What was once a cult “izayaka-style” restaurant is now a contemporary restaurant tucked away along Scotts Road. Having worked in Kyoto with Michelin-starred Cenci for over two years, chef-owner Javier Low has carved out a niche, serving up modern Taiwanese-inspired plates, using Taiwanese produce, guided by Japanese and European sensibilities. Self-sourcing from trusted farmers and fishermen in Taiwan, expect kampachi (great amberjack) from Penghu, lightly cured and charred over charcoal with vibrant Taiwanese plum and dill vinaigrette; carabineros from Yilan, its body gently grilled and served with a rich prawn trimming sauce while the head is fried till a crisp; and amadai (tilefish) from the South China Sea surrounding Kaohsiung, fried till its scales are crispy and paired with luscious katsuo dashi sauce and pickled Taiwanese green chillies.

Low’s clay pot rice segment is the firm highlight for most, where seasonal ingredients take centre stage. Take his latest Autumn menu for instance, where he spotlights pacific saury from Kaohsiung—prized for its fatty buttery meat, especially during Autumn—to star alongside yumepirika rice, ginger and a liberal sprinkle of crispy pork lard.

It’s high time Southeast Asian cuisine is taken as seriously as European cooking in the fine dining scene. Paving the way here is Seroja, which won a Michelin star less than a year after it opened. The restaurant shines the spotlight on flavours inspired by countries in the Malay Archipelago, in particular, Malaysia, where chef-owner Kevin Wong was born. Seroja’s tasting menu offers an exciting take on familiar flavours from the region, with familiar ingredients given a sophisticated makeover using culinary techniques Wong gleaned from his time working in France. Illustrating this perfectly is the Malaysian-style roti paung served alongside seared Hokkaido scallop atop lily bulb purée, caramel tamarind glaze and a torch ginger sauce with coconut milk.

Korean chef-owner Louis Han has held his own in a sea of fine dining openings with his tried-and-tested formula. He cooks from the heart to create deliciously nuanced fare, with joyous vibes from start to finish. The tasting menu-only restaurant exudes homey vibes in its light wood dining room. It features shelves of fermenting kombucha alongside vegetables and fruits that are pickled in jars. The cuisine bears imprints of his childhood and professional experience in trendsetting restaurants spanning Korea, Singapore, and the Middle East. Signatures include somyeon, Korean buckwheat noodles tossed in house-made sauce and topped with the freshest seasonal ingredients, and the duck galbi, bincho-grilled minced duck patty in a savoury gochujang sauce. Service is attentive and breezy, and the wine recommendations are spot on. Exclusive alcohol labels include yeonyeop ju (lotus leaf alcohol) traditionally brewed in earthen pots by a one-woman distillery that does not export outside Korea.

Situated in the historical Jinrikisha Station building at the apex of Neil Road, this one-Michelin-starred establishment possesses a unique charm and gorgeous interiors that seem to embody the chef’s hopes and dreams: bright and mesmerising, austere yet dramatic. The counter provides front-row seats to a quiet and efficient kitchen working at furious pace under chef-owner Zor Tan’s watchful eye. To fully appreciate a meal at Born, set aside sufficient time and space for the chef’s nine-course menu. Based on the concept “Circle of Life”, each course is a generous sharing of the stages of Tan’s life, with names like “Through my Eyes” and “Doraemon”. Every dish is executed with a combination of precision, intriguing ingredients and captivating flavours. Creative, delightful and occasionally whimsical, Born perfectly embodies the blissful marriage between French fine dining and Chinese culinary tradition.

Restaurant Fiz may not have a long history, but it has already established itself as one of the best new restaurants to emerge in 2023. With sleek interiors and sincere food, it’s not hard to see why. Chef Hafizzul Hashim’s dishes unpretentiously cling onto Malay and Southeast Asian flavours we know and love, as a tribute to his heritage and travels around the world. For instance, his spin on nasi lemak is an ingenious recreation which sees a bed of coconut rice purée topped with a deliciously runny free-range egg and anchovy sambal. The assam pedas is also reborn as an intensely spiced stew upgraded with Wagyu beef brisket. Served with fragrant, fluffy white rice, this is the very definition of comfort food, refined and redefined. With the preface of the a la carte format now available, the contemporary Southeast Asian restaurant has never been more accessible.

