtim Warapai. The Thai chef prepared unforgettable dishes like the Nam tok ($16), a Thai beef salad that’s as aromatic as it is spicy, as well as the Kor moo yang ($18) that featured grilled pork neck with nam jim jaew chilli sauce. But our personal favourite was the simple yet mouth-watering Khao pad poo ($26), a crab fried rice that made the carb overload worthwhile.
Bedrock Bar & Grill
With the introduction of the Little Joe Beef series at this 313@Somerset stalwart, you won’t have to travel far to acquire a taste of the all-natural, grass-fed beef that offers a minimum marble score of AusMeat 4+. In the month of March, the steak restaurant has made good use of the product, turning the produce into various dishes; enjoy it layered with cheese and sandwiched between two sesame buns with the Four Cheese Burger ($48), or alongside some rosemary beef fat potatoes for the Steak and Potatoes ($88). Then go big or go home with the Tomahawk Wellington ($258), fit for a group of three as the Little Joe steak is baked with truffled mushroom duxelles, foie gras, smoked bacon, and wrapped in a buttery pastry puff. It also comes with heirloom tomato salad and beef chilli oil brussels sprout.
The Blue Ginger
Now that Peranakan restaurant The Blue Ginger has found another home at Great World, new additions have been made to the menu to spice things up—quite literally. Two tangy starters make great appetisers, such as the Kerabu Kacang Botol ($11.50) and Kerabu Timun ($8.50). The former is a winged bean salad tossed with dried shrimps, shallots and toasted grated coconut; while the latter adds chicken gizzards to a medley of cucumbers and tomatoes. Another outlet-exclusive is the Nonya Noodles ($15), usually eaten in a Peranakan household on special occasions, and Blue Ginger’s take on the dish offers a fragrant, wok hei version of a Hokkien mee. Plus, you’ll still be able to find all of the brand’s signatures on the menu, like the Sotong Keluak ($22), a stir-fry of rich buah keluak with fresh squid, instead of the usual chicken.
Meatsmith Little India
This corner shophouse restaurant specialises in modern Indian barbecue, and that alone lets it stand out among a sea of other concepts in Singapore. With their latest menu iteration, Head Chef Kurt Sombero has created an even more thoughtful offering, one that we feel delivers on both flavour impact and comfort. Start with the Fresh Oyster and Gooseberry Gazpacho ($4.50 each) to open up your appetite, then give their Ikura & Creme Fraiche Papadum ($12) a try. Though you’ll be tempted to, don’t order seconds yet. Go for mains like the Lamb Ribs, Barberry & Mint ($20), or the Kerala Beef Short Rib ($45 for two). Both are fall-off-the-bone tender, well-spiced meat dishes that represents what Meatsmith Little India does best. If you’re more in the mood for seafood, the saucy Soft Shell Crab Curry ($18) is the one to get.
The Pelican
If you’re one for seafood, you’re in luck. This season, award-winning restaurant The Pelican has introduced new dishes that feature fresh catches sure to excite and tantalise taste buds. First, they’ve added the Rockefeller Oyster ($10/piece), a classic American dish of fresh oysters baked with butter, spinach and parmesan cheese crumbs. Then there’s the Lobster Mac and Cheese ($88) which tastes even better than you’d expect. You won’t find measly chunks of crustaceans with this one, as two halves of a lobster are laid on a bed of baked mac and cheese. The Spicy Lobster Pasta ($68) and The Pelican Lobster Burger ($68) are also worth a try. Find generous and succulent chunks of lobster meat in both mains.
Preludio
When Preludio first opened in 2018, they offered a stunning monochrome-themed menu (or chapter, as they call it) that delighted not only our taste buds, but our other senses as well. Over a year on, they’ve moved onto their second chapter, this time, centered around the concept of, well, time. Find dishes that play with aspects of ageing, fermentation, change and even history in their eight-course ($238) degustation dinner offering.
Be taken on a journey, starting with The Time Machine, that actually consists of five smaller dishes served on a beautiful tray. Placed together, they resemble the cogs of a steampunk contraption. Items change based on seasonality and availability of the best produce, but a standout has got to be the squash dish, that makes good use of strong anchovies flavours. Of the other courses, the Dish of a Lifetime is the one to look out for. It’s a cut of iberico pork shoulder, wrapped in what seems like pasta skin, but is actually made of prawn. Truly ingenious (not to mention laborious), the effort pays off with a bite unlike any other. We’re impressed with the Old Chimi too, a wagyu short rib dish served alongside chef’s special chimichurri sauce.
Spice Brasserie
Parkroyal on Kitchener Road’s all-day dining restaurant Spice Brasserie has undergone a revamp, now offering everyone’s favourite Asian street eats. Rather than serving the food on a buffet line as usual, they are doing so a la carte style till Apr 30, in light of the virus situation. Simply order from a chit, featuring dishes like Signature Black Char Siew Rice ($6.80), Naan with Goan Fish Curry ($5.80) and Korean Tteokbokki ($5.80), among many other Asian comfort dishes. Oh, and once you’re ready for desserts, be sure to get the Durian Pengat with Sticky Rice ($5.80)—it’s not to be missed.
VUE
Its sweeping views may be the center of attention, but VUE doesn’t disappoint when it comes to food. Now open for lunch too, stop by this rooftop bar and grill for their three-course prix fixe menu ($68), where you’ll get to enjoy an appetiser, a main and dessert. For something light to start, try the Argentinean Red King Prawn Salad, before following that up with a Grilled New Zealand Ora King Salmon that’s served with asparagus and fresh clams. Or, if you prefer red meat, you can always choose to add an additional $30 for the Grilled USDA Prime Black Angus Tenderloin that’s on the dinner menu as well. For dessert, indulge in the French Toast that’s made with homemade brioche, berries and sea salt ice cream. Plus, the gorgeous venue also offers a meatless lunch course, if that’s what you desire.
