The month of November 2017 saw the seasons changing, celebrations, new openings and launch of festive menus. What were you especially excited about as we edge closer to the brand new year in 2018? While you wait, check out our top eats in November’s Affair With Food.
1. Adrift by David Myers
Adrift is proud to announce its latest menu of creative dishes that are at once extremely modern, yet deliciously familiar. Known for their flavour-forward menu and celebrity chef status, Adrift is unlike your run of the mill restaurant and offers quite an eclectic selection of food.
The dishes here are prepared in various formats of small plates, seafood, grilled meats and healthy salads – all using fresh produce, with Asian inspiration and cutting-edge flavour combinations. Here’s the Roasted Young Chicken ($30), a juicy fire-roasted bird marinated in lemon miso paste, served with burnt citrus and dusted with shichimi togarashi.
Adrift also serves enticing concoctions, like the cheekily themed Trouble Maker ($23) and Tuk Tuk Thief ($23). If you enjoy Gin based cocktails, head for the Troublemaker – concocted with Gin, vermouth, cucumber and strawberry; while the other is laced with rum and fresh pineapples!
Adrift by David Myers
Address: 10 Bayfront Avenue, Hotel Lobby Tower 2, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore 018956 (Map)
Opening Hours:
Weekend Brunch 11am to 3pm
Lunch – Daily 12pm to 2:30pm
Dinner – Daily 6pm to 10pm
Late Night Menu
Sunday – Thursday 10pm to Midnight
Friday & Saturday 10pm to 1am
Bar & Lounge
Sunday – Thursday 12noon to 12midnight
Fri and Saturday 12noon to 1am
Contact: +65 6688 5657
2. Hai Kee Soy Sauce Chicken
We’ve always enjoyed seeing hawker stalls carried on by the younger generation owners and Hai Kee is one of the few lasting ones in Singapore. A humble eatery that puts a saucy twist on the classic chicken rice since the 1950s, we had to try their tender chicken meat, fully drenched in its unique soy sauce! From the homemade chopped ginger and chilli paste, to its unique one-of-a-kind soy sauce – nothing has changed about its recipe.
Steadfast and sincere in maintaining its affordability, Hai Kee stands firm as a comfort zone familiar to everyone; from the greyhaired old-timers to the curious millennials.
Hai Kee Soy Sauce Chicken (Changi Outlet)
Address: Changi: Kim San Leng, 324T Changi Road, Singapore 419799 (Map)
Opening Hours: 9am to 6.30pm (Closed on Friday)
Contact: +65 9459 2494
Hai Kee Soy Sauce Chicken (Bedok Outlet)
Address: Bedok: Food Loft, 3 Bedok North St 1, Singapore 460217 (Map)
Opening Hours: 9am to 8pm (Closed on alternate Tuesday)
Contact: +65 9835 0099
3. Ippudo (The Star Vista)
Ippudo is well known for its ramen and with its 10th cafe-concept store newly opened at the Star Vista, we applaud their trendy-mindset to introduce several creative dishes and coffee offerings!
We tried their exclusive ramen dishes like Tan Tan Men ($16; $19 with tamago) and the Maze Soba ($12; $15 with Tamago), and would certainly opt for the latter. Starring homemade dry noodles tossed with homemade minced meat miso paste, this dish is unique yet comforting with toppings like diced chashu, spring onions, bamboo shoots, seaweed, onsen tamago and fried noodle bits.
Other unique items to look out for are the oven-baked Lasagna Gyoza ($10) or Ebi Mayo ($16) among many other cafe-inspired dishes. The Ebi Mayo was a surprising one, crispy, while the homemade sauce made of lemon, chili, salt, mayonnaise and condensed milk was not too overwhelming and complements perfectly.
Ippudo (The Star Vista)
Address: The Star Vista, 1 Vista Exchange Green #02-19, Singapore 138617 (Map)
Opening Hours: 11.00am to 10.00pm
Contact: +65 6734 1596
4. Kabuke
New to the enclave of bars and restaurants around the Telok Ayer vicinity is Kabuke, a cosy and intimate Sake gastrobar housed in a heritage shop house. A little speakeasy as compared to the other bustling bars nearby, Kabuke is located on the second floor and specializes in the curation of quality Japanese sake and pairings with contemporary Japanese cuisine.
Helmed by Sake Sommelier Keiji and Chef Rio, you’ll not only love the dining stage they’ve set, but the eclectic spread of food and sake pairings. If you’re here for lunch, we recommend trying their three signature Kabuke Beef Bowls – Gyudon ($15), Wagyu Suki Bowl ($18) and Wagyu Bowl ($28), with available add-ons including freshly flown-in Uni and Foie Gras.