At this sleek restaurant on Keong Saik Road, chef-owner Lee Boon Seng offers contemporary European cuisine with Asian twists in an exploratory tasting menu format. Innovative starters that riff off familiar flavours, such as Lee’s take on the drunken chicken with dou ban jiang emulsion, and the oyster mousse, delight the tastebuds. In the mains, feast on dishes like the squid sausage claypot rice, jasmine rice cooked in chicken stock alongside vegetables and spices doused in and earthy squid ink egg sauce; and Wagyu rump cap, a whole steak of Wagyu rump seared to diners’ preferred doneness and finished with green chilli oil, bone marrow burnt parsnip purée and beef jus. Since the debut of the a la carte menu, one could even have an entire meal built on the snacks that typically mark the start of the tasting menu.

A Franco-Asian gastronomic playground of Dylan Ong from The Masses sees innovative new creations including the starter of squid ink kuih pie tee topped liberally with a mixture of crab, crunchy jicama and punchy hae bee hiam; a riff on the classic French staple of steak tartare where pickled cai xin and wasabi add a touch of contrast in texture and flavour; and an ice kacang inspired dessert of fennel and citrus laced aiyu jelly paired with shavings of a pink guava prosecco flavoured ice. The longstanding duck confit is still a crowd favourite. Boasting crispy skin with the fat perfectly rendered and meat fork-tender, the duck leg is then perched atop a bed of wok-kissed rice noodles, local mushrooms, Mirabelle plum vinaigrette and shavings of house-cured egg yolk. This is a darling dish that is essentially Ong on a plate where he proudly brandishes his hawker background of growing up in a kway chap stall run by his parents.

Riding on the Malay fine dining renaissance is Harummanis, helmed by chef Akmal Anuar, previously of one-Michelin-starred 11 Woodfire. The restaurant is Anuar’s revival of his parents’ hawker stall on Teck Whye Lane opened in 1992, with a modern twist on Malay food. For the full experience, head down for the dinner tasting menu, where you get to taste Anuar’s contemporary renditions of dishes like ikan sebelah (sole fish) marinated with tiger’s milk and wing beans, lamb chops with spicy kicap (sweet soy sauce) and udang galah (giant freshwater prawn) infused with curry leaves, garlic, and three peppercorns.

Part of one of the freshest new openings in town, Quenino at Artyzen Singapore offers a degustation-only menu, shaped by third culture chef Victor Liong’s contemporary Asian flair. In seven or nine courses, expect Liong’s playful yet researched takes on Asian cuisine, touched by his experiences in Asia and Australia. Think uni touched with samba belado, raw Spencer Gulf kingfish with burnt garlic, and pork belly drizzled with aged soy sauce bursting with umami.

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‘Demon Chef’ Alvin Leung is famous for his bold and experimental cuisine, evident in his two-Michelin-starred Bo Innovation in Hong Kong. But for his restaurant at Capitol Kempinski Hotel Singapore, he focuses instead on the more traditional culinary techniques to create delectable modern Asian fare, inspired by his travels across the region. Browse the expansive menu and you’ll see how he has elevated local favourites such as chicken rice. For his version, the poultry is cooked to juicy perfection in the giant rotisserie and served with the usual enhancers: chilli sauce, ginger purée and soy sauce. More so, the accompanying rice, a Jin Long Yu premium variety, is made more flavourful thanks to an umami-packed chicken stock.
 
