NOW! Singapore Feb-March 2016

ISSN 2407-1331

City in Celebration

february 2016 - march 2016

RP. 40.000,NOW! SINGAPORE

City in Celebration

TheSouthBeachSG

TheSouthBeachSG

#TheSouthBeachSG

30 beach road singapore 189763 | +65 6818 1888 | thesouthbeach.com.sg

contents

february-march 2016 NOW & THEN 2 Soap Box

Editor’s message.

Our guide to the latest happenings, upcoming concerts, plays and festivals.

10 Gong Xi Fa Cai

Celebrate the Lunar New Year with plenty of festive feasting at these venues.

18 Love in the Red Little Dot

We look at some of the city’s sweetest Valentine’s Day offerings.

22 Tables for Two

Eight restaurants perfect for a romantic evening, every day of the week.

ATTRACTIONS 26 My Singapore Weekend

Indonesian musician and presenter Jamie Aditya reveals his favourite haunts for a family weekend in the city.

30 Words with Gino Tan

We talk to the General Manager of Pan Pacific Singapore.

32 Capital Cool

Marissa Trew explores the revitalised neighbourhood of Jalan Besar.

38 On the Road: Joo Chiat

Singaporean photographer Robert Zhao blurs the lines of reality in this series of startling images that chronicle the country’s relationship with land reclamation.

56 Boutique and Bespoke

We chat to Alex Malcolm about his expansion into Singapore, to tap the country’s growing love of adventure travel.

DINING 58 Ode to a Culinary Inspiration

Marissa Trew enjoys the haute cuisine of Julien Royer at Odette.

60 Gallery Gastronomy

62 In Vino Veritas

We check out the excellent new dining destination, Aura, at the National Gallery Singapore.

SHOPPING 90 It’s all Abuzz at the Capitol

Fine wine and inspired cuisine at Verre in Robertson Quay.

64 The Whole Hog

We review Dehasa, Singapore’s latest noseto-tail sensation.

66 The Roots of Spice

94 Dempsey Style

Marissa Trew recommends five great choices for a healthy lunch around the city.

Wine expert Stephen Mostad has some handy tips for choosing the right fizz for any occasion.

74 Dusk to Dawn

We talk to Else Vistisen about her new book and her work as a healer.

Sharifah Shahirah looks at LASALLE’s travelling exhibition ‘Art Moves.’

100 Artist Profile: Naufal Abshar

We speak to the Indonesian artist about his latest show in Singapore.

102 Milenko Prvacki: The Renaissance Man

Mandy Lynn highlights some of the best options for a night out on the town.

ACCOMMODATION 78 Suite Life

A peek at the new Ceccotti Collezioni at Asiatique Collections.

ART 98 A Lesson Beyond the Classroom Walls

ENTERTAINMENT 72 Bubbles on a Budget

Celine Asril explores Capitol Piazza, Singapore’s newest boutique shopping plaza.

96 Healing Hands

Jemma Wong dines at The Halia in the Botanic Gardens.

68 My Favourite Five: Lunch Bowls

We uncover the many charms of this historic street.

PHOTO ESSAY 44 The Sands of Time

Photo by robert zhao

5 News and Upcoming Events

We check out two of the city’s top suite options, the newly opened The South Beach and the recently renovated and rebranded Hotel Jen.

Sharifah Shahirah talks to the artist about his inspiration.

DIRECTORY 105 Directory Essential information for the Singapore visitor.

SPA & HEALTH 82 Spa News

We round up the latest openings and promotions.

84 Stress and the City

Marissa Trew enjoys a spa retreat at Fairmont Singapore’s Willow Stream Spa.

86 Happy Mind, Happy Body, Happy Earth

We look at the new range of products from Ashley & Co.

88 Keeping Fit on the Fly

Marissa Trew speaks to Alex Salihin of Level gym to learn the most efficient ways to keep fit.

Cover Photo: City in Celebration Photo by Justin Eeles

www.nowsingapore.co.id FEBRUARY - March 2016

1

soapbox

N

ew Year festivities are with us once again and the team at Now! Singapore would like to wish all of our readers Gong Xi Fa Cai as we welcome the Year of the Monkey. At this time of year Chinatown is a must visit destination – the streets are brilliantly decorated and a frenetic energy permeates the whole area. In this issue we highlight some of the best Chinese New Year food promotions, put on by the city’s top hotels and restaurants – if you’re in Singapore for this celebration, make sure you try the traditional dish ‘Lo Hei’ at least once. Each restaurant has its own version of this festive treat, which is marked by a communal tossing of the salad – an important ritual to ensure good luck and prosperity throughout the year.

Romance is also in the air in February so we’ve compiled a selection of some of the best special menus available and a list of restaurants around the city that are better suited for a romantic rendezvous. With our recommendation for a top flourist, you’re guaranteed a good head start in any matters of the heart.

For our regular Singapore weekend itinerary we follow Indonesian star Jamie Aditya and his family on a whirlwind tour of their favourite spots, taking in some of the city’s top bars while keeping the children happy at popular favourites like the zoo and Gardens By The Bay. In our ‘Hot Hoods’ section we explore the historic enclaves of Jalan Besar and Joo Chiat, both of which have emerged recently as exciting alternatives for a cultural excursion or fun night out.

Following the success of Singapore Art Week, we talk to some of the artists involved.

Our photo essay features the work of Singaporean photographer Robert Zhao – make sure to visit the Prudential Eye Awards Exhibition at ArtScience Museum to see his work and other emerging artists from the region on show until March 27. We also meet respected artist Milenko Prvacki and talk to Indonesian painter Naufal Abshar about his latest show ‘HA HA.’ As always, we highlight and review some of the best new openings on the Singapore bar and dining scene and suggest an ideal night out in the capital from dusk til dawn. With Singapore Cocktail Week set to return on March 12, we’d advise all drink enthusiasts to check out Singapore’s amazing selection of world class bars and meet some of the mixologists responsible for promoting the city to the forefront of the world cocktail scene.

Don’t forget to keep up-to-date on all of our latest Singapore content on our social media platforms and look out for our regular on-line competitions and promotions. Once again, we wish you all a very prosperous Chinese New Year.

Happy travels.

Justin Eeles

2

FEBRUARY - March 2016

www.nowsingapore.co.id

꤀ 倀栀漀琀漀 㨀 倀椀攀爀爀攀 䜀甀椀氀氀椀攀渀 ⴀ 匀琀甀搀椀漀 漀戀樀攀挀琀椀瘀攀洀攀渀琀 ꤀ 䄀氀氀 刀椀最栀琀猀 刀攀猀攀爀瘀攀搀琀

㈀㌀ 䨀愀渀甀愀爀礀 琀漀 ㈀㔀 䨀唀一䔀 ㈀ ㄀㘀

倀䠀䄀匀䔀 ㈀ ⠀䰀漀渀渀礀 圀漀漀搀 㬀 䄀洀攀爀椀挀愀渀Ⰰ 戀漀爀渀 椀渀 ㄀㤀㔀㠀⤀ 䴀愀樀攀猀琀椀挀 倀 ㄀㤀㠀㐀 匀瀀爀愀礀 瀀愀椀渀琀 漀渀 挀愀渀瘀愀猀 ㄀㜀㔀 砀 ㈀㔀㘀 挀洀 䜀愀氀氀椀稀椀愀 䌀漀氀氀攀挀琀椀漀渀Ⰰ 倀愀爀椀猀 䜀愀氀氀椀稀椀愀 䌀漀氀氀攀挀琀椀漀渀

䐀椀猀挀漀瘀攀爀 琀栀攀 眀漀爀氀搀 漀昀 挀漀氀漀甀爀 愀渀搀 挀愀氀氀椀最爀愀瀀栀礀 椀渀 最爀愀昀昀椀琀椀 琀栀爀漀甀最栀 愀渀 攀砀琀攀渀猀椀瘀攀 挀漀氀氀攀挀琀椀漀渀 漀昀 洀漀爀攀 琀栀愀渀 愀 栀甀渀搀爀攀搀 愀爀琀眀漀爀欀猀 戀礀 最爀愀昀昀椀琀椀 愀爀琀椀猀琀猀 昀爀漀洀 愀氀氀 漀瘀攀爀 琀栀攀 眀漀爀氀搀⸀

㔀 䌀漀砀 吀攀爀爀愀挀攀 匀㄀㜀㤀㘀㈀ 䘀漀爀琀 䌀愀渀渀椀渀最 䄀爀琀猀 䌀攀渀琀爀攀Ⰰ 䘀漀爀琀 䌀愀渀渀椀渀最 倀愀爀欀 ∠ 㘀㠀㠀㌀ ㄀㔀㠀㠀 ∠ 眀眀眀⸀瀀椀渀愀挀漀琀栀攀焀甀攀⸀挀漀洀⸀猀最 www.nowsingapore.co.id FEBRUARY - March 2016

猀椀渀最愀瀀漀爀攀瀀椀渀愀挀漀琀栀攀焀甀攀 猀最瀀椀渀愀挀漀琀栀攀焀甀攀 猀瀀搀瀀⸀愀爀琀愀挀愀搀攀洀礀 ⌀攀砀瀀氀漀爀攀匀倀搀倀 ⌀猀瀀搀瀀愀挀愀搀攀洀礀 ⌀瀀爀攀猀猀椀漀渀椀猀洀猀最

3

Phoenix Communications Publishing Division

TECHNICAL ADVISOR

Director

EDITOR in chief

EDITOR & WRITER

Administration / SECRETARY

Alistair G. Speirs Barbara Janthy Nihardjo Justin Eeles Marissa Trew Reviana Veronica Pesik

ACCOUNT MANAGER

Business development manager

sales secretary

Marketing & Promotions

George Satyo Febrina Tampubolon Ferry Purwanti Richieta L. Aretha (Aghie)

executive SECRETARY Jakarta

Finance

Clora Matondang Tetra Gracia Madjan

DISTRIBUTION

Hartanto

Art director

Sudigdo

Senior Graphic Designer

Production

HEAD OFFICE

Arief Aji Prasetya (Ade) Djoko Prayitno Jl. Benda Raya No. 98 A-B, Kemang - Jakarta Selatan 12560 T: +62-21 781 3212, F: +62-21 781 2476

SINGAPORE BRANCH Soholife, 216 Joo Chiat Road Unit 03-05, Singapore 427483 www.nowsingapore.co.id

website

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

INSTAGRAM

YOUTUBE

ADVERTISING SALES

EDITORIAL ENQUIRIES

www.nowsingapore.co.id www.facebook.com/nowsingapore www.twitter.com/now_singapore www.instagram.com/now_singapore bit.ly/NS_Youtube george@phoenix.co.id/denise@phoenix.co.id justin@phoenix.co.id

marissa@phoenix.co.id

CIRCULATION ENQUIRIES febrina@phoenix.co.id

SUBSCRIPTION

subscriptions@phoenix.co.id

Now! Singapore is published bi-monthly by PT. Phoenix Communications. Opinions expressed in this magazine are those of the writers and the publisher does not accept any responsibility for any errors, omisions or complaints arising there from.

No part of this publication can be reproduced in whole or in part, in print or electronically without prior permission of the publisher. All trademarks, logos, brands and designs are copyright and fully reserved by PT. Phoenix Communications.

PRINTED by

PT Cahaya Prima Sentosa

PT. Phoenix Communications Jalan Benda Raya 98 A-B, Jakarta 12560 www.phoenix.co.id

4

FEBRUARY - March 2016

www.nowsingapore.co.id

NOW Publishing Pte. Ltd. Soholife, 216 Joo Chiat Road Unit 03-05 Singapore 427483

now & then

Trad and Soul

Multi-talented Jamie Aditya (see our story on page 24) has recently released Trad and Soul, a new album he worked on with lifetime friend and collaborator Kelland Thomas. Opening with an infectious ‘Tight like That,’ a song immortalised by blues singer Clara Smith, this seven-track/ EP-length album is a blend of traditional jazz, blues, gospel and soul, creating an exciting new sound. Aditya’s impressive vocal range, influenced by greats like Al Green, Sam Cooke and Prince, provides a modern touch to these classics from the 1920s and 1930s.

For more information, visit itunes or jamieaditya.com

Accessorise at National Gallery The end of January saw the official launch of Gallery & Co at National Gallery Singapore.

This eclectic retail space also features a cafe and bar, making it a good option for pre- or post-gallery exploration. Items on sale include books, prints, homewares, designer goods, children’s toys and accessories. Gallery and Co is housed in the City Hall wing of National Gallery Singapore.

For more information, visit galleryand.co www.nowsingapore.co.id FEBRUARY - March 2016

5

Huayi – Chinese Festival of Arts

photo by patrick lazid

The biggest annual Chinese theatre festival in Singapore returns for its 14th year from February 12 to 21, 2016 at the Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay. One of four of the Esplanade’s cultural festivals throughout the year, Huayi showcases both contemporary and traditional Chinese art in a multitude of ways, from music to dance and theatre. This year’s highlights include a Taiwanese drumming performance, Beyond Time by U-Theatre, which presents the power of mediation in music (February 12 to 14, 2016).

Dinonysis Contemporary Theatre, Hong Kong will present God of Carnage, a satirical take of Shakespeare’s Macbeth (from February 20 to 21, 2016). There will also be a range of free performances and workshops that are open to all.

For more information, visit: esplanade.com/huayi

6

Cirque Éloize iD Just as Cirque Du Soleil’s Big Top tent comes down, another circus is rolling into town (February 27 to March 6, 2016). Taking over the MasterCard Theatres at Marina Bay Sands is Canadian circus troupe, Cirque Éloize. Performing their show iD, this contemporary urban circus will stun audiences with death-defying acrobatics and a dramatic musical score that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

For more information, visit: entertainment. marinabaysands.com FEBRUARY - March 2016

www.nowsingapore.co.id

Photos Courtesy of Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay

upcoming events

Bon Iver Live in Singapore Right off the back of St. Jerome’s Laneway Festival, there’s another hot indie act in town. Justin Vernon, the man behind the Bon Iver project, will be playing his hypnotically beautiful songs at The Star Theatre on February 26, 2016.

For more information, visit: sistic.com

Star Wars and Beyond Listen to the soundtracks of all your favourite movie epics live in concert at Marina Bay Sands from March 11.

John Williams’ iconic musical scores, including cinema classics like Star Wars, E.T., Jurassic Park, Harry Potter and much more, will be played alongside an incredible light and laser display.

Russell Peters: Almost Famous World Tour Canadian comedian, Russell Peters makes his return to Singapore on February 15, 2016 at the Suntec Singapore Convention and Exhibition Centre. If you caught him last year, expect to hear all of your favourite jokes as well as plenty of fresh material. Tickets are guaranteed to sell out so book now.

For more information, visit: sistic.com

Chingay Parade Singapore’s answer to the mardi gras festival, the Chingay Parade is arguably one of the Lunar New Year festive season’s most highly anticipated events. On February 19 and 20, 2016, the street parade will begin its tour from the F1 Pit Building. A definite feast for the eyes, each annual display aims to embody the multicultural spirit of Singapore, in celebration of its own diversity. Off the back of last year’s SG50 edition, this year’s parade looks forward to the next 50 years with the theme: Lights of Legacy, Brighter Singapore.

For more information, visit: chingay.org.sg

Craft Singapore The craft beer scene in Singapore has been on the rise, so it seems only right that 2016 is slated to host the city’s very first craft beer festival. Held at the Marina Bay Waterfront (from March 4 to 6, 2016), the festival showcases the best brews and ciders from around the world by over 25 local and international breweries. Of course, there will be plenty of gourmet bites and delicacies too.

For more information, visit: craftsingapore.com

Kool & the Gang Live in Singapore

Diana Krall – Wallflower World Tour Grammy Award-winning Jazz pianist and vocalist, Diana Krall will be paying Singapore a visit on her Wallflower World Tour for a two-night performance on February 16 to 17, 2016 at the Esplanade Concert Hall.

Having accrued countless accolades, including producing Barbra Streisand’s album Love Is The Answer in 2009 and singing alongside Paul McCartney in 2012, there is simply no denying her musical talent.

For more information, visit: esplanade.com

Get ready to get down on it as R&B legends, Kool & the Gang, perform their awardwinning hits at the MasterCard Theatres for one night only. On February 27, 2016, bop along to classic tunes like Ladies Night, Jungle Boogie, Fresh and other chart-topping hits from throughout their 50-year strong career.

For more information, visit: entertainment.marinabaysands.com

Pangdemonium: The Effect Local theatre troupe Pangdemonium is performing a series of plays throughout the year, beginning with The Effect. This lover’s tale explores characters Connie and Tristan, who become isolated subjects in an experiment testing a new drug. As the chemistry between them begins to build, they begin to question whether their love is genuine or purely a side effect of the “super drug.” The play will be performed from February 25 to March 13, 2016 at the Victoria Theatre.

For more information, visit: pangdemonium.com www.nowsingapore.co.id FEBRUARY - March 2016

7

upcoming events

Introduction to Don Quixote by Singapore Dance Theatre

To mark the beginning of performance season, Singapore Dance Theatre is taking the Esplanade Concert Hall stage from March 10 to 13, 2016 to perform a dance rendition of Cervantes’ classic novel, Don Quixote. The ballet (originally choreographed by Marius Petipa) tells of the adventures of Don Quixote and his adventures with Sancho Panza as they attempt to restore chivalry in the world.

For more information, visit: singaporedancetheatre.com

Singapore Cocktail Week It’s 5 o’clock somewhere! The second edition of Singapore Cocktail Week takes place from March 12 to 19, 2016 across various venues. Expect cocktail crawls, masterclasses and pop-up bars galore as the nation’s (and some of the world’s) top bars shake up powerful drinks to get you buzzed.

For more information, visit: singaporecocktailweek.com

Margaret Cho’s Psycho Tour Margaret Cho brings her Psycho Tour to Kallang Theatre on March 5, 2016 for her very first performance in Asia.

Known for her sharp wit and poignant topic material on being single, Boko Haram and just about everything in between, it promises to be an unforgettable night.

For more information, visit: sistic.com

Singapore Airshow Watch mind-blowing aerial acrobatic stunts by Singapore Air Force’s Black Knights and others as they soar, spin and roll through the sky at incredible speeds during the Singapore Airshow (February 20 – 21, 2016, Changi Exhibition Centre).

There will also be static aircraft displays and ‘meet the pilot’ opportunities, making it an exciting day for all.

For more information, visit: singaporeairshow.com

8

FEBRUARY - March 2016

www.nowsingapore.co.id

Super Rugby Games In the build up to the Singapore Rugby Sevens, catch the Super Rugby Games for the first time in Singapore on March 12, 2016. Southern hemisphere rugby teams will battle head to head at the Singapore National Stadium in a bid to become the 2016 Sanzar Super Rugby Champions.

For more information, visit: sanzarrugby.com/ superrugby

5 Seconds of Summer: Sounds Live Feels On March 3, 2016, Australian heartthrobs, 5 Seconds of Summer, will step onto the The Star Theatre stage for a one-night only performance. The YouTubeturned-pop sensations skyrocketed to fame while touring with British boy band One Direction. Bop along as they sing their chart-topping hits off their latest album, Sounds Good Feels Good.

For more information, visit: sistic.com

The highly anticipated Singapore International Jazz Festival returns from March 4 to 6, 2016 at Marina Bay Sands. Over three days, performers from around the world, ranging from promising new talents to Grammy Awardwinning artists, will come together and celebrate all things jazz. This year, soul singer Joss Stone leads the line-up, alongside plenty of other legends.

For more information, visit: sing-jazz.com

photo by Carin Verbruggen

Singapore International Jazz Festival

An Evening With Tom Jones Just three years since his last visit, the legendary Tom “Sexbomb” Jones returns to perform on The Star Theatre stage on March 31, 2016. After a career spanning over five decades, the 75-year old Welsh icon continues to wow audiences with his incredible live performances as well as his latest albums, which have been touted as his best work to date.

For more information, visit: sistic.com

iLight Marina Bay Festival See Singapore’s skyscrapers in a way you’ve never seen them before as iLight Marina Bay Festival projects eco-friendly, artistic light displays and installations along the waterfront from March 4 to 27, 2016.

For more information, visit: ilightmarinabay.sg

Singapore Design Week Local and international showcases, exhibitions, workshops and enough design candy to fill a Pinterest board, Singapore Design Week raises awareness of the power of truly good design. Follow one of the Design Trails to get a first-hand view of how innovative design has inspired the Singapore landscape. Singapore Design Week takes place from March 8 to 20, 2016 at the National Design Centre.

For more information, visit: designsingapore.org/SDW

Blue Man Group Blue Man Group performs in Singapore for the very first time, bringing their visually spectacular musical performance to the MasterCard Theatres at Marina Bay Sands from March 29 to April 10, 2016. The live band, equipped with instruments and over 30 litres of paint and 55 bananas, is guaranteed to get up to plenty of mischief...

For more information, visit: entertainment.marinabaysands.com www.nowsingapore.co.id FEBRUARY - March 2016

9

now & then

Gong Xi Fa Cai Images courtesy of participating outlets

The festive season isn’t over yet! With Chinese New Year just around the corner, we’ve rounded up some of the prosperous offerings in town to celebrate the Year of the Monkey. Here’s where to get your lo hei on.

Feng Shui Inn Marking the Lunar New Year in creative style is Feng Shui Inn’s signature Yusheng, which this year, comes in the form of the Auspicious Fire Monkey presenting peaches, as a gesture of good health and wealth. The dessert-like creation is also accompanied with a special peach dressing, banana-nut crackers and banana chips, for an added dose of good luck! Feng Shui Inn has also prepared a special ‘An Abundance of Auspiciousness’ a la carte menu and series of set menus using premium ingredients, such as the Braised 6-Head Fresh Abalone (with scallop-stuffed Japanese mushroom) and Baked Cod Fish with Black Truffle in Teriyaki Sauce. Feng Shui Inn’s special menu is available until February 22, 2016.

For more information, visit: rwsentosa.com/dining

Royal Plaza on Scotts A more original take on the Lunar New Year, Carousel restaurant puts a halal spin on the customary yusheng platter with their Mushrooms Mosaic Yu Sheng, that comes with a whopping eight types of mushrooms, each prepared differently. They are also offering the more traditional salmon, tuna, and abalone yusheng. Keep some room for their Lunar New Year Festive Buffet spread too, which is available for lunch, high tea and dinner (between 7 to 9 February 2016) with a prosperous spread of Imperial Seafood Crispy Rice Porridge, Miso-Glazed Cod and much, much more.

For more information, visit: royalplaza.com.sg

10

FEBRUARY - March 2016

www.nowsingapore.co.id

Sheraton Towers Singapore Executive Chef Chung Yiu Ming of Li Bai Cantonese Restaurant is showcasing his gastronomic repertoire this Lunar New Year with a variety of culinary offerings until February 22, 2016. Whether you are opting for the Chinese New Year set menu or the Prosperity Delights Set, expect to be spoiled silly with endless portions of Steamed Red Garoupa, Braised Abalone with Dried Oyster and Imperial Chicken with Conpoy. Can’t make up your mind? Have it all at the Lunar New Year Buffet Dinner (February 7 to 9) and Lunch (February 8 to 9), as the restaurant plays host to a spread of dishes like Claypot Yam Rice with Chinese Sausage and Mushroom, Wok Fried Scallop with XO sauce, as well as international favourites like Sea Bass en Papillote.

For more information, visit: sheratonsingapore.com

Conrad Centennial Singapore Conrad Centennial Singapore’s award-winning Golden Peony restaurant is ringing in the Year of the Fire Monkey with a series of Prosperity menus for both dine-in and takeaway (until February 23, 2016). Their yusheng includes Hiramasa, a premium cut of yellowtail amberjack, served with crispy fish skin and white bait. Golden Peony is also introducing lavish new dishes for the festive season, like a Roast Suckling Pig stuffed with Hainanese chicken rice, and a Crispy Filo Swan (filled with foie gras, truffle and minced chicken).

For more information, visit: conradsingapore.com

www.nowsingapore.co.id FEBRUARY - March 2016 11

now & then

Goodwood Park Hotel

Adding a bit of sin into the sweet and savoury mix is the Fruity ‘Lo Hei’ from Min Jiang at One-North, with its decadent addition of bacon and white truffle oil. If that’s too much of a twist on the old classic, Min Jiang is also creating a Crispy Salmon Skin ‘Lo Hei,’ where a jumble of vegetables, orange peel and jelly fish comes with a welcomed crunch. On a sweet note, a Wealth of Opportunities cake (chocolate marble cake, shaped as a bulb of garlic) and an Auspicious Blessings cake (earl grey butter cake and icing, resembling a carrier bag) will both be available at the Deli. All of Goodwood Park Hotel’s offerings are available until February 22, 2016.

For more information, visit: goodwoodparkhotel.com

Mandarin Oriental, Singapore Pull out all the stops at Mandarin Oriental’s Cherry Garden, with an order of the Cherry Garden Luxurious Pen Cai – Singapore’s largest traditional ‘basin dish’ brimming with premium delights. Tuck into braised four-head abalone, lobsters, scallops, sea cucumbers, roasted duck, crispy pork belly, dried oyster rolls and so much more. Get the full experience by indulging in one of their set menus or otherwise opt for Cherry Garden’s Lunar New Year Family Brunch, where you can enjoy a wide selection of dim sum, soups, signature dishes and of course, dessert! Cherry Garden’s festive offerings are available until February 22, 2016.

For more information, visit: mandarinoriental.com/ Singapore

12

FEBRUARY - March 2016

www.nowsingapore.co.id

Avenue Joffre

Expect Cantonese and Chinese delicacies galore at Resort World Sentosa’s Avenue Joffre as it celebrates the Year of the Monkey with sumptuous dishes and set menus until February 22, 2016. Follow the Special Lo Hei toss with a set menu featuring a delicate but spicy Szechuan Poached Sliced Fish in Chilli Oil, and an extravagant serving of Braised Pork Knuckle with Dry Oyster and Fat Choy or the even more lavish Roasted Suckling Pig. The Chinese New Year menu is available until February 22, 2016.

For more information, visit: rwsentosa.com/dining

Forest

Celebrity restaurant Forest by Sam Leong marks the Lunar New Year with their signature Salmon Yu Sheng, served with crispy whitebait and a sweet but tangy citrus, yuzu and honey-lime dressing. Making no compromises in the level of luxury on offer this festive season, Forest also offers the Superlative Imperial Bird’s Nest, braised with sweet crabmeat and roe, in a rich chicken stock. Those seeking a little more bite will love an order of the French Duck Breast, which is sous-vide, pan-seared and served with a decadent black truffle sauce… and that is just the tip of the iceberg, as Forest’s offerings of five- and six-course set menus promise plate after plate of decadent food to beckon the prosperous year ahead. Orders are available until February 22, 2016.

For more information, visit: rwsentosa.com/dining

www.nowsingapore.co.id FEBRUARY - March 2016 13

now & then

Ginned Up in Chinatown Oxwell & Co, on Ann Siang Hill, have hopped on the trend bandwagon and opened their very own rooftop bar with an undeniably hipster spin. The intimate space will add a fourth dimension to their already existing hat-trick of eating, drinking and private dining experiences on each of its lower floors. Expect Hendrick’s Gin galore as the menu was designed exclusively with the popular spirit, offering creations like Clover Club Street, crafted using the herbs and botanicals from Oxwell & Co.’s very own herb garden!

For more information, visit: oxwellandco.com

Eat Singapore

Who could say no to a great dining deal at some of the best restaurants in town? Look out for the recently released, Eat Singapore – a magical, little red book, written by Bethany Chuah, that grants its owner access to a host of dining privileges at 12 great restaurants around the city centre, including discounts or a complimentary main course when dining in a party of two (minimum order of two main courses).

Printed on its pages is a diverse range of some of Singapore’s top spots, including: Bincho, Bochinche, El Mero Mero, Kilo, Long Chim, Luxe, Mitzo, Oso, Saha, Tburu and The Black Swan. Flick through and you will find plenty of information about each, complete with handy tips on recommended dishes, serving hours and of course, contact details to help you make your booking even easier.

Publisher Karin van Vliet (who personally curated many of the restaurants involved) explains, “the common theme is good food, good service and great ambiance. These are the three things we focus on, so diners are guaranteed a great night out.”

With a selection including the new, the hidden and the well established, diners are guaranteed a varied gastronomic experience as they work from cover to cover. “We wanted it to be more like a friend’s recommendation than a tourist guide, and hope that diners will trust our personal selection.”

The Eat Singapore book will be an annual publication and there is no limit on the number of books you purchase throughout the year (each offer is only valid once per book and only one book can be used for only one pair of diners at a time). All you have to do is ring up the restaurant to make a reservation and simply let them know you would like to use the Eat Singapore book.

The Eat Singapore book can be purchased at the participating restaurants as well as the Eat Singapore website.

For more information, visit eatsingapore.sg 14

FEBRUARY - March 2016

www.nowsingapore.co.id

World Gourmet Summit Returns

One of the most highly anticipated foodie events in Singapore’s annual calendar, the World Gourmet Summit 2016 has confirmed its event dates for March 28 to April 14, 2016. To mark its 20th anniversary, the summit promises to be nothing less than spectacular, as renowned chefs from Singapore and the world’s leading restaurants showcase their culinary prowess through a series of crafted dinners, masterclasses and workshops.

This year’s edition will also see the world’s highest ‘Gourmet Jam Session’, set to take place at none other than buzzing nightlife spot, 1-Altitude. Of course, the World Gourmet Summit will also host their annual Awards of Excellence (with three new categories – Chef’s Choice Award (Asian), Chef’s Choice Award (Western) and Apprentice Chef of the Year Award) as well as the NKF Charity Gala Dinner.

For more information, visit: worldgourmetsummit.com

Annyeonghaseyo!

Who doesn’t love sizzling meat on a charcoal barbeque? The everpopular Korean charcoal BBQ chain, Seorae Galmaegi, has turned the heat up in Singapore with its very first opening at Plaza Singapura.

While Singapore has more Korean BBQ joints than we can count, Seorae Galmaegi sets itself apart with its signature galmaegisal – a unique premium cut of pork skirt found between the ribs and belly of the pig that was typically reserved for the Korean royal family in ancient times.

Essentially the equivalent of Wagyu beef but on a pig, the meat is raved about for its flavour and tenderness, especially when cooked on a hot grill. Before the meat sweats start to surface on your skin, cool off with an icy patbingsoo (shaved iced dessert), available in flavours like popcorn and caramel and honeydew.

For more information, visit: seorae.com.sg

Big Bird has landed

Formerly a ‘Thai street snack’ pop-up, Bird Bird has roosted permanently on Ann Siang Hill, serving all things chicken (and more). Created by Singapore’s very own ‘rebel chef,’ Bjorn Shen of Artichoke Café + Bar, the space adds new meaning to ‘no frills’ dining. Styled after hole-in-the-wall eateries, guests can expect mismatched chopsticks, menus strewn with (intentional) grammatical errors and unapologetically tacky neon signage marking the entrance. Get your hands greasy with an order of Coq Scratchings (crispy chicken skins and farang sauce) before getting a little experimental with the Basil Duck Tater Tots. Then, go all out with a large order of Gai Tod (southern Thai-style double-fried chicken with caramelised chilli jam) or the barbequed Gai Yang with chilli tamarind sauce, before mopping up the mess with a side order of sticky rice. Don’t fancy playing fowl? Take a gander at the Specials menu and choose from a rich Lamb Shank Khao Soi (red curry noodle soup and a whole lamb shank), Nem (fermented beef sausage with raw ginger, peanut and lime) or the Waterfall Lamb (lamb rib meat, thai herbs, roasted rice, smoked chilli and cabbage). For dessert, dare to try their (in) famous and controversial Bird Bird Sundae – a combination of coconut ice cream, palm sugar caramel, corn and crispy chicken skins that you don’t need to understand to enjoy!

Otherwise, keep it vanilla with Bjorn Shen’s own brand of double-coated creamsicles, Neh Neh Pop. For more information, visit: facebook.com/birdbirdsg www.nowsingapore.co.id FEBRUARY - March 2016 15

now & then

In Bacchus We Trust If asked to hammer out a list of Italian restaurants in Singapore, we’d be tattling on for days. Ask for restaurants that specialise in Northern Italian however; and only one restaurant quickly springs to mind (for now). PerBacco isn’t the newest kid on the block but a new chef at the helm, Chef Marco Fregnan, has meant that the menu has undergone a bit of a revamp. Now, diners can expect hearty dishes rich with Italian specialty cheese, butter and cream, making a meal at this trattoriastyle restaurant a definite indulgence. Start light with some cicchetti, like the crispy Crocchete di Granchio, whose crunchy exterior balances well with a creamy ricotta and fresh crabmeat filling. For something richer, opt for the Scamorza with Soft Fritters, where smoked cheese is wrapped in Parma ham and served with profiterole-like pastries filled with zucchini, carrots and peas. The primi piatti including dishes like the refreshing Risi e Bisi (Green Pea Risotto) – a definite winner as peas, mint oil and a touch of pesto are combined with the crème-de-la-crème of risotto rice varieties, Acquarello Carnaroli, that is cooked in vegetable stock until tender. Robustly flavoured, but not overwhelmingly so is the Gnocchi e Fonduta al Gorgonzola. Freshly prepared and cooked to the chef’s personal standards, the pillows of potato dumplings and the restrained note of gorgonzola that runs through the cream sauce mean this dish won’t sit like a rock at the base of your stomach. The carbconscious need only look to the meat and fish dishes to get their share of indulgence. The rich flavours of the slow-cooked Guanciale di Vitello Brasato (Stewed Veal Cheek) are mellowed by a cannellini bean purée, while the Baccala’ all Vicentina (Milk-Stewed Codfish) sits much lighter on the palate, despite being served in its poaching juice of milk, onions and anchovies. However, Chef Marco’s pièce de résistance is truly the Pannacotta Nocciola dessert, where caramelised hazelnuts add a sugary bitterness to the velvety set custard beneath. True to its name (after Bacchus, Roman god of wine and merrymaking), the wine collection here is something to boast about with its selection of 90 Italian and French wines that are definitely worthy of sampling.

For more information, visit: perbacco.sg

Huat Rocking on Sentosa

To celebrate the start of the Year of the Monkey, Hard Rock Cafe has introduced a special burger for the month of February. The Huat Rock Burger features one of the Hard Rock’s signature beef patties served with a zesty Loi Hei-inspired salad and sweet plum sauce. Ingredients, which signify good luck, eternal youth and a successful and prosperous business, include carrots, pomelo, pepper, green radish, white radish, sesame seed, golden pillow crackers and roasted peanuts.

For more information, visit hardrock.com

16

FEBRUARY - March 2016

www.nowsingapore.co.id

An Eye on ArtScience

image by Zh ang Wei

Be sure to catch the artwork from the annual Prudential Eye Awards, exhibited at the ArtScience Museum until March 27, 2016. The works on show include a selection of pieces by shortlisted nominees of the coveted Prudential Eye Awards, by artists from Thailand, Indonesia, Taiwan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India and Singapore. Mediums like painting, photography, sculpture, installation and videography are used to explore thoughtful themes like the human race’s impact on the planet, national identity and the social issues of modern society.

Indonesian duo Indieguerillas’ exhibit, consisting of a two-saddled bicycle with handlebars going in different directions, features a central dining table with a LCD screen separating each rider. A commentary on modern social habits, it seeks to highlight how the internet and smartphones are changing the nature of human interaction, in a humorous but brilliantly executed way.

Elsewhere, Singaporean artist Robert Zhao (see our photo essay on page 42) deals with issues surrounding land reclamation in Singapore in his striking blend of fictional and non-fictional black and white photography.

Also blurring the lines between reality and fiction is Chinese artist Zhang Wei, whose incredibly lifelike portraits of Vladimir Putin and Aung San Suu Kyi are in fact a montage of other faces.

For more information, visit prudentialeyeawards.com

RAMMELLZEE (American,1960 - 2010) Untitled • 1986 Mixed media on wood • 83 x 216 cm each (diptych) Gallizia Collection, Paris © Photo : Pierre Guillien Studio Objectivement © All rights reserved

Street Art on Canvas

Singapore Pinacothèque de Paris at Fort Canning Arts Centre welcomed a new exhibition in January. Entitled ‘Pressionism: Graffiti Masterpieces on Canvas,’ this collection of over 100 graffiti artworks has been collected from artists across the globe. Following the emergence of graffiti as artistic expression, the exhibition reveals the different movements and techniques that have developed over the years. Participating artists come from countries as far-flung as Brazil, Japan and Iran, with some local Singaporean artists like Zero, Antz and TraseOne also taking part. The exhibition will be on show at the Features Gallery until June 25.

For more information, contact pinacotheque.com.sg www.nowsingapore.co.id FEBRUARY - March 2016 17

now & then

Love in the Little Red Dot Whether recently stung by cupid’s arrow, celebrating your history with someone special, or simply revelling in your singlehood, here is where to find the love this Valentine’s Day in Singapore.

