Here are the latest additions to include in your must-try list.
If you’re all about sussing out the best and newest eats and drinks in the city, you’ll be glad that we have no shortage of great contenders this year. From Violet Oon’s third establishment dedicated to satays and grilled produce, to a famous LA restaurant serving mouthwatering burgers, here’s what we’ll be dining on this month.
Violet Oon Satay Bar & Grill
Photo: Violet Oon Satay Bar & Grill
Fans of her National Kitchen branch will not be disappointed with Violet Oon’s new home at Clarke Quay. There are five types of satay available, and they come with two types of marinades and dips.
There’s the spicy-sweet Singaporean version, as well as chicken, pork Hainan and beef. For something unique and delicious, opt for the tripe satay infused with a blend of spices and rich coconut cream.
Complete your meal with signature mains like nasi goreng (which comes in spicy and spicier versions) or the daging panggang sambal hijau (200-day grain fed Black Angus beef infused with Asian spices). If the flavours get too fiery, make sure you have the coconut- and pandan-infused Jade Bangle drink on hand.
Violet Oon Satay Bar & Grill | 3B River Valley Road, #01-18, Clarke Quay, S(179021) | 9834 9935
Don Ho Social Kitchen & Bar
Photo: Don Ho
Don Ho is a secret joint waiting to be discovered. Getting here is a little bit tricky as you’ll have to go around the back of poke-bowl shop Loloku (opened by the same team) to find its entrance.
Once you’re inside, you’ll feel you’ve been transported into a different world with a nature-inspired theme that extends to the wall design and décor. The food is modern Australian with Middle Eastern and Asian influences.
Try the freshly-baked Za’atar bread shaped like a huge pizza and topped with herbs and spices; pork cheeks char siu sliders enhanced with kimchi; and flower clams cooked in chicken broth, white wine and naturally salted with Iberico pork bits.
Don Ho | Keong Saik Road 1, #01-05, The Working Capitol Building, S(089109) | 6223 5001
Ginett
Photo: Ginett
Escape the hustle and bustle of the city without ever leaving the city at Ginett, housed in Hotel G on Middle Road. The restaurant provides an all-day sanctuary where you can partake in delicious French fare paired with a wide array of wines.
The menu, crafted by group general manager and chef de cuisine Sylvain Royer, includes cold cuts and cheeses. Their charcoal grill dishes, salads and pastas are all great for sharing.
The drinks list (updated regularly) is also worth noting. They have over 70 French wines on offer every day—from the light Castel Roubine 2015 Rose, fruity Château Tour Bicheau 2013, to the full-bodied Merlot from Bordeaux.
Ginett | Hotel G, 200 Middle Road, S(188980) | 6809 7989
25 Degrees
Photo: 25 Degrees
We may have lost MeatLiquor (#gonetoosoon), but at least there’s a new player in town. 25 Degrees—named after the precise temperature difference between a raw and well-done burger—is from Los Angeles, and it that brings its unique West Coast flavours to our shores.
The focused menu has five varieties. First time visitors should order the signature Number One, with a burger with a 200g USA Angus beef patty hiding underneath a gazillion toppings that include caramelised onions, bacons and Thousand Island dressing.
‘Craft Your Own’ lets you customise your own burger with an array of meats, cheeses and toppings. Have them with their signature milkshakes or cocktails.
25 Degrees | Hotel G, 200 Middle Road, S(188980) | 6809 7990
Crackerjack
Photo: Crackerjack
The same team behind 28 HongKong Street opens a third establishment, this time, an all-day dining venue for food, coffee and cocktails. The kitchen is helmed by head chef Alysia Chan, formerly of MeatSmith, who takes inspiration from different cuisines to create healthy fare.
We’re big fans of the chermoula chicken, roasted to the right tenderness and topped with a heady mixture of spices and herbs, as well as the bourbon mashbill grits made from different grains and topped with chicken scratchings.
Come for the drinks too and enjoy bottomless coffee from 10am to 4pm or cocktails at the all-day open bar. Don’t forget to try the Frose, it’s perfect for our hot, sunny weather.
Crackerjack | 43 Tanjong Pagar Road, S(088464) | 8121 1462
Fynn’s
Photo: Fynn's
Is it the age of Australian fare? We think so, especially with all the restaurants that have opened in Singapore in the past year. The most recent one is Fynn’s, situated at JW Marriott South Beach Hotel. They are known for serving simple, honest and healthy dishes.
The menu is a mix of sandwiches, salads, mains and pastas. You’ll never go wrong with the cavatelli, made with freshly prepared pasta tossed in pork sausage braised octopus and tomato sauce, or the Iberico pork glazed with fermented garlic with a side of brussel sprouts.
Fynn’s | 26 Beach Road #B1-21 South Beach Avenue, S(189768) | 6384 1878