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FOOD & WINE
Taste: Next Level Dining
by Anton D. Javier
02 Aug 2022
02 Aug 2022
Go on, splurge on that indulgent feast you’ve been dreaming of. We know you want to. To make things easier, here are five of the best restaurants to consider.
- BORN
- ESORA
- FIAMMA
- JINHONTEN
- KAARLA
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Pickles and snacks -
Jerusalem artichoke, lily bulbs -
Pigeon and corn
We won’t fault you for not immediately knowing who Chef Zor Tan is. But after dining at Born, his fine dining restaurant opened in partnership with 1855 F&B, you’ll know exactly what he’s all about – finesse, nostalgia, and translating memories into soulful dishes and generously sharing it with the world. A meal at Born is more than a journey. It’s a fun, exciting, and immersive experience that starts with eight impeccably executed snacks that call to mind cai fan favorites from his parents’ stall. Meanwhile, the dishes that follow represent important moments from his personal history, starting with the Buri, Galangal, and Daikon – an homage to his culinary journey that started at a Japanese restaurant. The Chicken Liver, Smoked Oil, and Forest Mushroom is a rich, creamy dish bursting with earthiness from Morel mushrooms, and at the same time, a tribute to his mentor, Chef Andre Chiang, known for his foie gras parfait. Another impeccable dish inspired by an important milestone is the Fish Maw, Chinese Cabbage, and Smoked Eel – a collagen-rich dish dedicated to Chef Tan’s wife when she gave birth to their first child.
Visit Born at 1 Neil Road, Tel: 9270 8718
- BORN
- ESORA
- FIAMMA
- JINHONTEN
- KAARLA
ESORA
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Summer hassun -
Stuffed chicken wing -
Kinmedai donabe
Since its launch, Esora has been lauded for redefining Japanese fine dining in Singapore, as well as introducing Kappo cuisine to both local and international audiences. Following the uncertainties of the past two years, Esora is back with a vengeance, eager to remind us why we fell in love with it in the first place. For starters, it welcomes new Head Chef Takeshi Araki, alongside Chef de Cuisine Noboru Shimohigashi, who, together, create a sensorial culinary journey. Esora’s current menu celebrates the vibrance of summer, where the multi-course meal is enriched by seasonal and micro-seasonal ingredients, starting with the signature Monaka with a foie gras torchon base and various textures of fig. Another signature, the Chicken Wing, is made summer-ready with a stuffing comprised of seasonal vegetables and Japanese hairy crab. The picturesque Hassun platter is a stunner, comprised of Kamasu Sushi with barracuda, Corn Chawanmushi, and a Japanese flat fish sashimi. To end on a high note, Chef Araki presents a fragrant Donabe, where rice is topped with Oba leaves, chives, sesame, and diced young ginger, accompanied by the season’s prized kinmedai (golden eye snapper) grilled on a skewer, tataki-style.
Visit Esora at 15 Mohamed Sultan Road, Tel: 6365 1266
- BORN
- ESORA
- FIAMMA
- JINHONTEN
- KAARLA
FIAMMA
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Pizza Genovese -
Trofie Al Pesto -
Panna Cotta
With the opening of Chef Mauro Colagreco’s Fiamma at Capella Singapore, the luxury hotel is the latest dining destination foodies from all over should be making a beeline for. Forget about white tablecloths and highly conceptual dishes because the new Italian restaurant is all about comfort food inspired by Chef Colagreco’s childhood and his grandmother’s cooking. Simplicity, tradition, and freshness are the hallmarks of the restaurant, which are immediately present in starters like the Carpaccio di Pomodore E Pesca, comprised of paper-thin slices of heirloom tomatoes and yellow peaches, as well as the Crudo Siciliano, where fresh sea bream carpaccio is flavored with orange segments, capers, mint, and fennel. The pizzas at Fiamma boast a crispy yet airy crust, perfectly complementing an assortment of toppings like salami picante, an assortment of cheeses, or generous shavings of black truffle. For the mains, don’t miss the Fish of the Day, which is prepared Ligurian style, with a tangy lemon-infused butter sauce and assortment of vegetables. To finish, Fiamma does one of the best Panna Cotta in town, where the creamy vanilla-specked custard is balanced with tropical notes of pineapple and mango.
Visit Fiamma at Capella Hotel Singapore, 1 The Knolls, Sentosa, Tel: 6377 8888
- BORN
- ESORA
- FIAMMA
- JINHONTEN
- KAARLA
JINHONTEN
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Botan ebi, uni, caviar -
Nodoguro handroll -
Deep fried shiro ebi
Jinhonten, the latest omakase concept under the Les Amis Group, invites diners on a culinary expedition unlike any other, boasting the season’s best harvest and produce flown directly to Singapore from markets in Toyosu, Hokkaido, Kyushu, and Fukuoka. Behind the counter is Head Chef Issey Araki, supported by Executive Chef Makoto Saito. Together, they execute a flawless multi-course menu, featuring crowd favorites like Murasaki Uni with Botan Ebi and Kristal Caviar, as well as Kuro Awabi – black abalone from Yamaguchi, served with abalone liver sauce. The Nodoguro (blackthroat sea perch) handroll – grilled over binchotan and finished with a dab of fresh wasabi – is one of the best I’ve ever had, where the oily fish pairs perfectly with fragrant rice and a crispy nori sheet. As with most omakase meals, expect an outstanding sashimi course featuring the season’s freshest catch, as well as an extremely indulgent meat course. At Jinhonten, they proudly serve Yonezawa sirloin steak, paired with a smoky Kumamoto chargrilled eggplant sauce and seasonal vegetables.
Visit Jinhonten at Shaw Centre, 1 Scotts Road, #01-11, Tel: 9635 0973
- BORN
- ESORA
- FIAMMA
- JINHONTEN
- KAARLA
KAARLA
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Zucchini, mussels, tomato, trout roe -
Murray Cod, fermented fennel juice -
Western prawn, geraldton wax, native tamarind
Kaarla, located on the 51st storey of CapitaSpring, is a showcase of coastal Australian cuisine that proudly uses seasonal, sustainably caught, and ethically sourced produce from Singapore, Australia, and Japan. As the signature restaurant of 1-Arden, Kaarla’s menu also heavily features the freshest produce from the 1-Arden Food Forest right next to it, resulting in creations like the Zucchini Flowers with Australian Blue Mussels, Tomato, and Trout Roe, as well as the Kaarla Closed Loop Salad comprised of a medley of leaves and edible flowers with pickled daikon and tiger nut curd. A distinctly Australian dish not to be missed is the Salt Cured Kangaroo, which is first brined and then smoked, contributing to its surprising tenderness. It is finished with a bonito-based dressing and crowned with bunya nut, finger lime, and edible flowers from the Food Forest. If it’s on the menu, opt for the line caught John Dory, which is simply grilled over woodfire resulting in a crisp texture and charred flavor profile, complemented with shaved abalone, Australian sea herbs, and a side salad of herbs and purple radish.
Visit Kaarla at CapitaSpring, #51-01, 88 Market Street, Tel: 8338 3251
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