Evening In The Wild Get in touch with your primal instincts at the Night Safari this Valentine’s Day and spend an Evening in the Wild. Up to 12 lucky couples will go on a Valentine’s adventure through the grounds of the Night Safari, starting with a cocktail reception at Ankole Terrace before embarking on a private tram tour of the park. A lavishly decorated tent acts as the restaurant for the evening, where guests will dine on a three-course gourmet meal, sip free-flow wine, and be entertained by fire dancers.

For more information, visit: nightsafari.com.sg

The White Rabbit

Nothing chimes wedding bells like dining in a restored 1930’s chapel! Easily one of Singapore’s most romantic dining spots, The White Rabbit, is celebrating Valentine’s Day with a set menu of seafood-inspired dishes. Get the mood going with the Ocean’s Symphony appetiser, a medley of obsiblue prawns, Fremantle octopus, bairdi crab and a Valentine must, pearl oyster. Then, choose between a buttery Atlantic Halibut with spring vegetables and bacon nage or the more robust, slow-cooked Wagyu Rump Cap. Need a place to hide the ring? The Sweet Revelation dessert might just be the perfect place! The set menu is only available on Valentine’s Day. For more information, visit: thewhiterabbit.com.sg 18

FEBRUARY - March 2016

www.nowsingapore.co.id

No Strings Attached

Reserved for the mingling single, Tanjong Beach Club is throwing a No Strings Attached party, with beats by DJ Tyler Made, lines of suck and blow and a flirty game of Twister or two, to keep you on your toes. Who knows, you might just feel the sting of cupid’s arrow! The party takes place on Sunday, February 14, 2016 from 10am to midnight.

For more information, visit: tanjongbeachclub.com

Gordon Grill

Make Valentine’s Day a night to remember with a six-course tasting menu in the grandeur of Goodwood Park Hotel’s Gordon Grill. Executive Chef Gan Swee Lai will be showcasing his passion for food and demonstrating his talent through dishes like a Maine lobster ravioli with seasonal mushrooms and a mild herb velouté, grilled Australian Wagyu with braised short rib in a red wine sauce, and a tantalising chocolate nougat parfait with a mango passionfruit puff, panna cotta and pistachio ice cream for dessert.

For more information, visit: goodwoodparkhotel.com

The Dehesa Valentine Rebellion

The folks at Dehesa know that the only true way to any person’s heart is through their stomach.

On February 14, 2016, they will stage a Dehesa Valentine Rebellion, inspired by the rampant, unadulterated revelry of a medieval feast! You won’t find a box of chocolates or bouquet of roses here. Instead, expect a street party overflowing with Estrella beer, wines and freshly made churros, as well as the king of all centrepieces, a whole roast pig! The party starts at 2pm.

For more information, visit: dehesa.com.sg www.nowsingapore.co.id FEBRUARY - March 2016 19

now & then

San Valentino at The Waterfall

Things are guaranteed to get a little steamy after an intimate five-course dinner at Shangri-La Hotel Singapore’s restaurant, The Waterfall. The San Valentino dinner menu (available from February 12 to 14, 2016 at dinner) promises to be an enchanting and delicious affair, but if you really want to amp up the romance, choose “il Tavolo del Laghetto” (or Table by the Lake) for an especially private experience. Reserved for only one couple per evening, you will enjoy the San Valentino menu with a bottle of Perrier-Jouët Grand Brut Champagne, and a personalised butler service, in the beautiful surrounds of the hotel’s waterfall and Koi pond.

For more information, visit: Shangri-la.com/Singapore

BLU Restaurant Brasserie Les Saveurs

Spend the afternoon sipping flutes of ‘R’ de Ruinart Brut with your loved one this Valentine’s Sunday at The St. Regis Champagne Brunch. Continue to savour each other’s company well into the evening over an elegant six-course degustation menu and wine pairing whilst being serenaded by live music.

For your main course, ladies will enjoy a Oven-Baked Atlantic Halibut in a shellfish bisque with buttered zucchini, glazed shimeji mushrooms and fennel salad, while the gents tuck into a Black Angus Beef Tenderloin with sauce borderlaise, alongside seared Rougié foie gras, butternut squash fondant and charred baby leeks.

For more information, visit: brasserielessaveurs.com

20

FEBRUARY - March 2016

www.nowsingapore.co.id

Take your love to new heights at Shangri-La Hotel Singapore’s BLU Restaurant on the 24th floor, where you will find a flawless view of the Singapore city skyline. To make this Valentine’s Day a little extra special, not only will you be greeted by a rose, cocktail and canapés but you will also receive a set of personalised menus, decorated with a photograph of you two lovebirds, as well as a chocolate bijou. On the dinner menu, expect the delicate flavours of Crab paired with caviar, decadent Lobster Spaghetti with sea urchin, and Smoked Wagyu Beef in a red wine sauce.

For dessert, a pretty Strawberry and Rose Douceur Mouss with lychee jelly and raspberry violet candy. The menu is available from February 12 to 14, 2016.

For more information, visit: Shangri-la.com/Singapore

Brunch Level: BoCHINche Argentinian restaurant, BoCHINche, kick-started 2016 with a revamped brunch menu that is guaranteed to leave carnivores swooning. New additions include a hearty plate of Smoked Salmon & Scrambled Eggs, that substitutes the typical trimmings of a grilled tomato and hashbrowns and replaces it with a grilled peppers salad and the peculiar but appetising sounding ‘sea black pudding’ (consisting of seasonal fish, squid, coriander, lemon juice and aji molido). Another Argentinian twist on a classic comes in the form of the Organic Poached Eggs, with a mushroom and potato ragout and 30-month aged iberico shoulder! However, vegetarians need not sit this one out. The Faina & Fried Eggs, with crushed avocado, coriander and aji molido spiced crème fraiche, is a superfood packed dish that still falls within the lines of your New Year’s resolutions. If you have been good thus far, why not treat yourself to one of BoCHINche’s tempting sweet offerings, like the Dulce de Leche Pancake with lashings of caramel, caramelised banana, basil and baked ricotta, or the Waffles with mango compote, chocolate crumble and coconut ice?

For more information, visit: bochinche.com.sg

Simply, A Better Florist

Whether they are to brighten up a living room, or to simply say “I love you” this Valentine’s Day, there is nothing quite like sending a bouquet of beautiful flowers to a special someone. And while looking for a florist in Singapore is like scouring a rose bush for thorns – they’re everywhere – some have prices that can definitely poke a hole in your pocket. Not to mention the heartbreak that comes when the blossoms only last for a measly couple of days!

Thankfully, A Better Florist, a new online flower delivery service that has sprouted in Singapore, has changed all that with their offerings of beautiful, freshly cut and handmade arrangements, without the thorny price tag.

Sourcing their fleurs directly from their sustainable farm in the Cameron Highlands in Malaysia, A Better Florist currently offers a range of four classically beautiful bouquets that are arranged by hand and effeminately named, Audrey, Sareena, Rosaline and Francine.

Because they are locally grown and shipped direct (meaning they are only two – four days old when they reach your door) the fresh and bright blooms are guaranteed to last for a much longer period than store-bought varieties, which can be as old as 10 – 16 days (eek).

With a humble mission of simply making people happy, A Better Florist’s customer service is second to none too. They even have a Smiles Guarantee so that if they do happen to make a mistake (we’re all human), they’re more than willing to help make it up to you. An added bonus – they promise to deliver within 90-minutes, for free (and they even handle the GST in the price of your bouquet)!

So the next time you can’t quite find the right words to express your feelings, or need to make a creative apology… leave it to A Better Florist. After all, smiles are guaranteed.

For more information, visit: abetterflorist.com.

Italian Mountains and Mouthfuls The award-winning Italian restaurant Basilico, has unveiled its latest Basilissimo three-course set menu, inspired by the Central Appennini Mountains of Italy. Basilico’s Executive Sous-Chef Angelo Ciccone and Head Chef Luca Beccalli, will take diners on taste bud trail of plates inspired by this particular region. But before you dig into the main course, start your meal scouring the colourful antipasti buffet that acts as the centerpiece of the restaurant. The central rotunda of cured meats, flavourful tomatoes, cheeses and freshly baked breads is worthy of a feast itself. For the main event, look forward to highlights spanning both land and sea, like a Squid Ink Risotto (with a green pea ragout and shallot sauce), a stunning jet black dish of perfectly cooked risotto rice with tender cuttlefish, and a blushing Roasted Pigeon, baked in parchment paper with accompanying roast heirloom carrots, beetroot and artichoke. At the end of your culinary adventure, bring the evening to sweet close with the Dolce buffet, teeming with beautiful and equally indulgent bite-size pastries and of course, creamy gelato. The three-course Basilisimo “Appennini” is available until March 3, 2016 for dinner only.

For more information, visit: regenthotels.com/ en/Singapore/cuisine/basilico. www.nowsingapore.co.id FEBRUARY - March 2016 21

now & then

Tables for two Valentine’s Day may be just around the corner but romance should live every night of the week. Whether it’s the 4th, 14th or 24th, we’re here to help you find a suitable place to wine and dine your significant other. Check out our choice of dining venues that we think will soften any heart and set the mood for love.

Cure

One of the best new restaurants to open in 2015, Cure offers an intimate dining space on Keong Saik Road, close to some of the best bars in the city. At the helm is Chef Andrew Walsh, whose monthly changing tasting menus have quickly captured the local dining public’s imagination. This is ‘casual’ fine dining at its best but with only a limited amount of tables, you’ll need to be quick to get a reservation.

Cure, 21 Keong Saik Road, tel: 6221 2189, curesingapore.com

Corner House

Nothing says romance like an old colonial bungalow in the Botanic Gardens. At Corner House, Singaporean Chef Jason Tan delivers his ‘gastro-botanical’ menu in a beautiful historical setting, surrounded by a verdant canopy of green. Chef Tan’s menu is a celebration of the finest seasonal produce and natural ingredients, transforming simple vegetables like mushrooms and onions into something sublime. Take a stroll in the gardens, enjoy a glass of wine at Claret Corner and then take your table on the second floor for an evening of exquisite haute cuisine.

Corner House, Singapore Botanic Gardens, 1 Cluny Road, tel: 6469 1000, cornerhouse.com.sg

Nox Dine in the Dark

At Nox the lights aren’t just turned down low, they’re turned off, allowing guests a sensual experience that won’t be soon forgotten. Woo your loved one with your dulcet tones and get ready for a new kind of intimacy. Here, table manners are pretty much irrelevant but conversation skills are a must – you can’t retreat into a phone when the small talk dries up. Luckily the food and service is top notch, making it a fun and unique dining experience, no matter what.

Nox Dine In The Dark, 269 Beach Road, tel: 6298 0708, noxdineinthedark.com

22

FEBRUARY - March 2016

www.nowsingapore.co.id

POLLEN

What could be more romantic than being dined in a Flower Dome?

Located in the iconic Gardens by the Bay, this unique venue is the jewel in the crown of Jason Atherton’s Singapore restaurant collection.

Executive Chef Colin Buchan’s Mediterranean-inspired tasting menu is fantastic and the dome’s cool dry climate inspires you to dress up and look your best. Service is impeccable and you can walk off your meal with a stroll through the garden’s collection of baobab and olive trees.

POLLEN, The Flower Dome at Gardens by the Bay, 18 Marina Gardens Drive, tel: 6604 9988

Salt Grill and Sky Bar

Perched on the top floor of ION Orchard with sweeping views across the island, Salt Grill and Sky Bar is a gorgeous space in which to enjoy Luke Mangan’s signature modern Australian cuisine.

Dishes are light and refreshing, using the very best Australian produce in both its degustation and a la carte menus. There is crisp but friendly service, a decent wine cellar and prices that won’t blow a hole in your wallet making this is an excellent choice for a romantic tête-à-tête.

Salt Grill and Sky Bar, 55-01 ION Orchard, 2 Orchard Turn, tel: 6592 5118, saltgrill.com

Joël Robuchon Restaurant

For a special occasion, treat your better half to an evening of gastronomic adventure at RWS’s top celebrity restaurant. Expect the finest haute cuisine, professional service and all the little touches that make a great meal memorable. If Alaskan King crabmeat covered in imperial caviar doesn’t get you in the right mood, then the huge collection of French wine on hand should help.

Joël Robuchon Restaurant at Hotel Michael, Resorts World Sentosa, 8 Sentosa Gateway tel: 6577 6688, rwsentosa.com

Odette

A few months old and Odette is already the talk of the town. Housed in the brand new National Gallery Singapore, and with Chef Julien Royer (previously at Jaan, voted number 11 in Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants in 2015) in the kitchen, Odette is an ode to modern gastronomy (see our review on page 56) in a sophisticated yet unpretentious setting. It’s so popular that you may have more luck reserving for Valentine’s Day in 2017.

Odette 01-04 National Gallery Singapore, St. Andrew’s Road, tel: 6385 0498, odetterestaurant.com

Aura

Also located at National Gallery Singapore, Aura is the latest outlet in the il Lido group’s expanding restaurant empire. Spread over two floors, with a Sky Lounge on the upper level and the restaurant below, Aura caters for both casual eating and more refined dining. Start your evening with a sunset cocktail at the Sky Lounge and take in the bar’s magnificent view of the Singapore skyline.

When you are suitably relaxed, head downstairs to the elegant dining room for reasonably priced authentic Italian cuisine, backed up by friendly and efficient service.

Aura, 05-03 National Gallery Singapore, 1 St Andrew’s Road, tel: 6866 1977, aura.sg www.nowsingapore.co.id FEBRUARY - March 2016 23

now & then

Personal Training Passport

Having a personal trainer to help you maintain those New Year resolutions can be of great benefit – they keep you motivated, understand what your body needs and are committed to making you the best version of yourself. But what happens when work starts to get in the way of your routine and frequent trips abroad interfere with your health regimen? While we would love to bring our personal trainer wherever we go, there must be a more practical solution!

Enter WorldTrainer – an international personal training concierge service dedicated to keeping your workouts and your health on track, no matter where you are. In an effort to keep your training routine as regular and intense as it would be back home, WorldTrainer provides you with a personal trainer so you can hit the gym for a power-packed session whenever you travel abroad.

Currently available in 21 cities so far, this personal training matchmaker of sorts takes account of your preferences and general needs to find you the perfect trainer from their database. All you need to do is set a time and place that works with your busy schedule, and show up for training!

After every session, your trainer will promptly record and update your workout history online, giving any future trainers you work with a heads up on what you are working on before your next session. The information is also made accessible to your personal trainer back home so that you so that you can continue making progress without a hitch.

There are currently three membership options: Pay As You Train, Premium Flexible and Premium, designed to match your travel habits. All personal training fees are handled online to make the process as seamless as possible.

For more information, visit: worldtrainer.fitness

Farmers’ Market In The City

Singapore’s version of an urban “farmers’ market”, PasarBella has finally opened its much-awaited Suntec City outlet. This indoor foodie and bric-a-brac emporium sells just about everything from gourmet groceries to adorable knick-knacks like jewellery and accessories. Its new location is a definite juxtaposition from not only its surrounding skyscrapers, but with the original PasarBella outlet that sits amidst the green of Bukit Timah. Reclaim your lunch hour by heading to one of the fresh food outlets, with 13 gourmet stalls serving up international delicacies. Eat clean at Pimp My Salad or embrace the post-lunch lull with a heavy portion of Louisiana-style seafood from Cajun On Wheels. Craving a big, juicy burger?

Wolf one down at Wolf Burgers or feed your inner carnivore at Mad Dogs Grill, where your meaty main will be cooked to order! Can’t forgo your Asian faves? It’s pho galore at An An, a Vietnamese-style eatery, but if you have sushi on your mind, play around with unconventional combos at the Rollie Ollie where you can fill your maki with kimchi and spicy crab meat!

For more information, visit: pasarbella.com 24

FEBRUARY - March 2016

www.nowsingapore.co.id

Setting Sail The Singapore Yacht Show will take place from April 7 – 10, 2016 at ONE°15 Marina Club in Sentosa Cove. Now in its sixth year, the show is a great opportunity to get up close to some of the biggest names in luxury boating, including leading brands like Azimut, Feadship and Amels. For the first time, the show will also be introducing a new brokerage section, allowing buyers to pick up preowned yachts or boats that are either less than five years old, over 40 feet or have a minimum value of US$250,000. If you happen to be on the lookout for a new or second-hand yacht, or simply want to party with the movers and shakers of the nautical world, make sure to reserve your tickets.

For more information, contact singaporeyachtshow.com

Wanna Be Carioca?

Brazilian shoe brand, Melissa recently unveiled their latest Spring Summer 2016 Collection inspired by the laidback lifestyle of Rio de Janeiro. The eco-friendly, hypoallergenic, biodegradable plastic shoes come in a vast array of colours and styles making them ideal for a weekend, a corporate meeting and everything in between.

Melissa has also collaborated with designer Jason Wu to create an elegant range of flats and sandals accented with lace prints and feminine bows. Keep an eye out for the Mel – Dreamed By Melissa line that is perfect for children aged between four- and nine-years old or the Mini Melissa Series for toddlers. Melissa shoes are available across various retailers throughout Singapore (including Takashimaya, Tangs, Robinsons, Isetan Scotts etc.) but to view to the entire collection, head to their flagship stores in Wheelock Place and One Raffles Place.

For more information, visit: mdreams.com.sg

Creature Comforts

Singaporean artist Keng Lye and Hong Kong sculptor Johnson Tsang are collaborating in an exhibition at K+ at Scotts Square in February. Entitled ‘Alive without Breath 11: Creature Comforts,’ the exhibition features a selection of Lye’s signature resin paintings, some of which are collaborative works with Tsang’s ceramic creations. Lye’s intricate work is the result of constantly experimenting with ways to make his work more realistic and three-dimensional. Tsang’s sometimes humourous work is also based in realism with flashes of surrealism, which results in the unique pieces on display.

For more information, visit kplus.sg

www.nowsingapore.co.id FEBRUARY - March 2016 25

my singapore weekend

My Singapore Weekend

By Jamie Aditya

Images courtesy of the Aditya family

Since working as a presentor on MTV in the 1990s, singer, actor and presenter Jamie Aditya has worked with Anthony Bourdain, hosted on Discovery Channel and been a judge on Indonesian Idol. Most recently, he released the album ‘Trad and Soul’ with long-term friend Kelland Thomas, and will release a new pop/soul album in the new future. A regular visitor to Singapore, here he talks us through a family weekend in the city.

I

’ve been coming to Singapore since the 70s, when taking the wrong bus could mean finding yourself in the middle of the kampong, where roosters crowed atop tin-roofed Malay style rumah panggung, barefoot kids flew homemade kites in the streets and almost everyone spoke Malay. As a child, a Singapore visit meant a stay at Raffles Hotel and long family walks in the Botanic Gardens. We’d purchase readily available ‘Bubble Yum’ gum, eat lots of chicken rice and yong tau fu and wash it back with freshly squeezed sugar cane juice. We’d also shop at Metro on Scotts for new underwear and socks and stock up on Star Wars figures to take home.

Today a family weekend visit to Singapore means much more to my kids than new

26

FEBRUARY - March 2016

undergarments and American chewing gum (alas no longer available) as there is so much more to do for the bohemian home-schooled musical comedy show that is the AdityaGraham family. Our most recent Singapore adventure went something like this:

Friday We arrived and checked into the centrally located Sofitel SO on Robinson road, like Raffles another hotel housed in one of the city’s heritage buildings. A stone’s throw from Raffles Place MRT, this stylish hotel is an ideal base for exploring Chinatown and the Marina Bay area on foot. The heart of Orchard Road is just four stops on the train, so it’s great if you need to do some holiday shopping. Even better, the city’s oldest hawker centre Lau Pa

www.nowsingapore.co.id

Sat sits right on its doorstep, meaning we could step straight out of the hotel into the perfumed smoke of satay street. Here you just take a table and the food and beer comes to you – a great place to start an evening out.

If you want to check out the Singapore skyline at sunset, head to the nearby 1-Altitude, which has awesome views of pretty much the entire island on a clear day. On our visit, Maître D’Hôtel Sammy was a most graceful host, setting us up with the best viewpoint on the roof terrace. There’s also a fine dining restaurant and club here if you want to stay all evening, but we were happy with the excellent bar food at the building’s summit.

With bellies full of burgers, stingray and satay, we headed home, put the kids to bed and popped into the hotel’s HI-SO pool bar for a nightcap.

Left: The family at 1-Altitude; satay at Lau Pa Sat. Right: Animal kingdom at the zoo; circuit action at The Karting Arena;

Saturday Breakfast at Sofitel SO started the day well, with the kids stocking up their energy levels on the honeycomb honey at Xperience Restaurant before we headed out to the zoo to meet their newest addition. Gazing at the giraffes and their newly born baby was similar to witnessing a nativity scene, with the noble and saintly looking mother and father towering over their respectful guests as the little giraffe king lay asleep in the hay. A holy scene if ever we saw one – if only we were allowed to pat the baby. The kids enjoyed the animals and mused at how removed from nature’s magical creatures we are by living in the city. To look at them is like looking at creatures from another planet, with their mystical alien beauty and raw powerful energy. Prehistoric-like giraffes, tiny cotton-top tamarin monkeys, lions, koalas and chimps – we would have been equally amazed had we been staring at unicorns.

After an early morning commune with the animals, some man-made thrills awaited nearby at the recently opened Karting Arena at The Grandstand on Turf Club Road.

Unfortunately my eight-year-old was upset at being eight months too young and three inches too short to drive the electric go-karts on the track itself. Instead he had to imagine himself in one as he took us all on in a race on the simulator. He beat us all fair and square so I guess we’ll be back here again for a rematch on the real circuit after his next birthday. However his big brother and mother had a blast racing around the circuit, like Nicky Lauda’s unbridled disciples chasing Jack Brabham’s ghost around the track!

All that adrenalin sparked a hunger, so we headed back into town to CÉ LA VI, perched atop Marina Bay Sands, for lunch. At first I was a bit worried about the kids here, hoping something easy like sushi would be available.

However, this fusion Japanese-inspired fine dining restaurant managed to satisfy all with its oysters, orange pan-fried salmon steak and salmon sashimi, to the children’s eskimo palate delight!

From the restaurant’s al fresco terrace, there are great views of Marina Bay on one side and Gardens by the Bay on the other. Intrigued by the futuristic domes of the gardens, we decided to go down and take a look.

The awe inspiring architecture of the Gardens by the Bay complex would have been enough for us to come down and gawp at, let alone the fantastic mini biosphere worlds created within. My sons said that they felt like they were in Australia as we entered the temperate zone of the Flower Dome and they recognised a great number of the plants and trees from the island continent. My wife Nathalie, having lived in Provence in France for some time, recognised many plants and

www.nowsingapore.co.id FEBRUARY - March 2016 27

my singapore weekend

28

FEBRUARY - March 2016

www.nowsingapore.co.id

their aromas reminded her of her childhood.

Standing in the shade of the Desert Date Palm Grove made me momentarily feel like a Bedouin nomad resting in an oasis, taking a break from caravan mirages of bikini-clad tourists! Hah, yeah right!

The succulent cacti section strangely had us wanting to touch their prickly exteriors.

“Beautiful but don’t touch” – sort of like Nathalie before she was my wife and was still someone else’s girlfriend! Gazing down from the tropical garden canopy in the Cloud Forest, cool mist hit us as if we had wandered straight into a low-lying cloud on some jungle-

Left, clockwise from top: The podium at The Karting Arena; sleeping koala; the Cloud Forest; festive decorations at the Sofitel; Gardens by the Bay; ready for action at CÉ LA VI. Right, clockwise from top: Inside the Flower Dome; the family at PS. Cafe; reflective pools at Sofitel Singapore Sentosa Resort and Spa.

covered highland trail. My eight-year-old said he felt we were “ants in an ant farm” and his big brother likened it to us being “lizards in a giant terrarium.” Strangely I felt like Michael York in a scene from Logan’s Run! Once again, a slice of nature’s beauty had us feeling otherworldly… and we didn’t even have time to marvel at the flower section – we’ll definitely be back!

There are tons of food possibilities if you want to eat near here – Satay by the Bay serves up our favourite grilled meat sticks and much more, Pollen offers haute cuisine in the Flower Dome itself and MBS has a wide selection of ‘celebrity chef’ restaurants.

Probably my favourite eating spot in Singapore for a Saturday night is Chop Suey Cafe by PS. Cafe in Dempsey. Brilliant food, clever combinations, incredible atmosphere and a great selection of wines – need I say more?

Meat falling off the bone, crunchy vegetables, giant prawns cooked to perfection, delicate homemade chilli sauces and delicious ‘upside down’ date cake – it’s just perfect and makes you cry out for more! We also always try to

make sure to visit PS. Cafe as well for their excellent burgers and salads – Phillip Chin and Peter Teo have done a great job here.

Well feasted and physically spent, it was time for a quick transfer to Sofitel’s new property on Singapore’s party island, Sentosa.

Thankfully, Sofitel Singapore Sentosa Resort and Spa is the ideal place to chill out and recover after a hectic day exploring the city.

After such a busy 12 hours, we were tucked in, sound asleep and snoring in no time at all.

Sunday The hotel’s location is ideal for those wanting to experience Sentosa’s many attractions. It’s a short drive to Resorts World Sentosa, where places like the amazing S. E. A. Aquarium and Universal Studios Singapore can provide a whole day of fun activities. After tiring yourself out, take relaxation to a new level at the hotel’s mud pools at So Spa. There’s nothing like good old New Zealand mud to make you feel like a Maori warrior again after an exhausting but highly enjoyable weekend in the city.

www.nowsingapore.co.id FEBRUARY - March 2016 29

profile

Singaporean hotelier Gino Tan is currently the General Manager of Pan Pacific Singapore. After a career that’s taken him across the globe, we spoke to him about working back in Singapore and his tips for getting the most out of the hotel and the city itself in the coming months.

NS: What were your highlights of 2015 and what are you looking forward to in 2016?

GT: 2015 will always be special for me, not least because of Singapore’s 50th Anniversary celebrations and I am a Singaporean, but also because my move to helm Pan Pacific Singapore, the flagship property of the locally owned Pan Pacific Hotels Group. The SG50 celebrations were an excellent way for us to proudly share with our overseas guests the milestones and achievements of our nation, through several SG50 promotions and activities held at the hotel. As a trackside hotel, being in the thick of the action during the exhilarating annual Grand Prix was definitely another highlight, and I look forward to the next instalment with much anticipation.

2016 will be a very busy year for us, as we will be celebrating Pan Pacific Singapore’s 30th Anniversary with a gamut of exciting promotions, events and activities that will be

WORDS WITH GINO TAN

Images courtesy of Pan Pacific Singapore

announced soon. I am also looking forward to the Rugby Sevens taking place in April, where Pan Pacific Singapore will be the official hotel.

NS: How has the Marina Bay area changed as a destination in the past five years?

GT: The Marina Bay precinct has developed vastly in the last five years. With the rejuvenation and enhancements, in particularly of Suntec City, Marina Square and Millenia Walk (which the hotel is directly connected to) it now features a plethora of new and different dining, entertainment, retail and arts options. These, together with the National Cruise Centre, Marina Bay Financial Centre, and newly launched National Gallery Singapore, will continue to be major attractions for both Singaporeans and visitors alike.

NS: How has Singapore developed as a tourist destination since you’ve been working in the hospitality business?

30

FEBRUARY - March 2016

www.nowsingapore.co.id

GT: The great thing about Singapore is that it continually reviews, reinvents and renews itself to remain competitive. The Singapore Tourism Board and other government agencies do a good job in co-ordinating and marketing these efforts internationally and locally as well. There are major projects involved, such as the new Sports Hub and the Singapore Botanical Gardens being listed as a UNESCO Heritage Site. Major sporting competitions and entertainment and arts events are also being held here. This seamless annual calendar of activities all help to promote Singapore as a vibrant hub and tourist destination, as well as being an excellent venue for MICE and other special events.

NS: What are your favourite aspects about working at the Pan Pacific Singapore?

GT: When you work in the hospitality industry, it is all about people and I always look forward to the interaction with my guests

and associates. We have regular guests who support us and come back year after year and they become like family to us. Some of our guests have been with us since day one, while others have been coming back for over 20 years, and now bring along their families as well. We have many such individuals and families, and it is always very heart-warming to see them and their families returning to stay with us. I also take great satisfaction in interacting with my associates, some of whom have also been with the hotel for almost 30 years, as well as the younger colleagues, who help to energise me and make it special working at Pan Pacific Singapore.

NS: What dishes should all guests try when staying at the hotel?

GT: We have a range of award-winning restaurants, from the seven live food theatres and extensive buffet selection at Edge, to the delicious Cantonese cuisine at Hai Tien Lo, where the double-boiled soups and dim sum are a must-try for any first time diners.

The refined Japanese cuisine at Keyaki offers a plethora of choices, from teppanyaki to sashimi and kaiseki sets. It also offers authentic Inaniwa Udon, smooth, silky thin udon noodles from Akita prefecture that simply slide down your throat. For authentic local and Asian favourites, do try our Chicken Rice or Wagyu Pho Bo at Pacific Marketplace.

Don’t miss the fine North Indian cuisine at Rang Mahal either – with so many dining options, our guests are spoilt for choice when they visit Pan Pacific Singapore.

NS: What dining promotions can visitors look forward to at the Pan Pacific in Feb/ March?

GT: February is the month of the Chinese Lunar New Year celebrations, hence visitors

may indulge in a wide array of auspicious and delicious seafood, as well as roast and barbequed meats. There are special treasure pots of goodness and the popular raw fish salad or Yu Sheng, prepared with the freshest marine fish and seafood such as scallops, abalone and clams in various combinations depending on the guests’ preference. For those with a sweet tooth, many varieties of festive goodies will be available including pineapple tarts, cookies and cakes.

NS: Where in the city would you recommend guests to go to get a true taste of Singaporean cuisine?

GT: Singapore has such a wide range of good food and the debates and discussions on this topic are always interesting. For a true taste of some really good Singaporean cuisine, I would suggest Tiong Bahru market, where there is a wide selection of well-known Singapore hawker favourites. And for the world-famous

Singapore chilli crab, try it at one of the many seafood restaurants along the scenic East Coast Park.

NS: Can you share any hidden culinary gems?

GT: The culinary gem I would recommend, though not so hidden, would be Candle Nut restaurant. I always enjoy dining there with my family.

NS: What do you do to relax on your day off? What would be your ideal Sunday?

GT: Time spent with my family and reading helps me unwind on my day off. My ideal Sunday would be checking out new restaurants (local and international cuisine) and keeping abreast of the dining scene in Singapore in the company of my family.

NS: What do you think is the most impressive new attraction in Singapore?

GS: The new National Gallery Singapore, housed in two heritage buildings, City Hall and the former Supreme Court, is likely the most impressive and talked about new attraction in town.

NS: What effect will the new Michelin Guide have on the Singaporean dining scene?

GT: The new Michelin guide will reinforce Singapore’s standing as a global gourmet destination and will elevate the stature of not just the existing reputable international restaurants, but also the local Singapore chefs and their cuisine. Foodies will now have another reason to visit Singapore. The introduction of the guide will ultimately result in the restaurants upping their game as they strive for this coveted internationally recognised award and this will only benefit everyone in the end.

www.nowsingapore.co.id FEBRUARY - March 2016 31

hot hoods

capital cool Marissa Trew explores the hipster hideout of historical Jalan Besar.

Photos by Justin Eeles

32

FEBRUARY - March 2016

www.nowsingapore.co.id

Left and right: Street scenes in Jalan Besar.

W

ith a name like Jalan Besar (literally translated as ‘big road’), it’s very difficult to pinpoint where to begin your exploring on this eclectic stretch. Measuring about a kilometre and half, it runs parallel between two neighbourhoods on either side – Little India and Bugis on one end and Farrer Park and Lavender on the other. The distance alone may not seem that daunting, but once you consider the plethora of places to stop and visit along the way, we wouldn’t be surprised if you break up your minipilgrimage over two days.

Arguably, it is Singapore’s version of a ‘gentrified’ neighbourhood. In its hay day, it

was much sketchier part of town (and still is, in some respects) but as is always the case with contemporary ‘revamps’, its dodgy past failed to deter many that sought to build their businesses here. In fact, while hard to believe, it was originally a swampy betel nut, nipah palm and mangosteen orchard that was bought over by the Norris brothers in the 1830’s for a mere 113 Rupees from the East India Trading Company.

As the road developed over time, more and more businesses cropped up in the area, from unpleasant abattoirs and refuse facilities to sawmills and farmlands. All walks of life from every ethnic background began to settle to create what is today a bit of a mish-mash of cultural influences.

Before we get into the who’s who of the dining and bar scene, take some time to visit

some of the areas longstanding landmarks that characterise the area. The most obvious is probably Jalan Besar Stadium (100 Tyrwhitt Road). Opened in 1929, it was the main venue for all of Singapore’s national football matches before the opening of the National Stadium, and even hosted the National Day Parade back in 1984. Less obvious but also steeped in culture is the colourful Tibetan Buddhist Thekchen Choling Temple (2 Beatty Lane), which was built in the 1990’s and eponymously named after the monastery lived in by the Dalai Lama. Wander around aimlessly and you’ll inevitably stumble upon variations of the Art Deco shophouse architecture that is preserved throughout Singapore.

Even the street names have a great history.

What many may not know is that a significant

www.nowsingapore.co.id FEBRUARY - March 2016 33

hot hoods

This page: Happy Buddha at Thekchen Choling Temple; period shop-houses; colourful shutters.

Next page: Shop fronts; craft beer at Chye Seng Huat Hardware.

34

amount of the streets that branch off Jalan Besar are actually named after a series of World War I British and French army generals (like Allenby, Foch, Tyrwhitt and Kitchener).

Lavender Street itself ironically earned its name because of its foul smell (as vegetable gardens in the area were fertilised with human waste); a cynical suggestion proposed to the council in 1858 by a resident in the area.

Fast-forward to now and it has a rep as being one of Singapore’s original hipster enclaves (after Tiong Bahru). It emerged as a slightly unconventional destination for locals looking to evade the oversaturated streets of Orchard Road on weekends.

Riddled with great restaurants, bars, coffee dens and enough hipster memorabilia to make it seem ‘mainstream’, this isn’t to say some of Jalan Besar’s original gems haven’t survived the transition. Swee Choon Tim Sum Restaurant (183-191 Jalan Besar) is nothing short of an institution. Opening from 6pm to 6am every day except Tuesday, late-night revelers flocked here for their dim sum fix the same way they continue to do so now. Cheap, cheerful, frill-less and fresh, Swee Choon

FEBRUARY - March 2016

www.nowsingapore.co.id

is still considered one of Singapore’s top dumpling destinations.

A littler farther down is a bare-bones establishment, Beach Road Scissor Cut Curry Rice (229 Jalan Besar), where the food is as much of a mouthful as its name. The dishes won’t win any awards for plating but what it lacks in finesse, it makes up for in flavour.

A hybrid of Hainanese and colonial origin (we hesitate to call it ‘fusion’), the curry rice consists of ‘scissor-cut’ fried pork or chicken chop pieces on a bed of rice drowning in curry sauce and rich gravy. This isn’t the dish your doctor ordered.

Equally rich but perhaps a more familiar classic is the laksa found at Sungei Road Laksa (01-100 Block 27, Jalan Berseh) that is famous for its $2 bowls of spicy coconut gravy noodles that is still prepared using a traditional charcoal burner.

With rich food like that for lunch, we’re sure a caffeine hit will be in order and when it comes to coffee, a café-hop in this hood will have you twitching with energy. There are just so many to choose from and you need only wander round to find them all. While there are countless competitors, the ultimate hipster den has to be Chye Seng Huat Hardware (150 Tyrwhitt Road), a warmly lit modern spot filled with bare-naked light bulbs hanging from the ceilings, old-style windows and enough www.nowsingapore.co.id FEBRUARY - March 2016 35

hot hoods

Left: The taps at Druggists; queues at Swee Choon; scissor cut curry rice.

Right: The preserved facade of Kam Leng Hotel.

barista equipment to make a mean cup of joe. Whether you’re here for brunch, a slice of afternoon cake or a cheeky bit of latté art in the froth of your cuppa, it’s an easy spot to relax and waste an afternoon in with a good book. There’s also a great little shop on the floor above the café – The General Company – selling plenty of knick-knacks, tote bags and leather goods that are worth a peek. Come nightfall, the space transforms into Incognito, a laidback bar selling craft beers and imported ales from around the world.

For more craft beer specialties, hop to Druggists (119 Tyrwhitt Road) just down the road, where 23 craft beers are on tap, with changing specials every week.

