Foodie News Flash: New Restaurants in Singapore this June

We’ve got the lowdown on all the hot new restaurants in Singapore this month, mama!

Hey, mama! Need a quick shot of inspiration for a night out on the town (no kids, that is)? Here’s our pick of Singapore’s latest restaurants and newest bars, condensed and served up in tasty bite-size pieces just for you.

EDITOR’S PICK
Noshery – Tropical Quirky Cafe at Rochester
At the foot of colonial black and white in Rochester Park sits Noshery – a new café owned by nearby Nosh. Interiors of this small ground level oasis are a mixture of warm woods and botany decor. We are majorly hearting their tropical wallpaper and the bespoke bamboo stools with palm fabric. A beautiful wooden communal dining table takes centre stage, there are lime green marble topped tables inside, and alfresco seating which turns into a small beer garden in the evenings. Brunch on the weekends looks like this: Buttermilk Biscuits ($6), all crackly exterior and soft-centred with whipped butter and honey; Yakitori Salmon on Coconut Rice ($24); and Crab Benedict ($20) – two yolky poached eggs served on crab cakes, atop toasted muffins with a delicious red curry influenced hollandaise sauce. Yellow Watermelon Juice ($6) and perhaps a Flat White ($5.50)?Maybe some Mac & Cheese ($6) and Brioche Toast ($6) for the kids? Lunch midweek involves the Nosh Burger with Sambal Mayo ($22) and the Pulled Pork Sandwich ($16). If leafy Rochester Park isn’t on your radar yet, this little café is a good spot to start with. For more of an upscale dining experience or if Noshery is full – head upstairs to posher Nosh.

Noshery, 9 Rochester Park, Singapore 139220, Tel: (+65) 6779 4644, www.noshery.com.sg

Burger Joint – NY-style Burgers
Just when we had (almost) had our fill of burgers-gone-trendy, along comes Burger Joint, an New York import that takes burgers back to basics: no frills, no hipster décor, no commissioned-art graffiti (sharp intake of breath!), and no DJs in the corner. Instead, Burger Joint is hidden down a back alley in Gemmill Lane (which seems the hiding place for many a covert bar!). Instead of graffiti art, there’s thank you notes scribbled on the walls by happy customers. Prices are unfashionably decent – starting with the classic hamburger $13.10 (70 cents extra if you want cheese), but if you must pull out a handful of red notes for your meal you can always order the Double Bacon Cheeseburger at $27.40 with a thick strawberry milkshake ($11.80) and fries ($5.50). Things get a little bit trendy with their beer menu; there’s a choice of 18 craft beers on offer, from Weird Beard Sorachi Face Plant  ($11/half pint) to Stone Arrogant Bastard Ale ($11/half pint).

Burger Joint, #03-01, 115 Amoy Street, Singapore, Tel: (+65) 6221 8648, www.burgerjointny.com/singapore

EDITOR’S PICK
Ninja Bowl – Low Carb Bowls
Ninja Bowl in Duxton offers 8 different kinds of protein-heavy bowls (all served in pretty marbled dishes). From Genki ($16) of grilled Japanese eel, roasted pumpkin, raw mung beansprout salad, pickled beets and an onsen egg, to seafood-heavy Kaisen ($16) of pan-seared Hokkaido scallops, New Zealand mussels in lemon butter sauce, with carrots and a mushroom medley of shimeiji, button and shiitake. Add on a dose of carbs with Ninja Rice (brown rice mixed with vinegared Japanese white rice and seaweed flakes), Orzo Pasta, Garden Greens (all $2) or quinoa ($3). Going more for brunch? Hit up their coffees (delicious beans from Smitten) with the hugely tasty Tonkotsu Spirit ($16) – sourdough with melted cheddar, smashed avocado and two poached eggs alongside fatty slices of smoky sweet aburi chashu pork belly. Or for the sweet –toothed, the photo-ready Fancy French ($16) – homemade brioche slathered with fig jam, sprinkled with a rainbow of fruit and drizzled with the tart-sweet Japanese influenced honey infused with umeboshi (pickled plum) and homemade hazelnut butter.

