Chef Willin Low

Singapore is a real treat for foodies, from the budget-friendly food centers to hidden gem neighbourhood restaurants and new openings by Michelin star chefs. Here are some of my top Singapore finds….

Blue Ginger

Blue Ginger was one of my favourite restaurants that we visited in Singapore. The stylish, homely restaurant in the historic Tanjong Pagar neighbourhood offers mouth-watering Peranakan dishes that are served in only a handful of restaurants in Singapore.

Peranakan is the name of a community of both Chinese and Malay descent, dating back to the 15th century. Regarded as comforting home cooking, Peranakan or Nonya food combines Chinese ingredients and wok cooking with Malay and Indonesian spices including galangal, candlenuts, pandal leaves and kaffir lime. Typical dishes such as Nonya Laksa and Itek Tim, are aromatic, spicy and rich in flavour.

At Blue Ginger, it’s best to order a few different dishes and share, so you can sample as many different tastes as possible. Traditional and authentic dishes to order are Kueh Pie Tee (shredded bamboo, turnips and shrimp in crispy cups), Otak Otak (aromatic fish cakes), Beef Rendang and Ayam Buah Keluak (braised chicken with Indonesian black nuts).

To learn more about the culture and history of Peranakan communities, view artefacts, costume and photographs at the fascinating Peranakan Museum.

Long Beach Seafood

Long Beach Seafood is one of the best restaurants to try Singapore’s signature Chilli Crab. The first Long Beach Seafood restaurant opened in 1946 and it is known today as the ‘Creator of the Original and the Best Black Pepper Crab of Singapore’. There are now five Long Beach Seafood restaurants, which have welcomed dignitaries, presidents and celebrites such as Morgan Freeman and Michelle Yeoh – in fact, Lady Gaga named it her favourite restaurant in Singapore.

We dined on the terrace at the Dempsey branch and enjoyed a delicious, top quality seafood feast. We started with Steamed Live Scottish Razor Clam with minced garlic and woven glass noodles, followed by crunchy House Speciality Prawns.

The giant Chilli Crab not only looks impressive, but the crabmeat is so fresh and succulent, smothered in a rich, buttery and mild chilli sauce. It comes with a selection of fluffy steamed and golden fried buns to mop up the sauce.

For after-dinner cocktails in one of Singapore’s coolest bars, try the nearby Tippling Club.

Wild Rocket

Wild Rocket at Mount Emily is a real hidden gem, offering delicious contemporary Singaporean dishes in a chic, comfortable setting. Chef Willin Low was working in the legal profession in London while honing his culinary skills at the weekends as a private chef. He asked his friends to give their most honest opinions on his cooking and after their praise and encouragement, he returned to Singapore to open the popular bistro Wild Rocket, nearby Wild Oats bar and gourmet burger joint Relish.

Adjoining the cool budget Hangout Hotel, Wild Rocket offers à la carte and a tasting menu with dishes including Pomello and Tiger Prawn Salad, Fried Chicken Wings stuffed with rice and water chestnut, Pesto Laksa and White Chocolate Lychee Martini Tart with brandied cherry.

Don’t miss Wild Oats bar just across the road for late-night drinks on the terrace.

For more information and restaurant ideas, visit: www.yoursingapore.com

Chérie City was a guest of Singapore Tourism Board

When the sun goes down in Singapore, the city’s bars are the place to be, from seductive rooftop bars with spectacular views over the skyline to low-key hipster bars hidden in the forest.

Here are some cool bars to add to your Singapore travel list…

Lantern

Lantern is the stylish rooftop bar on the seventh floor of The Fullerton Bay Hotel, one of Singpore’s most luxurious hotels. The name is derived from Clifford Pier’s historical Chinese name, ‘red lantern’ and this is reflected in the lantern-themed circular bar.

After dark, the pool and deck are lit up with twinkling lights and guests sip cocktails in the elegant marquee with billowing drapes or lounging at the cabanas. Lantern has a cool Latin American feel with expertly-mixed Latin cocktails and Cuban music from a live band or a subtle loungey DJ set.

I tried the delicious Merlion, a cocktail made with tequila, young ginger, honey, lime and soda. Accompany a cocktail with a selection of bar plates – the truffle and garlic fries are particularly good.

With spectacular views over Marina Bay and a buzzing atmosphere, Lantern is one of the most chic rooftop bars and a ‘must see’ in Singapore.

1-Altitude

For a unique bar experience with cocktails above the skyline, try the world’s highest al fresco bar, 1-Altitude. 282 metres up on the top of One Raffles Place, 1-Altitude includes two other concepts – City Golf and Stellar restaurant, but the most impressive is the rooftop bar. The triangular-shaped glass gallery offers a 360 degree view of the city, with spectacular views of Marina Bay.

It attracts a young, affluent, well-heeled set who like to party. There is a lower dance floor area and DJs play loud Latin American and house while guests laze on the cabana beds and watch the hourly light show.

The cocktails are decent, but it’s the views and the experience that brings the crowds to 1-Altitude.

Tippling Club

Tippling Club could easily be one of the coolest bars in the world. Hidden among the lush forest in Singapore’s stylish Dempsey Hill, Tippling Club combines molecular cuisine and superior cocktails with an unpretentious neighbourhood atmosphere.

British chef and owner Ryan Clift offers a tasting menu of experimental dishes, prepared in the Testing Kitchen, a culinary laboratory where you can watch the chefs at work.

I tried Don The Beachcomber Zombie ($27) – tiki rum potion, apricot brandy, pineapple, bitters, passionfruit and flaming volcano, served in a tiki cup. Another unique cocktail is the Juniper Sling, created to celebrate the launch of Penhaligon’s fragrance of the same name. It’s served in the original perfume bottle and box, finished with a fragrant spritz.

Members of the Tippling Society can buy alcohol at a special rate and their bottles are kept overhead at the bar, ready for when they come back for a drink. The open-air Tippling Terrace is perfect for spending a balmy evening with cocktails and tempting bar snacks, under a canopy of trees and stars.

Wild Oats

Wild Oats is a real hidden gem, tucked away in a colonial mansion atop Mount Emily in Dempsey Hill.

Just a few steps from Chef Willin Low’s Wild Rocket restaurant, Wild Oats is a hip, low-key bar, sharing a building with artist studios. The terrace is the place to chill out over drinks and gourmet bar plates. If you’re going for cocktails, try the refreshing Emily Royale – Champagne, strawberry purée and crème de cassis.

Dempsey Hill is a cab ride away from the city centre, so I’d recommend making an evening of it and dine at Wild Rocket or Long Beach Seafood, followed by cocktails at Wild Oats and Tippling Club.

Zouk

Zouk is the multi-concept super-club that attracts big name DJs and crowds from all over the world. Velvet Underground bar however, is a much more slick, high end affair. Tables and drinks here are expensive and access is exclusive, so be prepared to make an effort.

Renovated last year, Zouk has an impressive multi-million pound art collection, including pieces by Andy Warhol, Takashi Murakami and Keith Haring.

Other notable cool bars that are on my list for future visits are the KU DÉ TA rooftop bar and restaurant on the top of Marina Bay Sands, New Asia bar at Swissôtel The Stamford and Bob’s Bar at Capella on Sentosa island.

For more cool bar recommendations, visit: www.yoursingapore.com

Chérie City

Amazing Places To Eat Out In Singapore