FOOD CATALUNYA
Start with the spherical olives a la El Bulli, which is where the chef
ANDRE
When Taiwan-born Andre Chiang moved on from Jaan, it was actually Singapore foodies’ gain. Because they got Andre. This four-year-old food paradise has about a month-long waiting list for its 30 seats. The esoteric and arcane Octaphilosophy tasting menu runs to more than a dozen courses and several hours—and items don’t just vary day to day but table to table. This is a treat of a lifetime. S$298 plus taxes, 41 Bukit Pasoh Road, www.restaurantandre.com
SHINJI BY KANESAKA
Eat sushi in Singapore. I always do. And this is the top of the chef’s table. There is no menu, only omakase, only from the sea. Not all raw—there is even a five-hour steamed Hokkaido abalone. Off a table made out of a 220-year-old single piece of Japanese cypress, seating 22. S$300-450, The St Regis, 29 Tanglin Road, www.shinjibykanesaka.com
SECRET COOKS CLUB
Secret Un-dinner Experiments have included nyotaimori (sushi served on a naked woman for a table) and a dinner based off diners’ DNA from their saliva samples by chef Florian Cornu. There is a secret sign-up and then you get invites, so yes advance planning required. www.facebook.com/secretcooks
LOLLA’S SECRET SUPPERS
Yes, there is a Lolla restaurant in Chinatown now, but the underground guerrilla dining is still the exclusive experience it is. Venue is secret, chef is secret, menu is secret—the thrill is a certainty. Look for the group on Facebook, eh? Or email [email protected] and keep about S$300 handy
HATTER STREET
Served with a pinch of madness, the desserts dreamt up by former Bo Innovation chef Yvette Chua are not pricey (S$5 a smoked sawdust pudding) but have enough local flavour and, well, innovation to be worth the trek to the middle of tourism-nowhere (Hougang). You just can’t get this stuff at Ku De Ta, never mind the view. www.hatterstreet.com
LABYRINTH
Best of the latest, this little 14-seater by Chef Han Li Guang draws up all its chairs to the one counter for a 14-course S$78 tasting menu. Reimagined curry rice and a beach landscape of a hot-cold chilli crab, risotto in ramen broth and a sweet xiao long bao make this a cutting-edge Chinatown eating experience. 5 Neil Road, www.labyrinth.com.sg
DRINKS
BAR STORIES
The ultimate cocktail fantasy, this bar has nary a drinks menu. Tell the bartender your life’s story—or at least that of your taste buds—and have them match you to a drink of their choice. Bottoms up to exciting adventures, when you’ve been everywhere and drunk everything already, loh! 57A Haji Lane, www.barstories.com.sg
THE LIBRARY
Drink in the bathtub—or a copper mug. That’s what you get for fetching up at the Library with the right password. Unlike 28 (below), this one’s easy to spot, but you’ll need help with the ‘word’. (Hint: Drop by Keong Saik Snacks—see ‘Stay’ section—or Esquina for eats first.) 47 Keong Saik Street
28 HONG KONG STREET
Punches served in Shannon crystal bowls are the speciality at The Office private lounge at this American-style speakeasy bar. Treating friends? Go for Plan B (S$230 for 20), with tequila and tea and cava. However, none of the standard brands are lined up at this watering hole. Bring an appetite for the finer spirits, not oft seen. www.28hks.com
MR PUNCH AT THE MINT MUSEUM OF TOYS
The otherrooftop bar of Singapore has more fun on the way up than you can afford to indulge in publicly at upscale Marina Bay. The bar at the Mint Museum of Toys has to be among our best-kept secret attractions in Singapore, particularly for the rare luxury of indulging in childhood again, on the cheap at that. S$10 a pint of beer at Punch hour, 26 Seah Street, www.emint.com
KU DE TA CLUB LOUNGE
Still unbeatable for the view, Marina Bay Sands’ rooftop poolside terrace remains the nightlife photo-op of choice. We hope it stays that way after being snapped up by Louis Vuitton-Moët Hennessy last month. www.kudeta.com.sg
Andre
Bar Stories
Bars in Singapore