As the song goes: Hunger has come and passed, the deals can never last, (so) wake our appetites and wallets up when September ends. Or that’s how we hear it anyway.
If you are looking for one last splurge before the month ends, here’s our selection of restaurants, each representing a different cuisine, to help you decide where to spend your coin at.
For big spenders with bigger appetites: Ginett
Fans of truffle, get truffling down to Ginett for the last two days of their luxurious seasonal menu. It features four creative dishes to bring out the best parts of the black, fragrant fungus. The two appetisers and two mains use fresh black truffles straight from Australian farms, where they have been painstakingly cultivated and harvested during winter.
The Artichoke Jerusalem Velouté served with Black Truffle Espuma and Pain Brûlé may seem small but the execution is mighty, itself a cup of creamy foam paired to crunchy, toasted bread bits. Those who enjoy onsen eggs will enjoy the 62 Degrees Slow-cooked Egg with Truffle Pureé and Beef Consommé served as a plate of viscous art.
Of the two mains, the Foie Gras Ravioli is a more sophisticated dish, with handmade pasta wrappers swaddling rich truffle cream. Though, priced at $35, it might be a bit pricey for a serving size of only two ravioli pieces.
If you still have some room for pasta, we recommend going for their Carbonara. They do justice to this classic by doling out a huge portion with generous amounts of parmesan cheese, bacon bits, and a runny egg to glue everything together.
When? Now till 30 Sept
200 Middle Road, Singapore 188980
For small, intimate & exclusive: Sushi Chiharu
Anyone with a Netflix subscription will be familiar with Sushi Jiro. The charm of having the itamae prepare the freshest ingredients right before your eyes, and your food served purposefully piecemeal, rouses with any sushi aficionado.
Hidden with Tamaya Dining, the 12-seater Sushi Chiharu embodies this unique blend of taste and skill. The restaurant specialises in Edomae-sushi, served in simple, and yet intricate, omakase and nigiri sets. All the chefs are trained in traditional Edomae-sushi techniques during their apprenticeship at Insyokujin College, a culinary academy in Japan. Such as most of the sushi is prepared without frills, in ways like boiling and/or cured with salt, vinegar or soy sauce.
Despite the menu constantly being in flux, a couple of creations were truly outstanding. The Ika Nigiri features minced squid, topped with squid ink salt and a light drizzle of Japanese lime, supine above a tiny finger of vinegary Haenuki rice. The resulting texture is moist, buttery, and slightly sour, leaving only the oceanic freshness of the squid. The Bafun and Murasaki Uni is prepared and placed directly on your fingers, so by the time you are done with photos and pop it in your mouth, it resembles a delicious, briny ice-cream ball.
Another highlight is their Aji Su Arai Nigiri, where a slab of horse mackerel is submerged in a homemade vinegar blend for one to three minutes, then sliced and scored on rice. Stunning colour aside, the silky brush of sashimi against your tongue will convince you that it was worth the splurge.
When? Now till otherwise specified
45A Cuppage Road, Singapore 229464
For the discerning health junkies: The Butcher’s Wife
Healthy, gluten-free food no longer means plain chicken breast and a side of salad. Taking over the spot of the now defunct Open Door Policy in the Tiong Baruh neighbourhood, The Butcher’s Wife is modelled after European bistros with 100% gluten-free fare. The dishes are far from the run-of-the-mill options one might shovel down for sustenance. “There is no denying with an increasing number of people suffering from gluten intolerance. Eating out can be a social problem, not just for coeliac, but for those dining with them,” Cynthia Chua, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Spa Esprit Group shared.
“I see a gap in the market where gluten-free menus are usually an after-thought, and at best limited in variety and flavours. Just because you cannot eat gluten, that doesn’t mean your meals need to be dull.” With a medley of creative dishes such as Kale with Gorgonzola fried “buñuelos”, served with saffron aioli, and Green Peas “hummus” with grilled lamb sausages, dull flavours are definitely kept at bay.
