Foodie News Flash: New Restaurants in Singapore this August

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. Look forward to scrumptious Greek, Southern and Vietnamese fare, plus ridiculously affordable wines and trendy coffee picks this August. 

Check out our gallery for all the mouthwatering details!

Tono (Peruvian slang for “party”) brings real deal Peruvian ceviche to Singapore. Founded by Peruvian Chef Daniel Chavez of OLA Cocina del Mar and with Latin American chefs in the kitchen, Tono Cevicheria is one of the first tenants at DUO Galleria, a brand-new residence-hotel-office complex on Beach Road (opposite ATLAS Bar). Salsa music plays as bartenders whip up Pisco Sours, the national drink of Peru, and then there is the ceviche, the basis of which is pretty simple: line caught New Zealand fish (which arrives twice a week) or seafood is marinated, raw, with lime, chillies and onions. Yet at Tono, ceviche is jazzed up with different flavours and textures: order up a Tasting Ceviche ($35) – a sampler trio of seafood ceviches with Market Fish, Crispy Baby Calamari, and Yellowfin Tuna with avocados and crunch from Purple Potato Chips. Tiraditos take ceviche to another level with sashimi style presentation: Punta Sal ($24), is a stunning plate of sashimi scallops dotted with toasted almonds, sweet potato purée, smoked yellow chilli and limes. In addition to raw seafood and fish dishes there are mains like Jalea ($32), a tasty combination of fried yucca chips, fried prawns and seafood with “Salsa Criolla” and Smoked Chilli Mayo. Don’t miss the chef’s favourite dessert, Alfajores ($12) of crumbly buttery mini Cookies filled with “Dulce De Leche” and Mango Mousse.

Tono Cevicheria, 7 Fraser Street, Unit #01-49/50 DUO Galleria, Tel: (+65) 6702 7320, www.facebook.com/tonocevicheria

Walk off the streets of Tiong Bahru and right into Greece with Bakalaki Greek Taverna, a stunning new Greek restaurant. There is a lot to like about this spot: great seating from booth seats to alfresco, tasty Greek fare and the lighting is stunning, giving you a real sense  of Greek island sunshine while the colour tone steers away from the usual white and blue and extends to earthy notes alongside lots of pale wood. There’s a little deli complete with a wine wall designed around the Greek flag. Executive Chef Spiros Palaiologos (you may recognise him from Blu Kouzina) is in the open-plan kitchen serving authentic Greek fare like Dips of Tzatziki, Smoky Eggplant, Spicy Feta and Fava (all $14.90 or $27.90 for 4), Feta Saganaki ($16.90), and Grilled Octopus ($32.90). If you are paleo or just need meat, plump for their Mixed Grilled Meat platter ($97.90 for 2 people) or for something more modest we thoroughly recommend the Grilled Marinated Lamb Chops ($32.90) served with the most delicious lemony roast potatoes. Whatever you do, DON’T stuff yourself with so much that you can’t manage the Greek doughnuts, Loukoumades ($14.90) for dessert. These little fluffy fried doughnut balls are served with a dusting of cinnamon and honey and a pot of melted chocolate. Yum!

Bakalaki Greek Taverna, 3 Seng Poh Road, Singapore 168891, Tel: (+65) 6836 3688, www.facebook.com/BakalakiGreekTaverna

Marina Bay Sands has teamed up with 50 Eggs from the US, to bring us The Bird Southern Table & Bar. Weekend brunch at MBS (pre- or post a visit to ArtScience Museum) just got a whole lot more alluring!  The Bird Southern Table & Bar is a two storey restaurant looking on to the scenic Marina Bay waterfront. Southern U.S. classic food is the name of the game here. Think Lewellyn’s Fine Fried Chicken ($35 for half a bird) — a famous 100-year-old recipe which involves a 27-hour brining process, dredging with secret spices and flour and then a good ol’ fry. Other highlights: Buttermilk Biscuits served with honey butter and jam ($10) or Crispy Chicken and pepper jelly ($18), Shrimp ‘N’ Grits ($39), Fried Green Tomatoes BLT ($18) or their lipsmackingly good Chicken ‘n’ Watermelon ‘n’ Waffles ($45) with the unusual but heck-it-works pairing with honey hot sauce and chilled spiced watermelon. This place is going to be big, people. Plus they stock every kind of  bourbon you can think of. Full review coming soon!