 

Contrary to what some people might think, Como Cuisine doesn’t serve wellness fare but a collection of delectable dishes from the hotel brand’s various properties across the world. Bhutanese executive chef Tshering Lhaden and her team craft these recipes from scratch using in-season produce that’s sourced locally, where possible. Standouts on the menu include the Bhutanese momos, Lhaden’s own take on her native country’s popular street food snack. Her version boasts a wrapper that's handmade daily from scratch and stuffed with fresh ingredients of ground pork belly, red onions, crushed garlic, coriander leaf, ginger and chilli flakes. Dip these tiny morsels into the homemade hot pepper sauce for a fiery kick.

Korean-American chef Akira Back is adept at Japanese cuisine. But for his eponymous restaurant, which has outlets across the world, he has chosen to combine his expertise with his Korean culinary heritage. Tried-and-tested favourites include the AB pizza with its crisp crust slathered with aioli, micro shiso, truffle oil and your choice of tuna or mushroom. Also reflecting his global influences are the salmon tiradito bathed in a yuzu lemon sauce, reminiscent of the Peruvian ceviche.

A Singaporean through and through, banker-turned-chef Han Liguang champions local cuisine with his rendition of mod-Sin fare, showcasing nostalgic influences from food he grew up eating, prepared with predominantly local produce. His culinary genius shines in imaginative signatures such as the claypot “Ang Moh” kampong chicken rice, which has undergone different iterations over the years. The current version features meaty strips of chicken served alongside fragrant rice imbued with the chef’s delectable roux sauce. The dish is also accompanied by the Hainanese-style chap chye and lala soup. It’s the same with the OG chilli crab, which was first introduced in 2014 and is back on the menu. Inspired by beach crab, the dish features soft-shell crab that’s deep fried and set atop mantou ‘sand’ with Shaoxing foam and a quenelle of chilli crab ice cream.

Chef-owner Sun Kim has carved a niche for himself by creating interesting dishes utilising his Western culinary training and featuring myriad Asian influences, particularly Korean (his personal heritage). There’s no better way to experience his singular cooking than with the Chef's Tasting Menu, comprising the restaurant's greatest hits along with other innovative creations that are updated according to seasons. Feast on the likes of tuna tartare enhanced with caviar, avocado and dashi jelly, as well as the extremely juicy Challans duck paired with chestnuts and mushroom namul (a Korean side dish), which is a delicious medley of textures and earthy flavours.

Taking inspiration from his Malaysian Indian heritage, head chef Manogren Murugan Thevar elevates classic Indian food with a contemporary twist by introducing his innovative take on traditional flavours and spices. This is why the menu at Thevar changes frequently based on the chef's creative inspirations. What dominates, though, is the hearty sharing plates and snacks infused with the smoky flavours of the grill, whether it is the mackerel dosai or tandoor baby lamb. The intimate 35-seat modern Indian grill restaurant and bar also offers an eclectic list of Asian-inspired cocktails and wines.

Chef-owner Petrina Loh describes her cuisine as “experimental fusion”, admitting that she likes to work with a variety of ingredients— teasing their natural flavours through various cooking styles to release a burst of sweet, salty, bitter, sour and umami in the mouth. Take, for example, her signature steamed Venus clams in dried fig chicken broth, which was inspired by a comforting soup she grew up eating. The flavoursome broth is concocted with dried figs and Solomon’s seal rhizome (a Chinese herb) that's boiled for half a day to achieve a rich and creamy texture. While it’s hearty on its own, Loh complements the soup with hits of savoury flavour with a side dish of homemade kimchi and pickled wakame.

Singaporean chef Gan Ming Kiat’s ingenious interpretation of Singapore cuisine has been a big hit since the restaurant started on sleepy Brighton Crescent in 2019. The restaurant started out as a private dining outfit at Gan’s parents’ home and has since blossomed into a well-loved restaurant. Gan’s inventive menu pushes the boundaries of modern Singapore fare and is dabbed with inspirations from Japanese cuisine and techniques. Mustard Seed’s omakase-style tasting menu changes monthly, which adds to the thrill factor of observing the chef in action from the counter seats in the intimate restaurant. Some of Gan’s interesting twists on local favourites have included buah keluak mee pok, deep-fried turmeric frog legs, and beef tartare kueh pie tee.