Ninja Bowl, 15 Duxton Road, Singapore 089481, Tel: (+65) 6222 8055, www.facebook.com/NinjaBowl

Angela May Food Chapters – Robinsons Mall Celeb Café
You might recognize Chef Angela May in her open plan kitchen – though she is better known for having hosted food and travel shows. Angela May’s first restaurant (together with Delicae, who own Entrecote and Sabio) is wedged into the corner of Robinsons The Heeren . The restaurant leans towards ladies that lunch. A long marble counter greets you with sweet and savoury choux pastries, and the space feels clean and minimalist with light coming from a wall of glass window overlooking Orchard Rd’s busiest crossing. The menu is a mix of vegetarian friendly and healthy-leaning dishes. Starters of Soy Glazed Shiitake and Cold Scallion Noodles with Pickled Cucumbers ($18) make a delicious introduction to the Asian influenced mod-European cuisine, as does the interesting salad of Shaved Asparagus and Arugula Mint with Slow Cooked Egg and Crisped Wasabi Lettuce ($24). Unusually for a healthy salad, the wasabi lettuce is deep-fried tempura style – the result is a crispy tasty contrast to the fresh leaves and sweet dressing. Mains are very much on the petite side portion-wise. The vegan Caramelized Cauliflower Steak with Roasted Pepper Purée ($22) while tasty, isn’t a showstopper in looks nor hearty enough for a main. Try instead Barramundi & Cashew Red Curry ($39), or the Thai influenced Josper Grilled Laksa Prawn/Lobster Roll ($29/42). High Tea Set (2-5pm) at $39 beckons with Chilled Coconut Chia Pudding, Passionfruit Tea Shooters, Choux & Cookies, a noodle salad and free flow coffee or tea.

Angela May Food Chapters, Robinsons The Heeren #02-02, 260 Orchard Road, Singapore 238855. Tel: (+65) 6681 7440, www.dhm.com.sg/angela-may

Café Melba at Mediapolis – Australasian near Tanglin Trust
Long known as a family-friendly weekend spot (complete with bouncing castles), Café Melba from the East has set up another restaurant in the West – right beside Tanglin Trust School (with an interconnecting bridge no less – Tanglin Mamas take note!). Australian designer Emma Maxwell has done the interiors – copper lighting, warm colours and woods make a cosy clean dining room. There is scoot space aplenty outside on the huge wooden decking (just bring hats). Come midweek, kiddos eat free with paying adults. We especially like that they have not one but two menus for kids (for 1-2yr olds – from $6 congees to $6 baked Fruit Purees) and 3yrs +: a more fast food-style menu (Chicken Schnitzel, fries plus a drink and ice cream $16). For adults: breakfasts of Mozzarella Stuffed Potato Rosti ($16), Dark Rye Toast with Avo, Tomatoes and poached eggs ($16) or the Full Melba Veggie Breakfast ($22) of Eggs, Pickled Artichoke, Mushrooms, Spinach, Cherry Toms, Baked beans and toast. Tuck into their Crispy Duck Leg Confit with braised lentils ($25) for something a little sophisticated or for a light lunch their Greek Salad ($17) with feta, olives, garden greens and peppers. The dessert menu (try the $14 Kaya Tart) could just mean the difference between arriving for school pick up on time or, ahem a bit early for that little something sweet while you wait.

Café Melba at Mediapolis, 1 Stars Avenue, Mediapolis #03-01, 138507 Singapore, Tel: (+65) 6352 2721, www.cafemelba.com.sg/mediapolis

Chow Fun – Noodles and Beer
Chow down on a smorgasbord of noodles at Chow Fun opposite Omakase Burger at The Grandstand. A long list of tasting portions of Asian-style noodles and Western pasta is on offer, tapas style. Decked out in Chinese reds and black, Chow Fun sets the NY Chinatown scene with vintage Chinese postcards and adverts adorning the walls. Chow down on tapas-sized portions of noodles all at $2.90 –from Tom Yum cream of udon noodles in a spicy sauce to Wild Mushroom Truffle Penne to a cold noodle dish of Pork Belly Bibim Guksu – sweet ginger pork belly on Korean red pepper dressed noodles. All-day Happy Hour prices see Erdinger White at $23 for two pints and a glass of house wine at $10. If you’re bored of truffle fries for bar snacks, their menu offers interesting bites like the Potato, Bonito and Cheese Pancake ($5.90) of shaved potatoes topped with mozzarella and Grana Padano and bonito flakes, or Mom’s White Radish Cake ($5.90) and Meatballs with Soy and Ginger ($5.90). Chow Fun boasts its own pastry chef who does a mean Salted Egg and Chocolate Lava Cake ($8.90) – this dessert is bang on trend with salted egg oozing out of the rich dark chocolate tart.

Chow Fun, The Grandstand, 200 Turf Club Rd, #01-08, Singapore 287994, Tel: (+65) 6464 6900, www.chowfun.sg