The Place As one of the dining concepts under the Ebb & Flow Group, I first visited Willow at Hong Kong Street when it first opened back in 2022 and fast forward to today, the restaurant helmed by Executive Chef Nicolas Tam has a new direction. Following four consecutive years of retaining its One Michelin Star since 2023, the new menu and direction of Willow reflects a more personal expression of Chef Nicolas’s culinary journey, memories and experiences over the past few years, while still rooted in Willow’s contemporary Asian identity.

The interior of Willow is fine-casual, elegant, and it also does without any white tablecloths like typical fine-dining restaurants. The main dining hall has counter seats which overlook the open kitchen, where diners get close interaction with the chefs, and visually more interesting from my perspective.

For bigger groups, there is also a quieter dining room at the back of the restaurant.

The space of Willow is intimate, with counter seats offering the best view of what goes on in the open kitchen, a few tables for small groups, and a private room at the back of the shophouse restaurant.

The Food The new menu brings together premium seasonal produce, French technique, Chinese Japanese flavours and Chef Nicolas’ Southeast Asian roots, with each dish drawing from a particular memory, craving or emotion.

Only set menus are offered where lunch starts from S$98++ (3-courses) and S$138++ (4-courses), with additional S$78++ for alcohol pairing. For dinner, it is a S$258++ menu with additional S$168++ or S$318++ for alcohol pairing.

I had the dinner menu and here is what to expect: 

Trio of snacks
To start, I had a trio of delicious snacks served in a beautiful garden.

Tomato – umeboshi
Carabinero – uni
Chutoro – orange peel

Japanese Whelk – scallop | horseradish | verbena

Chicken French Poulet | scallion croissant
One of my favourite courses on this menu. This dish is a playful take on childhood comfort where the rich chicken velouté is paired with poached chicken, fingerling potatoes and served alongside a flaky scallion croissant inspired by ‘cong you bing’. A comforting soup course, and I like that instead of the usual bread, scallion croissant is used instead which goes well together with the soup.

Threadfin – saeurkraut | cuttlefish | rattan pepper Or Tilefish (signature +S$32) – crispy-scaled amadai | conpoy | snow crab

For fans of ‘suan cai yu’, the threadfish should be up your alley. This course is Chef Nicolas’ elevated interpretation of Suan Cai Yu where he combines lightly cured threadfin with pickled mustard greens, hamaguri emulsion, rattan pepper and chilli. It is a nuanced take, so the flavours come across as very smooth and not too overbearing.

If you choose the amadai, it can’t go wrong as well as. This dish is Willow’s longstanding signature, and this version here is reimagined with a rich dashi of Chinese dried scallops and snow crab, alongside a sustainable plant-based shark fin substitute.

A5 Satsuma Wagyu (+S$42) – Kyoto manganji peppers | black garlic
For mains, I chose the wagyu beef (the other meat option is lamb) which uses the part of the beef’s shoulder blade. It is a good balance of beefy taste and marbling.

Premium Fish Maw – slow-braised 花胶 | onigiri | roasted fish bone soup
The last savoury dish is a new interpretation of Willow’s signature fish maw rice, and it brings together elements of ochazuke, Chinese fish soup, yaki onigiri and crisp scorched rice.

Liang Teh Honey | winter melon | peach gum
A palate cleanser which is refreshing and inspired by herbal tea.

Monaka “wu ren” | orange creamsicle
Last but not least, this dessert is inspired by the nostalgic pleasure of an ice cream sandwich, with orange “creamsicle” ice cream and traditional mixed nuts.

Rants The dinner menu is admittedly steep with additional add-on in prices for some dishes.

Will I Return Again? I resonate with the flavours at Willow where it is heartening to find familiar local Singaporean inspired flavours alongside global ingredients. Dishes are executed with finesse without being gimmicky, and that it what shines out for me in a fine-dining meal.

TheRantingPanda says:
Taste bud: 4.5/5
Hole in the pocket: 4/5
Ambience: 4/5
Overall Experience: 4/5

Willow
39 Hongkong Street
Singapore 059678
Tel: +65 9295 9615

Opening Hours
Tuesday to Thursday: 6pm to 11pm
Friday & Saturday: 12pm to 3pm; 6.30pm to 11pm
Closed on Monday & Sunday

Ranted by The Ranter