The Bird Southern Table & Bar, L1-82, Bay Level B1-07, Galleria Level, The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands, Tel: (+65) 6688 9959, www.marinabaysands.com/restaurants/american/the-bird-southern-table-and-bar.html

A revamp at KARA (which included a name change from Sogurt) sees pretty wallpaper and light wooden tables and chairs to brighten up this cute cafe in Bukit Timah. Known originally for their self-serve frozen yoghurts in a myriad of interesting flavours, Kara Cafe & Dessert Bar now offers a savoury menu, too: namely Grilled Toasties and Healthy Bowls. For bowls there is Chicken Avo Salad ($15) with rotisserie chicken, avocado, a soft egg and salad to Taco Mexx Chicken ($14) with avocado, corn, chipotle salsa, jalapeño and corn chips to Pork Belly Miso ($16) — all on Garlic Japanese Rice or Quinoa Salad ($3 extra). Toasties are made with sourdough bread: from Classic Cheese ($10.50), to the most expensive open-faced Shaved Ham and Burrata ($17) with kale and cashew pesto. The $15 set weekday menu is a steal and includes a homemade soup, a main like the Pepperoni Pizzazz toastie of oozy cheese, pepperoni salami and marinara sauce, plus a drink from Roselle Iced Tea to Iced Milo. Dessert is a no-brainer: self-serve froyo ($3.20/100grams) with unusual favours like Maple Lavender and Lychee Rose.

KARA Cafe & Dessert Bar by Sogurt, 619 Bukit Timah Road, Singapore 269718, www.facebook.com/karacafesg

For those of you wondering where Chef Ivan Brehm disappeared to (formerly from Michelin-starred Bacchanalia), you will be pleased to know he has resurfaced as Chef-Owner of newly opened Nouri (Unlisted Collection’s latest restaurant after hot fave Audace). A chef’s table sits at the centre of the restaurant, which serves “crossroads cuisine” – cooking that transcends cultural boundaries. Dinner set menus are 5 or 7 courses ($140/170), while lunch sets consist of 5 courses at $85 (not available Mondays).

Nouri, 72 Amoy Street, Singapore 069891, Tel: (+65) 6221 4148, www.nouri.com.sg

If the price of alcohol in Singapore has you in tears, chope a table at Wine & Chef pronto. These guys, also behind SG Wine Cellar, serve affordable Italian boutique wines paired with homestyle Mod-Sin cuisine. They have over 250 exclusive wines in their wine room, mostly Italian, from boutique family-owned wineries. And prices are jaw-droppingly good value: from $6 for a glass of very drinkable Prosecco (that’s $25 a bottle!) to premium reds at just $8. Labels change once a month but they also do a menu of little-known labels like Azienda Viviani Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG ($69), a full-bodied Amarone wine from the Northeast region of Veneto using a special blend of three kinds of grapes, which we are told normally retails for over $100. Food goes beyond expectations for a place that has cheap wine at the forefront of its standing: Hamachi Crudo ($16) is a pretty serving of  Yellowtail, Lime, Shallot, Semi Dried Tomatoes & Italian Truffle Oil while the full variety of Chef’s Mod Sin cuisine can be seen in the offering of  homemade Tofu & Century Egg sauce served with Pok Cui Crackers ($6) to a gorgeous tender Salmon confit flavoured with soy and coriander on risotto made with pearl barley ($18) and the Crab Meat Hokkien Mee ($26) made with linguine instead, full of prawns and crab with a dark umami sauce of shellfish broth flecked with pork lard.

Wine & Chef, 7 Keong Saik Road, Singapore 089115, Tel: (+65) 6221 9279, www.winenchef.com

Grab and go outlet My Banh Mi Saigon, a Vietnamese import, has opened at Tanjong Pagar Centre. Their claim to fame for this family business is manager Frank Chinn, father to Celebrity Chef Bobby Chinn. Pick up a Banh Mi of crispy baguette stuffed with specially roasted meats (lemongrass infused turmeric chicken $7.50, pork $7.50 or Bo Ko beef $8) or tofu for vegetarians, plus spring onions, mild chilli, cucumber and coriander as well as homemade sauces. Their rice noodle salad dish Bun This Nuong with tofu ($7.80) or roasted pork ($8.50) is well worth seeking out, too. If you are in need of a shot of caffeine, don’t miss their Iced Vietnamese Coffee (from $2.50) a strong and sweet icy tipple perfect for the afternoon post work pick-me-up.

