The first of its kind, Sum Yi Tai (meaning “Third Wife” in Cantonese) brings traditional Chinese food into the modern designer bar setting.
At Sum Yi Tai, Chinese Tapas is served alongside a wide range of cocktails, remium whiskeys and a good selection of fine wines, where patrons can enjoy a tipple, while savouring a slice of roast pork or two. It is set in a multi-storey shop-house on Boon Tat Street, perched at the edge of the CBD, with the ground floor Chinese Tapas Bar, the second-floor Dining Club (with an attached private dining room), and the Private Rooftop Bar.
Upon entering Sum Yi Tai, patrons will be transported back to 1980s Hong Kong. The bar has a distinct gangland vibe reminiscent of old Hong Kong gangster movies. The first thing patrons will notice is a black Chinese dragon hanging from the ceiling, ever watchful, ever vigilant. Along the wall at the entrance of the Chinese Tapas Bar is a mosaic artwork made up of hundreds of wooden mahjong tiles, while further in, a CD wall waits, featuring the albums of many popular 1980s Canto-pop artistes. The general feel of the Chinese Tapas Bar is comfortable, friendly and familiar.
The Private Rooftop Bar presents a different atmosphere. With rattan furniture, beautiful lamps and lovely Chinese-style screen dividers adorning the surrounding area, and an exceptional view of the urban landscape, patrons will experience an exclusive yet cosy setting that is perfect for an intimate evening with close friends. Access to the Private Rooftop Bar is by invitation or reservation only.
In keeping with the 1980s Hong Kong theme, the music played at Sum Yi Tai is predominantly nostalgic 80s Canto-pop. The playlist is curated and arranged by DJ Andrew T (AOS), former Butter Factory resident, and also an investor in Sum Yi Tai. Expect up-to-date music when guest DJs are invited to spin too.
Amongst the hustle and bustle at the heart of Little India’s Syed Alwi Road, a Chindian restaurant is spicing up the vibrant Indian food scene with a new chef and a new menu.
Copper Chimney, the 10-year-old Syed Alwi flagship which prides itself in its distinctive North Indian and Chinese Indian cuisine, has gotten a fresh new interior and a revamped menu since F&B industry veteran and now Copper Chimney CEO Vikram Natarajan took over the reins two and a half years ago.
Manchurian sauces and momos or Nepalese dumplings may be the more well-known Chindian staples, but if you’re looking for a crisp start to the meal, the Salt and Pepper Baby Corn is a crunchy surprise on the menu. Expertly stir-fried with a healthy dose of garlic, peppers and soya sauce, this dish goes well with a cold glass of beer.
Another interesting starter is the Chicken Lollipop, juicy chicken fried in crisp batter and served with a spicy szechwan sauce on the side.
The Chicken Manchurian and Chilli Chicken are two of the most popular Chindian dishes on the Copper Chimney menu. The Chicken Manchurian, in particular, is a combination of chicken and freshly sautéed vegetables served in a sweet and sour brown sauce.
The ubiquitous fried rice dish will never be the same again once patrons have tried the spicy Szechwan Fried Rice, which can come served with prawns or chicken or as a vegetarian option. Another of the restaurant’s more popular dishes and made with 100% Basmati rice, the Szechwan Fried Rice has a fiery, rich depth of Indian and Chinese spices.
Each dish is carefully prepared with a selection of high quality spices. Szechwan peppers are brought in from China, and green chilli paste flown in from Calcutta to recreate the authentic flavours that Copper Chimney offers.
The latest edition to the Keong Saik district is an urban Izakaya, Neon Pigeon.
Inspired by the world of flavours found in the hidden spots of Tokyo and the underground culture of buzzling cities like New York and Hong Kong, the establishment is a vibrant social house offering great value for money and the soul of a Japanese Izakaya with a punch of urban grit.
