New Restaurants

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Toriei 
Hidden away on Level 4 of Cuppage Plaza, Toriei is a new slick, intimate 10-seater yakitori omakase restaurant by Chef Roy Koh who also runs Skewers a few doors down. As opposed to Skewers which does an ala carte menu in a casual setting. Toriei targets a more premium and upscale dining experience with only an omakase menu. The space is exclusive as there is only a counter-only setup, where diners get up close to all the action right in front of you as the chef works the charcoal grill.
Address: 5 Koek Road, #04-05, Cuppage Plaza, Singapore 228796     

Kappo Suguru 
Located along 192 Joo Chiat Road, Kappo Suguru is a relatively new Japanese dining concept by the team behind the home-dining brand Suguru Home Dining. This shophouse space runs two concepts – Kappo Suguru from Sunday to Tuesday, and Suguru Sushiya for the rest of the week. It is a cosy counter seating layout with a direct front-row view of the chefs executing traditional kappo techniques. Only seasonal omakase menus are available here from S$180++, where I had their 11-course seasonal menu (S$250++). The tallow-aged A5 wagyu beef is amazing.
Address: 192 Joo Chiat Road, Singapore 427463 

Katsu by Kyu
Located at OUE Downtown Gallery along Shenton Way, Katsu by Kyu is a new Korean-inspired tonkatsu restaurant which specialises in Jeju pork. Only Jeju pork is used at Katsu by Kyu. Premium Jeju pork supposedly contains a higher proportion of red muscle fibres, which are denser, more oxygen-rich, and naturally more flavourful. Each cut then undergoes 10 days of dry aging, then finished over rice-straw charcoal before serving. All signature sets are served alongside house pickles, shredded cabbage, miso soup, and free-flow rice. [Read more here for our full review]       
Address: 6A Shenton Way, #01-09/10 Downtown Gallery, Singapore 068815 

Assaggi 
Taking over the space of the now-defunct Restaurant Chaleur, Assaggi is a new Italian restaurant located on level two of the shophouse space and is by the team behind one-Michelin-starred Buona Terra and Locanda. Assaggi means “tasting” in Italian and true to its name, the menu here focuses on tasting menus only. The menu here starts from S$58++ for three-course lunch, while dinner tasting menu is at S$88++. There are two dinner menus  – Signature Journey or Pasta Journey, all in tasting portions. Main difference between the two menus is that the latter features four types of pastas whereas you get other proteins in the courses on the Signature Journey menu. [Read more here for our full review]       
Address: 77a Neil Road, Singapore 088903 

Kimpson’s Table
Located at Far East Square, Kimpson’s Table is a new casual Korean restaurant by Chef Patrick Kim. The interior of Kimpson’s Table is unpretentious, with indoor and outdoor seats, where the restaurant is located right at the exit of Telok Ayer MRT Station. It is a modest looking modest, which is also a reflection of the transition of Chef Patrick from a home-based/pop-up concept to a permanent brick-and-mortar nook. Expect home-style Korean comfort food with mostly dishes like Samgyetang (ginseng chicken soup) priced under S$20. [Read more here for our full review]     
Address: 134 Amoy Street, #01-01, Far East Square, Singapore 049963 

SAM SAM SAM
New at Velocity @ Novena Square, SAM SAM SAM serves body-matched samgyetang in a retro 1980s Seoul herbal shop setting. This no-pork, no-lard concept from the MODU team features a diagnostic wellness quiz and comforting ginseng chicken broths starting around S$29. Think walls lined with traditional wooden medicine drawers, ceramic vessels, and dark timber surfaces mixed with playful 90s sports touches. For samgyetang, there are a couple of options: Vitality Tonic (S$29) which is recommended for first timers as this is the classic flavour here: Circulation Elixir (S$29) which is good for skin vitality, circulation support and inner balance; Nourishing Perilla (S$30) for lung health and deep nourishment; and Immunity Black (S$32) which features slow-aged black garlic good for energy replenishment and immunity. There is also a complimentary refill of the original soup base regardless of which flavour you go for. [Read more here for our full review]      
Address: #02-46, Velocity@Novena Square, Singapore 307683

The City Bakery Singapore
New bakery café alert in the heard of Orchard Road at Mandarin Gallery. The City Bakery Singapore is the local outpost of The City Bakery, founded in New York in 1990 by Maury Rubin. With a legacy spanning New York and Japan, this is the brand’s first outpost in Southeast Asia. The brand has a signature Japanese-American baking philosophy as it was Manhattan-born and Osaka grown, where the Mandarin Gallery location will also be anchored by a cafe/restaurant in addition to the bakery space. [Read more here for our full review]      
Address: Mandarin Gallery, 333A Orchard Road, #04-05, Singapore 238897 

