The Place Located along Craig Road, I checked out the newly opened Chef’s Tavern which is the latest venture by Chef Stephan Zoisl, who is also behind ‘Western Omakase’ concept at Chef’s Table. The name ‘tavern’ is a loose translation of izakaya, where the concept of Chef’s Tavern is to bring together classic European fare and refined Japanese culinary techniques.  

The interior of Chef’s Tavern is casual chic, where it took over the space of Binomio (which has since relocated to Raffles Hotel Raffles Arcade), and the dining ambience is cosy. It is very spacious, and the table setting is great for couples, small groups or large groups.

At the entrance is the bar area for pre or post-dinner drinks, a relatively laid-back setting to enjoy a drink or two and people watch at the same time.

The Food You can expect a unique Teishoku-style lunch set, where fresh seasonal ingredients take centrestage. There is also an à la carte menu with highlights like the Hokkaido Scallop Crudo and Cold Kombu Angel Hair Pasta.

In terms of beverages, the Happy Hour deals – S$9.90 pints of Japanese beer, whiskey highballs, and house pours – are available daily from 12pm to 7 pm. 

For lunch, there is the Teishoku-style Lunch Set (from S$28) where all the dishes are presented on a wooden tray. Expect the likes of Salad with Japanese Onion Vinaigrette; Soup of the day; protein dish like monkfish, choice of sourdough bread or rice, pickles, lotus root chips and fruits. It is a fuss-free presentation to target the working crowd in the CBD.

I started with an appetiser of Hokkaido Scallop Crudo (S$19), cold starter featuring sashimi-grade Hokkaido scallops with mint and shiso, then coated in a mango leche de tigre sauce.

I also had their Cold Kombu Angel Hair Pasta (S$22) which has an interesting twist of Asian elements as the pasta comes with tom kha coconut foam and lobster bisque along with Argentinian prawns. Overall, it packs much flavour and I enjoyed it. 

On to proteins, I had the Alaskan Black Cod (S$34) which comes with a generous portion. It goes with mild curry sauce beneath the cod along with some Ikura, which is quite a novel pairing. I do think that the portion of the sauce could be more generous as there was not enough sauce to go around with the big portion of the fish, which is a pity. 

Alternatively, the Schnitzel ‘Wiener Art’ (S$28) is a signature main course which pays homage to Chef Stephan’s Austrian background. It is a huge slab of deep-fried pork loin served with Cranberry jam and a scoop of anchovy butter topped with fried capers. You get a nice crisp texture if the pork here, where its flavour is enhanced by the butter. 

For desserts, I tried their White Peach Mousse (S$14) and Chocolate Gateau (S$16). The former comes with strawberry and blueberry compote along with Oolong ice cream, while the latter comes with deep fried basil leaf and yuzu sorbet.

I much prefer the Chocolate Gateau where the rich chocolate is well-balanced by the yuzu sorbet. 

Rants The dishes are generally well-presented and is not of “casual dining” standards, which is a plus. That said, it could also come across as forgettable as there is no one dish which really stood out for me.

Will I Return Again? For its location along Craig Road, the prices at Chef’s Tavern are fairly accessible given that the dishes are also quite well-presented. If you are looking for a reasonably priced and cosy dining spot in Tanjong Pagar, this is one to consider.

TheRantingPanda says:
Taste bud: 3.5/5
Hole in the pocket: 3/5
Ambience: 3.5/5
Overall Experience: 3.5/5 

Chef’s Tavern  
20 Craig Road 
Singapore 089692 
Tel: +65 6224 4188 

Opening Hours 
Monday to Saturday: 12pm to 2.30pm; 5.30pm to 9.30pm  
Happy Hour: 12pm to 7pm  
Closed on Sunday 

Ranted by The Ranter