36

FEBRUARY - March 2016

www.nowsingapore.co.id

It doubles as a restaurant too, with monthly-changing Asian-inspired food menus that supposedly pair well with whatever is flowing out the faucet. Local-lites may prefer The 1925 Microbrewery (369 Jalan Besar), A Singapore-born group that brews all their own beer.

But before you go on a bit of a bender, line your stomach at some of the restaurants that pockmark the area. The dining scene here is constantly in flux, with new concepts constantly on the rise against a cluster of longstanding residents that show no signs of crumbling under the competition.

American-style fare is a popular option with places like Suprette (383 Jalan Besar) serving up juicy burgers, topped with sinful additions like melting gruyère, bacon, and blue cheese mayo. New to the scene is Red Eye Smokehouse (1 Cavan Road), an American joint specialising in all things meat – both barbecued and smoked. With a menu of over 30 cuts of meat (with seven or eight cuts available at any time) ordered by weight, plus all-American sides like coleslaw, mash, beans and soft rolls, it’s southern comfort at its finest. For a more formal eatery, head to 5th Quarter by Chef Andrew Nocente (formerly of SKIRT at W Singapore Sentosa Cove) at Hotel Vagabond, a carnivorous dining concept that splits its menu according to each meal’s preparation technique.

More modern but locally-inspired fare can be found at CreatureS (120 Desker Road), a pretty little venue run by an honest pair of Singapore foodies keen on sharing their favourite homemade dishes in a bistro setting. Fusion cuisine can be found at morsels (35 Mayo Street), where young chefs Bryan and Petrina have harnessed their culinary training (at Le Cordon Bleu and the Culinary Institute of America) to create beautiful sharing courses with everchanging dishes and long-staying classics like the Charred House-Poached Octopus with squid ink risotto and salted egg sauce or the Steamed Venus Clams in fig broth with homemade kimchi and pickled wakame.

Otherwise, head to The Refinery (115 King George’s Avenue) to get everything you’d want on a night out in one. Part designer workspace, part casual dining restaurant and part cocktail bar, this funky space has the kind of ‘cool without even trying’ vibe that everyone looks for when out on the town.

As we said before, to say there is a lot going on in this neighbourhood would be an understatement and it could easily take you two days to explore every nook and cranny along this ‘big road.’

Fortunately there are a few decent hotel options here, should you plan to stay in the area. Kam Leng Hotel (383 Jalan Besar) is a

nostalgic boutique that originally opened in 1927, before re-opening in 2012. This early 20th century hotel has preserved much of its original character, albeit with more modern amenities. In total contrast, on the other end of the stretch is Wanderlust Hotel (2 Dickson Road), where every bedroom is modelled after a particular theme, whether it is inspired by a particular Pantone palette or even a tree house! We love this spot particularly for Cocotte, the restaurant that resides in its lobby. Serving up French-inspired cuisine on a roaming trolley every weekend, it’s definitely one of our favourite brunch spots. The newest hotel on the block is Hotel Vagabond (39 Syed Alwi Road), which has added an extra edge to the neighbourhood with its dark red, plush interiors and ‘femme fatale’ glamour. Alternatively, stay closer to Little India at the PARKROYAL on Kitchener (181 Kitchener Road).

Jalan Besar hasn’t been left behind in the development of so many of Singapore’s districts but there’s a hint of melancholy that many of the great stories that form the bulk of this area’s history are at risk of being lost. So, go out and explore, enjoy all the foodie hotspots, both new and old, but take a moment to understand how it all came to be.

www.nowsingapore.co.id FEBRUARY - March 2016 37

on the road

joo chiat on the road:

Text and Photos by Justin Eeles

38

FEBRUARY - March 2016

www.nowsingapore.co.id

N

amed after the wealthy landowner Chew Joo Chiat, who made his fortune growing spices and coconuts in this once agricultural part of the island, Joo Chiat Road is now one of Singapore’s more colourful thoroughfares and is well worth a visit.

What was once a dust road through the plantations to the sea is now home to some of the finest examples of pre-war shophouse architecture in the country. A thriving centre for the Peranakan and Eurasian communities from early in the 20th

century to the present day, this picturesque enclave was designated a ‘heritage town’ by the National Heritage Board in 2011. Ask a local about Joo Chiat and the response will invariably be connected to the area’s reputation as a food magnet. Whether it’s for laksa, chilli crab, curry puffs or just a simple bowl of wanton mee, this area is home to some of the best in the city. It’s not just traditional local food that draws the crowds either – in the past five years a number of international restaurants have opened along the street, transforming Joo Chiat into even more of a foodie haven.

www.nowsingapore.co.id FEBRUARY - March 2016 39

on the road

A good place to start a walking tour of Joo Chiat is at the start of the road at Joo Chiat Complex. Fun fact: the great Chew Joo Chiat was so loved by the inhabitants here that he has more streets, lanes and buildings named after him than anyone else in Singapore, including even the island’s founder, Sir Stamford Raffles. This top part of the road retains more of an old-world local feel than the end at Marine Parade, so it’s almost as though you travel forward in time as you approach the sea.

Opposite Joo Chiat Complex is the Geylang Serai market – a mustvisit first stop on any cultural excursion. Serving the area’s large Malay community, this wet market will be a surprise for those assuming Singapore is nothing but bland modernity. On the ground floor, bustling narrow alleys take your through busy stalls, overflowing with fruit, vegetables, exotic herbs and spices. On the second floor, the hawker centre specialises in Malay and Indonesian food, offering excellent meals at very low prices.

If you manage to resist the temptation for a plate of rendang here, make your way down Joo Chiat Road to Gandum Bakery and try their Beef Rendang Puff to get your fix. This delicious variation is just one of their popular pastries, lauded by their neighbouring hardware store as the “best curry puffs in Singapore!” In amongst the Muslim shops dotted around the local mosque, this part of the street offers more good snack options – for a sugary high, try the ondeh ondeh (glutinous rice dumplings filled with palm sugar) or pulut serunding (glutinous rice with spicy coconut) at Sweetest Choice by Yatie. Alternatively, try the Sardine Curry Puff at Imran’s Confectionery just down the street for another savoury pastry experience.

Another baking sensation, albeit of the more western variety, is the artisanal bakery The Bread Project. The location of this boutique bakery roughly marks where the traditional Malay businesses at the top of the street give way to what is sometimes referred to as ‘Little Vietnam.’

Amongst the many bustling restaurants located here that sell authentic Vietnamese cuisine at very affordable prices, The Bread Project offers a good selection of traditional French breads and pastries. These are made in-house without chemicals or additives. Their baguettes are 40

FEBRUARY - March 2016

www.nowsingapore.co.id

delicious and the almond croissants are heart-stoppingly good. Across the street, Long Phung is the most popular Vietnamese restaurant on the strip, so expect to queue for your table. If you do make it inside, we say bypass the pho for their excellent Spicy Beef Noodle Soup, a highly recommended rich and hearty stew with tender chunks of beef simmered in a flavourful broth. If you cannot afford to wait, there are at least six other Vietnamese restaurants to chose from as you keep marching, so don’t despair if Long Phung is too crammed.

Those looking for a more healthy meat-free meal should try the vegan restaurant, The Loving Hut, just a few doors down. Here, a wide range of salads (try the Bali Bliss) and faux-meat mains are backed up

by a ‘miracle juice,’ fresh coconuts and decent coffee. Heading towards the ocean, the street then meets the junction with Dunman Road and the much-loved Koon Seng Road, where a row of well-preserved pre-war shop-houses, each painted a different pastel shade, presents photographers with a stunning rainbow of architectural finesse. It also signals the start of more western-orientated businesses and restaurants. Past the traffic lights, where an impressive shop-house front now rather unimpressively houses a Giant supermarket, diners can choose between a host of international cuisines including Italian, Thai, French, Australian, German and American as the strip continues south.

Rest assured, gorging yourself on sinful snacking is not the only attraction of this area. In between bites, apart from enjoying the street’s fine architecture, there is an eclectic collection of shops to explore. Two favourites, both heavily guarded by felines, include the aptly named Cat Socrates and the charming furniture and bric a brac, Bangku Bangku.

For unique gifts or souvenirs, Cat Socrates offers a creative assortment of knickknacks and is well worth a visit. Bangku Bangku’s inventory originates in Indonesia, offering retro furniture and furnishings, antique-style fans and lots of quaint art pieces. It’s also home to perhaps the best-looking cat in Singapore.

Pets have a big place in the hearts of East-siders – it doesn’t take long to notice the abundance of pet stores and grooming businesses in the neighbourhood. Hoping to tap into this penchant for a furry friend is the recently opened 3 Barks Cafe. Here a shop-house offers a floor for pet owners and a floor for the pets themselves, each with its own menu and activities. For the humans, there is wifi, coffee and snacks on the ground floor and for the animals, the second floor is kitted out with a pet playground and a pet-friendly menu that might even tempt the owners.

For more concentrated shopping opportunities, you need to head further south to Marine Parade but there are other boutiques here worth exploring, including the jewellery shop, Choo Yilin and the florists, The Bloom Room… both ideal stops for the roaming romantic.

As you approach the coast, the pace of life on Joo Chiat Road increases, becoming its busiest at the crossroads where it meets East Coast Road. This busy street was once where Singapore’s rich escaped the city on the weekends for the quiet respite of their beachside bungalows. Now a major thoroughfare, it teems with restaurants,

Left, from top: Colourful shophouses; market scenes at Geylang Serai.

Right, from top: The resident cat at Bangku Bangku; freshly baked loaves at The Bread Project.

www.nowsingapore.co.id FEBRUARY - March 2016 41

on the road

42

FEBRUARY - March 2016

www.nowsingapore.co.id

Left, clockwise from top: Preparing a bouquet at The Bloom Room; fitness corner; one man and his dog at 3 Barks Cafe; freshly prepared curry puffs at Gandum Bakery.

Right, from top: Brunch at Merchants; Alibabar corner.

luxury condominiums and schools. At the crossroads sits Katong I12, a modern boutique mall with cinema, good restaurants, shops and a supermarket.

If you’ve built up a thirst, there are plenty of options nearby.

Opposite Katong I12 is the Alibabar, a legendary hawker centre that is responsible for two of the country’s biggest restaurant success stories, Astons and Saveur. Both started their culinary careers in the tiny kitchens here, moving out to bigger premises when demand became too high. It’s also a popular watering hole, with a selection of craft ales and European pilsners. Across from Alibabar on Joo Chiat Road is Ninethirty, a bistro run by local chocolatier sensation Awfully Chocolate. Here a nightly Happy Hour offers possibly the cheapest Asahi in town, backed up by great finger food, more substantial mains and desserts to die for. Across from Ninethirty lies Brotzeit, a German chain with suitably good beer and large plates of bratwurst and goulash. Wine lovers should head to Merchants Wine Cellar for a selection of boutique wines from Australia and New Zealand. This is also a good place for lunch or a boozy weekend brunch. Other popular bars worth a stopover on a Joo Chiat pub-crawl include The Cider Pit, Fatboy’s The Burger Bar and Hogs Bar. All serve food (burger lovers should definitely try Fatboy’s), offer cheaper drinks than their innercity equivalents and have a good local vibe.

Faced with such a good choice of eating and drinking establishments, it’s no wonder that in recent years, locals here have invested in creative ways to burn off the extra calories. Apart from a couple of traditional gyms, Joo Chiat beckons bulging waistlines with creative ways to get back in shape. The brand new Spartans Boxing Club, has just opened and is already crammed with both male and female fighters, wanting to punch away a few pounds. Down the street, SURFSET Singapore has fitness enthusiasts springing onto mechanised boards for yoga poses and more, whereas at Flyte Studio, you can dance the calories away at a Zumba class or karate kick yourself into shape.

It’s hard to imagine Chew Joo Chiat envisaging his pathway through the coconut palms transforming into such a colourful charismatic street. One thing is for sure; Singapore won’t be forgetting his contribution to its development any time soon.

www.nowsingapore.co.id FEBRUARY - March 2016 43

photo essay

Text and photos by Robert Zhao

Sand from Ulu Tiram

Ulu Tiram Bukit Timah

A large stockpile of sand is stored in the middle of the city.

44

FEBRUARY - March 2016

www.nowsingapore.co.id

I

n the 1960s, Singapore gorged the soil from its tiny hills and ridges and used it to reclaim land. The island is virtually flat today, forcing the government to buy sand from neighbouring countries to continue the reclamation efforts. In the early stages of each land-reclamation project, when the imported sand sat for some time, huge desert-like landscapes began to dominate the eastern and western coasts of Singapore, mainly Tuas, Punggol, Marine Parade, and Changi. When these deserts started appearing in the 1960s, they took the place of the beaches that locals used to frequent. Making do with what they had, Singaporeans flocked to these reclaimed spaces on the weekends to walk towards the new shoreline, in the hopes of reaching the beach they once knew.

In the late 1990s, my father would take me to these reclaimed lands on the west coast of Singapore. These places were so huge that it would take 30 minutes of driving before we could see the sea. It has always been a mystery to me why such huge landscapes exist in Singapore. The city was only 224 square miles before the reclamation projects started in 1960. By 2030 it will grow to 317 square miles.

A casual visit to the reclaimed lands has become nearly impossible in recent years. The reclaimed lands are now fenced up. So I now make it a point to visit coastal dunes in other countries to try to relive the experience of walking on the sands of Singapore in my youth. There are giant dunes in the middle of several cities today, like the Dune du Pyla of Arcachon in France, the Tottori Sand Dunes in Japan, and the Dunes under Fort Funston in San Francisco. I take photographs in these foreign places and imagine that these were the kind of images I could have taken in Singapore when I was younger. Sometimes I wish I had a souvenir for the dunes of Singapore because most of us actually forget that, as Singaporeans, we are mostly walking on water or, if not, on the sand of others.

www.nowsingapore.co.id FEBRUARY - March 2016 45

photo essay

46

FEBRUARY - March 2016

www.nowsingapore.co.id

Overlooking Bukit Panjang Gali Batu

A group of tourists visit a stockpile of sand.

www.nowsingapore.co.id FEBRUARY - March 2016 47

photo essay

48

FEBRUARY - March 2016

www.nowsingapore.co.id

Singapore Tree Singapore’s largest and oldest tree is hidden in a secret location.

www.nowsingapore.co.id FEBRUARY - March 2016 49

photo essay

50

FEBRUARY - March 2016

www.nowsingapore.co.id

Singapore Wild Dogs There are no more wild dogs left in Singapore.

www.nowsingapore.co.id FEBRUARY - March 2016 51

photo essay

52

FEBRUARY - March 2016

www.nowsingapore.co.id

In tropical Singapore, we are plagued with dengue mosquitos and other insects. Fumigation is an effective way to kill and eradicate pests along with many other insects all in one fell swoop. Fumigation often creates a beautiful and surreal landscape when the smoke fills the space, creating a beautiful and surreal oasis that is almost dream like.

www.nowsingapore.co.id FEBRUARY - March 2016 53

photo essay

Woodlands In Woodlands stands the remains of a secret tunnel that links Singapore to Malaysia.

54

FEBRUARY - March 2016

www.nowsingapore.co.id

www.nowsingapore.co.id FEBRUARY - March 2016 55

profile

Boutique and Bespoke Images courtesy of Jacada Travel

As international travellers continue to seek unique holiday experiences in more remote parts of the globe, we spoke to the founder of Jacada Travel, Alex Malcolm, about his company’s growth into the Asia region. With 25 employees in London and a growing international team, Jacada has come a long way since its humble beginning when Malcolm started the business as the sole employee in 2008.

Initially specialising in organising tailor-made trips to Brazil and Argentina, Jacada has now expanded into offices in London, Cape Town and Hong Kong, with a Singapore office planned in the near future.

NS: What sets Jacada apart from a normal travel agent?

AM: We offer tailor-made itineraries to some of the world’s most exotic and interesting destinations, with a team of seasoned guides across the world who are experts in their field.

We plan the trip with our customers, finding out any specific interests or requests well before they set off so we can include the experiences in a holiday that has been designed specifically 56

FEBRUARY - March 2016

for them. This personal touch ensures that our clients only have to pack their bags and arrive at the airport or marina, as all of the other arrangements have been taken care of by us, from reserving the right restaurants to chartering a private helicopter or yacht.

NS: How do you pick your guides?

AM: We make sure that our guides are the kind of people that our customers will

www.nowsingapore.co.id

respect. This means we pick people who not only know the destination they are dealing with very well, but are also experienced and successful in their own right. They are usually high achievers – they might have been successful lawyers or actors beforehand – but are guiding because of the love they have for the destination. So they are more of a peer to our customers that someone they can just order about.

NS: What would be an example of a popular experience that your clients enjoy?

AM: One of the things we like to organise is a chef-hosted lunch or dinner. This will take place at the chef’s house. As you know, a lot of chefs are larger than life types of characters who can be very entertaining. There’s a great guy we work with in Cape Town who is very popular with our clients. Learning from a chef about what it’s like to live in a city, while being wined and dined in his private house, is quite an experience.

NS: Where is a good destination for off-the-beatentrack travel in this region?

Which country is particularly popular at present?

AM: Some of the most intrepid destinations are found in the more remote islands of Indonesia. Taking a luxury yacht charter around these islands means that as well as enjoying some fantastic diving options, our clients can also have amazing wildlife and cultural experiences, interacting with local tribes people whose way of life is practically untouched by the modern world.

Apart from Indonesia, Myanmar is currently a very popular destination for our clients.

Although it’s a country that is modernising rapidly, it offers visitors so many cultural and natural attractions to explore in a land that was quite a challenge to visit in recent times.

Image courtesy of Nyvagar Hotel Lofoten Islands

NS: What is the average age of your guides?

AM: I’d say around 40 years old would be an average age, although we have guides in their 60s who have no problem guiding people in their 20s or 30s, such is their enthusiasm.

NS: What other destinations are popular with your clients?

AM: We’ve had a lot of interest in the polar region, specifically Iceland, Norway and Antarctica. We offer a range of unforgettable travel experiences like helicopter rides over volcanoes, yacht charters and husky sled and snowmobile rides in areas of spectacular natural beauty.

NS: Why are you considering Singapore as a location for your next office?

AM: Singapore-based travellers are some of the most sophisticated in Asia. They’re looking for the ‘in-the-know’ travel experiences that we love to create for our guests. When we started our trips to Bhutan, I thought the Americans would be by far the biggest market, but in fact, the Singapore market is our largest, which was a surprise.

NS: What do you think of Singapore as a travel destination?

AM: I’m a massive foodie myself and have some local friends that always take me to the best local restaurants and hawker centres.

All the amazing food available, and the lovely social aspect of eating here, makes me really enjoy visiting Singapore.

NS: Do you personally prefer the journey or the destination when you go on holiday?

AM: I certainly enjoy it when the journey can become part of the trip itself. Whether that be through the excitement of arriving by helicopter or simply taking a road trip through stunning scenery, it’s often one of the most enjoyable parts of the trip. Some of my favourite places to travel to are the mountains and highlands of South America, and the journeys there can be simply breathtaking.

NS: What are the advantages to bespoke travel? What do you think are the most important aspects to guaranteeing customer satisfaction?

AM: Everyone is different, and people travel and experience the world in different ways.

That’s the first reason why it’s best to have a travel experience that is specifically tailored to you. Also, by giving our clients private guides, they then have the freedom to interact and discuss the ways that they want to explore, which makes them more inclined to push themselves and discover new and interesting things to see and do. We avoid an ‘off-the shelf’ style of experience, making sure that every second has been planned and considered to suit our clients and make them feel special.

For more information, visit jacadatravel.com

www.nowsingapore.co.id FEBRUARY - March 2016 57

dining

Ode to A Culinary Inspiration

By Marissa Trew I Images courtesy of Odette

F

ine dining has taken a backseat as of late, particularly with the rise of bistronomy (casual ‘fine dining’) establishments throughout the island.

People have turned their nose up at the formality of white cloth table service, strict table etiquette and the typical air of restrained silence.

In that sense, haute cuisine was at risk of falling behind or even becoming passé.

Adding Chef-Owner Julien Royer’s departure from JAAN (#11 on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2015; #74 on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2015) to that to start a new venture, and you could almost argue that the restaurant Odette

by Julien Royer and the Lo & Behold Group, opened its doors with the odds stacked against them. After all, he has set himself a very, very high bar.

Eponymously named after Chef Julien Royer’s grandmother – the woman responsible for cultivating his culinary values – the intimate yet airy space is flooded with natural light and an airy spirit. Housed in what was formerly the Supreme Court at the new National Gallery Singapore, there is definitely an air of legacy about the place, either of Singapore’s history or Royer’s grandmother. I’d prefer to think it the latter.

The kitchen philosophy is as elegant as it is simple. Rather than opting for the clichéd

58

FEBRUARY - March 2016

description of ‘celebrating seasonal produce,’ Chef-Owner Julien Royer takes it one step further. Each ingredient on every plate is painstakingly sourced from around the world, and only used when in its absolute prime. The result is an everchanging menu with slight fluctuations in flavour pairings, where the kitchen has creatively and cleverly adapted to what stocks their enviable pantry.

The lunch menu is a simple choice between four- and six-course options (six-

www.nowsingapore.co.id

or eight-courses at dinner). But before you begin, in true fine-dining style, a meticulously prepared platter of amuse-bouches arrive at the table, acting as a little taster of the culinary prowess that hums behind the kitchen’s glass wall. Sized as more of a series of ‘nibbles’ than fractionally larger ‘bites,’ each one’s composition is remarkably complex; concentrating a full course’s worth of flavours into a morsel no larger than coin.

As for the set menu, it is far easier to simply abandon the traditional notions of ‘appetiser, main and dessert’ as every course is better cherished independently, rather than being considered the antecedent to the next plate. Thoughtfully executed and brilliantly done, I’d happily experience any of those dishes in any sequence.

Take the Hokkaido Uni for example.

Served in small spherical bowl, it contained some of the most prized seafood on the market. A generous sliver of sea urchin hid beneath a mussel espuma cloud, which enveloped a Mozambique langoustine ceviche at its base. With a garnish of Oscietra caviar and a flake of edible gold (in case it wasn’t luxurious enough already), this starting course was truly a stellar plate of food.

More artfully constructed was the Heirloom Beetroot Variation, where an entire spectrum of cooking techniques was used to explore virtually every dimension of a beetroot’s flavour profile. Resembling a

dessert rather than a second course, a fuchsia beetroot sorbet acts the epicentre of a garden of edible flowers, olive oil spheres, beetroot meringue kisses, beetroot jelly, salt-baked beetroot and a creamy pouch of burrata to balance the flavours. Whilst not particularly unique in terms of its modern gastronomystyle plating, it is refreshing to see that even the humblest of ingredients can be elevated to such a gorgeous standard.

Adding a touch of theatre to the meal, the 55’ Organic Egg came in an egg carton, with dry ice smoking at the base. While the dish could forgo the extra theatre of the dry ice (but for a bit of fun, why not?), the just-set pine-smoked egg that is poured onto each diner’s plate of “forgotten” vegetables (crosnes, rutabata, and chervil) and freshly sliced Burgundy Aestvum truffle, was simple yet utterly delicious. Royer has been criticised for the similarity the dish bares with a signature dish at JAAN, but as its original author, it would only be fair to regard this rendition as a more refined version of a previous draft.

Then, a regional accent was observed in a plate of Adour trout and char-grilled Fremantle octopus (Kurobuta pork for my dining companions), glazed with restrained brushstrokes of sweet miso caramel.

A few courses in and I began to ponder if (or more accurately, where) Royer’s renditions of his grandmother’s cooking would come into play. A touch of rustic French charm is evident

in the Challans Guinea Fowl ‘A La Braise’ – a confit leg and breast seared tableside on hot charcoal (with celeriac risotto, foie gras coulant and an albufera sauce), inspired by Royer’s childhood favourite dish of ‘poulet a la crème,’ lovingly prepared by Odette herself.

With his grandmother’s spirit so clearly embodied in a single course, the guinea fowl acted as a natural climax to the meal.

It came as a relief then, when the dessert did not attempt to overshadow what came before it. The Williams Pear ‘Comme Un Mille-Feuille’ was as its name suggests, a tower of nougatine shards, layered with rum jelly, poached pear, gingerbread crumb and perhaps the creamiest salted caramel ice cream that I have ever encountered. Light, simple and elegant, it was a comfortable end to a deceivingly heavy meal.

Have they reinvented fine dining? Not at all. What they have done, however, is remind people what an exceptional dining experience is all about. There is no pretence in the air, or any egotistical waiter tapping his shoe as you ponder over a glass of champagne, nor that relentless intrinsic pressure to adjust your behaviour to suit the formality of the setting. The waiting staff banter with guests as though everyone was a familiar friend and every dish is described with passion and enthusiasm, not arrogance.

With the arrival of the Michelin Guide in Singapore this year, Odette is surely a leading contender.

Odette, 01-04 National Gallery Singapore, 1 Saint Andrew’s Road, tel: 6385 0498, odetterestaurant.com.

www.nowsingapore.co.id FEBRUARY - March 2016 59

dining

Gallery Gastronomy

By Luke Finn Images courtesy of Aura

S

et in the magnificent National Gallery Singapore, Aura is a new dining concept from Beppe de Vito and the Il Lido team (the group behind popular establishments like Il Lido, &Sons Bacaro and Southbridge). Spread over the two top floors of City Hall wing of the building, Aura comprises Aura Sky Lounge on the rooftop and Italian restaurant Aura, below.

Aura Sky Lounge has only been open a few months but has already established itself as one of the best night spots in the city. With its extensive outdoor space, it offers fantastic 270-degree views of the city skyline, with the front overlooking the Padang and Singapore Cricket Club, and the side looking out onto the ethereal spire of St Andrew’s Cathedral. With no other buildings to obstruct its path, the terrace is blessed by a cooling breeze, which makes it a comfortable place to relax both day and night.

The interior is equally spacious – the bar area can hold up to 500 guests – making it an ideal location to relax after exploring the vast gallery below.

Open from 11:30am until 1am, the Sky Lounge serves lunch, high tea (both competitively priced at $18++) and bar snacks throughout the day. In the evenings, the space transforms into a cocktail bar and the menu adapts accordingly, offering posh snacks like Mini Truffle Burgers, Crab Sliders and Lobster Claw Rolls. Arrive between 5pm and 8pm for Happy Hour and enjoy deals like a $55 bottle of Prosecco or Pinot Grigio. Happy Hour or not, however, the prices at both Aura Sky Lounge and Aura restaurant are respectable, considering the location and quality of the goods on offer.

The interior of Aura Sky Lounge provides a stylish extension of the National Gallery, with the work of local artists incorporated into the design.

Paying homage to the classic design of Singapore’s HDB blocks, artist Chun Kai Feng has created a light installation that captures the iconic windows

60

FEBRUARY - March 2016

www.nowsingapore.co.id

environment. Inside, tables are spaced out enough to provide a sense of privacy, each section with unique design pieces, be it ‘Uragano’ wicker chairs by designer Vico Magistretti or the lighting sculptures by Mona Choo that create a bridge between the two floors.

The one-page a la carte menu is divided simply into appetisers, pastas and mains.

The choice of appetisers includes dishes like Foie Gras with Caramelised Apple and Duck Jus, Parma Ham with Musk Melon, a tender Grilled Octopus with Crispy Egg and Corn and a refreshing Tuna Tartare with Avocado and Grilled Zucchini. Portions are generous so almost everything can easily be shared with fellow diners if you want to try a bigger selection. Pastas include a delicious Burnt Wheat Orecchiette with Asparagus and Guanciale, a creamy comforting

Burrata Cheese Ravioli with Amatriciana and the popular Pappardelle with Oxtail and Mushrooms. Mains are split equally between ‘Sea’ and ‘Land,’ with the seafood section offering dishes like Hokkaido Scallops with Porcini and Beetroot, Grilled Seabream with Pomegranate and Pistachio Salsa, and Red Snapper with Romanesco Salmoriglio. In the meat section, choices include a very decent Iberico Pork Chop Milanese with Parma Ham Sauce and a tender Beef Sirloin Tagliata with Bone Marrow Salad. For dessert, standout choices include their Mango and Coconut Trifle, a light deconstructed creation and the Amedei Chocolate and Banana Cake, a decadent finale to an enjoyable Italian feast.

Aura, 05-03 National Gallery Singapore, St Andrews Road, tel: 6866 1977, aura.sg

of the art deco developments of the 1970s.

Elsewhere, artist Grace Tan’s sculptures are a nod to Jeff Koons and the building’s striking architecture.

The restaurant continues this theme, providing a stylish space to enjoy their curated menu of Italian specialities. More of a busy upmarket brasserie than a stuffy fine-dining hall, Aura eschews white linen, creating an unpretentious friendly atmosphere. It is noisy, boisterous and fun, just like an Italian restaurant should be. The interior is a blend of classic and contemporary design, creating an elegant dining space seating up to 90 guests. On entry, guests pass reflective pools in the al fresco hallway to be met by a large square dining room. What is immediately striking is the display of fine wine at the back of the restaurant and the adjacent main wall, decorated with mirrored concrete tiles to create equilibrium within the immediate www.nowsingapore.co.id FEBRUARY - March 2016 61

dining

In Vino Veritas

By Luke Finn Images courtesy of Verre

L

ocated in a heritage warehouse on the river at Robertson Quay, the recently re-opened Verre has transformed itself from a decent wine bar to a modern French bistro par excellence. The impressive wine cellar remains as a walk-in glass ode to a world of oenophile pleasure, standing in pride of place at the centre of the restaurant. Around the cellar, the high ceiling

62

FEBRUARY - March 2016

and atmospheric iron rafters create a modern stylish space. The name Verre (meaning ‘glass’ in French) is embodied in the interior through vino-influenced shapes of glass artfully placed and lit to great effect. As you’d expect from a French bistro overlooking a river, a front terrace for al fresco dining offers the ideal option for a romantic tête-à-tête.

With around 750 fine wines available, most from a selection of France’s top châteaux, Verre will keep any enthusiast well watered. The

www.nowsingapore.co.id

restaurant also offers 30 wines by the glass, using cutting edge technology to ensure that the wines remain untainted once opened. Backing up the selection of premium vintages is a well-curated selection of other world wines, some very competitively priced. I think this is the only restaurant in Singapore which stocks the excellent Spinifex wines from Australia – a good reason to visit in itself.

The main star of the show, however, is Consultant Chef Masashi Horiuchi. A veteran of some of the world’s top kitchens, most recently at L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon in London, Chef Masashi has created a menu of modern French cuisine that highlights his skill in both presentation and method. Trained in classic French techniques, Chef Masashi here concentrates on a modern interpretation of French cuisine, with a simple menu designed to accompany any occasion. This is not to say the food is simple – from the bar snacks to the more substantial mains, his attention to detail and culinary flair are plain to see.

Dishes arrive from the kitchen ensconced in large glass cloches, sealing in the flavours and aroma until they are unveiled at the table.

This seemingly simple but traditional ritual immediately elevates the dining experience, beckoning the diner to focus on the unique plating of every course.

Wine pairing is encouraged, with the first part of the menu devoted to ‘Wine Bites,’ where each snack choice includes a suggestion for a good accompanying wine.

Choices include fresh oysters, duck and pork rillettes, a selection of pâtés and cold cuts or cheese platters. We started off our ‘wine bites’ pairing journey with the Tarte Flambe Forest, interestingly paired with a Gewurztraminer from Alsace. This savoury pizza-style bread, topped with button mushrooms, crème fraiche, caramelised onion, gruyère cheese and a raw egg yolk balanced well with the fresh sweetness of the wine. While a very informative way to learn about new flavour combinations and try new wines, I am quite sure Chef Masashi’s cuisine would taste equally as fantastic with any of the wines on the menu, so there is no pressure to follow the pairing suggestions should you prefer a more stable drinking companion.

On the menu, standout appetisers include a decadently rich Chicken Liver Parfait, served with an orange syrup jelly. Presented in a glass on a black slate, this blend of chicken liver, port reduction, Madeira, cloves and shallots was served with fresh, warm baguette, an infallible pairing. Don’t miss the Half Lobster Salad, with crisp gem lettuce, chervil, sorrel, cress and sliced radish, arriving on a bed of guacamole. Light and fragrant, the lobster here is cooked with anise, fennel, dill and vegetable stock before being left to cool.

Served with an olive oil and calamansi honey dressing, it is quite delicious. Lovers of creamy, rich French broths should try the Black Garlic Soup – a wholesome blend of onion, garlic, black pepper and white wine, wonderfully balanced with chicken stock and a flour roux.

The eight main courses include a Lobster Pasta and a wonderful Pan-Seared Scallop with Sweet Corn, with Chef Masashi’s playful character revealed in the accompanying popcorn garnish. The meat options are also strong contenders for attention, including a Pan-Fried Wagyu Tenderloin with truffle fries, a hearty Suckling Pig served with pork confit

and a Lamb Chop with Moroccan cous cous – all perfect with either a full-bodied red or a fruity Pinot Noir.

If there is still room for dessert, first cleanse your palate with the Jasmine Tea Verrine with Calamansi Jelly or the slightly tart Apple Mille-Feuille, with apple sorbet and compote and vanilla custard. Accompanied by a fine dessert wine like the Caprille Moscadello, it’s a refreshing end to an excellent meal.

Verre, 8 Rodyk Street, tel: 6509 1917, verre.com.sg

www.nowsingapore.co.id FEBRUARY - March 2016 63

dining

The Whole Hog

By Marc Tan Images courtesy of Dehesa

T

he craze in Singapore for a bar counter overlooking open kitchen continues at pace with the opening of Dehesa, the latest shophouse restaurant to feature this intimate relationship between diners and the kitchen team. At Dehesa, however, the concept of a show kitchen is taken to another level and it’s not for the faint hearted, or

64

FEBRUARY - March 2016

www.nowsingapore.co.id

those who prefer to separate the concept of meat from its host animal!

There was no doubt where the meat came from at our sneak preview – a large pig’s head sat on the kitchen counter, the source of at least three items on the menu, like the crunchy pig’s ear scratchings, rolled in a spicy dukkah (Egyptian spice mix), the chunky Pig’s Head Terrine and the deliciously tender Iberico Jowl, with celeriac purée and pickled apple.

(sherry based with vermouth and Rhubarb bitters) and the Tuxedo (gin-based with vermouth, Maraschino Liqueur, orange bitters and St. George Absinthe Verte) that are presented in kegs on the bar. For the less brave, the idea of feasting on an animal’s less refined cuts might be easier to swallow after a drink or two.

To get the most out of your Dehesa experience, opt for the feast and steal a seat at the counter to watch the team at work.

Alternative seating includes proper table seating for groups of two to four guests, and a long Chef’s Table, seating up to 14. There is also a private room for more intimate gatherings.

Dehesa, 12 North Canal Road, tel: 6221 7790, dehesa.com.sg

Offering ‘nose to tail’ dining, where none of an animal’s edible parts are wasted, Dehesa is the realm of Chef Jean-Philippe Patruno. Half-Italian, half-Spanish, Chef JP, as he’s known, is a veteran of some of the best kitchens in London, training initially under three-Michelin-star Chef Nico Ladenis. He was part of the team at some of London’s more renowned Spanish restaurants, including Fino and Barrafina, before moving to Singapore to open Bomba Paella.

Although the concept of sharing plates remains, Dehesa is something of a departure from his usual style. Having worked in London at the same time that venerable British cooking institution St. John gained international recognition for its ‘nose to tail’ concept, Chef JP had long wanted to open a similar concept embracing Spanish cuisine instead. With Dehesa (meaning ‘grassland’ in Spanish), this dream has become a reality.

Dishes that St. John is famous for have clearly inspired his menu at Dehesa – the Duck Hearts, served on toast with quince paste and red wine jus, is an ode to one of St. John’s more famous dishes.

The menu, however, does not only feature the many joys of offal eating – there are plenty of dishes for the more squeamish to enjoy, like the fantastic boiled Octopus, served with lardo and half-mashed Ratte potatoes, the Golden Grouper with avocado and chilli, and the Lala, a spicy clam dish in aromatic sherry broth. Split into Snacks, Cold Meats, Swine, Meats, Seafood, Egg, Vegetables and Dessert, the selection of dishes is best shared with friends over a few beers (there’s Estrella Galicia on tap) or the choice of competitively priced wines. Cocktail lovers will appreciate the signature in-house brews – the Adonis www.nowsingapore.co.id FEBRUARY - March 2016 65

dining

The Roots of Spice

By Jemma Wong Images courtesy of The Halia

T

here is no denying the romance of dining surrounded by the beauty of nature. At Singapore’s Botanic Gardens, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the romance of the surrounding locale is suitably amplified. This beautiful park has been integral to Singapore’s reputation as a ‘garden city’ since it was formed in 1859. It was an important factor in the growth and development of not just Singapore but the South East Asian region as well – it was here that Para Rubber was first introduced, a plant that would have a dramatic effect on the economies of Singapore’s neighbouring countries.