With a selection of starters (appropriately named ‘Bird Feed’), soups, greens, seafood and meats, Japanese snacks are given a modern and in-house twist at Neon Pigeon. The Izakaya-style menu, designed for tastings, serves up dishes in ‘small’ or ‘large’ portions and you are recommended to order six to eight small dishes to share between two people.
A look at the menu and you will notice the heavy use of classic, no-frills Japanese flavours in the condiments and among the assortment of "Bird Feed", is a cold dish of Chilled Cucumber with home-mixed crushed chilli peanuts, nori (seaweed) and goma (sesame), as well as the Tsukune Sliders, an east-meets-west combo of a Japanese meatball patty and a western slider bun, coupled with pickled kyuri (Japanese cucumber) and tare (soy basting sauce) aioli.
Keeping up with the fun-sharing concept, Neon Pigeon also offers a large format dining option of Barbecued Pork Shoulder for groups of four to six. With a two-day advance order required, the hearty fare of pork shoulder is slow-cooked for 20 hours and served in a black pepper teriyaki glaze, with a ginger scallion dipping sauce, bibb lettuce wraps, steamed buns, a spring onion salad, onigiri rice cake, kimchi and pickles to complement.
Also an integral part of the concept’s underground vibe is the Neon Pigeon bar. The bar’s Japanese-inspired drinks list includes a selection of Japanese beers and whiskeys, each a representative of different prefectures, as well as a curated list of spirits and Japanese inspired speciality cocktails. These include Throw A Kyuri-Ken, a vodka-based cocktail with a refreshing touch of lemon juice, yuzu and cucumber, as well as Harajuku Girl, a mix of gin, shiso leaf, and plum bitters.
The bar also houses a selection of sake of varying fragrances and complexity, including a range of Junmai, Daiginjo, Ginjo and Honjozo sakes, that were all hand-picked from sake distilleries across Japan to complement the dishes offered at Neon Pigeon.
Specially designed by US-based EDG Interior Architecture + Design, the Neon Pigeon space at The Working Capitol building on Keong Saik is built to own the vibe of a hidden spot off the main street only known to the locals, as a veiled corner of an urban metropolis. The exterior shows only a fluorescent pink pigeon, lit when in business, while the interior is paved with raw elements of steel and bricks that are softened with sophisticatedly designed wood finishing, giving the social hangout an urban grit with comfort and familiarity – an atmosphere reminiscent of Shibuya district in Tokyo or East Village in New York. A semi-open concept kitchen is also featured, with the action in the kitchen open for a close-up view.
A final and crucial touch to the space is the loud graffiti work plastered on the walls of the interior that gives the restaurant a touch of the underground New York City vibe. The team had specially commissioned local visual artist, ZERO to create these murals.
Hot on the heels of the popular halal-certified FIX Cafe, The Food Explorer F&B Group has just released the newest addition to their brand of casual eateries. Here comes FIX Grill, a casual mediterranean grill concept.
Built on the same promise as FIX Cafe, FIX Grill offers “Original Handmade Goods” of the edible kind and sets itself apart with a few choice touches.
The kitchen’s attention to detail can be seen in its range of creative appetisers, each component carefully put together to achieve a harmony of flavours in each dish. One such appetiser is the Watermelon and Prawn Salad. The watermelon cubes in the salad are first compressed, concentrating and enhancing the sweetness of each morsel, before being topped with contrasting flavours of crumbled feta, crunchy almonds and poached prawns and finished with a honey lemon verbena dressing.
Another appetiser not to be missed is the Hokkaido Scallops on Quinoa. These plump scallops are sweet & juicy and lend a delicious flavour to the bed of quinoa and grilled corn it sits on, perfectly complemented with a homemade romesco sauce.
Coming with a group of friends? The Assorted FIX Grill Platter of Skewers makes a great dish for sharing. This is no ordinary platter of meat cubes, expect creative items like Greek Beef Keftedes skewers, Lamb Moussaka skewers, Chicken Tsukune Yakitori skewers and Homemade Prawn & Fish Cake skewers, all grilled to perfection and served with a delicious homemade pumpkin mash and potato crisps.