My Banh Mi Saigon, B2-23 Tanjong Pagar Centre, Singapore 078884, Tel: (+65) 8608 8728, www.facebook.com/MyBanhMiSingapore

Provisions, the new kid on the block in Dempsey, serves South East Asian traditional comfort food; think claypot rice and skewers. Skewers  are served in single sticks – Beef Sirloin ($10) with a dusting of burnt leek and charcoal powder sweetened with ketcap manis, Pork Intestines ($5),  slightly overcooked Octopus ($10) and Salted Egg Sotong ($8).  Unusual bites include the KFC of Korean Fried Cauliflower ($10) in a sweet sticky batter while Claypot Rice ranges from the simple Oyster Omelette and Chilli ($18) to Oyster and Uni ($28) served in small claypots to the table. Sauces and water are self serve. Happy Hour is popular with their $12 nett for 2 glasses of house wines (4pm till 8pm) or there are bespoke cocktails too.

Provisions, 7 Dempsey Road, #01-04, Singapore 249671, +65 9783 0792, www.facebook.com/provisions.asia  

Bourbon Street (the bar on Club Street) is now Bourbon Street Po Boys Tea and Coffee: a New Orleans inspired cafe by day and bar by night. If you’re looking for the next craze and are bored with latte art then look this way – it’s all about Goth Lattes and Black Lemonades. Made with charcoal, these drinks are just begging for some Instagram action. For food, grab their Damn Breakfast Bun ($6) of scrambled eggs, carmelized onions and sriracha in a brioche bun (sounds like hangover heaven) or their Pulled pork Po’ Boy Sandwich ($12). Evening bites include Chicken & Waffles, Cajun Chicken Wings and Gumbo.

Bourbon Street Po Boys Tea and Coffee, 46 Club Street. Singapore 069423, www.bourbonstreet.com.sg

Frunatic has opened in the basement of Palais Renaissance serving 8-course set meals designed by nutritionists and TCM Physicians. The cuisine is free from dairy, gluten, additives, cholesterol and preservatives. The small, windowless room is almost clinically white with curved walls. While there is an a la carte menu, packages are encouraged – starting from $888 for 10 meals, up to $6,000 for 100 meals! The price includes  a pre- and post-consultation session with their in-house nutritionist to understand your body’s requirements (whether it be Diabetes management to ‘Athletic Sport Performance’), so a meal plan can be designed for your once weekly meal in restaurant, though no guidance is given for your eating habits outside the restaurant. The 8-course meal will include three liquid courses: such as a cold goji berry infused tea, a mango smoothie and a green cold pressed juice; two ‘snacks’ like dehydrated pineapple rings and nuts; then there will be a salad; a main like brown rice with vegetables and a dessert such as vegan cheesecake.

Frunatic, Palais Renaissance, #B1-06 Singapore, 390 Orchard Rd, Singapore 238871, Tel: (+65) 62760288, www.frunatic.com

• If your kiddo’s a major carnivore, Potato Head Folk is offering a fam-friendly new “Sunday Funday” brunch, priced at a totally reasonable $85++ for a family of five (including three kids under 10). Choose from dishes like signature burger and fries, pancakes (pictured above), hot dogs, and fried chicken wings. Parents can indulge with Bloody Marys, Mimosas or House Sangrias (at extra cost), while kids can stay busy with a rotating slate of activities like face painting, t-shirt painting, or even floral arranging. It’s on every Sunday from 9am to 1pm.
• Angela May Food Chapters  introduces a menu revamp to coincide with the recent opening of its sister brands Sabio, L’Entrecote and &Made at the outdoor extension of Robinsons The Heeren.
• Aloha Poké  opens at CityLink Mall, where on top of their usual poke bowls, a new dish called the Pokéritto – poke in a toasted wrap – is now on offer.
• BAM! offers a pretty special ‘Modern Shudo’, a contemporary spin on sake appreciation, by pairing up with their renowned tapas by Chef Pepe Moncayo. Sake-Tapas Tastings are on every Monday from 6.00pm to 8.00pm with 5 sakes and 5 tapas at $48pp.

• ALBA 1836 welcomes back Chef de Cuisine Luca Piras together with new menu creations which include Warm Octopus on a pecorino cream sauce, homemade fresh Gnocchetti with tuna, basil and fresh tomatoes, and Black cod Catalan Style. Pop in for an affordable set lunch of 3/4 courses ($32/42).
• ‘RWS Street Eats’ from 12 to 20 August 2017 will showcase renowned hawkers and eateries from Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam; 11 additional food stalls have been selected to join the stalls on Malaysian Food Street  on RWS for this pop up event. Entry to ‘RWS Street Eats’ is free and prices for each dish range from $4 to $8. Advance purchase of pre-paid event food vouchers can be made online at www.rwsentosa.com/streeteats
• Singapore Restaurant Festival is on! You have until 30 September, 2017 to dine at select restaurants island-wide at big savings. DBS and POSB cardholders can buy $100 Singapore Restaurant Festival Dining Vouchers (in denominations of $25) at a discounted price of $70. www.singaporerestaurantfestival.com