Today, the gardens are also famous for growing a wide variety of the country’s national flower, the orchid. Less well known is

66

FEBRUARY - March 2016

the collection of over 500 species of ginger in the Ginger Garden, located next to the Orchid Garden. Here visitors can explore the many different varieties of this plant species, from the common spice used in cooking to exotic blooms like the Torch Ginger.

The journey of discovery does not end there. Sitting adjacent to this one hectare Ginger Garden is the aptly named restaurant The Halia (‘ginger’ in Malay).

This casual restaurant provides the ideal respite from the heat of the sun, while treating guests to a culinary journey through the spices of the region.

Recently renovated, The Halia is split into three areas, an enclosed restaurant, an al fresco bar and terrace and an event space.

Open all day, it’s a good option for either a

www.nowsingapore.co.id

quick refreshing drink and snack or a more substantial meal.

The menu is split into ‘Nibbles and Sides,’ ‘Light’ and ‘Hearty’ meals so there’s something for everyone, no matter the time of day. Sharing is encouraged so get a few dishes from each section to get the most out of your gastronomic spice trail.

Fusion cuisine has become something of a ‘no no’ in recent times, often ending in a culinary disaster. Here, however, the kitchen has successfully created a menu of ‘fusion’ dishes that work well – how can you go wrong with a chilli crab dip with warm baguette?

Since the recent renovation, some new items have been added to the menu. These include a Lime and Ginger Yellowfin Tuna Kinilaw, a raw seafood dish with its origins in the

Philippines. Adding avocado, crispy wonton skin and chilli oil, with a lime, coconut and ginger dressing, Chef Ciaran Armstrong has created an interesting appetiser that sets your taste buds up nicely for the dishes to come. Another new dish, the Spice Islands Marinated Lamb Loin, features medium rare lamb prepared in a symphony of spices like turmeric, ginger, galangal and cloves, served with black rice and peas. Chef Ciaran finds his inspiration in his travels around the region, and influences from his two favourite cuisines, Javanese and Thai, are plain to

see. “I love the robust flavours that Javanese spices impart, while enjoying the balance and textures of Thai cuisine.” To contrast the strong bold flavours of this dish, another favourite, the Japanese-inspired Paper Bag Oven Baked Halibut Fillet offers a refreshingly light scented dish, served in a ginger broth with sushi rice.

All dishes are health-oriented, with vegetarian options available, like the Tower of Silken Tofu Tempura, with grilled baby eggplant, portobello mushroom and sautéed spinach in a soy, ginger and seaweed broth.

To wash down all this spicy goodness, there is a choice of ginger-inspired cocktails but if you plan to explore the gardens further, we’d advise sticking with one of the homemade ginger or lemongrass infusions. Paired with desserts like the Ginger and Spice, All Things Nice, these addictive and refreshing tonics will have you stocking up on spices in the restaurant’s adjacent shop, so you can attempt to recreate part of The Halia experience at home.

The Halia, 1 Cluny Road, tel: 8444 1148, thehalia.com

www.nowsingapore.co.id FEBRUARY - March 2016 67

dining

My Favourite Five:

LUNCH BOWLS

By Marissa Trew Photos courtesy of participating outlets

Grain Traders

Grain Traders needs no introduction. This lunchtime eatery has taken Instagram by storm for its beautiful bowls of colourful, nutritious allsorts. The concept is the same as you’d get from a conventional salad bar but this is no ordinary mix of limp greens. Brought to life by the lads that kicked off Kilo and Kilo at Pact, the industrial-chic space will entice you to dine-in rather than opt for a takeaway, preventing yet another sad desk lunch. And while the ‘lunch bowl’ concept isn’t exactly a new idea, we love Grain Traders for the quality of the ingredients they put into each and every bowl. It’s no wonder then that the lunchtime rush has people queuing literally out the door, as a hard and fast-working 68

FEBRUARY - March 2016

www.nowsingapore.co.id

team of staff function like a well-greased conveyor belt, assembling each dish with precision, generosity and haste! (Secret tip: while waiting in line, keep an eye out for free tables and don’t be afraid to ‘chope’/reserve your seat, as competition can get pretty fierce!)

For a fixed price, you can either build your own bowl or pick from the killer combinations on the menu. Think wholegrain superfoods like quinoa, bulgur wheat, soba noodles and sushi rice sitting beneath generous slivers of sous-vide salmon, roasted chicken, grilled steak, tataki tuna, slow-roasted pork or lentil patties. Instead of your run-ofthe-mill salad fillers like plain beans and blanched veg, Grain Traders goes ‘full gourmet’ with a mix of cold and hot veggies like roasted butternut squash and sweet potato, charred furikake corn, mixed bean pico de gallo and apple kimchi. Then, your bowl is drizzled with imaginative dressings that would put the classic ‘balsamic and olive oil’ to shame. If you like things tangy, sweet and spicy all at once, then opt for the tamarind chipotle vinaigrette. Need to clear your sinuses?

Wasabi sauce has got you covered. To up the ante on your superfood quota, the beetroot feta yoghurt is as violently pink as it is nutritious.

Though, we’re suckers for the salty-sweetness of the miso caramel.

Once your combo is complete, simply #mixeatlove.

01-01/02/03 CapitaGreen Building, 138 Market Street, grain-traders.com

Aloha Poké

Wandering around Chinatown, perhaps one of the last places you’d really expect to stumble upon is a Hawaiian joint, unless you’re on Amoy Street, that is. The first of its kind in Singapore, this Hawaiian ‘tiki bar’ establishment is a godsend for those watching their waistlines but can’t bear the sacrifice of giving up yummy food. ‘Poké’ is a traditional Hawaiian dish comprising cubed, raw and lightly marinated fish (typically yellowfin tuna) on a mound of fresh ingredients. If you think it bears resemblance to a Japanese chirashi, you wouldn’t be far off (fun fact: 30% of the population of Hawaii has Japanese heritage)!

At Aloha, you get a choice of ahi tuna or salmon (or ‘nutty sesame’ tofu for vegetarians), all of which is marinated with their secret sauce composed of definite hints of shoyu and sesame, before being mixed with fresh scallions, pineapple and zesty lime. You can also opt for alternative dressings like Wasabi Mayo that has enough tang to clear your sinuses, or the “Spicy Sauce,” which has a solid kick of its own and will definitely have some reaching for the coconut water!

If you’re the type that goes with the flow, choose between their menu signatures but otherwise feel free to craft and customise your own poké bowl. Whether you’re opting for a nibble with the Lil’ Swell (75 grams of protein), a well-portioned meal with the Standard Nalu (two proteins, totalling 150 grams) or bulking up with the Big Kahuna (three proteins, equal to 225 grams), every order comes with a choice of brown/ white/mixed rice or salad leaves, and the optional addition of kale.

Then, mix it up with two complimentary add-ons like flying fish roe, almonds, walnuts, edamame and jalapenos, cherry tomatoes and one complimentary superfood (think: pomegranate, avocado or chia seeds),

before you take your first bite! Can’t handle the lunch rush? Log on to their website, fill out an order chit and e-mail it to info@alohapoke. com.sg by 3pm the day before and it’ll be ready by 11.30am sharp the following morning (minimum order of three bowls).

When evening rolls around, hula on over to their recently launched Tiki Bar. With craft beer and Hawaiian-inspired cocktails galore, it is definitely one of Singapore’s quirkier nightlife spots for a post-work tipple.

Aloha Poké, 92 Amoy Street, tel: 6221 6565, alohapoke.com.sg

Koji Sushi Bar

Koji Sushi Bar serves donburi (which literally translates to ‘bowl’) rather than a contemporary ‘lunch bowl’; nevertheless, this place deserves a special mention. Its spot on Nankin Row isn’t the easiest to find but a dead giveaway is the line of knackered office workers that wilfully prolong their hunger pangs in order to satisfy their Koji-cravings. Inside, bar stools line the sushi counter as chefs slice, dice and prep every item to order. A remarkable feat for such a tight, little space, especially given the high demand. For such modest quarters, the quality of the food produced gets two thumbs and a toe up from us.

While the menu offers up premium nigiri sushi and sashimi sets (and omakase at dinner), we’re in love with the Sashimi Rice Bowl. It may look deceptively small, but the thick cubes of seasoned, mixed sashimi (salmon, swordfish, tuna and ikura), crunchy tempura flakes and rice will definitely fill you up, especially with the miso soup and a side salad that comes with every order. For a little extra moolah, make lunch a decadent affair with a portion of rich and creamy uni (sea urchin) for $8 more. The Salmon Avocado Tartare, Salmon and Roe and Tuna Tartare rice bowls are hard to fault too but if you’re aching for heartier fare, the Pork Cheek, Eel or Wagyu Sukiyaki and Gohan (raw egg on rice) are sure to hit the spot.

Koji Sushi Bar, 01-42 Nankin Row, 3 Pickering Street, tel: 6225 6125, kojisushi.com www.nowsingapore.co.id FEBRUARY - March 2016 69

dining

May May

Hidden in an elegant, colourful little shophouse on Tanjong Pagar’s Tras Street, May May is a respite from the overshadowing, grey skyscrapers overhead. Inside, the space is delightfully bright and airy, with a living green wall and sunrays flooding in through the skylight. More a full-fledged restaurant than a ‘lunch bowl’ eatery, it makes for a lovely dinner venue too, with rich bowls of Lobster Noodles in coconut broth, Oven Roasted Chilean Sea Bass with celeriac and Spiced Lamb with quinoa, pickled papaya and okra. However, in the daytime, May May serves up five unique bowls that range from healthy to straight up sinful, with well-prepared proteins championing each dish. Choose between slow-cooked Beef Rendang, Red Chilli Chicken or Braised Pork Belly if you’re really looking for a treat. Though if you need to power through the afternoon sans siesta (without a nap, that is), the lighter choices of Butter Poached Cod with wakame or the Grilled Miso Aubergine with tofu will fill you up without filling you out. As for the remaining bulk of your bowl, there are only slight variations as each is paired with oven-roasted tomatoes, grilled mushrooms, pickled lotus root and softcooked egg, with the optional substitution of quinoa instead of rice.

If you’re niggling for some noodles, sidestep the rice bowls and choose between May May’s Spicy Noodles section, which offers Cold Somen (with grilled prawns, garlic chilli sauce, tobiko and crispy seaweed) or Warm Somen (minced pork and their signature chilli sauce). Before heading back to the office or exploring the neighbouring shophouses, take a cheeky glance at the sweets menu, as dessert here can’t go amiss. May May is famous islandwide for its Liu Sha Custard Doughnuts – a crispy-on-the-outside-but-fluffy-inside doughnut ball bursting at the crumb with its salted egg yolk custard filling! You have to be swift though, as only a limited amount is prepared everyday and demand is very high!

May May, 65 Tras Street, tel: 6221 4698, maymay.com.sg

DSTLLRY

Full disclosure: we love DSTLLRY for way more than its killer bowl of Bara Chirashi Don at lunch hour. While definitely off the beaten track for some (near Queensway), DSTLLRY is a sleek and sexy space that specialises in bespoke cocktails and a monthly changing Japanese-inspired omakase menu. Resembling a photographer’s studio, the dimly lit bar buzzes with life as drinks are mixed and the chefs behind the counter prep dishes with intense focus.

Typically reserved as an evening hideout, the lunch hour is not to be underestimated, as the ‘chef’s choice’ menu is switched out for a limited selection of delectable donburi. True fans will always stick to a classic and that’s where the Bara Chirashi Don reigns as champion. A dismantled Rubik’s cube of fresh salmon, tuna, hamachi, dotted with vibrant orange spheres of ikura are hard to resist no matter where you are, but by God are they seductive at DSTLLRY. Marinated in a soy-mirin dressing to give it a hefty punch of umami, you will want to savour it slowly.

Being a creative space, DSTLLRY isn’t afraid to bend the rules a little bit… so trust your instincts and try their spin on the typical donburi – ditching the don (rice) and serving their bara chirashi with spicy ramen instead! Flavourful, filling and leaving just a bit of a tingle on your lips, it is a meal you won’t soon forget. After a lunch here, we imagine it won’t be long until you’re back for more. The day menu also offers a melt-in-the-mouth Aburi Salmon Don and a well-marbled Miyazaki A4 Wagyu Don. Though if you really want to see DSTLLRY at its prime, return in the evening and tuck into their 10-course omakase to truly make a journey out west worthwhile.

DSTLLRY, 01-01 Infinite Studios, 21 Media Circle, tel: 6334 4816, dstllryco.com 70

FEBRUARY - March 2016

www.nowsingapore.co.id

www.nowsingapore.co.id FEBRUARY - March 2016 71

Entertainment

Bubbles on a Budget

By Stephen Mostad

I

f astrologers are correct, the Year of the Monkey is geared towards risk-takers and those who possess the courage to act.

Under the Monkey’s influence, new endeavours and pursuits are bound to succeed.

Given the cost of wine in Singapore, I can think of no more fitting a year than this to take the opportunity to pour something new into your wine glass. Celebrations – and especially ringing in a New Year – are never complete without champagne.

Its distinct crispness, tingly minerality and playful mousse make it a superior choice as the beverage of revelry. But there is one slight problem. Champagne is expensive.

There are several reasons why you pay a premium. As a growing area, Champagne is small and the competition for its best grapes is always steep. Plus, its northerly climate and short growing season are unpredictable, adding volatility to the mix. Perhaps worst of all, there isn’t a consistent correlation between price and quality – sometimes, you’re paying for the marketing, something that rings especially true with non-vintage champagnes.

The good news is that champagne has affordable cousins that are just as delicious, just as sophisticated, and significantly more affordable.

That’s how the Year of the Monkey is going to open up the world of wines. This is the year to take a risk and try something new.

First: a quick primer on terminology. Champagne is not a generic catchall for any sparkling wine; champagne can only ever come from the Champagne region of France and connotes a specific method of production. Without going into the details, Méthode Champenoise (sometimes referred to as Méthode Traditionelle) involves secondary fermentation – the process that creates all those lovely bubbles – in the bottle itself. It is never artificially carbonated. And it is only ever made using three grape varietals: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Meunier.

So the next time you stop in at your wine merchant, ask your salesperson for sparkling wine (not champagne, unless that’s specifically what you’re looking for) and you’ll likely get a grand tour of some exciting and interesting choices. Some of those will rival champagne in taste and quality, and some will be light, lively and delicious in their own right. Here’s a breakdown by country to help guide you.

72

FEBRUARY - March 2016

www.nowsingapore.co.id

ITALY

Italy is a wondrous country for sparkling wine. Yes, many people know the sweet sparkler Asti Spumante but that is mass-produced plonk, quite frankly. Prosecco, which is pretty much ubiquitous around the world, is a considerable step up and, for the money, it cannot be beaten as an everyday ‘go-to’ bubbly. Some Prosecco can be on the sweeter side, but given its competitive pricing, half the fun is finding one that suits your palate.

Italy also does red sparkling wines very well. Emiglia Romagna and Lombardy make Lambrusco, made from the eponymous grape that can be dry as well as sweet. Bubbles give a creamy texture to this wine, which is lovely with the salty charcuterie and cheese found in those areas. Not as widely available but also delicious, are the sparkling wines from Brachetto d’Acqui, in Piedmont. In the case of both Lambrusco and Brachetto d’Acqui, ask for guidance to ensure you don’t get something you weren’t expecting, as there are varying degrees of dryness and sweetness.

For something special, seek out the Italian sparkling wine that rivals champagne, called Franciacorta. Located near Verona in northern Italy, Franciacorta makes sparkling wine using chardonnay and pinot noir (the same grapes as champagne) and the same method of bottle fermentation (méthode traditionelle). These wines are not necessarily the best value-for-money, but the quality can be superb, so don’t shy away.

GERMANY

If you have not yet tried Sekt, you’re missing out. Sekt is the German word for sparkling wine and, admittedly, it is not all that ubiquitous outside of Europe. When you can find it, you should try it. Often made from Germany’s signature Riesling grape, this bubbly is very aromatic and a delicious addition to your wine repertoire. You can also find rosé Sekt made from Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir). You definitely want more of these sparkling wines in your life.

SPAIN

Spain’s national bubbly is called cava. It is delicious and typically a bargain. Traditionally, cava is made with a blend of three grapes: Parellada, Xarel-lo and Macabeo. International varieties (chardonnay, pinot noir, etc.) are increasingly being used, but in order to truly appreciate the wine, stick to the orthodox cava, which usually hails from the Penedès region. There are varying degrees of dryness and sweetness. If in doubt, ask, but you’re likely to encounter the driest versions (Brut Nature/Brut) most frequently. These wines are often made with quality that far surpasses expectations, especially given the price.

FRANCE

Sometimes France can be a little confounding. Yes, Champagne is in France. But, outside of Champagne, several areas throughout the country make their own versions of sparkling wine, known as Crémant.

These crémant come from the Loire Valley, Alsace, Burgundy, Bordeaux, Jura and Languedoc (Limoux). Often, these sparkling wines are lighter, easier to drink and combine the best of French winemaking with prices far below what you’d pay for champagne.

NEW WORLD

The ‘New World’ designation refers to anything outside of Europe.

That leaves us with Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, the United States and Canada, amongst other up-and-coming regions. These areas produce sparkling wines that are usually very good quality, with the added benefit of being reasonably priced. The grape varieties are those used in traditional champagne – usually chardonnay and pinot noir. When looking at New World wines, seek out interesting bubbly from places like Australia’s Tasmania, which has ideal climactic conditions to make unique and beautifully balanced sparkling wines.

Increasingly, we are seeing more red bubbly (similar to Lambrusco) from Australia as well.

The monkey is a symbol of insatiable curiosity – largely as a result of innate intelligence – and it is also true that monkeys are opportunistic. There can be no better year than now to bring that ethos to wine drinking. Ring in the New Year with one of these sparklers and branch out from there. After all, there’s always something to celebrate.

Gong Xi Fa Cai!

www.nowsingapore.co.id FEBRUARY - March 2016 73

nightlife

From Dusk to Dawn

By Mandy Lynn Images courtesy of Participating Outlets

I

t comes as no surprise that Singapore is known as a foodie destination, but thanks to those who have pledged allegiance to the trade (with reverence and patience to coax our nightlife scene to fruition), Singapore now boasts a stunning array of nightlife activities that will unleash the partygoer in you. Here we guide you to where to have a great night out, from bar to club to the inevitable late night supper.

Over recent years, bars and clubs of all kinds have popped up all over our sunny little island. This roughly began with the launch of now veteran speakeasy cocktail bar, 28 Hong Kong Street (28 HongKong Street), in 2011. The concept and success of this awardwinning bar attracted a surge in both local and foreign entrepreneurs to venture into the

74

FEBRUARY - March 2016

nightlife industry. Since then, we’ve been introduced to a plethora of new and exciting cocktail bars and speakeasies across town. There’s the largest selection of rums in Singapore at Sugarhall (102 Amoy Street), and a peerless choice of gins at Spiffy Dapper (73 Amoy Street). With over 110 and 130 varieties respectively, you know they mean business. For cocktail aficionados and whisky connoisseurs, La Maison Du Whisky (80 Mohamed Sultan Road, 01-10 The Pier) specialises in rare whiskies and niche spirits. We love their latest exclusive spirit, Napue, a gold-medal Finnish gin that achieved the coveted “Best Gin in the World” award at the International Wine & Spirit

www.nowsingapore.co.id

Left, top to bottom: Party crowds at Zouk; 28 Hongkong Street.

Right, top to bottom: Rum selection at Sugarhall; tap craft beer bar at Capitol Piazza.

Competition. With its edgy, powerful notes of exotic spice, it makes a superb G&T as well as an excellent extra dry martini.

Craft beer bars have also jumped on the bandwagon, with local neighborhood watering hole The Cider Pit (the only place in Singapore to have a proper scrumpy; 328 Joo Chiat Road) and Japanese craft beer bar Jibiru (#01-26, 313@Somerset) paving the way in 2011.

Joining the burgeoning ranks of craft ale bars are places like Druggists (119 Tyrwhitt Road), TAP (01-K1/K2 Capitol Piazza Galleria), and Smith Street Taps by The Good Beer Company (02-062 Chinatown Complex).

Last year, a string of new noteworthy cocktail bars spread over the island like wildfire: Aura Sky Lounge (05-03 National Gallery Singapore), Bar Vagabond (39 Syed Alwi Road), Gibson (Level 2, 20 Bukit Pasoh Road), Smoke & Mirrors (05-02 National Gallery Singapore), and Vasco (42 HongKong Street) – each of which pushed the envelope, elevating and educating the palates of the masses. More bars and lounges are slated to open this year, such as Blue Jacket Cigar Lounge by major industry player Massive Collective. While speakeasy cocktail bars may now be a dime a dozen, it’s where the major players have upped the ante that you’ll want to spend your night. Today, delivering excellent libations isn’t good enough – the

food served alongside needs to be on par for an all-encompassing experience.

I recommend beginning the night at Adrift (Marina Bay Sands Tower 2) by Michelinstarred Chef David Myers. One cannot help falling in love with dishes like the beef tartare, the king crab melt and the parfait of raspberry – they may not scream at you from the bar menu, but order them anyway. When you tear yourself away from the food, move on to the drinks where you’ll be wowed by an

extensive list of exemplary cocktails curated by legendary bartender Sam Ross. The Adrift Rum Old Fashioned is such – elegant notes of Black Sheriff rum swirl gently around the tongue amid smoky, citrusy undertones of maple that changes with each sip. His best work is done with Harajuku. Gorgeous aromas of Hibiki whisky are stirred into vintage aperitifs, the complex layering of flavours taken up a notch with a dash of chocolate bitters.

www.nowsingapore.co.id FEBRUARY - March 2016 75

nightlife

Left, from top: the view from CÉ LA VI; la maison du whisky’s rare Napue gin.

Right, from top:

Queues at Smith Street Taps; Adrift’s King Cab Melt; the bar at Manhattan.

Another exceptional spot to start the night is Manhattan Bar (Regent Singapore) where you can get into plenty of trouble – fun trouble, that is. Whether it’s an off-the-menu classic or one of Philip Bischoff’s specialities, tipples here never fail to hit the spot. An Irish whiskey-based cocktail, Mad Dog, features an underlying dryness scented with smoked wild cherry bark, while Spectrum Punch piques 76

FEBRUARY - March 2016

the palate and the brain with a surprising alcoholic kick amid its refreshing fruitiness.

Bar bites do not disappoint either. Chef Nick Trosien does splendid work with the food – a playful twist on classic scotch eggs are the Pork Pasties, battered with Manhattan’s signature Knickerbocker beer and deep-fried into a crusty ball of minced pork, potato and spices, wrapped around a soft centre quail

www.nowsingapore.co.id

egg. Also recommended are the Miso Cod Lettuce Wraps with crispy egg noodles and kimchi that add a delightful crunch and zing.

As the night draws on, you’ll want to hit the clubs. The grandfather of all clubs, Zouk Singapore (17 Jiak Kim Street) is no novice to the nightlife scene, celebrating its 25th anniversary this year and attracting over 45,000 partygoers to its annual beach party,

spots in Singapore (they’re even packed on Wednesday’s Ladies Nights), this nightclub atop the SkyPark of Singapore’s iconic Marina Bay Sands is (quite literally) the pinnacle of club experiences. With its music and entertainment helmed by Joshua Pillai, CÉ LA VI Singapore sets the record for having the largest resident DJ team in Singapore with 15 DJs, including internationally renowned DJ Spinbad from New York.

When you’ve partied till dawn, nothing quite hits the spot like dim sum at Swee Choon Tim Sum Restaurant (183-191 Jalan Besar) or steamboat at Hai Di Lao Hot Pot (04-23/24 313@Somerset), both of which are open until 6am. For a bit more spice, one of the few authentic Thai spots that

operates round-the-clock is Diandin Leluk Thai Restaurant (01-67, Golden Mile Complex) where their pad thai, Tom Yam and green curry is sure to satisfy. If you’re hankering for more local favourites, there are ample choices open 24/7 – try roti prata at Al-Ameen Eating House (4 Cheong Chin Nam Road) or wanton noodles at Fei Fei Wanton Mee (62 Joo Chiat Place).

One of my personal favourite local supper spots is Five Star Hainanese Chicken Rice (419 River Valley Road) that’s open till 5am daily.

When in Singapore, do as the Singaporeans do. You can’t say you’ve had the full local experience until you’ve had chicken rice in the wee hours of the morning – you know it’s the right thing to do!

ZoukOut – one of the largest beach parties in Asia. The club has also bagged bragging rights for constantly being in the top ten of the DJ Mag Top 100 Clubs for the past six years.

Alternatively, go a bit off radar at kyō (B1-02 Keck Seng Tower), the only club in Singapore with regular DJ acts that bring the underground sound of techno and house from around the globe. Pumping with energy is Bang Bang (Level 1, Pan Pacific Singapore), which showcases the latest sounds of nudisco, EDM, deep house, modern open-format and hip-hop from the top clubs in Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New York and Miami.

For glamorous partying and hedonistic indulgence, CÉ LA VI Singapore will show you how it’s done. One of the hottest nightlife www.nowsingapore.co.id FEBRUARY - March 2016 77

accommodation

Suite Life

Now! Singapore continues our focus on the best suite accommodation available around Singapore. This issue we check into the refreshed and revamped Hotel Jen in Tanglin before exploring the luxurious modern design haven that is The South Beach.

Contemporary Style Images courtesy of Hotel Jen

T

he much-anticipated opening of Hotel Jen Tanglin in December, the brand’s second property in Singapore, revealed a dynamic makeover.

Previously Traders Hotel, the hotel’s interior has been totally gutted and replaced with a modern funky decor and a fresh new attitude.

The results are impressive. The lobby presents a bright contemporary space, with flourishes of design flair sourced from a team of local artists. Bicycles are a common theme, holding

78

FEBRUARY - March 2016

up tables, hung from walls or available for guests to explore on. Jen, the hotel’s host, is a virtual persona embodying the concept of doing the important things right and with no fuss, while surprising guests with touches of flair, style and thoughtfulness.

Staying in one of the hotel’s 15 suites is an excellent way to experience Jen’s hospitality at its best. These spacious rooms are split into a lounge living area with kitchenette and the bedroom with ensuite bathroom. As with the rest of the hotel’s design, the rooms are colourful, contemporary and comfortable.

www.nowsingapore.co.id

With wooden flooring, white brick walls and a bold colour scheme, suite rooms feature an eclectic collection of furnishings and furniture.

The owners are chair enthusiasts – something immediately evident in the reception area when checking in – and lamps are obviously also a passion, such is their abundance and variety throughout the property. For me, the pièce de résistance in my suite was the bright yellow SMEG fridge. Filled with ample water and canned drinks, fridges are also restocked daily with cut fresh fruit and homemade chocolate, one of the many little touches that punctuate your stay. With such a large kitchenette area (also home to a microwave), these suites are an ideal choice for long-term guests. For convenience, the room’s sofa converts into a sofa bed and there is a Nespresso machine and a set of plates and cutlery for self-catering, should you feel inclined to dine in. With 24-hour F&B facilities available at the hotel at very affordable

J65 offers breakfast buffet spreads (with a takeaway option), healthy lunch choices and themed buffet dinners. The focus is on South East Asian cuisine but a range of international dishes and seafood specialities are also available. J65 also hosts a Champagne Sunday Brunch, which offers free-flow alcohol and gourmet delicacies that include roasts, premium hams, seafood and much more. For a quick snack, gourmet coffee or breakfast pastry with healthy juice, the 24-hour Jen’s Kitchen On-the-Go in the lobby is a convenient option. Meals can be eaten in or taken away and there’s a computer for catching up on emails or printing out a boarding pass. Like the complimentary drinks at reception, it’s another example of the many little touches that enhance your stay at this friendly hotel.

Hotel Jen, 1A Cuscaden Road, tel: 6831 4374, hoteljen.com

rates, deciding to cook your own dinner will probably be a rare occurrence. Should you order room service, a breakfast table provides the ideal solution and there’s a handy sink to wash up as well.

It’s not just the hotel’s design that is modern – all rooms have complimentary highspeed Wi-Fi access and smart flat-screen TVs. My suite had one TV set in each room, with a fleet of satellite channels to choose from.

Guests wanting to keep up with the news also have the option of downloading an app granting complimentary access to a selection of international newspapers.

The bedroom, accessible through sliding doors, offers a supremely comfortable floating style king size bed – all bedding at the hotel is of the same quality as the parent company Shangri-la International Hotel Management, so guests are assured a five-star sleeping experience at a fraction of the price. With no room in the hotel the same, my orange-themed quarters featured aquarium-inspired wallpaper, with tropical fish keeping me company throughout the night. A work desk provided a convenient place to catch up on emails with all electrical sockets in the room accessible to all major international plugs. In the wardrobe, an iron and board assured crisp pressed shirts while the option of a $30 laundry bag or self-service laundromat means that clean clothes are never far away. Suite guests also gain automatic entry to the Executive Lounge on the 17th floor, where breakfast, afternoon tea and evening cocktails and canapés are served. The lounge is open 24 hours a day and includes business centre facilities like a computer with a free printing service.

Other food options at the hotel include J65, the all-day dining restaurant on the ground floor and local favourite, Ah Hoi’s Kitchen, located by the pool and gym on the 4th floor terrace. www.nowsingapore.co.id FEBRUARY - March 2016 79

accommodation

Futuristic Design, Classic Hospitality Images courtesy of The South Beach

A

stay at The South Beach is a little like stepping into a world where Austin Powers somehow gets to design a Google office. For a hotel still in the early stages of its soft opening (slated to fully open in the second quarter of 2016), it has definitely proven its colours as one of Singapore’s more unique accommodation offerings.

Designed by Phillipe Starck, The South Beach could be considered every contemporary interior designer’s dream.

Aiming to “Create Infinite Experiences” around quite literally every corner, the entire hotel facility is a kaleidoscope of different design aesthetics.

Like a love child between traditional cultural motifs and contemporary art, the lobby (or Global Village Reception as it is

affectionately known) is a long, narrow hallway of several check-in desks, each inspired by a different era and region from around the world. Perhaps our favourite feature is in the elevators, where the walls are printed with Carnovsky’s Animalia from the iconic RGB series in which superimposed images of animal life in different colours are viewed under different lights to reveal alternate dimensions of the same image.

Wander around a bit more and you are likely to stumble across one of the hotel’s “Imaginative Social Spaces,” each intentionally designed to foster inspiration and boost creativity. With South Beach Tower offices just next door, and the skyscrapers of the CBD just an ‘ideas pitch’ away, The South Beach aims to be a productive space for business travellers, without reducing itself into a sterile, corporate 80

FEBRUARY - March 2016

www.nowsingapore.co.id

environment. In fact, the creative spaces make it more like Warhol’s Factory than your typical business hotel.

The 18th floor takes on a more leisurely feel as the 360-degree walk-around area hosts the hotel’s modern gym facility (offering all guests complimentary personal training sessions) and one of two hotel pools, with views of the Padang, the F1 racetrack, Singapore Flyer and the postcard-worthy skyline that never seems to lose its novelty.

Be sure to make use of the inflatable pool toys and bop along the surface of the water as you take it all in. When you’re bored of the view (it may take a while) the lounging area and recreational zone is especially entertaining as it is kitted out with snooker, table tennis and a foosball table that will get you reminiscing about your glory days as a university student.

As for the hotel’s epicurean element, there is absolutely no shortage of surrounding restaurants and dining enclaves by the likes of CHIJMES, Suntec City and of course, the elegant fare in National Gallery Singapore. Though if you don’t fancy switching your bedroom slippers for proper shoes, All Day Hotel Dining (or ADHD for short) serves a promising mix of local and international cuisine to appease your hunger. In fact, this is just one of The South Beach’s “Mood Food & Drink” concepts.

If LAUGH – a cross between a gastrobar and modern day diner – is the boisterous ‘fresh out of uni’ kid with a cheeky sense of humour, then consider PREFIX the trendy grandfather with an insatiable zest for life.

Located in the lobby, the hotel’s lounge and bar is a classy set up, decorated with an old world touch. Whether you order a whisky neat or a strong cup of tea, flick through the eclectic selection of books stacked on the shelves as you see the evening through.

Though, if cocktails are on the cards, Court Martial Bar is probably your best bet.

In the second quarter of 2016, The South Beach will open The Infinite that will house the hotel’s Executive Lounge and Business Centre. Also, new dining and retail venues will be added over the coming months, making The South Beach a lifestyle destination for both locals and visitors alike.

If you are here on holiday however, you can take your pick of one of the hotel’s 654 rooms. While all the rooms have their added perks and idiosyncrasies making any choice a good one, live a little and opt for one of their suites. The most basic Deluxe Suite is like a home away from home. Not unlike a luxury service apartment, the 74 square metre rooms come equipped with a mini kitchenette, a comfortable but cosy living room and perhaps the softest bedding and pillows you could want from a swanky suite. Every little detail is considered; even the bedroom slippers have a distinctive

character, each pair adorned with an embroidered moustache or lipstick stain. The toiletries are packaged with ‘punny’ labels that may not get you to laugh out loud but will at least bring a smile to your face. If we’re being cheekily honest, our most loved room feature is the smart Toto toilet that automatically lifts its lid as you approach (and even comes with a special remote) that is more fun to tinker around with than we’d like to admit. Once the giggles settle, you’ll notice the Jo Malone body products that line the shelves of the rain shower as well as the deep bathtub that gazes out over the skyline.

If you do take a bath, keep the neighbouring office in mind and use the blinds… if we can see them, surely they can see us!

Of course, as is customary with most luxury hotels, a suite stay has its usual privileges including access to the Executive Lounge, complimentary breakfasts, afternoon tea and cocktails in the evening. While not open just yet, given the way things are looking so far, we can only be excited for what lies ahead.

If we had to choose just one word to describe this hotel, it would have to be ‘funky’. All of its facilities are modern and impressive, with top-of-the-line features and quirky designs screaming with personality.

With so many multi-sensory design aesthetics in one place, it caters to just about everyone’s tastes in some way or other. It is a far cry from perhaps more established hotels that have gained their reputation for their classic, conforming style and is definitely worth experiencing (at least) once.

The South Beach, 30 Beach Road, tel: 6818 1888, thesouthbeach.com.sg

www.nowsingapore.co.id FEBRUARY - March 2016 81

spa & health

spa news CHI, The Spa

A Romantic Getaway at Shangri-La Singapore’s CHI, The Spa is a particularly sweet affair. You and your partner get to relish each other’s company in one of the spa’s couple suites over a cheeky glass of sparkling wine and an hour-long customised massage. Right after, your taste buds will get plenty of love as the pair of you enjoy a three-tier afternoon tea at the hotel’s Lobby Court. The Romantic Getaway package is available until February 29, 2016 (Mondays to Thursdays only).

For more information, visit: Shangri-la.com/Singapore

The Spa at Mandarin Oriental, Singapore

Relax and reboot with The Spa’s Year of the Fire Monkey Experience, this Lunar New Year. Start slow with a soothing brew of Chinese red dates, honey and goji berries before a well-deserved foot rub scented with rose oil. Scrub away any negative energy with a full body exfoliation with chrysanthemum, before a rinse in pomelo water to cleanse. Before the grand finale of a full body massage, experience a singing bowl session, to re-channel your body’s energies. As is customary with Chinese New Year tradition, you will also receive a lucky red packet enclosing another treat at The Spa for you to enjoy in 2016.

STRIP: Ministry of Waxing and BROWHAUS Spa Esprit’s STRIP and BROWHAUS have opened brand new outlets in Plaza Singapura! Stepping inside STRIP’s swanky new space is a little like walking onto a Wes Anderson movie set; no surprise, considering the interior was modeled after heritage hotels just like the Grand Budapest! The Plaza Singapura branch specialises exclusively in STRIP’s award-winning IPL treatments. BROWHAUS, on the other hand, offers up their whole range of services from tweezing to waxing, plucking and shaping, as well as their signature Brow Resurrection and Lash in Bloom services.

Spa Esprit has also introduced a new Online Portal Mobile App (OPMA) to take all the hassle out of booking your appointment! Gone are the days of being held up on the telephone. Simply download the SEG Booking app (available on both Apple and Android) or log on to booking.spa-esprit.com/sg/.

Newbies, use the promo code ‘MY FIRST’ to get 50% off your first appointment!

For more information, visit: strip.com.sg or browhaus.com

For more information, visit: mandarinoriental.com/singapore/luxury-spa

We Need A Hero

There are plenty of ‘manscaping’ packages to be found at men’s grooming salon, We Need A Hero, but if you want to take your hairstyle into your own hands, now you can! The popular men’s boutique has recently released their very first house brand Hero Pomades that are now available for purchase in store. Rock your ‘do’ all day with Hero Pomade in Matte or if you’re looking to add a little shine to your lovely lad-locks, add a slick of Hero Pomade in Sheen.