There is a good selection of mains with sufficient variety to suit any palate. Pasta lovers can choose between the vegetarian Primavera Pasta, Seafood Pasta in a light broth or a hearty Homemade Beef Lasagna.
Meat lovers will delight in the Bone-in Beef Shortribs, slow-cooked for 24 hours to achieve a succulent texture and delicious beefy flavour. Or the Slow-Roasted Half Chicken which is tender, juicy and served with a porcini cream sauce.
Seafood lovers have not been missed with a FIX Lobster Roll featuring chunks of meat from a whole lobster tail in a creamy mayonnaise in a buttery soft homemade brioche bun. The Pan-seared Salmon on Wild Rice also makes for a great kid-friendly dish.
A perfect accompaniment to the dishes from the grill, FIX Grill also offers a range of Handcrafted Sodas made from fresh fruits and herbs. Take your pick from Strawberry & Sweet Basil, Pineapple & Passionfruit, Ginger & Lime or Kiwi & Mint, all refreshing in taste and delightfully colourful.
Starting from a coffeeshop stall in Tanjong Pagar Plaza in 2010, the 2 Cai brothers, Weili & Weisheng have moved to a small ramen restaurant in International Plaza.
Brothers Ramen specialises in a pork, chicken, fish and vegetable broth.. They are also famous for their ham-like chashu and extremely tender chicken slices which are cooked at a low-temperature water bath. Home-made noodles are made in such a way that they can be able to stay in the broth for a longer period of time without losing its original texture.
Using modern and traditional ramen cooking techniques, the brothers aim to introduce a more localised flavour.
33SixtyEight is a microcreamery serving freshly churned handcrafted gelato and specialty sorbettos, produced in limited quantities.
They work with simple principles. Serving only yummy, real, tasty gelato and sorbettos, which has a life of its own. They emphasize on the quality, consistency and churning techniques.
They use only the finest quality ingredients available in the market, so they can bring out the most exquisite characteristics of every gelato and sorbetto flavours, they lovingly churned in their kitchen.
The award-winning ramen emporium has unveiled its latest concept store - Ippudo Express – in Terminal 3 of Singapore’s Changi Airport.
A unique product available at this new concept store is the offering of Japanese dip sandwiches. Made with premium ingredients, the sandwiches offered include hearty fillings such as chicken, beef and shrimp, complete with flavourful Ippudo homemade dips for a twist of flavours on the palate
Ramen fans will not be disappointed with the options offered at the Changi location, which boasts a well-rounded mix between soup bases and flavours. New and exclusive Miso Butter Tonkotsu offers a flavourful, fragrant broth while other special ramen include the original Hakata Tonkotsu, fiery delights Spicy Tan-Tan Men and Spicy Miso Tonkotsu, wholesome and refreshing Hakata Mentai Tonkotsu, as well as the unique dry ramen served hot - Maze Sob.
Ippudo Express @ Changi aims to provide a quick and convenient option for travellers on the go, featuring a selection of fresh salads in convenient takeaway packaging, including best-sellers Nikumiso Tofu Salad and Cobb Salad, as well as new additions Japanese Chicken Salad and Beans Salad.
Ben & Jerry’s has opened its first Flagship Scoop Shop in Southeast Asia at 313 Somerset Discovery Walk.
Ben & Jerry’s Flagship Scoop Shop serves an exciting menu of 18 chunky, swirly and euphoric ice cream flavours, alongside new shakes, sundaes, ice cream cakes and a wider range of merchandise.
Staying true to providing you the best possible ice cream made in the nicest possible way, Ben & Jerry’s is taking values-led sourcing local. Bakery items like brownies and cookies and herbs like mint are supplied by SCORE Bakery which works to rehabilitate inmates through skills training, and social enterprise Edible Garden City, who are a group of urban farmers championing the Grow Your Own Food movement in land-scarce and import-dependent Singapore.
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