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What’s the one thing better than Happy Hour? A Happiest Hour! JO UPCRAFT heads to Appetite where art, music and dining collide at this ‘amuse bouche’ of bars.

Appetite’s vinyl-heavy Listening Room

Some of us like to start a night out with a long, luxurious bath and time invested in getting party-ready. Others prefer to dive straight into proceedings, hardly pausing for breath while racing from boardroom to bar. Appetite offers a spot that bridges the gap between leisurely preparation and instant gratification. Tucked at the end of Amoy Street, you enter the venue through a nondescript shophouse door and head up a narrow flight of stairs into something of a hidden world. In contrast to the bustling eateries below, Appetite’s Lounge area is low of light, quirky of layout and warmly welcoming. The walls are lined with art which forms a curated exhibition that is swapped up every few months; the seating is stylish yet loungey; staff are smiley, friendly and knowledgeable.

You could be forgiven for thinking that you’ve accidentally stumbled into a hipster’s apartment, especially when you take a second flight of stairs up into the attic, aka the Listening Room. This small but perfectly formed space features cosy sofas, antique rugs and a 3,000-strong vinyl selection complete with turntables and speakers that will get anyone born before 1980 feeling nostalgic and hot under the collar. (Look, don’t touch - there’s a music director on staff!).

But wait - as joyous as the scratchy sounds of Fleetwood Mac makes us - we are here for the food. Appetite’s new Happiest Hour features a menu curated by Ivan Brehm, chef-founder of Appetite and one-Michelin-starred Nouri on the ground floor. Alongside a glass of bubbly, guests can enjoy specially created small bites and sharing dishes based on Brehm’s culinary philosophy of exploring ingredients and cultures from different regions (what he calls “crossroads cuisine”). First up, Tortilla de Camarones, a tempura-like fritter topped with spot prawns, spiced Marie Rose sauce, and a squeeze of grapefruit and lime. Next, Foie Gras and Chicken Liver Parfait, a dish that celebrates Brehm’s formative years at Hesten Blumenthal’s The Fat Duck, UK, and his love for nouvelle cuisine. Last but not least, King Crab Bhel Puri, a rice bowl luxed-up with Norwegian king crab gives a nod to Vietnamese Chả Cá Lã Vọng. Each dish paired perfectly with the fizz and was not too filling. But alas, the point of Appetite’s Happiest Hour is to provide a pit-stop. Happening from Tuesday to Saturday, 6pm to 8pm, it’s the ideal launchpad for a night on the tiles or a pre-dinner soiree. “We want our guests to come in and unwind before they transition to the rest of their evening,” says Brehm. The problem is, with nibbles and ambience this good, plus the possibility of a 1967 mono edition of Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band just waiting for a We want our spin, it might be hard to get rid of us. guests to come in and unwind before they transition to VERDICT: This two-storey gem is ideal for those who love an early evening start followed by bed by 9pm, or dedicated merrymakers wanting a chic spot to start the the rest of their night in style. evening

Appetite’s Happiest Hour includes three dishes paired with a glass of bubbly at $68++.

Tortilla de Camarones + Foie Gras Jo and Laura find some and Chicken Liver Parfait + King vintage classics Crab Bhel Puri

RAF DALMAU goes to Singapore’s Grand Dame for an Italian extravaganza that lives up to expectations.

Black Angus beef tenderloin, celeriac, truffle beef jus

Osteria BBR by Alain Ducasse, the renown chef holding the most Michelin stars at 21, delivers an exceptional experience with impeccable cooking techniques that extract every morsel of goodness from the best of ingredients in the world. The setting is equally impressive at Raffles’ historical Bar & Billiards room. It has an elegant and easy going atmosphere away from the stuffiness associated with old Michelin-starred establishments, or as one guest described it: an Armani suit with sneakers.

We were invited to try the refreshed menu by Chef de Cuisine Natalino Ambra, a native from the Tuscan town of Prato. I noticed straight off the bat that the menu featured some unique ingredients that - unless you’ve lived in the country or are true connoisseur of Italian food - would go unnoticed. Prawns served alongside the Ravioli are from Mazara del Vallo and considered some of the finest in the world, only found in the waters of Sicily. The Acquarello rice in the risotto is a carnaloni variety from the Piedmont region and considered the best you can get. These are

Above: Ravioli, buffalo Mozzarella, cherry tomato sauce, Mazara del Vallo red prawns; Octopus, potato foam, Mediterranean scents just two examples, but it’s these types of touches that take the food to another level.

After an incredible amuse-bouche that still remains a mystery, the meal got underway with Battuta di Tonno, Asparagi Aneto; delicious tuna tartare accompanied with asparagus and a dill salad. Next was Polpo Spuma di Patate, Profumi Mediterranei, delicately grilled octopus, tender and succulent, with a potato foam that resembled a souffle-like potato.

In traditional Italian order, the pastas arrived starting with Tagliolini, Zucchini and Caviale Kristal. Three ingredients make up this amazing dish; mouthwatering al-dente tagliolini strands served over a pesto-like zucchini sauce with crispy grilled slices of zucchini and topped with Kristal caviar. The delicate essence of each ingredient in our next pasta dish, Ravioli, Mozzarella di Bufala, Salsa di Pomodorini, Gamberi Rossi di Mazara del Vallo, hit the senses in perfect order. The Ravioli offered bites of creaminess that matched with the subtle acidity of the cherry Tagliolini, tomatoes; the Sicilian prawns provided zucchini, delicate sea flavours. We then enjoyed Kristal caviar the Mezzi Paccheri Alla Guancia di Manzo e Barolo, perfect tubes of aldente pasta captured this beef cheek ragu low-and-slow braised with barolo wine. Filled with deep rich flavours, it’s one of their signature dishes. The Secondi Piatti began with the Baccala, Carote, Salsa All’Arancia, a well executed dish with an orange sauce balancing sweetness and acidity, and roasted carrots to contrast the orange flavours. Our last savoury dish, Filetto di Manzo, Sedano Rapa, Salsa di Tartufo, impeccably cooked angus tenderloin, with celeriac and a truffle beef jus. For dessert, we shared the Mousse al Cioccolato Gelato al Grano Saraceno and the Tiramisu - the best I’d tasted since my days in Italy. Oftentimes, when dining at acclaimed restaurants, expectations are high and when a dish doesn’t hit the spot, it puts a dent in an otherwise great meal. This was not the case at Osteria BBR. As well as the a la carte menu, Osteria BBR offers a set lunch, two-course or three-course, for $39 and $46 respectively on Mondays and Thursdays - Saturdays. There’s also the Sunday Roma Brunch for $168++ (Roma Brunch), Brunch Venezia $198 (Brunch Roma + NV BilliecartSalmon Brut Reserve) and the Brunch Milano $228 (Brunch Roma + NV BilliecartSalmon Brut Rose). VERDICT: Osteria BRR offers an outstanding culinary experience. Chef Ambra does a magnificent job of showcasing the essence of Italian food with dishes that are contemporary but faithful to native ingredients and traditions.