Combining the best of both wax and styling gel, this water-soluble styling product will be the perfect addition to your morning routine!

For more information, visit: weneedahero.sg 82

FEBRUARY - March 2016

www.nowsingapore.co.id

So SPA

There’s nothing quite as romantic as spending a day in a luxury day spa on tropical Sentosa. So SPA is upping the ante on lovey-dovey spa retreats for two with their So Well In Love (available until February 29, 2016). Start the special day by getting fired up with an hour of personal training or choose to be energised with a cleansing Body Scrub. Then, join your special someone in a private couple suite for a romantic Couple’s Massage, before bathing in each other’s affection with a private post-massage bath. Round off the day with a romantic meal in The Garden restaurant.

For more information, visit: sofitel-singapore-sentosa.com

EstheClinic

Love what you see in the mirror even more by bringing out your inner glow with EstheClinic’s new Glow to Go IPL Skin Rejuvenation Treatment. Harnessing a special MacPeel technology, this high-tech sounding facial promises to target the deeper layers of skin to help boost collagen production and reduce uneven pigmentation within a matter of 20 pain-free minutes (no numbing cream necessary). While benefits are visible after a single session, EstheClinic recommend a series of six to eight sessions for optimum results.

For more information, visit: estheclinic.com.sg

ESPA

Pay tribute to good old Saint Valentine at Auriga spa, with their Auriga Spa Date promotion (available until February 29, 2016). The date begins with a cleansing salt and sugar scrub, sweetly scented with rose and ylang ylang. Then, a deep massage will ease out any existing tension, before a romantic bath ritual for two, complete with relaxing bath salts, aroma oils and the zest of kaffir lime. Once done, float on over to Bob’s Bar and sip on champagne, dreaming of your future lives together as you stare out at the South China Sea!

Escape to the lush surrounds of ESPA on Valentine’s Day, and book a little private ESPA Time for two! Put your trust in the expert therapists’ hands as they customise a treatment package curated from ESPA’s range of incredibly offerings specifically for you to enjoy over the course of your two-hour booking (excluding manicures and pedicures, Turkish hammam and wax services). Better yet, any booking of ESPA Time for two throughout February entitles you and your partner to a complimentary upgrade to a lavish Beach Villa or Garden Suite!

For more information, visit: capellasingapore.com

For more information, visit: rwsentosa.com

Auriga

www.nowsingapore.co.id FEBRUARY - March 2016 83

spa & health

Stress and the City

W

hen discovering a great spa in Singapore, it’s all too tempting to keep the secret all to yourself.

Yet, every so often, you find a place that’s simply too good to keep quiet about… and Willow Stream Spa is one of them. While many hotel spas often get a bad rap for their exorbitant prices and mediocre service, Willow Stream Spa has cemented itself with a strong reputation as one of the best (not to mention multi-award winning) spas in the city.

Spanning the sixth to eighth floor of the luxurious Fairmont Singapore hotel and sprawled out over a remarkable 50,000 square feet, Willow Stream Spa is more a full84

FEBRUARY - March 2016

www.nowsingapore.co.id

By Marissa Trew Images courtesy of Willow Stream Spa

fledged wellness centre than your average day spa. Its spot in the environs of the Civic District make it quite central too, apt for a mid-afternoon escape rather than a full-on retreat.

While there is nothing particularly revolutionary about its décor, emanating a prototypical ‘day spa’ aura with its warm lighting, plush furniture, soft-spoken staff and of course, a large dispenser of ‘detox water’ brimming with sliced lemon, Willow Stream Spa impresses with its vast range of facilities.

On the sixth floor alone, a gym with a range of equipment that would rival most major fitness clubs colonises the right wing.

Having recently been renovated, the fresh space boasts a top-of-the-line Cardio Theatre, Strength-Training Area and Fitness Studio.

Slip on one of the Preva wristbands available at the reception desk, which will sync with each exercise station so that you can track, monitor and help improve your workout.

Your safest bet is to download the free Preva app to your smartphone so you can keep the data well after you leave the gym! The most fun thing however, is the latest addition of a SMARTfitTM Training wall wherein you can play a range of pre-programmed games that challenge you both physically and mentally.

Of course, spending hours feeling like a hamster on a wheel or setting personal bests

isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, let alone their idea of ‘relaxation.’ After all, when on holiday abroad (or on a mental respite from our ‘firstworld problems’), nothing quite says “I’ll deal with my problems later” than an hour-long Stress Relief Massage.

Once you enter the ‘spa zone’ itself, don a plush bathrobe and hotel slippers before shuffling your way through what seems like a labyrinth of corridors towards Willow Stream Spa’s zen core. Again, there is nothing remarkable about their 23 treatment rooms, from the ambiguous instrumental playlist that chimes from hidden speakers and the facecradle mattress that seems dubious no matter how many times you encounter it. What you would be hard-pressed to find anywhere else however, is the same level of expertise in the massage therapist’s magic hands.

So ‘bliss-ed’ out was I during my appointment that I must admit I scarcely remember what happened throughout the course of the hour. With every pressured stroke of the therapist’s hands across my head, neck, shoulders and back, I was lulled deeper into a kind of meta-sleep, my capacity for critical thought thoroughly weakened.

If there is anything I know for sure, it is that I walked in adamant that no massage could be capable of untying the physical knots that felt tougher than an over-cooked steak. I

left feeling suppler than a Wagyu cow’s rump.

Did my session address the root cause of all my nervous tension? Of course not… but I definitely felt far more comfortable with the idea of neglecting that issue till another day.

Willow Stream Spa at Fairmont Singapore, 80 Bras Basah Road, tel: 6431 5600, fairmont. com/singapore/willow-stream.

www.nowsingapore.co.id FEBRUARY - March 2016 85

spa & health

Happy Mind, Happy Body, Happy Earth

86

FEBRUARY - March 2016

www.nowsingapore.co.id

T

he always-trendsetting store, kapok at National Design Centre, introduced New Zealand-based home and skincare brand, Ashley & Co., to Singapore late last year. Following a soft introduction of just two of Ashley & Co.’s original signatures, like the powerful Mortar & Pestle (infusions of black tea, with borage oil, olive extract and aloe) and the subtly spiced Tui & Kahili (sandalwood, mimosa and lily, accented with wild ginger and ylang ylang), the brand more recently introduced five new fragrances across a range of home and body products that we cannot help but love.

As we all know, there’s nothing quite like a familiar smell to welcome you back into the comforts of home after a long day. Like a little dose of aromatherapy, their Home Perfume diffuser reeds gently pervade the air of your living room, immediately putting your mind and body at ease. Bottled in elegant, dark amber glass bottles, they also add a wonderful, understated design element to any room. Otherwise, their handmade, all-natural Waxed Perfume Candles are perfect for setting the mood on any occasion.

Equally soothing and enticing is their range of body products, like the travel-friendly Mini Bar soaps (made of goat’s milk and manuka honey) and hydrating Soothe Tube hand creams that are incredibly handy on the go, while the WashUp range (containing

natural antiseptics like aloe vera and grapefruit seed) is the perfect addition to your morning shower routine.

Every scent is truly unique, and while it may be hard to put your finger on what the base, middle and top notes are without reading their descriptions first… the creative titles for every product in their range are enough to give you a sense of each one’s character. Of course, choosing your own signature scent is a highly personal affair but if we had to recommend our favourite, one of their newer additions, Blossom & Gilt would definitely be our pick. Slightly sweet floral notes of Costa Rican tuberose and wild jasmine cast our minds adrift to a tropical, beachside villa, making for a (brief) mental holiday. We also love (the also new) Parakeets & Pearls – a seemingly unconventional but alluring blend of green tea, lily and cardamom, with accents of citrus lime, orange rind and bergamot. For those that prefer a muskier scent, the earthy Vine & Paisley blend of sandalwood, moss and balsam, accented with vanilla and citrus mandarin peel is as lovely as it sounds.

Fragrant without being overpowering, all of Ashley & Co.’s all-natural products are a vast improvement from typical market brand products that list undesirable and hard-topronounce chemicals on their ingredients labels. In fact, all of Ashley & Co.’s products are made with eco-consciousness in mind, right down to the boxes they come in. Not

only has the entirety of their Gone Green Range (SootherUp Gone Green moisturiser and WashUp Gone Green) been certified 100% natural by Ecocer, and is totally free of sulphates, parabens, colourings and synthetic fragrances, but the brand’s beautifully minimalist packaging is fully recyclable and eco-friendly too. The boxes are crafted from recycled paper, the bottles are 100% biodegradable, and even the removable anti-slip silicone cup on their Home Perfume bottles are oven-safe and can be used to bake with!

You don’t have to take our word for how great Ashley & Co. is for our skin and minds.

You need only step into the powder rooms of some of Singapore’s trendiest restaurants and bars like Burnt Ends, Kilo, Vasco and The Cufflink Club to know that Ashley & Co. is the brand of choice for many of the island’s key movers and shakers.

Ashley & Co.’s range of products can be found at: • kapok flagship store at National Design Centre (111 Middle Road) • The Redundant Shop (#01-71 Millennia Walk, 9 Raffles Boulevard) • Sifr at Pact (#02-16/19 Orchard Central, 181 Orchard Road) • threadbare & squirrel (#02-20 Wheelock Place, 501 Orchard Road) It is also available online at their website, ashleyandco.com.sg.

www.nowsingapore.co.id FEBRUARY - March 2016 87

spa & Health

Keeping Fit On The Fly

By Marissa Trew Images courtesy of Level

I

t’s February. A full month since you promised yourself you’d get in shape. If you’re anything like us, this might feel like the toughest part. The end of the holiday season means work is starting to get in the way of your exercise schedule and we don’t blame you if the idea of waking up even earlier to fit in that hour of cardio circuits and weightlifting feels about as appealing as a dentist appointment. But whatever you do, don’t give up… there is help on the way.

To get a much-needed pep talk and words of fitness wisdom, we headed to two-year old boutique personal training gym, Level, on Telok Ayer Street. We had a chat with their founder, Alexander Salihin, to learn some nifty little tricks about reaching our goals, staying on track and how to deal with life’s (and our body’s) curves.

The layout of Level is unlike most conventional gyms. There aren’t endless lines of treadmills whirring constantly. No fancy machinery built to work out muscles in your legs that you didn’t even know existed.

88

FEBRUARY - March 2016

No dreaded elliptical or Stairmaster, either.

Instead, the vastly empty space is purposebuilt to optimise functional floor exercises.

All around, men and women alike are thrusting bar bells into the air, swinging kettlebells between their legs and hanging from gymnastic rings that dangle from the ceiling. The room is filled with energy and focus, a kind of infectious buzz urging you to get involved.

While it may sound like one, this is not a cross-fit box. Instead of focusing on how fast and how hard and fast you can push yourself, Level focuses on technique through functional exercises that help everyone reach their maximum physical potential. As Alex puts it, “a coach can tell you what to do from [a distance] and I prefer position and form over how many you can do in two minutes. I prefer doing things very well.”

Curious to see what a Level workout entailed, I signed up for a personal training session with Alex himself. From the start of a typical hour-long session, he first analysed a range of basic movements and gave feedback

www.nowsingapore.co.id

on both my posture and form. Then, we began a series of quick circuits that would leave my legs feeling like jelly, my heart racing and my mood elevated. Challenging, but not impossible… muscles I didn’t know existed began to feel the proverbial burn. It revealed a glimpse of my own physical potential, but more importantly, it revealed what work I needed to do to reach it.

Hiring a personal trainer is not for everyone. If you struggle to find the motivation on your own but getting a trainer is simply out of the question, Level hosts plenty of group workout classes throughout the week that are open to everyone. Be warned.

These aren’t Richard Simmons-style aerobics.

Primarily HIIT-focused (High Intensity Interval Training), they entail 30 to 60 minutes of a range of different exercises to raise your heart rate, burn fat and give you that endorphin high that gym bunnies incessantly rave about.

At Level, “the classes we hold today are rather diverse. It’s not one generic type of workout. ColeMine is our most popular class to date. When we first started, it was an hour

long and then the feedback we got was like ‘look dude, I can’t. I’m still sweating by the time I get back to the office, even after my shower!’ Also, a lot of guys and girls had only slightly over 60 minutes to leave their office… so 30 minutes became our thing. People wanted to come in, get their fix and leave. But [the workout] is in no way easy at all.”

Fortunately, these short power-packed workouts have been on the rise, with more and more studios offering similar classes that are as efficient as they are challenging. As terrifying as it may sound (this definitely won’t be your regular walk in the park), Alex reminds us that there is indeed a bright side!

“There are so many bodies on the floor… it’s great because there’s that communitylike feeling. If you’re super duper brand new to fitness, it can be a little intimidating [but] you also get very, very motivated by the fact that people you know who started from zilch [start] doing things they never thought they could do.”

This breed of fitness classes can help get people moving, get us to be more social, help us enter the fitness community and most importantly, improve our health.

But what happens when you’re suddenly called away on business? With dire in-flight meals, back-to-back meetings and rich business dinners expensed to the company account, keeping your fitness goals in check is a definite challenge. Fortunately, Alex’s own little health hacks are easy to adopt.

“I tend not to eat the meals on board a plane… If all else fails, I go for the fruit because it’s lighter, it’s got high water content for when you get dehydrated in the air. I don’t really do starch in the air – not because I don’t

like my bread, I love it – because I don’t want to feel like a rock when I land… The key is water, water, water. At least a litre and a half a day.”

Then again, while we can quite easily turn down an in-flight meal, who can resist the lavish buffet spreads often offered at hotels? For that, Alex has some potentially controversial advice that may not sit well with everyone, but is worth considering.

“Many years ago, this used to be an unorthodox subject but it’s not anymore; a very healthy version of intermittent fasting (IF). More realistic IF is pushing your breakfast closer to lunch, maybe by making it a brunch… then having a bigger dinner. So you actually skip the whole ‘need’ to put food in your body in the mornings. It does two things: it lowers your insulin levels, which is great for people who want to keep body fat off, and you don’t need to stress about what to eat at breakfast.”

Yet, diet is often only half the battle and as anyone with a newfound passion for fitness knows, trying to maintain your progress feels crucially important. A common question is always: how do you maintain cardiovascular fitness or, most importantly, strength levels?

Alex replies with one suggestion.

“Very simply: time. Use time… There are apps that are called Tabata. It’s the most efficient way to train. You set the Tabata timer on for four minutes and it can be a combination of anything; like 45 seconds of work and 15 seconds of rest, followed by the same until your four minutes are up. Or, you can keep going for 15-seconds for each exercise non-stop. There is no right or wrong.”

And what do these 4-minute workouts look like?

“Take four unique exercises like squats, lunges, push ups, planks; give them each 15 seconds then do them constantly for four minutes. I promise you, you will be sweating and you will have your heart rate up through the roof. There will be a fair amount of lactic acid build-up and for some people who are holding positions... you’re taking an endurance exercise and turning it into a strength movement.”

For example, if focusing on conditioning and strength, Alex suggests 45-seconds of each exercise with 15-seconds of rest between each: Exercise 1: Bodyweight squats as fast as possible Exercise 2: Chaturanga push up (or ‘Hindu’ push up) Exercise 3: Hip thrusts Exercise 4: Wall walk-ups (start in a push-up position then walk your feet up a wall until you’re in a handstand position) The best part is absolutely no equipment is required, so you can leave your lululemons and trainers at home! Though if you can afford to fit a bit of equipment in your luggage, Alex suggests a high resistance band and a skipping rope to incorporate into your routine, as they make for a very effective cardio warm-up.

With all that is said and done, a critical bit of advice remains. When it comes to maintaining your exercise habits, if you are travelling, it is perfectly okay to take a break and rest. “To be honest, if you’re only going away for a while, don’t sweat it. You’re not going to come back weak and fragile!”

Level is currently running a special promotion, offering five personal training sessions at $250 for first time customers.

For more information, visit: level.com.sg Level, 01-03, 137 Telok Ayer Street, tel: 6222 4766, level.com.sg

www.nowsingapore.co.id FEBRUARY - March 2016 89

shopping

ights, cameras and Singaporean heritage came back to life when Capitol Theatre re-opened in May 2015. The rejuvenation and construction of this iconic area of conservation buildings – including Capitol Building and Stamford House – took S$750 million and over three years to complete, marking a massive step towards Singapore’s preservation and sustainability 90

FEBRUARY - March 2016

www.nowsingapore.co.id

efforts. It also offered a burgeoning of lifestyle options in the heart of the city.

Capitol Theatre itself was built in 1929.

The Grand Dame, as it was fondly known, was swiftly followed by Capitol Building in 1933.

When the theatre first opened, it was one of the few air-conditioned theatres in operation in Singapore.

z z u b a l l a It’s l o t i p a C e at th ing tion is giv a in t s e d g st shoppin oney with a mall, e t la ’s e r m Singapo run for its apar tments. a d a o R d Orchard y hotel an r u x lu a , a theatre il

Photo by justin eeles

sr

By Celine A

Stamford House was built much earlier in 1904, and clear differences can be seen when you compare the buildings’ architectural styles: Stamford House was built Venetian Renaissance style with keystone arches and ornate detailing, while Capitol Theatre has more neo-Classical influences, with its sculptures of winged horses and mosaic of zodiac signs.

Formerly home to a selection of offices and small boutiques, both buildings were closed for the extensive renovation work to take place.

The new development opened late last year, designed by architect, Richard Meier (who also designed the Getty Centre in Los Angeles). Re-launched as Capitol Piazza,

the development is now home to not just the theatre but a wide selection of local and international brands and designers, backed up by bars and international dining establishments.

The blend of the modern and the historical is seamless – Capitol Piazza’s three main spaces (Galleria, Arcade and Neue) act www.nowsingapore.co.id FEBRUARY - March 2016 91

Photo by justin eeles

shopping

as a link between past and present, allowing visitors to experience the best of both worlds in a boutique mall surrounding. As a one-stop lifestyle destination, it is unique and should be included on any exploratory shopping itinerary.

image courtesy of Manifesto

Hit the carts and shops

image courtesy of Dr Martens

Among Capitol Piazza’s 53 retail stores, there are some notable flagships including Finnish clothing label Marimekko and iconic British shoe label Dr Marten. Apart from stocking the widest selection of Dr Martens in Singapore, this store also hosts live music gigs, a tribute to the long relationship between the brand and emerging music trends in the UK. Also worth a visit is Manifesto, which carries over 60 brands of fashion, street wear and accessories. Most labels here are new to Singapore, with the team regularly refreshing the selection to keep things fresh. Accessories, gadgets and lifestyle items include a selection of Briston watches and Swim-Ology swimwear, sunglasses from Etnia Barcelona and shoes by Mus & Roew.

Other stores include fashion labels like G Star Raw (Holland) and local brands SabrinaGoh and Max.Tan. As you’d expect, there is a choice of luxury item brands like Cortina Watch, and Malaysian jeweller La Putri as well as lifestyle brands like Moleskine (Italy) and Villeroy and Boch (Germany).

Depending on the season, fairs are held at the development’s common spaces, like December 2015’s ‘A Glittering Christmas Fair’ held on the Outdoor Lawn — an affair replete with carolers, photo walls and stocking stuffers.

92

FEBRUARY - March 2016

www.nowsingapore.co.id

From chopsticks to craft beers

image courtesy of ryu’s dining and bar

Established overseas restaurants like London’s Four Seasons Chinese Restaurant (known for their roast duck), French tearoom Angelina, and Taiwan’s Dazzling Café (known for their thick honey toast) have all opened their first Singapore locations at the Piazza.

Of the 16 restaurants and cafes at Capitol Piazza, we’re most impressed by Ryu’s Dining and Bar and Tap Craft Beer Bar, both located on the ground floor.

Order Ryu’s lunch-only okamochi chirashi (a beautiful bento served in a wooden carrier box), and then knock back a few pints opposite at Tap’s 20 draught craft beers.

Fixer-uppers

It’s not just dining and retail therapy that’s available at Capitol Piazza, shoppers can get a beauty fix too.

Begin at Simply Aesthetics, move on to Japanese salon, Branché Hair and Nail, and end with purchases at shops like Lancôme, Aesop, Aveda or Korean luxury skincare brand, Sulwhasoo. Men can stop for a shave or grooming session at London-founded Truefitt and Hill.

image courtesy of ryu’s dining and bar

Be entertained

In the 1930s, Capitol Theatre was fitted with the latest theatre and cinema technology and sat 1,686 people in its auditorium. Today, it’s Southeast Asia’s biggest single-screen cinema with 977 seats, and can be transformed to host arts and film events too. The Golden Village-backed theatre opened with ‘Singapura: The Musical’ in May 2015, and screened ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ and ‘Ip Man 3’ in January 2016.

There have also been occasional free movie screenings on the outdoor terrace by the fountain, so keep your eyes peeled and you might get lucky.

image courtesy of The patina hotel

Stay over

One of the most anticipated openings of 2016 will be The Patina, a 157-room ‘six-star’ hotel located across both buildings. The beautifully designed guestrooms offer refined luxury in distinguished surrounds, with Aesop bath amenities, Nespresso machines, and books from luxury book craftsmen Assouline.

If you love the Capitol compound and its location so much, you can also own a piece of the residences via Eden Residences Capitol.

There are only 39 apartment units available, so be prepared to dig fast and deep.

Compared to the mega malls at Orchard Road or Marina Bay Sands, Capitol Piazza offers a more manageable boutique lifestyle experience. With its well-curated choice of shops, bars and restaurants, set in beautifully renovated heritage buildings, it’s the ideal accompaniment to a visit to the new National Gallery nearby.

www.nowsingapore.co.id FEBRUARY - March 2016 93

shopping

Dempsey Style Images courtesy of CeccottiCollezioni and Asiatique Collections

94

FEBRUARY - March 2016

www.nowsingapore.co.id

T

he treasure trove of furniture shops nestled amongst the leafy streets of Dempsey Hill welcomed a new arrival in December. The opening of the Ceccotti Collezioni at Asiatique Collections signals a giant step forward in the quality of furniture available in this popular weekend escape. The first major collection of this iconic furniture available outside Italy, this impressive space does justice to the quality of craftsmanship on display.

Ceccotti Aviero has been at the forefront of progressive furniture design since it formed in 1956, producing a range that is immediately recognisable but very hard to imitate.

The company began to garner world attention when Franco Ceccotti took over the business from his father in 1986. Going into a long-term partnership with architect Roberto Lazzeroni, the firm introduced a new unique style in 1988 that has defined the brand ever since.

Offering elegant lines of polished wood (walnut, oak, American cherry wood and maple), punctuated by flashes of surrealism, the ‘Dedos Tenidos’ collection won instant critical acclaim. The work was part inspired by artists like Dali and Mollino while also influenced by the minimalist style of Scandinavian design. What had been a firm that made its name supplying exclusive hotels and residences overnight became a collector’s sensation.

Despite the company’s expansion over the past 20 years, the workshops are still based in the same area of Tuscany – all pieces are handcrafted – with the master craftsman schooled at the region’s respected Cascina School of Art. Since its inception in 1998, Asiatique Collections has been dealing in unique furniture, jewellery and art pieces from around the region and beyond, all sourced personally by owner Chin Bottinelli. Quickly gaining local support for the quality of merchandise on offer, what was once a 300 square foot store grew into a 5,000 square foot gallery. This is the ideal space to house the Ceccotti Collezioni and Asiatique Collections is the brand’s exclusive partner in Singapore.

Highlights of the collection include an amazing fold-out wardrobe for men, a similarly-designed fold-out bar and some beautifully designed chairs and tables – if you’re renting out a black and white house and have a bottomless budget to furnish it, this could well be your ideal one-stop shop.

The collection also includes a selection of other homewares and furnishings like shelves, beds mirrors and lamps, made from materials like leather, brass and stone.

With the gallery neighbouring some of the best restaurants and cafes in the city, there are ample places nearby for you to ponder over a purchase.

Ceccotti Collezioni at Asiatique Collections, 14A Dempsey Road, tel: 6471 3146, asiatiquecollections.com www.nowsingapore.co.id FEBRUARY - March 2016 95

spa & Health

Healing Hands Images by Suasti Lye

E

lse Vistisen has been an occupational therapist since 1984 and is the founder of Else Vitisen Therapy here in Singapore. After living in Asia for 31 years, she has recently published two books, “The Mother and the Therapist’ and ‘Pain Free.’ We spoke to her about what led her to pursue a career in therapy.

NS: Why did you become interested in occupational therapy? What did this interest lead on to?

EV: To be honest, I did not seek out ‘occupational therapy’ (OT) when I was young and I wasn’t even aware what the profession entailed at that time. When I started studying OT in 1980, it was a very new subject. I had been bitten by the travel bug and was quite happy to continue travelling. However, my father more or less demanded that I started to study and hence I had no choice but to apply. Given that the OT education was new in Denmark, entrance requirements were very high and I figured that if I applied I might not get accepted and so would have an excuse to travel! However I always knew that I wanted to work helping people in need, inspiring them to get over issues and move on in life.

NS: What other studies or philosophies have influenced the way you approach the human body?

EV: In the mid-1980s, I worked with physically handicapped children in Hong

96

FEBRUARY - March 2016

Kong and part of that work involved home alterations to improve their independence.

This is when I first became acquainted with Feng Shui. The concept impressed me and I then studied it in Thailand under the wellknown master, Anne Leong. When I lived in Indonesia in the late 1980s, my daughter was diagnosed with what was said to be an incurable disease “that would cause her to suffer for her whole life.” I was determined that was not going to happen so I sought help from another healer who was able to cure her, which is when I learned to look beyond the norm.

www.nowsingapore.co.id

A few years later, I tore a ligament and sought help from an acupuncturist and Chi Kung master. The combination of these two modalities fixed my problem. I was impressed and started to study and practice Chi Kung with Chi Kung master, Michael Cheung. Based on my experience of these therapies, I wondered whether I could create a total and permanent holistic pain-free solution for people with unresolved pain issues. In 2002, Tom Bowen therapy caught my interest, and I travelled to Australia for training. This is a dynamic form of bodywork in which gentle moves are performed over

muscles and connective tissue. Then in 2005 I was introduced to the Emmett Technique (an effective body therapy to ease pain and discomfort involving the application of light pressure at particular points) and I felt this technique could complement my other techniques. I went to Australia and trained to be an Emmett instructor. Finally, I participated in the Lightning Process course in London in order to better understand how the mind can influence the body. So my therapy is based on all these studies and philosophies combined with my intuitive and personal touch.

NS: How does the treatment you offer differ from more traditional methods?

EV: It’s a gentle non-invasive combined therapy approach that doesn’t involve drugs or stress.

NS: Why is your treatment effective in dealing with certain types of pain?

EV: My core value is to never over promise.

Clients often ask me whether I can fix their problems. My standard answer is that I might be able to help and believe that I can make a positive change. But usually, just one to three sessions provides a real and long lasting pain free solution. My treatment is effective against most types of pain, but I specialise in instant pain relief, helping people with acute and chronic pain issues. During the 10 years I have run my clinic, all my patients have been referrals, either from medical practitioners or from previous clients of mine so the results speak for themselves.

No pain, no gain Believing that a treatment has to be painful and invasive to be effective.

Lack of influence Leaving your health in the hands of professionals only. No one knows your body as well as you do, and nobody cares about your health as much as you do.

Nothing seems to work Thinking that there is nothing out there that will help solve your problem, meaning you will have to live with the pain.

NS: What made you want to start writing books?

EV: I think I have a unique and inspiring story to tell. The title of my first book is ‘The Mother and the Therapist,’ where I deal with how personal, social and mental challenges can often have a positive impact on life. The second book, ‘Pain Free,’ is based on true stories about transformation from chronic pain to instant relief.

NS: How does living and working in Singapore compare with the other countries you have lived in?

EV: Within my profession, I find Singapore the easiest place to do business because I am able to communicate with my clients and health practitioners in English. This gives me the opportunity to better understand and adapt to the individual physical, emotional and mental needs of the client. When further investigations or referrals are needed, it is a great benefit to both the clients and myself that the health industry in Singapore is so highly advanced, efficient and regulated. It only takes a short time to have the necessary results available so I can apply the optimal treatment, which is a ‘win win’ for all concerned.

For more information, visit elsevistisentherapy.com

NS: What mistakes do people generally make when dealing with pain relief?

EV: In my experience, there are seven main mistakes that people make.

1: Procrastination Many people keep ignoring continued pain and hope it will disappear rather than make the effort to seek professional help and address the actual cause of the pain.

Negligence Just like you take your car for regular service, it is important to go for regular realignment therapy to maintain good muscle balance.

Continuation of what doesn’t work Why would anyone keep going to a professional health practitioner for a treatment without seeing any improvement?

Symptomatic treatment Treating symptoms with medication, oils, ultrasound, etc. does not solve the actual problem. www.nowsingapore.co.id FEBRUARY - March 2016 97

art

A Lesson Beyond the Classroom Walls

By Sharifah Shahirah Images courtesy of The Connoisseur Concerto

T

en graduates from LASALLE’s class of 2015 take centre stage in an ambitious new initiative by the art college, titled Art Moves. Curated

by Dr. S. Chandrasekaran, Art Moves takes on the format of a travelling exhibition with a total of 50 artworks rotated among three cafes owned by co-presenter The Connoisseur Concerto (TCC).

New works will be exhibited in The Gallery, on Circular Road at Boat Quay, while artworks at TCC Raffles Xchange will rotate with those at The Pier@Robertson.

Apart from being a mentor to his students, Dr. Chandrasekaran is also the founder of performing arts company, Arts Fission, and the artist behind the tribal-esque

98

FEBRUARY - March 2016

works that line the walls of Little India MRT station. Assisting Dr. Chandrasekaran with curating the works are Felicia Loi and Tong Shi Hui. Loi is a multi-disciplinary practitioner with a background in both fine arts and fashion design. In this exhibition, she has showcased an impressive range of mediums through several series. Although each series was done with different mediums, there is a single conversation or idea threading throughout the pieces. Loi describes her work as striving to reflect the simple yet overlooked essence of human existence within a fast-paced society.

There is sense of playfulness to Tong’s works that comes out in the way she curates a picture. In “Hao Re Ah! #1,” Tong captures a

www.nowsingapore.co.id

cheeky scene of a pineapple swimming pool for Lilliputians. The purposeful use of a more expressive mandarin phrase for ‘very hot’ adds a cheeky factor to the work. As an artist, Tong is interested in the human anatomy, the

construction of cultural identities and the impact that it has on the physical body. As an Assistant Curator, Tong hopes to encourage the sale of emerging artists’ work, with the artists learning from the exposure and the public response to their artwork.

The exhibition features a number of emerging artists working with different mediums. These include digital artist Asanul Nazryn, whose work explores social identity through a light-hearted tone and painter Cai Pei Xuan, who explores the topic of daily life and its quirks. Ceramist Kathlyn Loke explores a discourse on value and worth in her work; Lau Yiling studies colour through a series of found objects and nostalgia, while

Amanda Lim interprets current political, social and cultural issues in her work.

Digital artist Ong Lijie’s work is lined with narratives in which the notion of body is a tool to depict the consequences of relations between the individual and the collective other. The making of her works seeks to translate a disoriented reality in the combination of various printmaking and drawing elements.

Painter Naufal Abshar (see following story) uses humour in his ‘HAHA’ series, where he criticises politics and gaps in society.

His work is an exploration of laughter, which he believes can both start or diffuse an issue.

Finally, the exhibition includes the work of India’s top supermodel-turned artist Tinu Verghis, whose performance art ‘Under My Skin,’ makes an appearance in print form.

Most of the work in the exhibition is priced between $100 to $1,000, with some larger pieces going for up to $3,000.

Left, from top: Marguerite Humeau, Wadjet (King Cobra), 2015, Polystyrene, white paint, artificial prosthetics, artificial human saliva, 1g King Cobra venom sourced in Florida, United States, 230 x 210 x 90 cm; Oanh Phi Phi, Mapa mundi (detail), 2015, sơn mài (lacquer) on wood panel.

Right, from top: Raphaël Zarka, Schönflies 329, 2015, oak, dimensions variable; Vivien Roubaud, Inflatable, counterweight, electric scooter engine, chandeliers, slip ring, 24 volt motorcycle chain, 900 litres of air], 2015, 200 cm (diameter); Emmanuelle Lainé, Pleasure in the confusion of boundaries, 2014, site-specific mixed media installation, 360 x 700 x 500 cm approx. www.nowsingapore.co.id FEBRUARY - March 2016 99

art

Artist Profile:

Naufal Abshar Images courtesy of The Artist

In the run up to Singapore Art Week, which took place this January, Indonesian artist Naufal Abshar showcased a solo exhibition entitled “HAHA� at Canvas Creative Space. To understand more about the inspiration and meaning behind his work, we asked him a few questions about how found his passion for art, what he wants to express through his work, and where he goes from here.

How did you get started as an artist?

I actually never thought that I would become an artist, but when I was younger I simply loved to draw, anytime and anywhere. When I first told my parents that I wanted to become an artist, they were shocked. However, once I told them that it was dream, they became fully supportive.

My mum even started introducing me to some successful Indonesian artists, such as the famous sculptor, Sunaryo, and painter, Nyoman Masriadi. Meeting these artists was the turning point where I promised myself that one day, I would become a professional artist too.

How did you get involved at Singapore Art Week?

It started with Art Porters Gallery giving me the opportunity to exhibit my artworks at Art Stage Singapore. Then I received an offer from Canvas to arrange my first solo exhibition in Singapore around the time of Art Week.

behind a laugh. Laughter is not always caused by humour and happiness, but it could also stem from fear, mockery, rejection, shrewdness and so many more things. I use the symbol of laughter and its many meanings to comment on and criticise social and political topics that I take great interest in.

What can people expect from your exhibitions? What particular topics do you explore?

People can expect attractive vibrant, colourful paintings that hide a critical analysis of sociopolitical issues. I mostly explore the topic of laughter, particularly the different meanings

Much of your art centres around the act and experience of laughter and humour, what do you think the relationship between the two are?

The relationship between laughter and humour is very complex. Humour often causes laughter, but laughter does not always originate from humour.

100 FEBRUARY - March 2016 www.nowsingapore.co.id

Is there a particular cause or concern that you want to express through your art now more than ever?

I used to focus on expressing my views on Indonesian politics through my artworks.

However, now I focus on expressing my concerns of daily social issues that might seem petty but are actually quite profound, such as how we often hide our true identities and the complexity of human relationships.

Where do you find most of your inspiration?

I find most of my inspiration from observations of daily life problems that happen around us, especially matters that are often ignored but actually hold deep philosophical meaning. I also often find inspiration in movies, art and fashion magazines, comic books and video games.

What are your favourite mediums to work with, e.g. acrylic on canvas, sculpting etc.?

My favourite mediums to work with are definitely acrylic, soft pastel & oil stick on canvas.

What are your plans after your show at Singapore Art Week?

I will be busy with preparations for an artist residency in Ireland, a painting/photography exhibition in Jakarta and several other art projects. www.nowsingapore.co.id FEBRUARY - March 2016 101

art

Milenko Prvacki:

The Renaissance Man

By Sharifah Shahirah Images courtesy of The Artist

S

tepping into Milenko Prvacki’s studio is like entering an artist’s dream. With the sound of classical strings wafting through the high ceilings, the sunlight that streams in from the floor to ceiling windows illuminates the massive canvases that line the walls. As he shares the studio with wife and ceramic artist, Delia Prvacki, the studio is also filled with ceramic and coloured mosaic sculptures – works of art in dialogue with each other.

On my visit, despite being in the middle of a move, Prvacki was in high spirits. When I asked how often he gets the opportunity to be in the studio, he answered with a smile, “I really create when I’m in the studio, almost like an architect, creating with purpose. I don’t take my weekends; they’re spent in the studio right after breakfast. I’m always engaged in my work, constantly thinking and analysing my work even though I’m not here. But generally I spend between three to four days in a week working in the studio.”

Born in 1951 in Yugoslavia, Prvacki was inspired by art at a young age through German artist Laksaradi Emil. As he learned to paint under Emil, the one lesson that stuck was Emil’s utmost dedication in being an artist. In search of higher education in painting, Milenko applied to Institutul de Arte Plastice, Bucharest where he studied for five years.

The German native speaker then took up Romanian language lessons to adjust to his new home in Romania. He would pick up a third language – English, when he moved to Singapore in the 90s.

102 FEBRUARY - March 2016 www.nowsingapore.co.id

In a 2013 essay on Prvacki, Charles Merewether introduced him by quoting the artist’s own words “…the country I left does not exist anymore.” The quote was a response to the displacement and permanent separation of Yugoslavia after years of civil war, which was dissolved in 2006. This event has become a cornerstone in Prvacki’s art, with the traumatic events providing him with the drive and instinct to create and share with as many people as possible.

Contemporary artist, arts educator and industry influencer, Prvacki seems to charge at every role with the same boundless energy – perhaps the ironic outcome of having an acute awareness of irrevocability. Unbound to the past, his abstract paintings are a visual dictionary of symbols, both nostalgic and holding new meaning for the artist.