Tembusu 
How often do we get a standalone restaurant in Singapore, let alone one nestled within a UNESCO World Heritage Site? Housed in a gorgeous spot surrounded by lush greenery at Singapore Botanic Gardens, the newly opened  Tembusu is one of the very few cafes or restaurants in Singapore that is fully pet-friendly indoors. Expect local and regional heritage flavours with a contemporary touch. The menu transitions from morning items like Nanyang Kopi and homemade Kaya Toast to an all-day menu built for sharing. [Read more here for our full review]    
Address: 1 Cluny Road, Ginger Garden, Singapore Botanic Gardens, Singapore 259569  

Buzzing Restaurants

NAE:UM Marks 5 Years With A Commemorative Menu 
One of my favourite contemporary Korean restaurants in Singapore, Chef Louis Han of NAE:UM has created the commemorative “Five Years” Menu, a new 8-course tasting menu (S$288++) that stands as the restaurant’s current expression of Contemporary Korean cuisine. The menu is both a nod to crowd favourites from the restaurant’s earlier Episodic menus and a showcase of how far Chef Louis has grown since. My favourite dishes include the ’Memilmyeon & mandu’ – Korean buckwheat noodles with white kimchi and cured tobiko dressing, along with morel mushroom dumpling by the side.  

The samjang rempah sauce is outstanding in the fish course of pan-seared Samegarei (roughscale sole) which cleverly marries Singaporean and Korean flavours; and one of the best fine-dining desserts around, ‘Daechu’, which is a crisp cylinder of charcoal tuille encasing silky date pastry cream and jujube truffle espuma, crowned with freshly shaved black truffles and a scoop of white chocolate ice cream.  

To mark the milestone, Chef Louis has also worked with local candlemaker Reminds Me Of on an anniversary scent where diners can bring home after their meal.   
Address: 161 Telok Ayer Street, Singapore 068615

Refreshed Menu At Jiak Kim House 
Formerly where Zouk used to be, Chef Tzi Qin has unveiled a new menu with influences spanning Indian, Peranakan, Hakka, Teochew, Hainanese and others, drawing inspirations from his own memories. When the restaurant first opened, it has a Modern Asian lens and the new menu now incorporates more Singaporean elements. Every meal begins with a complimentary bread course where we had the Croissant Lapis which draws inspiration from traditional kueh lapis and French croissant. Reflecting Chef TQ’s love for Indian cuisine, it is served with curry mash. I love the Seafood Otak Chawanmushi which layers silky Japanese chawanmushi with spiced fish paste, uni and caviar. 
 
For mains, you can expect dishes like Hainan Pork Mille-Feuille which pays homage to the nostalgic flavours of Hainanese curry rice, alongside Tom Yum ‘Chee Cheong Fun’. Do not miss Chef TQ’s Tangyuan “Muah Chee’ Cookie which cleverly combines black and white sesame gelato, crushed roasted peanuts, sesame seeds and a warm house-made peanut cookie with a chewy mochi centre. mochi centre.
Address: 5 Jiak Kim St, #01–17, Singapore 169425

Park Side’s New Rent-A-Picnic Experience 
This idea is ingenious – picnic without any fuss! Since Park Side opened at Botanic Gardens, it has been very popular and if you can’t get a table within your own time limits, their new Rent-A-Picnic concept, is basically swapping the table for the lawns. The new Wine & Wander picnic set lets guests collect everything they need for an effortless outdoor escape. Each set includes a picnic mat, basket and thermal flask, so all that’s left to do is find your perfect spot on the Gardens’ lush lawns. At S$136 per set, each set includes: Choice of 1 nibble & 2 Mains from Parkside’s regular menu; a bottle of Sileni Sauvignon Blanc or Yalumba Y Series Pinot Noir; picnic mat, basket and thermal flask of iced tea.
Address: 1 Cluny Road, Nassim Gate Visitor Centre Singapore Botanic Gardens, Singapore 259569

LINKUS Opens Second Singapore Outlet at Takashimaya Shopping Centre  
Singapore’s LINKUS (临家) is the first international outpost of Linkus Restaurant Group from Fujian, China founded in 2004, where it has opened its second Singapore outlet at Takashimaya Shopping Centre. Designed as a more refined expression of the brand, the new Takashimaya outlet offers an elevated dining experience where you can expect signature Minnan dishes including Fujian Rice Wine Marinated Runny Yolk Mantis Prawn, Quanzhou Duck with Tough Ginger and Abalone, and Southern Fujian’s nourishing soup Minnan Nourishing Sea Eel Soup.  
Address: 391 Orchard Road, Ngee Ann City Takashimaya Shopping Centre, #04-22, Singapore 238872

Ranted by The Ranter