Food

Oumi is a new restaurant on the 51st floor of CapitaSpring in Raffles Place. It is a contemporary Japanese Kappo dining outlet, sharing the same space as Kaarla, another new concept serving Australian food.

A “nose-to-tail” approach to cooking guides the culinary concept at Oumi. This means diners can expect a myriad of preparations and cooking styles at the dining table. Oumi may be self-styled as a Japanese Kappo restaurant, but it does so with a distinctly Western approach. This is not your traditional Japanese omakase restaurant and a quick glance at the menu reveals just that.

…

Read More »

Mention Cé La Vi casually to Singaporeans and most are likely to identify it as that bar atop Marina Bay Sands. However, few would know anything about the food offering. No doubt the location and the views have attributed to the venue’s success over the years – the place is simply spectacular whether during sunset or late at night – that people would automatically consider coming here even without knowing anything about the menu.

That is set to change as Cé La Vi brought in a new Executive Chef recently. Chef Maksym Chukanov joined Cé La Vi in April 2022 and brings with him a wealth of experience in many notable restaurants, most recently at Cure in Keong Saik Road where he was instrumental in getting it a Michelin star. Under his watch, there is a deliberate effort by Cé La Vi to make its food options a top reason to come rather than just for the views. 

Along with his arrival comes a revamp in Cé La Vi’s menu. While diners can expect new dishes, the venue stays true to its modern interpretation of Asian flavors and this can be seen not just in the mains but also in the bar bites and even desserts. 

…

Read More »

Tucked away at the second floor of the Grand Mercure Singapore Roxy in Katong is Jia Wei, an unassuming Chinese restaurant in the chain hotel. Although most of Singapore’s best Chinese restaurants are usually located in town, this Katong gem piqued my interest after an acquaintance on Instagram posted a couple of mouthwatering dishes from the venue. A quick check at various websites also revealed a few value-for-money deals so the decision to come was really a no-brainer.

Get a 20% discount voucher at Jia Wei here

As of this writing, I have been to Jia Wei five times. The first two times were for the value lunch sets. Portions were quite big and I was amazed by the 4 courses that came with the meal I chose. Following that, I was invited by the restaurant for dinner to check out the ala carte menu. I also dropped by a couple of times for their seasonal menus. The restaurant has a special dish that changes each month.

Jia Wei uses locally sourced ingredients whenever possible and that includes the greens in its vegetable dishes and even some of the seafood. Believe it or not, Singapore does have a thriving agri/aquaculture sector.

…

Read More »

Even with dining restrictions fully relaxed, takeaways and deliveries are still expected to play a larger part in our lives than during the pre-pandemic days . Many restaurants have now put their focus back on dine-in menus but the infrastructure built over the last 2 years in handling takeaways and deliveries stays for the most part. For now, most Chinese food lovers can still look forward to enjoying their favorite dishes at home, with families or close friends, especially since hosting at home has also become more popular.

Like everyone else, I have had my fair share of food takeaways and deliveries for the past 16 months (and counting). Among these takeaways, I would say that Chinese food is probably the most frequent cuisine I go for. For this update, I have compiled this list to share some Mothers’ Day Chinese food takeaways and delivery offers. They are arranged in no particular order.

…

Read More »

Chatterbox reopens on the 14th of March 2022 at the spanking new Hilton Singapore Orchard. Along with the reopening comes a brand new look for this 50+ year old dining institution in Singapore famed for its Mandarin Chicken Rice. 

The new look of Chatterbox is a far cry from the rather dated interiors that it sported prior to the refurbishment. Truth be told, it now looks more like a private lounge – the kind that would make for a nice spot for a tete-a-tete or for some casual meetings.

chatterbox bar area

There are also plenty of seating options at the new Chatterbox – from the bar area where diners can sample the inhouse Chatterbox Punch (S$17) before moving on to the meal proper to group dining spaces. In total, Chatterbox has 126 seats.

chatterbox dining space

My favorite area has got to be by the far end of the restaurant where a glass-enclosed balcony overlooks a manicured garden. Other than possessing plenty of natural light in the day time, it makes for a tranquil spot while enjoying some local fare.

chatterbox dining hall

I managed to drop by Chatterbox just one day before they officially opened to the public and managed to try everything on their menu. They now have just 8 items on the menu unlike in the past when they also offered salads and even sandwiches. The focus this time is on local fare.

Here is a rundown of their menu:

…

Read More »