Before moving to Singapore Prvacki’s first series titled ‘Dialogue’ was an expansion of his portraits and self-protraits. Though caricature in style, the colour palette was faded and pale, similar to Bacon’s.

After developing the series over four years, Prvacki embarked on ‘The Trophy Series’ from 1979 to 1990. The paintings revolve around hunting trophies such as ducks and animal rawhide – showcasing Prvacki’s awareness of the embletic power of visual imagery. Lasting a decade, it became extensive, capturing ongoing shifts and the refinements of his artistic process.

In the early 90s, Prvacki came up with the concept of a visual dictionary. On the concept of a visual dictionary, Prvacki shared, “I was

always learning new languages when I was in university or when I first moved here, so I was always with a dictionary. Previously I was a figurative painter but I realised that painting was static and I could not compete with video or film. So when I was analysing and finding new ways to communicate through art, I thought about the dictionary. How a dictionary was boring yet contained all of our value in a language. So that’s when I decided to create the visual dictionary. I knew that it was going to take a few years to develop, but I was prepared to work towards it.” During this time, he was also invited by Brother Joseph McNally to teach in LASALLE College of the Arts. The visual dictionary concept was realised with ‘The Ultimate Visual Dictionary,’ ‘The Visual Dictionary’ and ‘Collection’ from 1997 to 2009. Prvacki continued to expand his visual dictionary to include the ‘Construction’ series and ‘Fragments or Fragmented’ series.

“For me art is a necessity of creating, I’m productive and I work all the time. I need to express all the time what I’m thinking. Most of the time, it is a personal reason, a result of my research, my interest in history. It is a complex process and I work three to five years on one issue. It’s about collecting the information, research, things, making storage, analysing and repeating. My art is an extension of myself and my past, but it’s all about one language, a kind of visual language.”

Teaching since 1994, he is both respected and accomplished as Senior Fellow and former Dean of Fine Arts in LASALLE. Frequently invited to speak and weigh in on the arts landscape here, Prvacki was engaged by the former Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts (MICA), now the Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI)] to serve on the Renaissance City Strategic Plan Strategic Planning panel, and by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) to serve on the Marina Bay Advisory Committee. Besides consulting, the 2012 Cultural Medallion recipient has also played active roles in creating an arts rehabilitation project for the Singapore Prisons and in the Land Transport Authority’s (LTA) Art in Transit programme – Prvacki and his wife drew upon the rich cultural diversity and history of Singapore to create the mosaic murals at the Dhoby Ghaut MRT station.

Recalling how pleased he was to be invited to consult on the Renaissance City plan, Prvacki said that although much has progressed since 25 years ago when he first came, there was still room to improve.

“Artists grow up studying the Renaissance period of the 14th century where arts and culture in Italy and Europe flourished. However my idea of a Renaissance is different. Renaissance in the 21st century is about making new history, new heritage and I feel that Singapore is in the best position to do so but we’re not fully realising that yet. For example, instead of re-purposing heritage buildings for museums, we should look into building new spaces for art. Art is not waiting for people to understand, it is about anticipating new things.”

Prvacki’s ‘Trophy Landscape – Paradise’ is on show in the DBS Singapore Gallery collection. Sharing a personal story on the work, Prvacki said that The National Gallery Singapore had wanted to include a historically significant piece in the collection so the collage on show is the first artwork he did when he first arrived here. Originally invited for a two-month project, Prvacki was asked to extend his stay to two years.

“I did not have any material as I had only intended to stay for two months but my stay was extended. So I looked around the empty rented house and saw old newspapers that lined the empty shelves – you know how mums would protect shelves from stains and marks. So I took all of those, as well as some German newspaper, which I had wrapped my belongings in my luggage to create the collage pieces. The work, done just three months after my arrival in Singapore, is about memory and a reflection of my own journey of what I did before and what I do now.”

Prvacki takes his commitment to educational practice and engagement in arts and culture here seriously. Feeling the need to share his experience, he largely contributes to educating and advocating about art, emphasising though that his role as an artist is simply to be present in his environment. “I really care about what is happening in the community. I didn’t speak English when I came to Singapore but I learned to. I’m someone who wants to communicate not just through my art, and to the society, government, to anyone who can improve the situation. If I can help, I should. An artist should be conscious of the society they live in. Being creative, crazy and not afraid of failures, artists need to speak their minds.”

In the time that we spent chatting about his art and the current issues in our world today it became apparent to me that, despite past scars and sense of displacement from losing his birth country, Prvacki represents the unfailing spirit of an artist and the continuous search to inspire hope and change for a better future. www.nowsingapore.co.id FEBRUARY - March 2016 103

104 FEBRUARY - March 2016 www.nowsingapore.co.id

DIRECTORY

On the following pages you will find lists of places, people and things that we think are important.

It’s not the telephone directory NOR the yellow pages but we think we’ve covered a lot of useful numbers-including some interesting local brands and some of the city’s best restaurants & bars. www.nowsingapore.co.id FEBRUARY - March 2016 105

EMERGENCIES Airport Information +65 6595 6868 Ambulance and Fire 995 Marina Bay Cruise Centre Singapore 61 Marina Coastal Drive Singapore 018947 mbccs.com.sg Police 999 (for emergency only) Police Hotline 1800 225 0000 Traffic Police +6547 0000 ATTRACTIONS & AMUSEMENT PARKS

Army Museum Of Singapore 520 Upper Jurong Road Singapore 638367 Tel: +65 6668 0338 E: armymuseum@sdc.com.sg mindef.gov.sg ArtScience Museum 10 Bayfront Avenue, Singapore 018956 Tel: +65 6688 8888 marinabaysands.com/museum.html Asian Civilisations Museum 1 Empress Place Singapore 059199 Tel: +65 6332 7798 acm.org.sg Esplanade 1 Esplanade Drive Singapore 038981 Tel: +65 6828 8377 esplanade.com Faber Peak Singapore 109 Mount Faber Road, Faber Peak Singapore 099203 Tel: +65 6270 8855 faberpeaksingapore.com Fuk Tak Chi Museum 76 Telok Ayer Street Far East Square Singapore 048464 Tel: +65 6532 7868 Gardens by The Bay 18 Marina Gardens Drive Singapore 018953

Tel: +65 6420 6848 gardensbythebay.com.sg Haw Par Villa 262 Pasir Panjang Road Singapore 118628 Tel: +65 6872 2780 Ifly Singapore 43 Siloso Beach Walk #01-01 Singapore 099010 Tel: +65 6571 0000 iflysingapore.com Images of Singapore LIVE 40 Imbiah Road, Singapore 099700 Tel: +65 6736 8672 sentosa.com.sg

Kong Hiap Memorial Museum 17-19 Kim Yam Road Singapore 239329 Tel: +65 6737 2630 E: sbl@sbl.org.sg sbl.org.sg Land Transport Gallery No 1 Hampshire Road Block 1 Level 1, Singapore 219428 Tel: +65 6396 2550 E: ltgallery@lta.gov.sg lta.gov.sg Marina Barrage 8 Marina Gardens Drive Singapore 018951 Tel: +65 6514 5959 Memories At Old Ford Factory 351 Upper Bukit Timah Road Singapore 588192 Tel: +65 6462 6724 moff.nas.sg Mint Museum Of Toys 26 Seah Street Singapore 188382 Tel: +65 6339 0660 emint.com

National Museum of Singapore

93 Stamford Road, Singapore 178897 Tel: +65 6332 3659; +65 6332 5642 nationalmuseum.sg

Singapore Coins And Notes Museum 40 Pagoda St, Level 1 Singapore 059199 Tel: +65 6222 2486 singaporecoinsandnotesmuseum.com

Singapore Flyer 30 Raffles Avenue, Singapore 039803 singaporeflyer.com Singapore Pinacothèque de Paris 5 Cox Terrace Singapore 179620 Tel: +65 6883 1588 pinacotheque.com.sg Singapore Philatelic Museum 23-B Coleman Street Singapore 179807 Tel: +65 6337 3888 spm.org.sg Singapore Zoo 80 Mandai Lake Road Singapore Tel: +65 6269 3411 zoo.com.sg Tan Swie Hian Museum 460 Sims Avenue, Singapore Tel: +65 6744 0716 tanswiehian.com The Changi Museum 1000 Upper Changi Road North Singapore 507707 Tel: +65 6214 2451 changimuseum.com.sg

Peranakan Museum 39 Armenian Street Singapore 179941 Tel: +65 6332 7591 peranakanmuseum.sg

Trick Eye Museum Resorts World Sentosa 26 Sentosa Gateway #01-43/44 Singapore 098138 trickeye.com/singapore

Red Dot Design Museum 28 Maxwell Road Red Dot Traffic, Singapore Tel: +65 6327 8027 museum.red-dot.sg

Ultimate Drive 1 Bay Front Avenue, Singapore 018971 Tel: +65 6688 7997 ultimatedrive.com

Reflections at Bukit Chandu’s 31-K Pepys Road Singapore 118458 Tel: +65 6375 2510 nhb.gov.sg

Underwater World Singapore 80 Siloso Road, Sentosa, Singapore 098969 Tel: +65 6275 0030 underwaterworld.com.sg Universal Studios Singapore™ Resorts World™ Sentosa Singapore 8 Sentosa Gateway Singapore 098269 E: enquiries@rwsentosa.com rwsentosa.com

Resorts World™ Sentosa 39 Artillery Avenue, Sentosa Singapore 099958 Tel: +65 6577 8888 rwsentosa.com

Wave House Singapore Art Museum 36 Siloso Beach Walk, Sentosa 71 Brass Basah Road, Tel: +65 6377 3113; 6238 1196 Singapore 189555 wavehousesentosa.com Tel: +65 6332 3222 singaporeartmuseum.sg Wings of Time

Siloso Beach, Sentosa Express Beach Singapore Botanic Gardens Station, Singapore 099538 1 Cluny Road, Tel: +65 6736 8672 Singapore 259569 E: guest_services@sentosa.com.sg Tel: +65 6471 7138 / 65 6471 7361 wingsoftime.com.sg sbg.org.sg Singapore Cable Car 109 Mount Faber Road Faber Peak Singapore 099203 Tel: +65 6270 8855 faberpeaksingapore.com

106 FEBRUARY - March 2016 www.nowsingapore.co.id

YOG Gallery @Singapore Sports Museum 1 Kay Siang Road #01-02 Singapore 248922 Tel: +65 6471 4430 sportsmuseum.com.sg

BARS, CLUBS AND PUBS

1-Altitude 61/62/Rooftop One Raffles Place Singapore 048616 Tel: +65 6438 0410 E: reservations@1-altitude.com 1-altitude.com 28 Hong Kong Street 28 Hong Kong Street Singapore 059667 Tel: +65 6533 2001 E: findus@28hks.com www.28hks.com Ah Sam Cold Drink Stall 60 A Boat Quay, Singapore 049848 Tel: +65 6535 0838 E: ahsamcolddrinkstall@gmail.com www.facebook.com/ AhSamColdDrinkStall Attica 3A River Valley Rd #01- 03 Clarke Quay Singapore 179020 Tel: +65 6333 9973 www.attica.com.sg Bang Bang Pan Pacific Singapore 7 Raffles Boulevard Tel: +65 8127 2808 bangbang.sg Bar Stories 55-57A Haji Lane Singapore 189248 Tel: +65 6298 0838 www.barstories.com.sg Bartini 46 Club Street, Singapore 069423 Tel: +65 6221 1025 E: info@bartini.com.sg facebook.com/bartini.sg Bitters & Love 36 North Canal Road Singapore 059292 Tel: +65 6438 1836 www.bittersandlove.com Blu jaz Café 11 Bali Lane, Historic Kampong Glam, Singapore 189848 Tel: +65 9199 0610 blujazcafe.net Canvas #B1-01/06 The Riverwalk, 20 Upper Circular Rd Tel: +65 6538 2928 E: info@canvasvenue.sg canvasvenue.sg Club Kyo 133 Cecil Street, Keck Seng Tower #B1-02, singapore 069535 Tel: +65 8299 8735 clubkyo.com Crazy Elephant 3E River Valley Road #01-03/04 Clarke Quay Singapore 179024 Tel: +65 6337 7859 E: info@crazyelephant.com crazyelephant.com

Empire Level 45 Singapore Land Tower, 50 Raffles Place, Singapore 048623 Tel: +65 8349 1672 Fenix Room Block 3C, River Valley Road, Clark Quay, Singapore 179022 Tel: +65 6305 6768 Hood Bar and Café #05-07, 201 Victoria Street Singapore 188067 Tel: +65 6221 8846 hoodbarandcafe.com

Prince Of Wales Boat Quay 51 Boat Quay, Singapore 049840 Tel: +65 6557 2498 E: info@pow.com.sg pow.com.sg

Afterwit 778 North Bridge Road Singapore 198746 Tel: +65 6299 1728 afterwit.sg

Prince Of Wales Little India 101 Dunlop Steet, Singapore 209420 Tel: +65 6299 0130 E: info@pow.com.sg pow.com.sg

Artistry Café 17 Jalan Pinang Singapore 199149 Tel: +65 6298 2420 artistryspace.com

RedDot BrewHouse @ Dempsey Road 25A Dempsey Road, #01-01 Singapore 247691 Tel: +65 6475 0500 reddotbrewhouse.com.sg

Artichoke Café + Bar Sclupture Square, 161 Middle Road Tel: +65 6336 6949 artichoke.com.sg

Jekyll & Hyde 49 Tras Street, Singapore 078988 RedDot BrewHouse @ Boat Quay Tel: +65 6222 3349 www.49tras.st 33/34 Boat Quay, Singapore 049823 Tel: +65 6535 4500

reddotbrewhouse.com.sg Jigger & Pony 101 Amoy Street, Singapore 069921 Tanjong Beach Club Tel: +65 62239101 120 Tanjong Beach Walk www.jiggerandpony.com Sentosa, Singapore 098942

Tel: +65 9750 5323 KPO tanjongbeachclub.com 1 Killiney Road, Kilinery Post Office Tel: +65 6733 3648 The Cufflink Club facebook.com/KPO.sg 6 Jiak Chuan Road, Singapore 089262 E: info@thecufflinkclub.com KURO Restaurant & Bar thecufflinkclub.com 3C River Valley Road, Clarke Quay The Cannery, #01-11 The Powder Room Singapore 179022 Level 2, The Black Swan Tel: +65 9733 6669 19 Cecil Street E: enquiries@kuro.com.sg Singapore 049704 kuro.com.sg Tel: +65 8181 3305 La Terraza Rooftop Bar Timbre @ Gillman Screening Room, 12 Ann Siang Road 9A Lock Road, Gillman Barracks Singapore 069692 Tel: +65 6221 1694 ext 3; +65 6532 3357 Singapore 108926 Tel: +65 6694 4201 E: info@screeningroom.com.sg timbre.com.sg screeningroom.com.sg Loof 331 North Bridge Rd, #03-07 Odeon Towers, Extension Rooftop Singapore 188720 Tel: +65 6338 8035 E: loof@loof.com.sg www.loof.com.sg Maison Ikkoku 20 Kandahar Street Singapore 198885 Tel: +65 6294 0078 maison-ikkoku.net Manhattan 2/F The Regent Singapore 1 Cuscaden Road Tel: +65 6725 3377 facebook.com/manhattansg.

Molly Malone’s 56 Circular Rd, Singapore 049411 Tel: +65 6536 2029 molly-malone.com Nutmeg & Clove 17 Ann Siang Road, Singapore 069697 Tel: +65 6423 9885 facebook.com/nutmegandclove Operation Dagger 7 Ann Siang Hill Singapore 069791 operationdagger.com

Timbre @ The Arts House 1 Old Parliament Lane #01-04 Singapore 179429 Tel: +65 6336 3386 timbre.com.sg Timbre @ The Substation 45 Armenian Street, Singapore 179936 Tel: +65 6338 8030 timbre.com.sg Verre Wine Bar 8 Rodyk Street, Singapore 238216 Tel: +65 6509 1917 verre.com.sg Zouk Singapore 17 Jiak Kim Street Singapore 169420 Tel: +65 6738 2988 zoukclub.com

Caffe Pralet 17 Eng Hoon Street #01-04 Singapore 169767 Tel: +65 6223 5595 E: caffepralet@creativeculinaire.com creativeculinaire.com Coastes Singapore 50 Siloso Beach Walk Singapore 099000 Tel: +65 6274 9668 coastes.com Common Man Coffee Roasters 22 Martin Road, Singapore 239058 Tel: +65 6836 4695 commonmancoffeeroasters.com Dutch Colony Coffee Company 113 Frankel Avenue Singapore 458230 Tel: +65 6448 5852 dutchcolony.sg Group Therapy #02-01, 49 Duxton Road Singapore 089513 Tel: +65 6222 2554 gtcoffee.com Hard Rock Café 50 Cuscaden Road, #02/03-01 HPL House, Singapore 249724 Tel: +65 6235 5232 Resort World Sentosa, The Forum #01-209, Singapore 098138 Tel: +65 6795 7454 Changi Airport Terminal 3 Departure Lounge Tel: +65 6241 6267 HARDROCK.COM High Society Marina Bay Sands Café & Restaurant The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands, #B2-47/48 Tel: +65 6688 7522 E: events@highsociety.com.sg highsociety.com.sg

CAFES

31 Bar & Kitchen 31 Keong Saik Road, Singapore 089138 Tel: +65 6224 9141

Jones The Grocer Block 9 #01-12 Dempsey Road Dempsey Hill Singapore 247697 Tel: +65 6476 1512 E: dempseyhill@jonesthegrocer.com jonesthegrocer.com

40 Hands 78 Yong Siak St., #01-12 Tiong Bahru Tel: +65 6225 8545 E: info@40handscoffee.com 40handscoffee.com

My Awesome Café 202 Telok Ayer Street Singapore 068639 Tel: +65 8428 0102 myawesomecafe.com

Penny University 402 East Coast Road, Singapore 428997 Tel: +65 6765 4531 Ronin 17 Hongkong Street Singapore 059660 Sunday Market 22 Lim Tua Tow Road Singapore 547772 Tel: +65 6287 8880 sundaymarket.sg Symmetry 9 Jalan Kubor Singapore 199206 Tel: +65 6291 9901 symmetry.com.sg Tiong Bahru Bakery 56 Eng Hoon Street, Singapore 160056 Tel: +65 6220 3430 The Library 47 Keong Saik Road Tel: +65 6221 8338 the-study.sg

CINEMAS Golden Village gv.com.sg Golden Village Katong 112 East Coast Road #04-09 Singapore 428802

Golden Village Bishan 9 Bishan Place, #04-03 Junction 8 Singapore 579837

Golden Village VivoCity Levels 2 & 3, VivoCity Harbour Front Precinct

Golden Village Tampines 4 Tampines Central 5, #04-17/18 Tampines Mall Singapore 529510

Golden Village Grand 1 Kim Seng Promenade, #03-39/40, Great World City Singapore 237994

Golden Village Jurong Point 1 Jurong West Central, #03-25B/26 Jurong Point Singapore 649846

Golden Village Plaza 68 Orchard Road #07-01/15 Plaza Singapura Singapore 238839

Golden Village Yishun 51 Yishun Central 1 Singapore 768794

Golden Village Marina 5A Raffles Ave, #03-01 Marina Leisureplex, Singapore 039801 Golden Village Tiong Bahru 302 Tiong Bahru Road #04-03/04 Tiong Bahru Plaza Singapore 168732

www.nowsingapore.co.id FEBRUARY - March 2016 107

Shaw Theatres shaw.sg

Shaw Theatres Lido 350, Orchard Road, 5th/6th Floor Shaw House Singapore 238868

Shaw Theatres Choa Chu Kang Lot 1 Shoppers’ Mall Choa Chu Kang Ave 4, 5th/6th Floor Singapore 689812

Shaw Theatres NEX 23, Serangoon Central, #04-64, Nex Singapore 556083

Shaw Theatres Balestier 360, Balestier Road Shaw Plaza, #04-04 Singapore 329783

Shaw Theatres Bugis 200, Victoria Street, #04-02 Bugis Junction Singapore 188021

Shaw Theatres Century 2, Tampines Central 5, #05-00 Century Square Singapore 529509 Cathay Cineplex cathaycineplexes.com.sg

Cathay Cineplexes The Cathay Cineplex Levels 5 & 6 The Cathay 2 Handy Road Singapore 229233

The Cathay Cineleisure Orchard Levels 4, 5, 6 & 9 Cathay Cineleisure Orchard, 8 Grange Road Singapore 239695 The Cathay Causeway Point 1 Woodlands Square, Level 7 Singapore 738099

The Cathay AMK Hub 53 Ang Mo Kio Ave 3 AMK Hub Level 4 Singapore 569933 The Cathay Cineplex Downtown East 1 Pasir Ris Close, Level 4, E!hub Singapore 519599 FILMGARDE fgcineplex.com.sg

FILMGARDE - Iluma, Bugis Level 5 Iluma, Bugis 201 Victoria Street Singapore 188067 Tel: +65 6835 9087

FILMGARDE - Leisure Park Kallang Level 3, Leisure Park Kallang 5 Stadium Walk Singapore 397693 Tel: +65 6344 5997

JADE Theatre Level 2 Shaw Towers 100 Beach Road, Singapore 189702 Tel: +65 6293 5717

EDUCATION

Village Camps UWCSEA East Campus, 1 Tampines Street 73 Tel: +65 8168 9057 www.uwcsea.edu.sg 3D Class Works 20 Science Park Road #03-35A Tele Tech Park Singapore Science Park 2 Singapore 117674 Tel: +65 6776 1336 E: info@email.3dclassworks.com 3dclassworks.com

Art Loft 116 Middle Road #03-01 ICB Enterprice House Singapore 188972 Tel: +65 6443 6221 E: enquiries@artloft.com.sg artloft.com.sg

Camp Challenge Pte Ltd 8 Admiralty Road East Singapore 759991 Tel: +65 6257 4427 E: enquiries@camp-challenge.com camp-challenge.com

Centre for Robotics Learning Nullspace 272 Upper Bukit Timah Road, #03-14, Singapore 588212 Tel: +65 9099 4914 E: c4rl@nullspace.com.sg c4rl.nullspace.com.sg

City College Private Limited 2 Bukit Merah Central, #20-00 Singapore 159835 Tel: +65 6511 6833 E: info@citycollege.edu.sg citycollege.edu.sg

Cookery Magic 117 Fidelio Street, Singapore 458492 Tel: +65 9665 6831 E: info@cookerymagic.com cookerymagic.com EMC Workshops Blk 250 Bishan Street 22 #B1-384 Singapore 570250 Tel: +65 6451 4188 E: info@emc.sg emc.sg Escape Hunt 100 Orchard Road, Concorde Hotel & Shopping Mall, #02-43, Singapore 238840 Tel: +65 6100 0828 E: singapore@escapehunt.com singapore.escapehunt.com

F1 in Schools Pte Ltd 81 Ubi Avenue 4 UB.One Unit 11-05, Singapore 408830 f1inschools.com.sg

Flight Experience

Singapore Flyer, 30 Raffles Ave #02-06, Singapore 039803 Tel: +65 6339 2737 E: singapore@flightexperience.com.sg flightexperience.com.sg

108 FEBRUARY - March 2016 www.nowsingapore.co.id

Food Playground 24A Sago Street, Singapore 059020 Tel: +65 9452 3669 E: enquiries@foodplayground.com.sg foodplayground.com.sg

Forest Adventure 825 Bedok Reservoir Road, Singapore 479244 Tel: +65 8100 7420; 8100 7421 forestadventure.com.sg

Mastereign Learning Journeys Ubi Avenue 4 #11-05, UB. One Singapore 408830 Tel: +65 6836 6466 E: info@mastereign.com forestadventure.com.sg

O School Ltd Scape 2 Orchard Link #04 - 04 Singapore 237978 Tel: +65 6509 0016 E: info@oschool.com.sg oschool.com.sg

Singapore Discovery Centre 510 Upper Jurong Rd Singapore 638365 Tel: +65 6792 6188 E: info@sdc.com.sg sdc.com.sg

Singapore Media Academy Pte Ltd 30 Merchant Road #04-13 Riverside Singapore 058282 Tel: +65 6435 6000 E: enquiries@eSMA.sg mediaacademy.sg Singapore Repertory Theatre 20 Merbau Road, Singapore 239035 Tel: +65 6733 8166 E: Claire@srt.com.sg srt.com.sg

Science Centre Singapore 15 Science Centre Road Singapore 609081 Tel: +65 6425 2500 E: enquiry@science.edu.sg science.edu.sg

The Escape Artist Bukit Timah Shopping Centre #11-02, Singapore 588179 Tel: +65 6463 6690 E: Enquiry@TheEscapeArtist.sg theescapeartist.sg

The Escape Artist 52A Prinsep Street #01-01 Singapore 188683 Tel: +65 6883 1540 E: Enquiry@TheEscapeArtist.sg theescapeartist.sg

National Library Gallery 100 Victoria Street, Singapore Tel: +65 6332 3255 nl.sg Red Sea Gallery Block 9 Dempsey Road, #01-10 Dempsey Hill, Singapore 247697 Tel: +65 6732 6711 redseagallery.com

Singapore Art Gallery 27 Woking Road #01-01 Singapore 138705 Tel: +65 3108 0301 sagg.info/ Singapore City Gallery 45 Maxwell Road, The URA Centre, Singapore Tel: +65 6321 8321 singaporecitygallery.sg Singapore Tyler Print Institute 41 Robertson Quay Singapore 238236 Tel: +65 6336 3663 stpi.com.sg White Canvas Gallery 57 Eng Hoon Street #01-82 Tiong Bahru Singapore 160057 Tel: +65 6220 8723 whitecanvas-gallery.com culture & heritage

Grassroots Heritage Centre 70 South Buona Vista Road Tel: +65 6474 4241 nacli.pa.gov.sg peranakan culture

NUS Baba House 157 Neil Rd Singapore 088883 Tel: +65 6227 5731 E: babahouse@nus.edu.sg nus.edu.sg/museum/baba Katong Antique House 208 East Coast Road Singapore 428907 Tel: +65 6345 8544 Rumah Bebe 113 East Coast Road, Singapore 428803 Tel: +65 6247 8781 culture

Chinese Culture

GALLERIES

Gillman Barracks 9 Lock Road, Singapore 108937 gillmanbarracks.com

Chinatown Heritage Centre 48 Pagoda Street, Singapore 059207 Tel: +65 6534 8942 E: marketing@chinatown.org.sg chinatownheritagecentre.sg

IRAS Gallery - The Singapore Tax Story 1st storey of Revenue House 55 Newton Road Tel: +65 6351 2076 E: iras@iras.gov.sg iras.gov.sg

Buddha Tooth Relic Temple & Museum 288 South Bridge road Singapore 058840 Tel: +65 6220 0220 btrts.org.sg

Thekchen Choling 2 Beatty Lane, Singapore 209945 thekchencholing.org Tel: +65 6466 3720 Singapore Hong San See 31 Mohamed Sultan Road Singapore 238975 Tel: +65 6737 3683 Lian Shan Shuang Lin Temple 184E Jalan Toa Payoh, Singapore 319941 Tel: +65 6259 6924 shuanglin.sg Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple 178 Waterloo St Singapore 187964 +65 6337 3965 Ngee Ann Cultural Centre Teochew Building (2nd floor) 97 Tank Road Singapore 238066 Tel: +65 6737 9555 www.ngeeann.com.sg/en/ngee-anncultural-centre Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall 12 Tai Gin Road, Singapore 327874 Tel: +65 6256 7377 Chinese culture Arts Chinese Garden Chinese Garden Road off Yuan Ching Road Singapore 619795 Drama Box 14A – 14C Trengganu Street Singapore 058468 Tel: +65 6324 5434 dramabox.org Malay Culture Shopping Jamal Kazura Aromatics 728 North Bridge Road Singapore 198696 jamalkazura.com The Heritage Shop 93 Jalan Sultan, #01-01, Singapore 198997 Tel: +65 6223 7982 Malay Culture Arts Teater Ekamatra Telok Ayer Performing Arts Centre 182 Cecil Street #01-08/10/11 Singapore 069547 Tel: +65 6323 6528 ekamatra.org.sg Malay Cultural centre Malay Heritage Centre 85 Sultan Gate Singapore 198501 Tel: +65 6391 0450

worship

HOTELS

Sultan Mosque 3 Muscat St, Singapore 198833

Amara Sanctuary Resort Sentosa 1 Larkhill Road, Sentosa Island Singapore 099394 Tel: +65 6825 3888 E: sentosa@amarasanctuary.com amarasanctuary.com

Jamae Mosque 218 South Bridge Rd Singapore 058767 Hajjah Fatimah Mosque 4001 Beach Road Singapore 199584 Indian Culture worship Sri Mariamman Temple 244 South Bridge Road Singapore 058793 Tel: +65 6223 4064 btrts.org.sg Sri Thandayuthapani Temple 15 Tank Road, Singapore 238065 sttemple.com Sri Senpaga Vinayagar Temple 19 Ceylon Road Singapore 429613 Tel: +65 6345 8176 senpaga.org.sg Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple 141 Serangoon Road Singapore 218042 Tel: +65 6295 4538; 6293 4634 E: info@sriveeramakaliamman.com sriveeramakaliamman.com Sri Krishnan Temple 152 Waterloo St Eurasian Culture Eurasian Heritage Centre Eurasian Community House 139 Ceylon Road Singapore 429744 Tel: +65 6447 1578 eurasians.org.sg

CLINICS

Amaris B. Clinic 140 Arab Street Singapore 199827 Tel: +65 65364211; +65 62961416 E: customer@www.amaris-b.com Freia Medical 435 Orchard Road Wisma Atria Office Tower, #19-03 Singapore 238877 Tel: +65 6735 8180 E: info@freia.com.sg freia.sg

Innate 58 Club Street, Singapore 069433 Tel: +65 6835 9538

The Counselling Place 7500A Beach Road #04-323 The Plaza Singapore 199591 Tel: +65 6887 3695 www.thecounsellingplace.com

Amara Singapore 165 Tanjong Pagar Road Singapore 088539 Tel: +65 6879 2555 singapore.amarahotels.com

Ascott Raffles Place Singapore 2 Finlayson Green, S ingapore 049247 Tel: +65 6577 1688 the-ascott.com Beach Villas Resorts World Sentosa - Beach Villas 8 Sentosa Gateway, Sentosa Island Singapore 098269 Tel: + 65 6577 8888

Bayview Hotel Singapore 30 Bencoolen Street Singapore 189621 Tel: +65 6337 2882 bayviewhotels.com

Capella Hotel, Singapore 1 The Knolls, Sentosa Island Singapore 098297 Tel: +65 6377 8888 capellasingapore.com

Capri by Fraser Changi City, Singapore 3 Changi Business Park Central 1 Singapore 486037 Tel: +65 6933 9833 capribyfraser.com Carlton City Hotel Singapore 1 Gopeng Street, Singapore 078862 Tel: +65 6632 8888 carltoncity.sg

Carlton Hotel Singapore 76 Bras Basah Road Singapore 189558 Tel: +65 6338 8333 carltonhotel.sg

Concorde Hotel Singapore 100 Orchard Road Singapore 238840 Tel: +65 6733 8855 concordehotel.com.sg

Conrad Centennial Singapore 2 Temasek Boulevard Singapore 038982 Tel: +65 6334 8888 conradhotels.com

Copthorne King’s Hotel Singapore 403 Havelock Road Singapore 169632 Tel: +65 6733 0011 copthornekings.com.sg

Crowne Plaza Changi Airport 75 Airport Boulevard Singapore 819664 Tel: +65 6823 5300 singapore.crowneplaza.com

Days Hotel Singapore at Zhongshan Park 1 Jalan Rajah Singapore 329133 Tel: +65 6808 6868 dayshotelsingapore.com

Dorsett Singapore 333 New Bridge Road Singapore 088765 Tel: +65 6678 8333 dorsetthotels.com/singapore

Equarius Hotel Resorts World Sentosa - Equarius Hotel, 8 Sentosa Gateway Sentosa Island Singapore 098269 Tel: +65 6577 8888

Fairmont Singapore 80 Bras Basah Road Singapore 189560 Tel: +65 6339 7777 fairmont.com/singapore

Festive Hotel Resorts World Sentosa - Festive Hotel, 8 Sentosa Gateway Sentosa Island Singapore 098269 Tel: +65 6577 8888 www.rwsentosa.com/Homepage/ HotelsAndSpa/FestiveHotel Four Seasons Hotel Singapore 190 Orchard Boulevard Singapore 248646 Tel: +65 6734 1110 fourseasons.com/singapore

Furama City Centre Singapore 60 Eu Tong Sen Street Singapore 059804 Tel: +65 6533 3888 furama.com/citycentre

Furama Riverfront Singapore 405 Havelock Road Singapore 169633 Tel: +65 6333 8898 furama.com/riverfront

Goodwood Park Hotel 22 Scotts Road Singapore 228221 Tel: +65 6737 7411 goodwoodparkhotel.com Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel Singapore 392 Havelock Road Singapore 169663 Tel: +65 6733 0880 grandcopthorne.com.sg

Grand Hyatt Singapore 10 Scotts Road Singapore 228211 Tel: +65 6738 1234 singapore.grand.hyatt.com

Grand Mercure Roxy Hotel 50 East Coast Road Roxy Square Singapore 428769 Tel: +65 6344 8000 grandmercureroxy.com.sg

www.nowsingapore.co.id FEBRUARY - March 2016 109

Grand Park City Hall 10 Coleman Street Singapore 179809 Tel: +65 6336 3456 parkhotelgroup.com

Grand Park Orchard 270 Orchard Road Singapore 238857 Tel: +65 6603 8888 parkhotelgroup.com

Hard Rock Hotel® Singapore Resorts World Sentosa - Hard Rock Hotel Singapore 8 Sentosa Gateway Sentosa Island Singapore 098269 Tel: + 65 6577 8888

Hilton Singapore 581 Orchard Road Singapore 238883 Tel: +65 6737 2233 singapore.hilton.com

Holiday Inn Express Singapore Clarke Quay 2 Magazine Road Singapore 059573 Tel: +65 6589 8000 ihg.com

Holiday Inn Express Singapore Orchard Road 20 Bideford Road Singapore 229921 Tel: +65 6690 3199 ihg.com

Holiday Inn Singapore Atrium 317 Outram Road Singapore 169075 Tel: +65 6733 0188 holidayinn.com/atrium-sin

Holiday Inn Singapore Orchard City Centre 11 Cavenagh Road, Singapore 229616 Tel: +65 6733 8333 holiday-inn.com/sin-orchard Hotel 1929

50 Keong Saik Road Singapore 089154 Tel: +65 6347 1929 hotel1929.com

Hotel Bencoolen Singapore 47 Bencoolen Street Singapore 189626 Tel: +65 6336 0822 hotelbencoolen.com

Hotel Fort Canning Singapore 11 Canning Walk Singapore 178881 Tel: +65 6559 6770 hfcsingapore.com

Hotel Grand Pacific 101 Victoria Street Singapore 188018 Tel: +65 6336 0811 hotelgrandpacific.com.sg Hotel Jen Orchardgateway Singapore 277 Orchard Road Singapore 238858 Tel: +65 6708 8888

Hotel Jen Tanglin Singapore 1A Cuscaden Road Singapore 249716 Tel: +65 6738 2222 tradershotels.com Hotel Michael Resorts World Sentosa - Hotel Michael 8 Sentosa Gateway Sentosa Island Singapore 098269 Tel: +65 6577 8888 www.rwsentosa.com/Homepage/ HotelsAndSpa/HotelMichael

Hotel Miramar Singapore 401 Havelock Road Singapore 169631 Tel: +65 6733 0222 miramar.com.sg Hotel Novotel Singapore Clarke Quay 177A River Valley Road Singpore 179031 Tel: +65 6338 3333 novotel.com

ibis Singapore Novena 6 Irrawaddy Road Singapore 329543 Tel: +65 6808 9888 ibishotel.com

Ibis Singapore on Bencoolen 170 Bencoolen Street Singapore 189657 Tel: +65 6593 2888 ibishotels.com/ SingaporeBencoolen

InterContinental Singapore 80 Middle Road, Singapore 188966 Tel: +65 6338 7600 intercontinental.com/singapore

Klapsons, The Boutique Hotel 15 Hoe Chiang Road Singapore 089316 Tel: +65 6521 9000 klapsons.com Link Hotel Singapore 50 Tiong Bahru Road Singapore 158794 Tel: +65 6622 8585 linkhotel.com.sg

Marina Mandarin Singapore 6 Raffles Boulevard Marina Square Singapore 039594 Tel: +65 6845 1000 meritushotels.com