Other Star dishes to try are their comfort food and crowd favourites such as the Baby Corn ($10), Wagyu Tataki ($28), Shiso Tempura with Hotate Tartare ($15), Takoyaki Fries ($12) and Crispy Goma Goma Wings ($12).
Kabuke
Address: 200A Telok Ayer Street (Level 2) Singapore 068638 (Map)
Opening Hours:
Lunch – Monday to Friday 11.30am to 2.00pm
Dinner – Monday to Thursday 5.00pm to 11.00pm
Friday and Saturday 5.00pm to 12.00am
Contact: +65 8822 5525
5. Nadai Fujisoba Ni-hachi
Ice Hotpot, wow what’s that? Nadai Fujisoba Ni-Hachi introduces Singapore’s first and only Ice Hotpot – an innovative and refreshing approach to the traditional hotpot dish. An attractive dish sure to be the centre of attention, the Mount Fuji Icy Hotpot consists of a bed of fresh premium seafood under a heap of ice reminiscent of Mount Fuji.
Rich chicken and seafood stock is carefully broiled for hours before being frozen, and wait, is that Olaf sliding down a bed of ice?
Nadai Fujisoba Ni-hachi
Address: 100AM, 100 Tras Street, #03-14, Singapore 079027 (Map)
Opening Hours: 11am to 3.00pm, 5.30pm to 10.00pm
Contact: +65 6443 8827
6. Minions Cafe
BELLO! Guess who’s landed on our shores! Arguably our favourite villains, the pesky minions have invaded Singapore with a Minion-themed pop-up cafe. Located on level 3 of Orchard Central, the cafe will be opened for just over 2 months from 23 November 2017 to 31 January 2018. A one in a minion opportunity, don’t miss out on getting up close with the evil master Gru and the pesky minions – Stuart, Kevin & Bob; as they heighten the mischief here in Singapore.
Inspired by the Despicable movie franchise, the menu features 14 themed dishes that’s fortunately not as despicable on our wallets! If you’ve waited an hour long in line and thinking to get your time worth, try the Minion Riceball Party and head straight to their Smore Minions Ice Cream for dessert.
Minions Café
Pop-up Cafe period: 23 Nov 2017 – 31 Jan 2018
Address: 181 Orchard Road, Orchard Central, #03-23/24/25, Singapore 238896 (Map)
Opening Hours: 11:00am to 9:00pm
7. Redpan
A modern Singaporean bistro, Redpan in its name tells a lot about the kind of food you can expect. Celebrating the Singaporean culture and palette, the dishes served here are ingeniously created to include local ingredients and familiar flavours.
Think you’re having just your typical Paella dish? Nope, there’s also Lup Cheong in the mix with spicy Chorizo. The mix does fare really well and we feel they’ve kinda perfected the combination. Only drawback is the portion size for $28, may not be the ideal lunch time savings you’re looking for.
Redpan
Address: 6, Raffles Boulevard #02-03/04, Marina Square Singapore 039594 (Map)
Opening Hours: 12pm-10pm (extended to 11pm on Fridays)
Kitchen closes from 3pm – 5.30pm (weekdays)
Contact: +65 6255 5850
8. Tamoya Udon
When it comes to having Udon in Singapore, Tamoya Udon’s hard to beat. After all, founder Tamotsu Kurokawa was crowned the champion of Sanuki Udon in TV Champion, a reality competition in Japan, after years of pursuing his craft as an udon specialist.
In their newly launched dry udon series, Tamoya Udon retains their signature smooth and chewy udon. On the inside, Tamoya Udon radiates a casual and lively atmosphere; and if you’re lucky enough, you will catch one of their chefs hand making udon live at their station. All of their ingredients, from flour to shoyu to bonito, are imported directly from Japan!
Of the four new dishes (The Triple Egg Udon, Fried Onion Udon, Oooh-mami Udon and Pesto Udon), our favourite is no doubt the Oooh-mami Udon ($10.80). Other than the smooth udon that is made extra silky by the onsen egg, the XO sauce and dried sakura ebi lent a slight saltiness and spice that kept us going back for more. The spring onions and bonita flakes also provided that extra crunch. Tamoya Udon is clearly a hit with its wallet-friendly prices and good quality food. With its flavourful udon bowls, it surely deserves a visit!
Tamoya Udon
Address: 177 River Valley Road, Liang Court Shopping Centre, #01-32, Singapore 179030 (Map)
Opening Hours: Mon – Sun 11am – 9.30pm
Contact: +65 6337 0301
With lots of love,
An Affair With Food
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