Highlights from the menu, conceptualised by chef patron of ZOILO and boCHINche, and Consultant Chef Diego Jacquet, include the Grilled Octopus and Chestnuts Pappardelle. The former is first slow-cooked, grilled, and served with celeriac foam, capers, tuna mayo and seed’s salsa verde. It is tender but chewy, and the tangy afternote saves the meat from being bland. Chestnuts Pappardelle is as its name suggests, a gluten-free pasta dish tossed with eight-hour shredded braised ossobuco ragu, walnuts and parmesan— also a fantastic option for pasta lovers to indulge in without the accompanying guilt.
When? Now till otherwise specified
19 Yong Siak St, Singapore 168650
For those who keep it authentic: Dian Xiao Er
There is something deeply comforting in a bowl of rice and a plate of herbal roast duck. The rapid expansion of Dian Xiao Er across Singapore is perhaps the best evidence for the nation’s palate for classic Chinese food. Their newest outlet at Tampines One is a step forward for the family-oriented chain, with the new restaurant sporting a spacious, polished décor instead of their usual dim den appearance.
Their Signature Herbal Roast Duck comes in three flavours, with the most popular being the Ten Wonder Herbs. The duck is very tender, slightly sweet, and pairs well with rice. For carnivores, their Dong Po Rou is a sinful dream come true. It comes to the table steaming and wobbling in striated fats, unashamed as this is how melt-in-your-mouth deliciousness looks like. At their Tampines One outlet, there are two exclusive dishes: the Golden Mushroom with Salted Egg, and the classic Chinese starter, the Refreshing Chinese Yam with Blueberry Sauce.
Dian Xiao Er also holds an annual campaign from September to October where chefs from all the outlets have a showdown and the best one to four dishes are featured in the menu the following year.
From the winning selections of 2017, the Tiger Prawn in Creamy Vietnam Style is something distinctly different from the usual offerings, but its bold flavours, reminiscent of laksa, are well-balanced and satisfying. The prawns are juicy, and the chewy vermicelli soaks up the rich, slightly spicy broth. If it wasn’t housed inside a Chinese restaurant, we see this dish giving Vietnamese and Thai restaurants some serious competition.
When? Now till otherwise specified
#04-07/08, One, 10 Tampines Central 1, Singapore 529536
For indecisive partners: Antoinette
Is it French or Hakka? Both, it seems, as the multifaceted Chef Pang Kok Keong continues to amaze with Antoinette’s refreshed menu for the year. Kick off the meal with a lego brick of truffle butter and warm, crusty European bread; all made in-house. Resist the urge to fill up on carbs so early in the meal as this appetiser will steal the spotlight: Baked Rigatoni. The al dente pasta is sautéed in slightly spicy tomato cream sauce, then broiled with French Mornay sauce and layers of gruyere cheese and emmental cheese.
Amongst all the dishes, Chef Pang’s expertise with pasta is clear. The Double Prawn Linguine bears mixed heritage, but what makes the dish memorable boils down to the noodles itself. The homemade pasta is tossed in prawn bisque and spicy shrimp paste. This umami note is further heightened with the presence of ebiko, sakura ebi, nori and Chinese basil. If the humble prawn mee and luxurious lobster arrabiata had a baby, this would be it.
Fans of the couture bakery and restaurant will be glad to hear that there are five new dessert creations, all modelled after iconic fashion luminaries. Our personal favourite? The sugar-free Haute Café. It features layers of espresso-dipped chocolate sponge cake and coffee-infused chocolate mousse on the inside and topped with cold brewed coffee crème Chantilly with coffee powder littered all over— a potent fuel for caffeine addicts. Other notable cake creations include Chocolat (Chanel) No. 5 and the Orh Nee Cake, a combination of yam, pumpkin, and gula melaka goodness. If that’s not Asian enough, it is also finished off with candied gingko nuts.
When? Now till otherwise specified
30 Penhas Road, Singapore 208188
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