Mövenpick Heritage Hotel Sentosa 23 Beach View, Sentosa Singapore 098679 Tel: +65 6818 3388 movenpick-sentosa.com

Naumi Hotel 41 Seah Street Singapore 188396 Tel: +65 6403 6000 naumihotel.com Naumi Liora 55 Keong Saik Road Singapore 089158 Tel: +65 6922 9000 naumiliora.com New Majestic Hotel 31-37 Bukit Pasoh Road Singapore 089845 Tel: +65 6511 4700 newmajestichotel.com

Nostalgia Hotel 77 Tiong Bahru Road Singapore 168727 Tel: +65 6808 1818 hotelnostalgia.com.sg Oasia Hotel Singapore 8 Sinaran Drive Singapore 307470 Tel: +65 6664 0333 oasiahotel.com

ONE°15 Marina Club 11 Cove Drive #01-01 Sentosa Cove Singapore 098497 Tel: +65 6305 6988 one15marina.com Orchard Hotel Singapore 442 Orchard Road Singapore 238879 Tel: +65 6734 7766 orchardhotel.com.sg

Mandarin Oriental, Singapore 5 Raffles Avenue, Marina Square Singapore 039797 Tel: +65 6338 0066 mandarinoriental.com/singapore

Orchard Parade Hotel 1 Tanglin Road, Singapore 247905 Tel: +65 6737 1133 orchardparade.com.sg

Pan Pacific Orchard 10 Claymore Road Singapore 229540 Tel: +65 6737 0811 panpacific.com/orchard

Pan Pacific Singapore 7 Raffles Boulevard Marina Square Singapore 039595 Tel: +65 6336 8111 panpacific.com/singapore

Marina Bay Sands 10 Bayfront Avenue Singapore 018956 Tel: +65 6688 8866 marinabaysands.com

Park Regis Singapore 23 Merchant Road Singapore 058268 Tel: +65 6818 8888 parkregissingapore.com

M Hotel Singapore 81 Anson Road, Singapore 079908 Tel: +65 6224 1133 m-hotel.com Mandarin Orchard Singapore 333 Orchard Road, Singapore 238867 Tel: +65 6737 4411 meritushotels.com

110 FEBRUARY - March 2016 www.nowsingapore.co.id

Parkroyal on Beach Road 7500 Beach Road Singapore 199591 Tel: +65 6505 5666 parkroyalhotels.com

Parkroyal on Kitchener Road 181 Kitchener Road Singapore 208533 Tel: +65 6428 3000 parkroyalhotels.com Parkroyal on Pickering 3 Upper Pickering Street Singapore 058289 Tel: +65 6809 8888 parkroyalhotels.com

Peninsula.Excelsior Hotel 5 Coleman Street Singapore 179805 Tel: +65 6337 2200 ytchotels.com.sg

Raffles Hotel, Singapore 1 Beach Road Singapore 189673 Tel: +65 6337 1886 singapore-raffles.raffles.com

Ramada Singapore at Zhongshan Park 16 Ah Hood Road Singapore 329982 Tel: +65 6252 9500 ramadasingapore.com

Rendezvous Grand Hotel Singapore 9 Bras Basah Road Singapore 189559 Tel: +65 6336 0220 rendezvoushotels.com/singapore

Resorts World at Sentosa 8 Sentosa Gateway Sentosa Island Singapore 098269 Tel: +65 6577 8888 rwsentosa.com

Riverview Hotel Singapore 382 Havelock Road Singapore 169629 Tel: +65 6349 4888 riverview.com.sg Robertson Quay Hotel 15 Merbau Road Singapore 239032 Tel: +65 6735 3333 robertsonquayhotel.com.sg Royal Plaza on Scotts 25 Scotts Road Singapore 228220 Tel: +65 6737 7966 royalplaza.com.sg

Santa Grand Hotel East Coast 171 East Coast Road Singapore 428877 Tel: +65 6298 8889 santagrandhotels.com/eastcoast.asp

Shangri-La Hotel Singapore 22 Orange Grove Road, Singapore 258350 Tel: +65 6737 3644 shangri-la.com

CHARLES & KEITH / PEDRO (Charles & Keith Wong) The Shoppes

Marina Bay Sands, Basement 2 ION Orchard, Basement 3 Tel: +65 6488 2688 ; 6590 7800 (Pedro) E: keith.wong@charleskeith.com charleskeith.com pedroshoes.com

CHOOYILIN (Choo Yilin) The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore Siloso Beach Resort Amber Point, 1 Amber Road, #16-1 7 Raffles Avenue 51 Imbiah Walk, Sentosa (Stockist) TANGS Orchards, level 2 Singapore 039799 Singapore 099538 Tel: +65 8571 9138 Tel: +65 6337 8888 Tel: +65 6722 3333 E: info@chooyilin.com ritzcarlton.com/en/Properties/ E: enquiry@silosobeachresort.com www.chooyilin.com Singapore

York Hotel

Singapore Marriott Hotel CODE DECO (Gauri Garodia) 21 Mount Elizabeth The Scarlet Hotel 320 Orchard Road (Flagship) Code Deco at PACT Singapore 228516 33 Erskine Road Singapore 238865 Orchard Central, #02-22 Tel: +65 6737 0511 Singapore 069333 Tel: +65 6735 5800 codedeco.com.sg yorkhotel.com.sg Tel: +65 6511 3333 marriott.com/sindt (Stockist) Nana & Bird

thescarlethotel.com

Tiong Bahru, 59 Eng Hoon St

Sofitel So Singapore (Stockist) TANGS Orchard Level 2 LOCAL BRANDS & DESIGNERS The Singapore Resort & Spa Sentosa 35 Robinson Road Tel: +65 9117 0430

2 Bukit Manis Road, Sentosa Singapore 068876 codedeco.com.sg AIJEK(Danelle Woo) Singapore 099891 Tel: +65 6701 6800

Nana & Bird Tel: +65 6275 0331 COUPE - COUSU 59 Eng Hoon St #01-65 singaporeresortsentosa.com Studio M Hotel (Alex Yeo & Xie Shangqian)

3 Nanson Road Tangs Orchard, 310 Orchard Road, Eclecticism

The South Beach Singapore 238910 Level 3 Menswear Paragon Shopping Centre #03-08 30 Beach Road Tel: +65 6808 8888 Tel: +65 9008 9923 Tel: +65 9117 0430; +65 6235 5514 Singapore 189763 studiomhotel.com E: enquiry@coupecousu.com E: danellewoo@aijek.com Tel: +65 6818 3503

www.aijek.com www.coupecousu.com Swissotel Merchant Court,

The St. Regis Singapore Singapore CLOTHESMITH (Leslie Tay) ANGELIA (Zen and Angela Tan) 29 Tanglin Road 20 Merchant Road Triple One Somerset Orchard Central, #01-16 (Flagship) Singapore 247911 Singapore 058281 111 Somerset #01-01 PARCO next NEXT, Millenia Walk Tel: +65 6506 6888 Tel: +65 6337 2288 Tel: +65 6235 9767 Level 2 starwoodhotels.com/stregis swissotel.com E: info@clothesmith.asia Tel: +65 6338 8246

www.clothessmith.asia E: info@angelia.com.sg The Westin Singapore Swissotel The Stamford

www.facebook.com/ANGELIA.label 12 Marina View, Asia Square Tower 2 2 Stamford Road CYC THE CUSTOM SHOP

Singapore 018961 Singapore 178882 (Fong Long Fern) AZIMUTH WATCH Co. Tel: +65 6922 6888 Tel: +65 6338 8585 Raffles Hotel Arcade, #02-12 (Alvin Lye & Christopher Long) swissotel.com thewestinsingapore.com 328 North Bridge Road Krasnaya, The Watch Gallery

Tel: +65 6336 3556 ION Orchard B3-03 The Westin Singapore The Amoy E: enquiry@cyccustomshop.com Asia Square Tower 2 76 Telok Ayer Street www.cyccustomshop.com Red Army Watches 12 Marina View Singapore 048464

Millenia Walk, #01-78 Singapore 018961 Tel: +65 6580 2888 Dave Fine Jewellery (Dave Soh) Tel: +65 6509 8606; 6341 9007 Tel: +65 6922 6888 stayfareast.com.sg www.azimuthwatch.com thewestinsingapore.com

(Flagship) Wheelock Place

The Elizabeth Hotel 501 Orchard Road #03-17A Village Hotel Albert Court BOUTIQUE 24 Mount Elizabeth (Stockist) TANGS Orchard (Ashley Isham) 180 Albert Street Singapore 228518 310 Orchard Road Level 2 Boutique Orchard Central, #01-27 Singapore 189971 Tel: +65 6738 1188 (Stockist) Takashimaya Shopping Flagship Tel: +65 6339 3939 theelizabeth.com.sg Centre, Level 1 The Fullerton Hotel, #01-04 stayfareast.com

Tel: +65 6836 5488 Tel: +65 6509 5408; +65 6536 4036

The Quincy Hotel E: reach@jewelsbydave.com www.aibyashleyisham.com www.jewelsbydave.com Village Hotel Bugis 22 Mount Elizabeth

390 Victoria Street Singapore 228517

BYSI Singapore 188061 Tel: +65 6738 5888 DEPRESSION (Tan Yiew Kiat, Susan Horn & Tel: +65 6297 2828

(Andrew Loh & Kenny Lim) Queeneste Er) Cineleisure Orchard, #03-05A stayfareast.com The Fullerton Bay Hotel Far East Plaza, #01-01/01 A/02

80 Collyer Quay 8 Grange Road Suntec City Mall, #02-377/378 Village Hotel Changi Singapore 049326 Tel: +65 9889 2179 Tel: +65 6836 7715; +65 6336 2116 1 Netheravon Road Tel: +65 6333 8388 E: Kenny@depression.com.sg; www.bysi.com Singapore 508502 E: info@fullertonbayhotel.com andrew@depression.com.sg

Tel: +65 6379 7111 fullertonbayhotel.com www.depression.com.sg CARRIE K. (Carolyn Kan) stayfareast.com

(Atelier) 136 Bukit Timah Road

The Fullerton Hotel Singapore DZOJCHEN (Stockist) TANGS Orchards, level 2 Village Hotel Katong 1 Fullerton Square (Chelsea Scott - Blackhall) (Stockist) Front Row, Raffles Hotel 25 Marine Parade Singapore 049178 CODA Co., Scotts Square, #02-03 Arcade Singapore 449536 Tel: +65 6733 8388 Tel: +65 9617 7157 Tel: +65 6735 4036 Tel: +65 6344 2200 E: info@fullertonhotel.com E: csb@dzojchen.com E: contact@carriekrocks.com www.stayfareast.com/en/hotels/ fullertonhotel.com www.dzojchen.com www.carriekrocks.com village-hotel-katong.aspx

Shangri-La Rasa Sentosa Resort & Spa 101 Siloso Road, Sentosa Singapore 098970 Tel: +65 6275 0100 shangri-la.com

Sheraton Towers Singapore 39 Scotts Road Singapore 228230 Tel: +65 6737 6888 sheratonsingapore.com

The Quincy Hotel 22 Mount Elizabeth Singapore 228517 Tel: +65 6738 5888 quincy.com.sg

The Regent Singapore 1 Cuscaden Road Singapore 249715 Tel: +65 6733 8888 regenthotels.com

W Singapore - Sentosa Cove 21 Ocean Way Singapore 098374 Tel: +65 6808 7288 singaporesentosacove.com

Wanderlust Hotel No. 2 Dickson Road Singapore 209494 Tel: +65 6396 3322 wanderlusthotel.com

WANGZ Hotel 231 Outram Road Singapore 169040 Tel: +65 6595 1388 wangzhotel.com

www.nowsingapore.co.id FEBRUARY - March 2016 111

EDGE OF EMBER (Lynette Ong) (Stockist) Nana & Bird 79 Chay Yan Street, #01-02 (Stockist) What Women Want Mandarin Gallery, #02-02 (Showroom) 115 Amoy Street, #04-00 Tel: +65 9117 0430 E: info@edgeofember.com www.edgeofember.com

ED ET AL (Edwin Neo) Fiftyfive, 55B Boat Quay, Level 3 Tel: +65 9227 4728 E: edwin@edetal.sg edetal.sg

EDYPOI (Leroy Xavier Zhong) Swagger, 15 Ann Siang Road Tel: +65 9834 7680; 6223 5880 E: leroy@edypoi.com www.edypoi.com ELOHIM (Sabrina Goh) (Flagship) Orchard Central, #02 - 11 / 12 (Retail) TANGS Orchard, level 2 & Isetan Scotts Level 2 Tel: +65 6634 2201; 6737 5500 www.sabrinagoh.com

ETHAN (Ethan Koh) Malmaison by The Hour Glass Tel: +65 6884 8484 E: info@ethan-k.com www.ethan-k.com

Knightsbridge 270 Orchard Road, #01-01 Tel: +65 6884 8484 E: info@ethan-k.com www.ethan-k.com

FINESPUN CLOTHIERS (Caroline Yak) 28 Ann Siang Road (Inside The Club Hotel) Tel: +65 6225 6016 E: ask@finespunclothiers.com www.finespunclothiers.com FOUNDATION JEWELLERS (Kwan Thim Fatt & Kwan Thim Kiong) Holiday Inn Singapore Orchard City Centre #01-03/04/05 Tel: +65 6732 6141 www.peranakanjewellery.com.sg

FREDERIC SAI (Frederic Sai) Cineleisure Orchard, #03-04B 8 Grange Road Tel: +65 6887 5408 www.fredericsai.com.sg

FRONT ROW Raffles Hotel Arcade, #02-08 328 North Bridge Road Tel: +65 6224 5501 E: ann@frontrowsingapore.com frontrowsingapore.com

GG<5 (Monique Seow) Raffles City Shopping Centre, #03-28, 313 @Somerset, #B2-12/13 Tel: +65 6338 3688; 6735 2289 www.gg5.com

HANSEL (Jo Soh) (Flagship) Mandarin Gallery #02-14 Tel: +65 6836 5367; 6737 5500 E: jo.soh@ilovehansel.com www.ilovehansel.com

IN GOOD COMPANY (Sven Tan & Kane Tan) (Stockist) Front Row Raffles Hotel Arcade, #02-09 (Stockist) TANGS Orchard, Level 2 Tel: +65 6475 0298 (Press/Media) E: sven.tan@ingoodcompany.asia www.ingoodcompany.asia

K BY KEVIN SEAH (Kevin Seah) Fiftyfive, 55B Boat Quay, Level 3 Tel: +65 8189 2150 E: clinton@kevinseah.com.sg www.kbykevinseah.tumblr.com

KWANPEN (Kwan Pen) ION Orchard #03-17 Tel: +65 6238 0223; 6688 7922 www.kwanpen.com

LEE HWA (Jewellery) ION Orchard, #B2-58 Suntec City, #01-317/318 Tel: +65 6509 8820; 6884 5319 E: keanseen.ng@aspial.com www.leehwajewellery.com

LING WU (Goh Ling Ling) (Studio) 129 Tyrwhitt Road Tel: +65 9696 3118 E: ling@lingwu.sg www.lingwu.sg

MAE PANG (Pang Ai Mei) Actually …, 313 @Somerset, #04-06 Tel: +65 6223 4804 www.mae-pang.com

MARILYN TAN JEWELLERY (Marilyn Tan) (Atelier) Tiong Bahru Block 59 Eng Hoon Street, #01-71 Front Row, Raffles Hotel Arcade, #02-08/09

NANKAI Takashimaya S.C Ngee Ann city, #05-27A Singapore Flyer #02-10 Tel: +65 6235 4068; 6338 8985 www.nankai.com.sg NICHOLAS (Nic Wong) nicholas MARINA SQUARE 6 raffles boulevard, Unit 02-323, Marina Square Singapore 039594 Tel: +65 6337 3726 nicholasnic.com

ONG SHUNMUGAM (Priscilla Shunmugam) Hong Leong Building B1-36 16 Raffles Quay Tel: +65 6223 4804 E: p@ongshunmugam.com www.ongshunmugam.com

PAULINE.NING (Pauline Lim) (Studio Showroom) Parco Millenia Walk #P2-21 (Stockist) Robinsons Jurong East Mall (JEM) (Stockist) MU Singapore Bugis Junction, #01-48/49 Tel: +65 6336 5380 E: info@paulinening.com.sg www.paulinening.com.sg

RAOUL (Douglas & Odile Benjamin Paragon Shopping Centre #02-49, The Shoppes Marina Bay Sands, #B2-17 Tel: +65 6737 0682; 6509 4296 E: douglas.benjamin@fjbenjamin.com www.raoul.com

RECKLESS ERICKA (Afton Chen, Louis Koh & Ruth Marbun) Orchard Central, #02-08/09 Tel: +65 6338 8246 www.recklessericka.com

SARA TASEER FINE JEWELLERY (Sara Taseer) Hilton Hotel Shopping Gallery, #02-15, 581 Orchard Road Tel: +65 6235 8860 E: salmanshoaib@sarataseer.com sarataseer.com

TANGS Departmental Store, 310 Orchard Road Tel: +65 6222 4736 E: marilyn@marilyntanjewellery. com.sg SATURDAY (Nic Wong) marilyntanjewellery.com.sg (Flagship) Wheelock Place, B2-04

TANGS Orchard Level 2 MAX TAN (Max Tan) Tel: +65 6887 3860; 6303 8688 (Stockist) Egg3 www.iwearsaturday.com 33 Erskine Road, #01-10/11/12

(Stockist) Hook & Union SOO KEE JEWELLERY Orchard Central, #02-24/25 (Flagship) The Shoppes Tel: +65 6536 6977 Marina Bay Sands, B2-235 E: max@maxtan.com.sg ION Orchard, #B2-66 www.maz-tan.com Tel: +65 6509 8533

E: peterlim@sooke.com M)PHOSIS (Colin Koh) sookee.com ION Orchard, #B3-65

Ngee Ann City, #B1-52 STOLEN (Elyn Wong) Tel: +65 6509 1017; 6737 2190 Nana and Bird www.mphosis.net 79 Chay Yan Street #01-02

MU (Alfie Leong) Hide and Seek Bugis Junction, 01-48/49 71 Bussorah Street The Centrepoint Robinsons, Level 3 Tel: +65 9117 0430; 6222 2825 Tel: +65 6337 7505 www.stolenstolen.com www.mu-apparel.com

112 FEBRUARY - March 2016 www.nowsingapore.co.id

SURRENDER Raffles Hotel Arcade, #02-31 328 North Bridge Road Tel: +65 6733 2130 surrenderous.com

SWAGGER (Stan Lee) 15 Ann Siang Road Tel: +65 6223 5880 www.swaggerstore.com

VANDA FINE CLOTHING (Gerald Shen & Diana Chan) (Atelier) Block 1014 Geylang East Ave 3, #02-218 Tel: +65 6842 2124 vandafineclothing.com

WOMB (K.Mi Huang) (Flagship) ION Orchard, #B3-37 Raffless City Shopping Centre, #03-26 Tel: +65 6509 8128; 6338 9011 www.facebook/wombsingapore

ZARDOZE Robinsons Orchard level 2 Robinsons Raffles City, level 2 Tel: +65 6532 3262 www.zardoze.com MALLS

313@somerset 313 Orchard Road Singapore 238895 313somerset.com.sg

Bugis Junction 200 Victoria St Singapore 188021 Tel: +65 6557 6557 bugisjunction-mall.com.sg

Capitol Piazza 13 Stamford Road Singapore 178905 Tel: +65 6499 5599 capitolpiazza.com Centre Point 176 Orchard Rd Singapore 238843 fraserscentrepointmalls.com/malls/cp City Square Mall 180 Kitchener Road Singapore 208539 citysquaremall.com.sg

Delfi Orchard 402 Orchard Road Singapore 238876 delfiorchard.com

Far East Shopping Centre 545 Orchard Road Singapore 238882

FestiveWalk™ at Resorts World™ Sentosa 8 Sentosa Gateway Singapore 098269 rwsentosa.com

Funan Digitalife Mall 109 North Bridge Road Singapore 179097 funan.com.sg

Golden Mile Complex Golden Mile Complex 5001 Beach Road Singapore 199588

ION Orchard 2 Orchard Turn Singapore 238801 Tel: +65 6238 8228 ionorchard.com

Joo Chiat Complex 1 Joo Chiat Road Singapore 420001

Mandarin Gallery 333A Orchard Road Singapore 238897 Tel: +65 6831 6363 mandaringallery.com.sg Marina Square 6 Raffles Boulevard Singapore 039594 Tel: +65 6339 8787 marinasquare.com.sg

Millenia Walk 9 Raffles Boulevard Singapore 039596 Tel: +65 6883 1122 milleniawalk.com

Mustafa Centre 145 Syed Alwi Road Singapore 207704 Tel: +65-6295 5855 mustafa.com.sg

Ngee Ann City 391 Orchard Road Singapore 238872 Tel: +65 6506 0460 ngeeanncity.com.sg

Orchard Central 181 Orchard Road Singapore 238896 Tel: +65 6238 1051 orchardcentral.com.sg

Palais Renaissance 390 Orchard Road Singapore 238871 Tel: +65 6737 6992 palais.sg

Paragon 290 Orchard Road Singapore 238859 paragon.com.sg Tel: +65 6738 5535 paragonmedical.com.sg

Park Mall 9 Penang Rd, Singapore 238459 Tel: +65 6908 0320 / 6908 0324 parkmall.com.sg

Plaza Singapura 68 Orchard Road Singapore 238839 Tel: +65 6332 9248 plazasingapura.com.sg

Raffles City Shopping Centre 252 North Bridge Road Singapore 179101 Tel: +65 6318 0238 rafflescity.com.sg

Scotts Square 6 Scotts Road Singapore 228209 Tel: +65 6235 0575 scottssquare.com

Suntec City Mall 5 Temasek Boulevard Singapore 038985 sunteccitymall.com Tanglin Shopping Centre 19 Tanglin Rd Singapore 247909 Tel: +65 6373 0849 tanglinsc.com

TANGS Orchard 310 Orchard Road Singapore 38864 Tel: +65 6737 5500

The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands® 2 Bayfront Avenue Singapore 018972 marinabaysands.com

VivoCity 1 HarbourFront Walk Singapore 098585 Tel: +65 6377 6860 vivocity.com.sg

Wisma Atria Wisma Atria, 435 Orchard Rd Singapore 238877 Tel: +65 6235 8177 wismaonline.com Changi Airport Singapore Airport Boulevard, Singapore Terminal 1: 819642, Terminal 2: 819643, Terminal 3: 819663 Tel: +65 6595 6868 E: enquiry@changiairport.com changiairport.com RESTAURANTS

American Crab In Da Bag #02-05 Water Sports Centre 8 Stadium Walk Singapore 397699 Tel: +65 6384 3511 Luke’s Oyster Bar & Chop House 20 Gemmill Lane Tel: +65 6221 4468 luke.com.sg Match Restaurant & Lounge 1/F Pan Pacific Singapore 7 Raffles Blvd Tel: +65 6337 0800 panpacific.com MEATliquor SIN 99 Duxton Road, Singapore 089543 Tel: +65 6221 5343 meatliquor.com.sg SALTA #01-56/57 Icon Village 12 Gopeng Street Tel: +65 6225 8443 saltaparrilla.com.sg

Sugarhall 102 Amoy Street Tel: +65 6222 9102 sugarhall.sg The Market Grill 208 Telor Ayer Street Tel: +65 6221 3323 themarketgrill.com.sg ARAB Café Le Caire 39 Arab street Singapore 199736 Tel: +65 6292 0979 E: enquiry@cafelecaire.com cafelecaire.com ARGENTINEAN BOCHINCHE #02-01 22 Martin Road T: +65 6235 4990 bochinche.com.sg ASIAN

328 Katong Laksa 51/53 East Coast Road 216/218 East Coast Road Singapore 428770 101 Thomson Road United Square, #01-K1 Singapore 307591 1 Queensway, Queensway Shopping Centre #01-60, Singapore 149053 328katonglaksa.com.sg Bamboo Bar 3A River Valley Road, #01-02 Singapore 179020 Tel: +65 6557 6268 bamboobar.com Candlenut #01-03 Dorsett Residences 331 New Bridge Road Tel: +65 8121 4107 candlenut.com.sg

Chopsuey Café Block 10, Dempsey Road, #01-23 Singapore 247700 Tel: +65 9224 6611 pscafe.com/chopsuey-cafe-atdempsey-hill/

Crystal Jade Palace Restaurant 391 Orchard Road #04-19 Takashimaya Shopping Centre Singapore 238872 Tel: +65 6735 2388 crystaljade.com Cuisine Master Hotpot 68 Boat Quay Tel: +65 6438 9979 cuisinemaster.com.sg Golden Peony 2 Temasek Blvd Conrad Centennial Hotel Level 3 Singapore Tel: +65 6432 7482 conradhotels3.hilton.com

Hai Tien Lo 7 Raffles Blvd Singapore Tel: +65 6826 8240 panpacific.com Hua Ting Restaurant 442 Orchard Road Singapore 238879 Tel: +65 6739 6666 E: huating.ohs@millenniumhotels.com millenniumhotels.com.sg Imperial Treasure (Super Peking Duck) 290 Orchard Rd, #05-42 Paragon Singapore Tel: +65 6732 7838 imperialtreasure.com Imperial Treasure (Teochew Cuisine) 391 Orchard RD #04-20A Ngee Ann City Singapore Tel: +65 6736 2118 imperialtreasure.com Imperial Treasure ( Noodle & Conee House) 100 Tras ST, #02-10 100 AM, Singapore Tel: +65 6543 6668 imperialtreasure.com Imperial Treasure Shanghai Cuisine #04-22 Ngee Ann City 391 Orchard Road Tel: +65 6836 6909 imperialtreasure.com JIANG-NAN CHUN Four Seasons Hotel, 190 Orchard Blvd Tel: +65 6831 7220 fourseasons.com Lepark #06-00, People’s Park Complex 1 Park Road Singapore 059108 Tel: 6908 5809 lepark.co Li Bai Cantonese Restaurant 39 Scotts Road Singapore 228230 Tel: +65 6839 5623 sheratonsingapore.com/li-bai LIME 3 Upper Pickering ST Parkroyal On Pickering Singapore Tel: +65 6809 8899 parkroyalhotels.com Long Chim #02-02 Atrium 2 The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands 10 Bayfront Avenue Singapore 018956 Tel: +65 6688 7299 longchim.com.sg Morsels 35 Mayo Street Tel: +65 6396 6302 morsels.com.sg

www.nowsingapore.co.id FEBRUARY - March 2016 113

Neon Pigeon #01-03, 1 Keong Saik Road Singapore 089109 Tel: +65 6222 3623 neonpigeonsg.com NOSH 9 Rochester Park Tel: +65 6779 4644 nosh.com.sg Old Hong Kong Legend 252 North Bridge Road #02-18 Raffles City Shopping Centre Singapore Tel: +65 6336 3038 oldhongkong.com.sg Park Palace 10 Coleman ST Singapore Tel: +65 6432 5543 parkpalace.com.sg PIDGIN KITCHEN & BAR #01-04 7 Dempsey Road Tel: +65 6475 0080 pidgin.sg Shin Yeh 177 River Valley RD #02-19 Liang Court SC Singapore Tel: +65 6338 7337 shinyeh.com.sg Si Chuan Dou Hua @top of UOB Plaza 80 Raffles Place, #60-01 UOB Plaza 1 Singapore Tel: +65 6535 6006 sichuandouhua.com Straits Kitchen 10 Scotts RD, Grand Hyatt Singapore Singapore 228211 Tel: +65 6738 1234 singapore.grand.hyattrestaurants.com Summer Palace 1 Cuscaden RD LVL 3 Regent Singapore Tel: +65 6725 3288 regenthotels.com Summer Pavilion 7 Raffles Ave Singapore Tel: +65 6434 5286 ritzcarlton.com Szechuan Court 80 Bras Basah RD LVL 3 Fairmont S’pore Singapore Tel: +65 6431 6156 szechuancourt.com.sg The Blue Ginger Restaurant 97 Tanjong Pagar Road Singapore 088518 Tel: +65 6222 3928 theblueginger.com The Clifford Pier The Fullerton Bay Hotel 80 Collyer Quay Tel: +65 6597 5266 fullertonbayhotel.com

The Halia Ginger Garden Singapore Botanic Garden 1 Clunny Road Tel: +65 8444 1148 thehalia.com The Song of India 33 Scotts Road Singapore 228226 Tel: +65 6836 0055 thesongofindia.com Tian Tian Chicken Rice Maxwell Branch Stall No. 10 & 11 Maxwell Food Centre, Singapore 069184 Tel: +65 9691 4852 Simpang Bedok Branch 12 Jalan Pari Burong Singapore 488678 Tel: +65 6448 0120 E: enquiries@tiantianchickenrice.com tiantianchickenrice.com Tunglok Heen 26 Sentosa Gateway, Resorts World Sentosa, Hotel Michael, Lobby Level #02-142/143, Singapore Tel: +65 6884 7888 tunglokheen.com Tunglok Signatures 11 Tanglin RD, #02-18 Orchard Parade Hotel, Singapore Tel: +65 6834 0660 tungloksignatures.com Tunglok Xihe Peking Duck 200 Turf Club RD, #01-23/26 The Grandstand, Singapore Tel: +65 6466 3363 tunglok-xihe.com Violet Oon’s Kitchen 881 Bukit Timah Road Tel: +65 6468 5430 violetoonskitchen.com Wah Lok Cantonese Restaurant 76 Bras Basah Road, Level 2 Carlton Hotel, Singapore Tel: +65 6311 8188/9 carltonhotel.sg Yan Ting - Fine Cantonese Cuisine The St. Regis Singapore Level 1U, 29 Tanglin Road Singapore 247911 Tel: +65 6506 6887 E: yanting@stregis.com yantingrestaurant.com

AUSTRALIAN

Osia Sentosa Gateway, Singapore Tel: +65 6577 6688 rwsentosa.com Salt Grill & Sky Bar 2 Orchard Turn, ION Orchard #55-01 & #56-01 Singapore 238801 Tel: +65 6592 5118 saltgrill.com

114 FEBRUARY - March 2016 www.nowsingapore.co.id

BRAZILIAN

Brazil Churrasco 14/16 Sixth Ave Singapore 276476 Tel: +65 6463 1923 brazilchurrasco.com

British Bread Street Kitchen #01-81, The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands 10 Bayfront Avenue, Singapore 018956 Tel: +65 6688 5665 marinabaysands.com CHINESE Cassia 1 The Knolls Capella S’pore 3/L, Singapore 098297 Tel: +65 6591 5045 chope.co/sg/restaurant/cassia

Cherry Garden 5 Raffles Ave, Marina Square Singapore 039797 Tel: +65 6338 0066; 6885 3500 mandarinoriental.com/singapore/ fine-dining/cherry-garden

Crystal Jade Dining In 1 Harbour Front Walk, #01-112 VivoCity Singapore 098585 Tel: +65 6278 5626 crystaljade.com

Crystal Jade Golden Palace 290 Orcard Road, #05-2 Paragon Singapore 238859 Tel: +65 6734 6866 crystaljade.com

Crystal Jade Jiang Nan 1 Harbour Front Walk, #01-52 VivoCity Singapore 098585 Tel: +65 6221 1830 crystaljade.com Crystal Jade Kitchen 2 Lorong Mambong Tel: +65 6469 0300 crystaljade.com Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao 391 Orchard Road, #04-19 Takashimaya Shopping Centre Singapore 238872 Tel: +65 6238 1661 crystaljade.com

Crystal Jade Palace 391 Orchard Road, #04-19 Takashimaya Shopping Centre Singapore 238872 Tel: +65 6735 2388 crystaljade.com

Crystal Jade Premium 11 Cove Drive, Sentosa Cove #01-01 One 15 Marina Club, Singapore 098497 Tel: +65 6305 6998 crystaljade.com

Crystal Jade Pristine 6 Scotts Road, #03-04 Scotts Square Singapore 228209 Tel: +65 6636 1836 crystaljade.com

Din Tai Fung 290 Orchard Road, # B1-03 Paragon Singapore 238859 Tel: +65 6836 8336 dintaifung.com.sg Hai Di Lao #02-04 Clarke Quay 3D River Valley Road Tel: +65 6337 8626 haidilao.com/sg Lei Garden Restaurant 30 Victoria ST, #01-24 Chijmes Singapore Tel: +65 6339 3822 leigarden.hk Majestic Restaurant New Majestic Hotel 31-37 Bukit Pasoh Road Singapore 089845 Tel: +65 6511 4718 E: restaurant@newmajestichotel.com restaurantmajestic.com Man Fu Yuan Restaurant 80 Middle Road Singapore 188966 Tel: +65 6338 7600 Min Jiang 22 Scotts Road Goodwood Park Hotel Tel: +65 6730 1704 goodwoodparkhotel.com Min Jiang At One-North 5 Rochester Park Singapore Tel: +65 6774 0122 goodwoodparkhotel.com Peach Blossoms 6 Raffles Boulevard Marina Square Singapore 039594 Tel: +65 6845 1118 E: resvn.marina@meritushotels.com meritushotels.com/marina-mandarinsingapore/dining_121-en.html Peach Garden 65 Chulia ST, #33-01 OCBC Centre Singapore Tel: +65 6535 7833 401 Havelock RD, LVL 3 Hotel Miramar Singapore Tel: +65 6736 3833 301 Upper Thomson Road #01-88 Thomson Plaza Singapore Tel: +65 6451 3233 peachgarden.com.sg Peony Jade (clarke Quay) 3A River Valley RD #02-02 Clarke Quay Singapore Tel: +65 6338 0305 peonyjade.com

Shang Palace 22 Orange Grove Road Singapore Tel: +65 6213 4473 shangri-la.com Shisen Hanten 35/F, Orchard Wing Mandarin Orchard Singapore 333 Orchard Road Tel: +65 6831 6262 shisenhanten.com.sg Silkroad 165 Tanjong Pagar RD Level 2 Amara Singapore Tel: +65 6227 3848 silkroadrestaurants.com Tong Le Private Dining 60 Collyer Quay LVL 4& 5 Oue Tower Singapore Tel: +65 6634 3233 tong-le.com.sg Wan Hao Chinese Restaurant 3/F Singhapore Marriot Hotel 320 Orchard Road Tel: +65 6831 4605 singaporemarriot.com

EUROPEAN

&Made #01-04/05/06 Pacific Plaza 9 Scotts Road Tel: +65 6690 7566 andmade.sg 7 Adam 7 Adam Park Singapore 289926 Tel: +65 6467 0777 7adam.com Bar & Billiard Room 1 Beach Road Singapore 189673 Tel: +65 6337 1886 raffles.com/singapore/dining/barand-billiard-room Bitro Soori 2 Teck Lim Road Tel: +65 6438 3802 bistrosoori.com Broadcast HQ 109 Rowell Road Singapore 208031 Tel: +65 6292 4405 facebook.com/BroadcastHQ Corner House E J H Corner House Botanic Gardens 1 Clunny Road Tel: +65 6469 1000 cornerhouse.com.sg Enoteca L’Operetta 78 Boat Qua Singapore 049866 Tel: +65 6438 2482 operetta.sg

Esquina 16 Jiak Chuan Road Singapore 089267 Tel: +65 6222 1616 E: info@esquina.com.sg esquina.com.sg Fordham & Grand 43 Craig Rd Tel: +65 6221 3088 fng.com.sg FORTNIGHT 78 Horne Road Tel: +65 9004 7827 facebook.com/onefortnightonly Gordon Grill 22 Scotts Road Singapore 228221 Tel: +65 6737 7411 goodwoodparkhotel.com GRUB 510 Ang Mo Kio Ave 1 Tel: +65 6459 5743 grub.com Lawry’s The Prime Rib #04-01/31 Mandarin Gallery, 333A Orchard Road Tel: +65 6836 3333 lawrys.com.sg LeVel 33 8 Marina Blvd, #33-01, MBFC Tower 1 Singapore 018981 Tel: +65 6834 3133 www.level33.com.sg Open Door Policy 19 Yong Siak Street Tel: +65 6221 9307 odpsingapore.com Pollen Flower Dome, Gardens By The Bay 18 Marina Garden Drive #01-09 Singapore 018953 Tel: +65 6604 9988 E: info@pollen.com.sg pollen.com.sg Restaurant Ember G/F Hotel 1929 50 Keong Saik Road Tel: +65 6347 1928 hotel1929.com Shoebox Canteen 36 North Canal Road Tel: +65 9296 4836 facebook.com/ShoeboxCanteen Skirt W Singapore Sentosa Cove 21 Ocean Way (Sentosa Cove) Tel: +65 6808 7278 wsingaporesentosacove.com Stellar at 1-Altitude 62/F One Raffles Place 1 Raffles Place Tel: +65 6438 0410 1-altitude.com

Symmetry #01-01 9 Jalan Kubor Tel: +65 6291 9901 symmetry.com

The Black Swan 19 Cecil St Singapore 049704 Tel: +65 8181 3305 theblackswan.com.sg

The Cliff 2 Bukit Mnais Road Sentosa Singapore 099891 Tel: +65 6371 1425 thecliff.sg The Disgruntled Chef 26B Dempsey Road Tel: +65 6476 5305 disgruntledchef.com The White Rabbit 39C Harding Road Tel: +65 6473 9965 thewhiterabbit.com

FRENCH

Balzac Bar & Brasserie 9 Brass Besah Road #01-01 Rendezvous Gallery Singapore 189559 Tel: +65 6336 0797 balzacbrasserie.com

DB Bistro Moderne 2 Bayfront Avenue, The Shoppes at Marina Bay Singapore 018972 Tel: +65 6688 8525 dbbistro.com/singapore Entre - Nous Creperie #01-01 27 Seat Street Tel: +65 6333 4671 entrenous.sg Fleur De Sel #01-1 64 Tras Street Tel: +65 6222 6861 fleurdesel.com.sg Gunther’s Modern French Cuisine 36 Purvis Street #01-03 Singapore 188613 Tel: +65 9010 3075 gunthers.com.sg JAAN Level 70, Equinox Complex Swissôtel The Stamford 2 Stamford Road Singapore 178882 Tel: +65 6837 3322 E: reservations@equinoxcomplex.com jaan.com.sg Joël Robuchon Restaurant 8 Sentosa Gateway Resorts world Sentosa L1 Hotel Michael Singapore Tel: +65 6577 6688; 6577 7888 E: dining@rwsentosa.com; Robuchon@RWSentosa.com rwsentosa.com

Bar-RoQue Grill #01-00 Amara Hotel 165 Tanjong Pagar Road Tel: +65 6444 9672 bar-roque.com.sg L’Angelus

85 Club Street Bistro Du Vin Singapore 069453 1 Scotts Road, Shaw Centre, #02-12 Tel: +65 6225 6897 Singapore 228208 www.langelus.sg Tel: +65 6733 7763

facebook.com/bistroduvin L’Atelier De Joel Robuchon Resort World Sentosa Bistro Petit Salut Hotel Michael #01-54, 44 Jalan Merah Saga 8 Sentosa Gateway Singapore 278116 T: +65 6577 6688 Tel: +65 6474 9788 joel-robuchon.com aupetitsalut.com

L’entrecote Brasserie Gavroche 36 Duxton Hill 66 Tras St. Singapore Singapore 079005 Tel: +65 6690 7561 Tel: +65 6225 8266 lEntrecote.sg brasseriegavroche.com Brasserie Les Saveurs 29 Tanglin Road, Singapore 247911 Tel: +65 6506 6860 brasserielessaveurs.com

Clifford 80 Collyer Quay The Fullerton Bay Hotel Singapore 049326 Tel: +65 6597 5288 fullertonbayhotel.com/dining/theclifford-pier Cocotte 1/F Wanderlust 2 Dickson Road Tel: +65 6298 1188 restaurantcocotte.com

Le Bistrot du Sommelier 53 Armenian Street Tel: +65 6333 1982 www.bistrotdusommelier.com Le Comptoir 79 Circular Road Singapore 049433 Tel: +65 6534 7645 Les Bouchons 7 Anne Siang Road Tel: +65 6423 0737 www.lesbouchons.sg

www.nowsingapore.co.id FEBRUARY - March 2016 115

Lewin Terrace Fort Canning Park 21 Lewin Terrace Tel: +65 6333 9905 lewinterrace.com.sg Nicolas Le Restaurant 10 Teck Lim Road Tel: +65 6224 2404 restaurantnicolas.com O Batignolles 2 Gemmill Lane Tel: +65 6438 3913 obatignolles.com OCF #02-02 The Arts House 1 Old Parliament Lane Tel: +65 6333 9312 ocf-singapore.com Saveur #01-04 5 Purvis St Tel: +65 6333 3121 saveur.sg Scotts 27 – The Heritage Dining 27 Scotts Road, Singapore 228222 Tel: +65 6737 0895 scottts27.com Toots Brasserie The Sultan Hotel, 101 Jalan Sultan #01-01, Singapore 199002 Tel: +65 6723 7117 tootsbrasserie.com Vineyard 33 Hyderabad Road #02-02 Hort Park, Singapore 119578 Tel: +65 6479 7977 vineyardhortpark.com.sg GERMAN Magma German Wine Bistro + Shop Chinatown 2-4 Bukit Pasoh Road Singapore 089816 Tel: +65 6221 0634; 9222 1899 E: reservations@magmatc.com.sg magmatc.com GREEK BLU KOUZINA 893 Bukit Timah Road Tel: +65 6875 0872 blukouzina.com INDIAN Banana Leaf Apolo 54 Race Course Road Tel: +65 6293 8682 www.thebananaleafapolo.com Gayatri Restaurant 122 Race Course Road Tel: +65 6291 1011 gayatrirestaurant.com Muthu’s Curry 138 Race Course Road Singapore 218591 Tel: +65 6392 1722 54-58 Race Course Rd muthuscurry.com

Mustard 32 Race Course Road, Singapore- 218552 Tel: +65 62978422 E: mustardrestaurant@yahoo.com mustardsingapore.com

Djanoer Koening 191 Joo Chiat Road Singapore 427462 Tel:+65 6440 0774 facebook.com/DjanoerKoening.

