Restaurants & Cafés

The opening of Ruam on Wan Chai’s trendy Ship Street was a relatively low-key affair when compared to that of Black Sheep’s buzzy new venture, Associazione Chianti, a few weeks later and a few doors down. The latter was common of restaurants that have recently come to populate what has to be given credit as one of the most interesting epicurean alcoves in our city right now, and so the prospect of visiting one of the street’s quieter neighbours was all-the-more alluring. While certainly not proving a disappointing experience overall, the food at this self-described vibrant-casual Thai garden bar and eatery needs more attention to do the atmospheric space justice. The name of the restaurant means “to gather” in Thai, and it’s easy to discern that this was at the forefront of the minds that designed the space. Upon trundling up a narrow staircase, visitors emerge in an outdoor, deck-style space that dominates the restaurant and is replete with wooden counter-height tables seating around four – some of which offer charming views of the street below – and a couple of sprawling round tables in the centre to accommodate larger groups. Add to this atmospheric lighting, accentuated by fairy lights festooned between the wooden beams overhead, and you have a space that is inviting and conducive to conversation. The Drinking Snacks section of the menu is a good place to begin food-wise, as it’s where you’ll find a selection of starter-sized dishes including but not limited to skewers,

The team behind popular Brazilian-Japanese fusion restaurant Uma Nota and Middle Eastern spot Bedu have succeeded again with another delicious foray into exotic cuisine, this time offering contemporary twists on Malaysian street food classics. This new venture, named Jalan — which literally translates as “street” in Malay — is located in the heart of Soho on Peel Street (two doors down, as it happens, from its big sister Uma Nota) and channels its choice of local-style cooking to delicious effect with a range of dishes that are as unique as they are fun. The restaurant’s easy-to-navigate menu is split into two sections, with the top half offering tapas-sized portions of which the waiters recommend ordering 3-4 per person, and the lower consisting of larger dishes that equate to your standard main. For those who really want to get stuck into the Jalan concept, it pays to start with a varied selection of the smaller offerings, say, the Rojak Salad ($70), which comprises a zesty mix of pineapple, carrot and cucumber tempered by earthy peanut, the JALAN “satay” style chicken ($105), which proves a well-executed take on the ubiquitous street food skewer, and the soft shell crab ($130) which is deep-fried for that winning combination of crunch and sink. Now time for the larger dishes. There were seven to choose from on my visit, and the dish that really leapt out from the menu was the coconut roasted prawn curry ($195), which was as delectable as it sounds. The dish comes in a fr

As well as the iconic Tian Tian restaurant, Chatterbox is another one of Singapore’s hottest spots for Hainanese chicken rice. First opened at the Mandarin Orchard Hotel in 1971 and later reputed as among the nation’s premier Hainanese Chicken Rice spots, this world-renowned restaurant has recently made its first overseas debut, the Chatterbox Café, at the brand new cultural-retail destination K11 Musea in Tsim Sha Tsui. For a restaurant that encompasses over 2,000 sq. ft., the tables are a tad bit too “intimate”, but thankfully its atmosphere is enjoyably lively and relaxed enough. There’s a large mural of wildlife animals and tropical plants surrounding the dining area that evokes Singapore’s geology, and this in turn is complemented beautifully by the tasteful decor of Peranakan floor tiles.  Chatterbox Cafe’s signature dish, the Mandarin Chicken Rice ($118), sees the restaurant's renowned chicken poached in a rich broth that is made using the exact same recipe as at Chatterbox Singapore. The boneless chicken meat retains its moisture and is smooth, juicy and tender. The enticing chicken skin retains a thin layer of oil that gives it a nice sheen, yet it’s not at all greasy, boasting just the right amount of fat and gelatin underneath. The rice is as flavoursome as the meat. First cooked in chicken stock then folded gently with a small amount of chicken oil, it is fragrant and not overly cloying. Accompanying the meal is the requisite dipping sauce of ground ginger, egg y

Renowned for its namesake duck waffle which has already been sold on over a million plates, the famed and hip London restaurant Duck & Waffle made its debut in Hong Kong by running a successful pop-up at the Ritz-Carlton three years ago, and is now coming back to open its first overseas branch at Central’s IFC Mall, dedicated to serving up its signature all-day breakfasts curated by executive chef Daniel Barbosa.  Stepping into Duck & Waffle, which boasts several eye-catching giant green ducks set in the main dining area coupled with the unique island-shaped bar design, one can immediately appreciate the place's spaciousness and convivial aura. The first thing we ordered is the classic Duck & Waffle ($230). With an oil-coated duck confit and a crispy fried duck egg placed on top of the waffle, the best way to taste it is to first remove the duck bones, poke the egg yolk, pour in the cinnamon syrup mixed with mustard seeds and cut it all the way down. As the duck is marinated two days ahead of time, slow-cooked with duck oil for ten hours, and then deep-fried for a quick finish before serving, the duck skin is exceptionally crunchy while the meat remains tender and moist, forming a rich and delightful bite with the lightly sweetened waffle. The Spiced Ox Cheek Doughnut ($135) is another signature dish of Duck & Waffle. Referencing the traditional Chinese buns, these crispy doughnuts are filled with juicy minced beef cheeks. Though a little bit spicy, we love how its greasines