TrueJavaneseCuisine

PIND Balluchi Bar & Grill #01-15 3B River Valley Road Tel: +65 6337 7350 pindballuchi.com.sg

Garuda Padang Cuisine VivoCity #B2-28 1 Harbourfront Walk Tel:+65 6376 9595

Rang Mahal 7 Raffles BLVD Level3 Pan Pacific Singapore 039594 Tel: +65 6333 1788 rangmahal.com.sg

Indo Chili 54 Zion Road Singapore Tel: +65 6445 1766 E: info@indochili.com indochili.com

SAHA Signature Indian Restaurant 9A Duxton Hill Tel: +65 6223 7321 saha.sg

Indo Padang 2 Handy Road, #B1-19 Singapore 229233 Tel: +65 6732 1679

Samy’s Curry 25 Dempsey Road Tel: +65 6472 2080 www.samycurry.com

Kartika Jaya Indonesian Food 31 E Coast Road Singapore 428752 Tel:+65 6344 0211

Shahi Maharani 252 North Bridge RD #03-21B Raffles City SC Singapore Tel: +65 6235 8840 shahimaharani.com

Kintamani Indonesian Restaurant Furama Riverfront Singapore 405 Havelock Road Singapore 169633 Tel:+65 6739 6463

Tandoor #B1/F Holiday Inn Singapore Orchard City Centre 11 Cavenagh Road Tel: +65 6733 8333 tandoor.com.sg Yantra 163 Tanglin Road, #01-28/33 Tanglin Mall Singapore Tel: +65 6836 3088 yantra.com.sg INDONESIAN

Ayam Penyet Ria Restaurant Lucky Plaza #01-45, #04-25, 304 Orchard Road Singapore 238863 Tel:+65 6235 6390; 6235 7385 Far East Plaza #05-22, 14 Scotts Road Singapore 228213 Tel:+65 6733 4336 #B1-06, 1 Jurong West Central 2 Singapore 648886 Tel:+65 6794 3015 Bedok Mall 311, New Upper Changi Road #01-71/72 Singapore 467360 Tel:+65 6441 0025 ayampenyetria.com Cumi Bali Indonesian Restaurant 66 Tanjong Pagar Road Singapore 088487 Tel:+65 6220 6619; 9385 2116 cumibali.com

116 FEBRUARY - March 2016 www.nowsingapore.co.id

Pagi Sore Far East Square Outlet 405 Havelock Road 88 / 90 Telok Ayer Street Singapore 048470 Tel: +65 6225 6002 pagi-sore.com Rumah Makan Minang 18 & 18A Kandahar St Singapore 198884 Tel:+65 6294 4805 minang.sg Tambuah Mas Tanglin Shopping Centre 19 Tanglin Road #04-10/13 Singapore 247909 Tel:+65 6733 3333 Paragon, 290 Orchard Road #B1-44 Singapore 238859 Tel:+65 6733 2220 tambuahmas.com.sg The Rice Table 360 Orchard Road, #02-09/10 International Building Singapore 238869 Tel: +65 6835 3782; 6835 3783 ricetable.com.sg Warung Lele 8 Shenton Way #01-16/19 AXA Tower, Singapore 068811 Tel: +65 6423 1553 E: warunglele@yahoo.com.sg warunglele.com

INTERNATIONAL

10 at Claymore 10 C Claymore Road Singapore 229540 Tel: +65 6831 6686 www.panpacific.com/en/hotelsresorts/singapore/orchard/stay/ dining/10-at-claymore A For Arbite #01-01 28 Aliwal Street Tel: +65 8321 2252 arbite.com Aquamarine Level 4 Marina Mandarin Singapore 6 Raffles Boulevard, Singapore 039594 Tel: +65 6845 1111/2 aquamarine.sg Bacchanalia Singapore 23A Coleman Street Singapore 179806 Tel: +65 6509 1453 E: reservations@bacchanalia.asia bacchanalia.asia

BARstop 56 Tanglin Road, Tanglin Post Office #81-02 Tel: +65 6834 1128

Bartini Kitchen 29 Boon Tat Street Singapore 069624 Tel: +65 6220 0629 E: info@bartini.com.sg bartini.com.sg

Bartini Keong Saik 21 Keong Saik Road, Singapore 089128 Tel: +65 6223 1334 E: info@bartini.com.sg Bed Rock 96 Somerset Road #01-05 Pan Pacific Serviced suites Orchard Singapore 238163 Tel: +65 6238 0054 bedrock.com.sg Bistecca Tuscan Steakhouse 25 Mohd Sultan Road Singapore 238969 Tel: +65 6735 6739 bistecca.com.sg Burnt Ends

20 Teck Lim Road Tel: +65 6224 3933 burntends.com.sg Café Mosaic 76 Bras Basah Road Carlton Hotel Singapore 189558 Tel: +65 6311 8195 carltonhotel.sg/cafemosaic.htm Carlton Hotel Singapore 76 Bras Basah Road Singapore 189558 Tel: +65 6311 8195 carltonhotel.sg/dining.html

Carousel 25 Scotts Road, Royal Plaza on Scotts Singapore 228220 Tel: +65 6589 7799 carouselbuffet.com.sg Charlie’s Tapas. Grill & Bar 32 Boat Quay Singapore 049812 Tel: +65 6533 5880 E: info@charlies.com.sg charlies.com.sg CM - PB (Contemporary Melting-Pot & Bar) Block 7, Unit 01-05, Dempsey Road Singapore 249671 Tel: +65 6475 0105 cm-pb.net Cook & Brew 12 Marina View Asia Square Tower 2, Level 33 Singapore 018961 Tel: +65 6922 6948 E: cookandbrew.singapore@westin.com thewestinsingapore.com/en/ cookandbrew

Cure 21 Keong Saik Road Singapore 089128 Tel: +65 6221 2189 curesingapore.com Cut 2 Bayfront Ave, #B1-71 The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands Singapore 018792 Tel: +65 6688 8517 marinabaysands.com/Dining DIBS 51 Duxton Road Tel: +65 6223 3784 dibs.sg Disgruntled Chef 26B Dempsey Road Singapore 247693 Tel: +65 6476 5305 E: bookings@disgruntledledchef.com disgruntledchef.com East 8 10 Coleman Street #01-21/22 Grand Park Hotel City Hall Singapore 179809 Tel: +65 6338 8289 E: Eat@East-8.Com east-8.com EDGE 3/F Pan Pacific Singapore, 7 Raffles Blvd Tel: +65 6826 8240 panpacific.com Equinox Restaurant 2 Stamford Road Singapore 178882 Tel: +65 6338 8585 E: singapore-stamford@swissotel.com swissotel.com

Fat Cow 1 Orchard Boulevard #01-01 Camden Medical Centre Singapore 248649 Tel: +65 6735 0308 fat-cow.com.sg

Fern & Kiwi 3C River Valley Road #01-02/03 The Cannery Clarke Quay Singapore 179024 Tel: +65 6336 2271; 6336 1213 E: info@fernandkiwi.com esquina.com.sg Flutes The National Museum of Singapore 93 Stamford Road Singapore 178897 Tel: +65 6338 8770 E: flutes@flutes.com.sg flutes.com.sg House 8D Dempsey Rd Tel: +65 6475 7787 dempseyhouse.com Iggy’s The Hilton Hotel 581 Orchard Road Level 3 Singapore 238883 Tel: +65 6732 2234 E: marcom@iggys.com.sg iggys.com.sg Indocafe The White House 35 Scotts Road, Singapore 228227 Tel: +65 6733 2656 E: enquiry@thehouseofindocafe.com thehouseofindocafe.com Jones The Grocer 2 Orchard Turn, #04-14 Singapore 238801 Tel: +65 6884 5597 E: ion@jonesthegrocer.com jonesthegrocer.com Jones The Grocer 333a Orchard Road Level 4 #21-23 Mandarin Gallery Singapore, 238897 Tel: +65 6836 6372 E: mandaringallery@jonesthegrocer.com jonesthegrocer.com Kilo #02-01, 66 Kampong Bugis Singapore 338987 Tel: +65 6467 3987 kilokitchen.com Kuriya Dining #01-28 Great World City 1 Kim Seng Promenade Singapore 237994 Tel: +65 6736 0888 E: dining@kuriya.com.sg kuriyadining.com.sg

La Nonna 26 Lorong Mambong Tel: +65 6468 1982 lanonna.sg

La Nonna 76 Namly Place Tel: +65 6762 1587 lanonna.sg La Strada Ristorante 1 Scotts Road, #02-10 Shaw Centre Singapore 228208 Tel: +65 6737 2622 lastrada.com.sg

Les Amis 1 Scotts Road, #02-16 Shaw Centre Singapore 228208 Tel: +65 6733 2225 E: lesamis@lesamis.com.sg lesamis.com.sg

Open Door Policy 19 Yong Siak Street Singapore 168650 Tel: +65 6221 9307 E: enquiries@odpsingapore.com odpsingapore.com

Lime House 2 Jiak Chuan Road Tel: +65 6222 3130 limehouse.asia

Original Sin Blk 43 #01-62 Jalan Merah Saga Holland Village Chip Bee Gardens Singapore 278115 Tel: +65 6475 5605 E: info@originalsin.com.sg originalsin.com.sg

Lolla 22 Ann Siang Road Tel: +65 6423 1228 lolla.com.sg Long Bar Steakhouse 1 Beach Road Singapore 189673 Tel: +65 6337 1886 raffles.com

The Macallan 8 Marina View Asia Square Tower 1 Level 41-01 Singapore 018960 Tel: +65 6653 2000 Marmalade at the Stables 55 Fairways Drive Tel: +65 6467 7748 themarmaladepantry.com.sg ME@OUE 19/F OUE Bayfront 50 Collyer Quay Tel: +65 6634 4555 me-oue.com Mezza 9 10 Scotts Road Grand Hyatt Singapore Hotel Singapore 228211 Tel: +65 6732 1234 singapore.grand.hyattrestaurants.com MOOSEHEAD 110 Telok Ayer Street Tel: +65 6636 8055 facebook.com/ mooseheadKitchenBar Morton’s Of Chicago Mandarin Oriental Singapore Fourth Storey, 5 Raffles Avenue Marina Square, Singapore Tel: +65 6339 3740 mortons.com Nassim Hill

56 Tanglin Road Tanglin Post Office #01-03 Tel: +65 6835 1128 nassimhill.com.sg Nox - Dine in the dark 269 Beach Road T: +65 6287 0708 noxinthedark.com Ocean Restaurant By Cat Cora 8 Sentosa Gateway Sea Aquarium Resorts World Sentosa Singapore Tel: +65 6577 6688 rwsentosa.com

Osteria Mozza #B1-42/46 10 Bayfront Ave Tel: +65 6688 8522 osteriamozza.com The Pelican 1 Fullerton Road #01-01 one Fullerton Tel: +65 6438 0400 thepelican.com.sg Pluck 90 Club Street Singapore 069548 Tel: +65 6225 8286 E: hello@ohpluck.com facebook.com/plucksg Potato Head Folk 36 Keong Saik Road Singapore 089143 Tel: +65 6327 1939 E: wordup@pttheadfolk.com pttheadfolk.com Praelum Wine Bistro 4 Duxton Hill Singapore 089590 Tel: +65 6238 5287​ praelum.wix.com Privé Marina at Keppel Bay No. 2 Keppel Bay Vista Singapore 098382 Tel: +65 6776 0777 E: info@prive.com.sg theprivegroup.com.sg/prive.html PS.Cafe 28B Harding Rd Tel: +65 9070 8782 pscafe.com Punjab Grill By Jiggs Kalra 2 Bayfront Ave B1-01a The Shoppes At Marina Bay Sandds Singapore Tel: +65 6688 7395 punjabgrill.com.sg Restaurant Andre 41 Bukit Pasoh Road Singapore 089855 Tel: +65 6534 8880 restaurantandre.com Restaurant Labyrinth 5 Neil Road Tel: +65 6223 4098 labyrinth.com.sg

www.nowsingapore.co.id FEBRUARY - March 2016 117

Saint Pierre 31 Ocean Way, #01-15, Singapore Tel: +65 6438 0887 saintpierre.com.sg

Triple Three 333 Orchard Road Singapore 238867 Tel: +65 6831 6271 meritushotels.com

SALT Grill & Sky Bar 2 Orchard Turn, ION Orchard #55-01 & #56-01 Singapore 238801 Tel: +65 6592 5118 saltgrill.com

Waku Ghin L2-02, Atrium 2, The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands Same level as Imperial Treasure restaurant Tel: +65 6688 8507 marinabaysands.com

Senso Restaurant & Bar 21 Club Street Tel: +65 6224 3534 senso.sg Social Haus 11 Yong Siak Street Singapore 168646 Tel: +65 6557 0286 E: enquiries@socialhaus.com.sg; SocialHaus.Singapore@gmail.com facebook.com/socialhaus.sg SKY ON 57 Sands SkyPark Tower 1, Level 57 Tel: +65 6688 8857 marinabaysands.com The Dining Room 39 Scotts Road Sheraton Towers Singapore 228230 Tel: +65 6839 5621 sheratonsingapore.com/the-diningroom The Knolls 1 The Knolls Sentosa Island Singapore Tel: +65 6591 5046 capellasingapore.com The Line 22 Orange Grove Road Singapore Tel: +65 6213 4275 shangri-la.com The Royal Mall Restaurant 2 Finlayson Green Ascott Raffles Place Singapore 049247 Tel: +65 6509 3589 theroyalmall.sg The Wallich Grill Bar Lounge Anson House 72 Anson Road Tel: +65 6438 3151 thewallich.com.sg Tippling Club 38 Tanjong Pagar Road Singapore 088461 Tel: +65 6475 2217 tipplingclub.com Town Restaurant 1 Fullerton Square The Fullerton Hotel Singapore Singapore Tel: +65 6877 8128 fullertonhotel.com

Wild Rocket 10a Upper Wilkie Rd Tel: +65 6339 9448 wildrocket.com.sg Wooloomooloo Steak House 2 Stamford ROad Level 3 Swissotel Stamford Singapore Tel: +65 6338 0261 wooloo-mooloo.com

ITALIAN

Basilico 1 Cuscaden Road Level 2 Regent Singapore Singapore 249715 Tel: +65 6725 3232/3 regenthotels.com/EN/Singapore/ Cuisine/Basilico Buona Terra 29 scotts Road Singapore 228224 Tel: +65 6733 0209 scotts29.com/buonaterra/contactus. html

Burlamacco Ristorante 77 Amoy ST Singapore 069896 Tel: +65 6220 1763 burlamacco.com.sg

Caffe B 2 Bayfront Ave #B1-15 & #101-83 Marina Bay Sands Singapore 018792 Tel: +65 6887 3311 marinabaysands.com/Dining

Da Laura 47 Neil Road Singapore 0888272 Tel: +65 6224 8251 da-laura.com Domvs, The Italian Restaurant 39 Scotts Road Singapore 228230 Tel: +65 6737 6888 sheratonsingapore.com Extra Virgin Pizza Asia Square, Tower 1 8 Marina View, #01-04 Singapore 018960 Tel: +65 6247 5757 E: contact@extravirginpizza.com extravirginpizza.com

118 FEBRUARY - March 2016 www.nowsingapore.co.id

Extra Virgin Pizza United Square 101 Thomson Road #01-14 United Square Shopping Centre Singapore 307591 extravirginpizza.com

Otto Ristorante 28 Maxwell RD #01-02 Red Dot Traffic BLDG Singapore Tel: +65 6227 6819 ottoristorante.com.sg

Fratini La Trattoria 10 Greenwood Avenue Hillcrest Park Singapore 289201 Tel: +65 64682868 E: info@fratinilatrattoria.com fratinilatrattoria.com

Pepenero 14 Stanley Street Tel: +65 6222 5808 pepenero.sg

Forlino 1 Fullerton Rd #02-06 One Fullerton Singapore 049213 Tel: +65 +65 6690 7564 forlino.com Garibaldi Italian Restaurant & Bar 36 Purvis Street #01-02 Singapore 188613 Tel: +65 6837 1468 E: garibaldi@garibaldisingapore.com garibaldi.com.sg Gattopardo 34/36 Tras Street Singapore 079026 Tel: +65 6338 5498; 9325 8843 E: reservations@gattopardo.com.sg gattopardo.com.sg

il Cielo 581 Orchard Road Singapore 238883 Tel: +65 6730 3395 In Italy Bar Ristorante 38 Craig Road Singapore 089676 Tel: +65 6423 0918 E: reservations@initaly.asia initaly.asia

Pontini Restaurant 392 Havelock Road Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel Singapore Tel: +65 6733 0880 milleniumhotels.com.sg Prego 80 Bras Basah Road LVL 1 Fairmonth Sâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;pore Singapore 189560 Tel: +65 6431 6156 www.fairmont.com/singapore/ dining/prego Senso Ristorante & Bar 21 Club Street Singapore 069410 Tel: +65 6224 3534 E: reservations@senso.com.sg senso.sg Sopra Cucina & Bar #01-02 Pan Pacific Orchard 10 Claymore Road Tel: +65 6737 3253 sopracucina.com Trattoria Nonna Lina 61 Cantonment Road Tel: +65 6222 0930 nonnalina.sg

Zafferano Ocean Financial Centre Level 43, 10 Collyer Quay Jamieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Italian Singapore 049315 #01-165-167 VivoCity Tel: +65 6509 1488 1 Harbourfront Walk E: info@zafferano.sg Tel: +65 6733 5500 jamieoliver.com zafferano.sg

JAPANESE La Brezza

The St. Regis Singapore Level Two BINCHO 29 Tanglin Road #01-19 78 Moh Guan Terrace Singapore Tel: +65 6438 4567 Tel: +65 6506.6884 bincho.com.sg E: labrezza@stregis.com labrezzarestaurant.com Choubei Japanese Restaurant 1 Netheravon Road The Light House Restaurant & #01-03 Changi Village Hotel Rooftop Bar Singapore 508502 1 Fullerton Square Tel: +65 6542 6881 Singapore 049178 Tel: +65 6733 8388 IKYU fullertonhotel.com 5 Yong Siak Street Tel: +65 9663 2003 Noti Restaurant & Bar ikyu.com.sg 54 Club St Singapore 069431 Ippudo SG @ Mandarin Gallery Tel: +65 6222 0089 333A Orchard Road facebook.com/notiasia #04-02/03/04 Mandarin Gallery Otto Locanda Singapore 238897 32 Maxwell Road #01-03 Tel: +65 6235 2797 Singapore 069115 www.ippudo.com.sg Tel: +65 6224 0978 ottolocanda.com.sg

Ippudo SG @ Mohamed Sultan 207 River Valley Road #01-55/56 UE Square Singapore 238275 Tel: +65 6887 5315 www.ippudo.com.sg

Kinki 70 Collyer Quay #02-02 Customs House Singapore 049323 Tel: +65 6533 3471 www.kinki.com.sg

Ippudo Ramen Express 12 Marina View, #02-01 Asia Square Tower 2 Singapore 018961 Tel: +65 6844 9952 www.ippudo.com.sg

Ki-Sho 29 Scotts Road Singapore 228224 Tel: +65 6733 5251 scotts29.com/ki-sho

Ippudo SG @ Westgate 3 Gateway Drive #03-03 Westgate Singapore 608532 Tel: +65 6465 9308 www.ippudo.com.sg Japanese BBQ Yakiniku Yazawa #01-01 Robertson Walk 1 Unity Street Tel: +65 6235 2941 yazawameat.com Han 331 North Bridge Road #01-04, Odeon Towers Singapore 188720 Tel: +65 6336 2466 E: contact@han.com.sg han.com.sg Hanayoshi 21 Duxton Road Singapore 089487 Tel: +65 6225 5567 facebook.com/hanayoshi.sg Hashida Sushi #02-37 Mandarin Gallery 333A Orchard Road Singapore Tel: +65 6733 2114 hashida.com.sg Hide Yamamoto 10 Bayfront Avenue Marina Bay Sands Casino #02-25 Singapore 018956 Tel: +65 6688 7098 www.hideyamamotosg.com Ito-Kacho #04-08 333A Orchard Road Tel: +65 6836 0111 itokacho.com.sg Izy 27 Club Street Tel: +65 6220 3327 izy.com.sg Keyaki 7 Raffles Boulevard, Pan Pacific Hotel Singapore #04-00 Singapore 039595 Tel: +65 6826 8240 www.panpacific.com/en/hotelsresorts/singapore/marina/stay/ dining/keyaki.html

Mariko’s 4 Jiak Chuan Road Singapore 089261 Tel: +65 6221 8262 marikos.com.sg Mikuni 3/F Fairmont Singapore 80 Bras Basah Road Tel: +65 6431 6156 fairmont.com Satsuma Shochu Dining Bar 1 Nanson RD #01-10/#02-10 Gallery Hotel Singapore 238909 Tel: +65 6235 3565 satsuma.com.sg Shinji By Kanesaka 1 Beach Road Raffles Hotel #02-20 Singapore 188719 Tel: +65 6338 6131 shinjibykanesaka.com Shinji By Kanesaka 29 Tanglin Road Lobby Floor The St. Regis Singapore Singapore 247911 Tel: +65 6884 8239 shinjibykanesaka.com Shunjuu Izakaya 30 Robertson Quay #01-15 Riverside View Singapore 238251 Tel: +65 6887 3577 shunjuu.com Sushi Ichi 6 Scotts Road #02-02 Scotts Square Singapore 228238 Tel: +65 6299 0014 sushichi.com Sushi Kuu 390 Orchard RD #01-07 Palais Renaissance Singapore 238871 Tel: +65 6736 0100 facebook.com/sushikuusg Takumen 66 Circular Road #01-01 Singapore 049420 T: +65 6536 4875 sg.takumen.com

Tamashi Robataya #02-01 12 North Canal Road Tel: +65 6222 0316 tamashii.com.sg Teppei Japanese Restaurant #01-18 Orchid Hotel 1 Tras Link T: +65 9229 4941 Tonkotsu King #01-19 Orchid Hotel 1 Tras Link Tel: +65 6636 0855 keisuke.sg Tsukiji Sushi Dai #04-600 Marina Mandarin Singapore 6 Raffles Blvd Tel: +65 6820 0637 meritushotel.com MEXICAN El Rocho’s 36 Circular Road Tel: +65 6438 7879 facebook.com/elrochosmexican Lucha Loco 15 Duxton Hill Tel: +65 6226 3938 luchaloco.com Piedra Negra 241 Beach Roa cor 3 Haji Lane Tel: +65 6291 1297 piedra-negra.com SEAFOOD Long Beach 1018 East Coast Parkway Tel: +65 6445 8833 longbeachseafood.com.sg Long Beach Dempsey 25 Dempsey road Singapore 249670 Tel: +65 6323 2222 longbeachseafood.com.sg Long Beach KING Next to Kallang Park KFC/ McDonald’s (along Mountbatten Road/ Old Airport Junction) Opposite Mountbatten MRT Tel: +65 6344 7722 longbeachseafood.com.sg Long Beach IMM Level 3, Next to Rooftop Garden IMM Building Jurong East St 21 Singapore 609601 Tel: +65 6566 9933 longbeachseafood.com.sg Long Beach UDMC #01-04 East Coast Seafood Centre Singapore 449811 Tel: +65 6448 3636 longbeachseafood.com.sg

No Signboard Seafood Vivo City 1 Harbourfront Walk #03-02 Singapore 098585 Tel: +65 6376 9959 East Coast Seafood Centre, Blk 1202 East Coast Parkway #01-02 Singapore 449881 Tel: +65 6448 9959 nosignboardseafood.com No Signboard Seafood Esplanade 8 Raffles Avenue #01-14/16 Singapore 039802 Tel: +65 6336 9959 Geylang, No. 414 Geylang Singapore 389392 Tel: +65 6842 3415 nosignboardseafood.com Greenwood Fish Market & Bistro No. 34 & 38 Greenwood Ave Singapore 289236 Tel: +65 6467 4950 E: greenwoodbistro@yahoo.com.sg fishshop.com.sg Jing One Fullerton #01-02/03 1 Fullerton Road Singapore 049213 Tel: +65 6224 0088 ; 6224 0033 E: reservation@jing.sg jing.sg Majestic Bay Seafood Restaurant 18 Marina Gardens DR #01-10 Gardens By The Bay Singapore 018953 Tel: +65 6604 6604 E: reservations@majesticbay.sg majesticbay.sg Paradise Dynasty at ION Orchard 2 Orchard Turn #04-12A ION Orchard Singapore 238801 Tel: +65 6509 9117 paradisegroup.com.sg Paradise Dynasty at Lot One 21 Choa Chu Kang Avenue 4 Lot One Shoppers’ Mall #03-02B Singapore 689812 Tel: +65 6766 2380 paradisegroup.com.sg Paradise Dynasty at Causeway Point 1 Woodlands Square Causeway Point, #05-16/17/18 Singapore 738099 Tel: +65 6894 6322 paradisegroup.com.sg Paradise Dynasty at Westgate 3 Gateway Drive #02-13/14 Westgate Singapore 608532 Tel: +65 6465 9271 paradisegroup.com.sg

www.nowsingapore.co.id FEBRUARY - March 2016 119

Paradise Dynasty at VivoCity 1 Harbourfront Walk #03-08A Singapore 098585 Tel: +65 6376 8103 paradisegroup.com.sg

THAI

Paradise Dynasty at Changi Airport T3 65 Airport Boulevard #03-32 Terminal 3 Singapore 819663 Tel: +65 6242 4372 paradisegroup.com.sg

Mai Thai Blk 44 Jalan Merah Saga #01-58 Chip Bee Gardens Singapore 278116 Tel: +65 6474 3108 E: info@maithai.com.sg maithai.com.sg

The Seafood International Market & Restaurant 902 East Coast Parkway Block A #01-01 Big Splash Singapore Tel: +65 6345 1211/2 lobster.com.sg Seafood Paradise, Singapore Flyer 30 Raffles Avenue #01-01 Singapore Flyer Singapore Tel: +65 6336 5101 paradisegroup.com.sg

SPANISH

Binomio 20 Craig Road, Craig Place #01-02 Singapore 089692 Tel: 6557 0547 www.binomio.sg Catalunya 82 Collyer Quay The Fullerton Pavilion Singapore 049327 Tel: +65 6534 0886 catalunya.sg/explore MY Little Spanish Place 619 Bukit Timah Road Tel: +65 6463 2810 mylittlespanishplace.com.sg Ola Cocina Del Mar #01-06 Marina Bay Financial Centre Tower 3, 12 Marina Blvd Tel: +65 6604 7050 olarestaurant.sg Sabio 5 Duxton Hill Singapore 089591 Tel: +65 6690 7562 E: info@sabio.sg sabio.sg Sabio By The Sea 31 Ocean Way #01-02 Quayside isle Singapore 098375 Tel: +65 6690 7568 sabio.sg/bythesea Salt Tapas & Bar #01-22A Raffles City Shopping Centre, 252 North Bridge Road Tel: +65 6837 0995 salttapas.com UNA Tapas, 1 Rochester Park Tel: +65 6773 0070 una.sg

Folks Collective #01-25 China Square Central Tel: +65 6536 6739 folkscollective.com

Jim Thompson: A Thai Restaurant 45 Minden RD, Dempsey Hill Singapore Tel: +65 6475 6088 jimthompson.com Patara Fine Thai Cuisine 163 Tanglin RD, #03-14 Tanglin Mall Singapore Tel: +65 6737 0818 patara.com.sg Sabai Fine Thai On The Bay 70 Collyer Quay #01-02 Customs House Singapore 049323 Tel: +65 6535 3718/9 sabaifinethai.com.sg Tamarind Hill 30 Labrador Villa Road Tel: +65 6278 6364 www.tamarindrestaurants.com Thanying Restaurant 165 Tanjong Pagar Road, Level 2 Amara Singapore Singapore Tel: +65 6222 4688 amarahotels.com TURKISH Alaturka International Turkish & Mediterranean Restaurant 16 Bussorah Street Singapore 199437 Tel: +65 6294 0304 alaturka.com.sg VEGETARIAN Lingzhi Vegetarian Liat Towers #05-01 541 Orchard Road Singapore 238881 Tel: +65 6734 3788 lingzhivegetarian.com Loving Hut 229 Joo Chiat Road #01-01 Singapore 427489 Tel: +65 6348 6318 www.lovinghut.com.sg

SHOPS & BOUTIQUES

Ana Boutique 86 Club Street, Singapore Singapore 069454 Tel: +65 6221 2897 anaboutiques.com

120 FEBRUARY - March 2016 www.nowsingapore.co.id

Antipodean 27A Lorong Mambong Tel: +65 6463 7336 E: enquiries@antipodeanshop.com antipodeanshop.com

Swagger 15 Ann Siang Road, #01-01 Singapore 069695 Tel: +65 6223 5880 swaggerstore.co

BooksActually 9 Yong Siak St Singapore 168645 Tel: +65 6222 9195 booksactually.com

The Little Dröm Store Sota (School Of The Arts) 1 Zubir Said Rd. Singapore 227968 Tel: +65 6884 4651, thelittledromstore.com

Cat Socrates 231 Bain St. #02-25 Bras Basah Complex Singapore 180231 Tel: +65 6333 0870 catsocrates.com

Threadbare & Squirrel 660 N Bridge Road Singapore 188797 Tel: +65 6396 6738 E: hello@threadbareandsquirrel.com threadbareandsquirrel.com

Doorstep Luxury Boutique (Main Store) Willow & Huxley 163 Telok Ayer Street, 20 Amoy Street Singapore 068616 Singapore 069855 Tel: +65 6238 5582 Tel: +65 6220 1745 @ Tangs Vivo City willowandhuxley.com 1 Harbourfront Walk Singapore 098585 Tel: +65 6238 5582 TECHNOLOGY @ Robinsons Orchard

260 Orchard Road Star Hub Singapore 238855 67 Ubi Avenue 1 Tel: +65 6238 5582 #05-01 StarHub Green E: info@doorstepluxury.com Singapore 408942 doorstepluxury.com Tel: +65 6873 2828 starhub.com Granny’s Day Out 3 Coleman St., #03-25 Peninsula Sim Lim Square Shopping Centre 1 Rochor Canal Road Singapore 179804 Singapore 188504 Tel: +65 6336 9774 Tel: +65 6338 3859 grannysdayout.com simlimsquare.com.sg

The Hour Glass Limited 302 Orchard Road Online and e-news #11-01 Tong Building Singapore 238862 You can find all these online at Tel: +65 6787 2288 www.nowsingapore.co.id with E: enquiry@thehourglass.com clickable links to all the website and thehourglass.com emails. If you wish to subscribe to

our monthly newsletter simply go Manicur.ious online and click ‘newsletter’ and you 41 Beach Road will be subscribed.

Singapore 189 680 Tel: +65 6333 9096 E: info@manicurious.sg manicurious.sg

IN our next issue: Mythology apr 2016/May 2016 88 Club Street Singapore 069456 We look at the best Tel: +65 6223 5570 places to enjoy nature my-thology.com Spa Esprit Downtown 290 Orchard Road, #05-10 Paragon Singapore 238859 Tel: +65 6836 0500 spa-esprit.com Spa Esprit at Beauty Emporium House 8d Dempsey Road, Level 2 Singapore 249672 Tel: +65 6479 0070 spa-esprit.com Strangelets 7 Yong Siak St. Singapore 168644 Tel: +65 6222 1456 strangelets.sg

with your family, travel in style on the Eastern and Oriental Express and explore the many wonders of Keong Saik Road. As always, we’ll be reviewing the best new tables and keeping readers up-to-date on the latest events and promotions.