Sofra Turkish Cafe & Restaurant

I like to eat Turkish food frequently and there are a few Turkish restaurants in Singapore I visit regularly. The one I most frequent is Sofra Turkish Cafe & Restaurant. In my opinion, Sofra is the best Turkish restaurant in Singapore with its rich menu, attentive staff and management as well as the prices. This Beach Road Turkish restaurant has been around more than 12 years and is, I think, one of the most popular Turkish restaurants in Singapore. If you are looking for Turkish halal food in Singapore, this one is a must visit.

Sofra's specialities include Eggplant Kebap, Iskender Kebap, Jumbo Kebab Combo, Red Lentil Soup, Salad Plate, Sofra Yaprak Tavuk, The Chef. Everyday, they have a special set menu. They have (currently) below special dish schedule :

Monday       Lahmacun + Ayran or Şalgam
Tuesday       Tantuni + Ayran or Şalgam
Wednesday  Tandir Kebab
Thursday      Lahmacun + Ayran or Şalgam
Friday           Etli Nohut + Pilav
Saturday       İzmir Köfte + Pilav
Sunday          Çiğ Köfte  + Ayran or Şalgam

Sofra has really good cooks. Each dish is quite delicious and reasonably priced. It is very obvious that they use quality ingredients, especially very good quality beef in the restaurant. One surprising thing is that the taste is quite similar to what you would get in Istanbul, Turkey.

Other than food, they have a special corner from where you can buy Turkish food supplies such as Turkish cheese, Turkish Olive Oil, Turkish deserts, nuts and so on.

Sofra Turkish Cafe & Restaurant is around for more than a decade and is one of the best Turkish halal restaurants in Singapore

Softa Turkish Restaurant is located at 100 Beach Road, #02-42/44, Shaw Tower, Shaw Leisure Gallery, 189702. You can call +65 62911433 for reservation.

Harry Potter-themed cafe in Singapore - Platform 1094

Platform 1094 on 1094 Serangoon Road (600 meters from  Boon Keng MRT station) has opened its doors to customers in December 2016 with a Harry Potter themed menu.. With its warm brick walls, wood-panelled ceilings, soft chandelier light fixtures and chairs decorated with colourful stag prints, it brings customers into the world created by J.K. Rowling.

Platform 1094 is a new restaurant of three-year-old bistro and bar Fresh Fruits Lab in Changi Road.

Menu includes desserts like Black Magic ($16 - black sesame panna cotta and squid ink profiterole with mango cream diplomat, crispy charcoal bread, black tuile lace, chocolate soil, blackberries and sweetie cream), main dishes like Pestro Mayo Pork Ribs ($22 - butter-cream poached pork ribs, drizzled with pesto mayo, served with grilled vegetables, corn, pickled beetroot and mango mustard espuma).

But the real deal is the magical food; this Harry Potter-themed cafe offers wizard-themed starters, main dishes, desserts and cocktails.

Platform 1094's warm brick walls, wood-panelled ceilings, soft chandelier light fixtures and chairs decorated with colourful stag prints, it brings customers into the world created by J.K. Rowling.

Goblet of Fire ($15) for example is one of the most popular drinks at the cafe. This is an alcoholic cocktail that is made with blue curacao liqueur, lemonade and Bacardi rum. The drink is then set on fire in front of guests and sprinkled with cinnamon powder, causing sparks and flames to swirl.

Other "Poisons" in the menu are Truth Venom ($12 - blue curaçao liquer, vodka, sprite, grenadine and pineapple juice), Dizziness Tonic ($12 - blueberry vodka, tonic water and fresh blueberries), Amnesia Blend ($12 - rum, champagne, mint leaves and lime), Sleeping Draught ($12 - rum, ginger ale, banana schnapps, cherry, pineapple juice and orange juice) and non alcoholic Elixir Of Life ($8 - tonic water, sprite and lime sorbet).

Goblet of Fire is an alcoholic cocktail that is made with blue curacao liqueur, lemonade and Bacardi rum. The drink is then set on fire in front of guests and sprinkled with cinnamon powder, causing sparks and flames to swirl. - Image : Lonely Planet

Platform 1094 is on 1094 Serangoon Road. It is open from 11am to 10pm (Tuesdays to Fridays), 10am to 10pm (weekends), closed on Mondays. Visit its Facebook here Platform 1094 Facebook page.

Craft Beer in Singapore - The Good Beer Company

One of the best places to drink craft beers in Singapore is interestingly in a hawker centre in Chinatown. The Chinatown Complex hawker center is quite a well known place in Singapore but in a relatively difficult to find corner of it you will find The Good Beer Company, a stall which brings in a range of great beers and ciders from brands never previously seen in hawker centres. You can also find some very nice Asian brands here and the bonus is that you can drink your craft beer with hawker center food!

Whenever I go to Chinatown (which is usually to bring a guest to visit Chinatown), I try to visit this stall. The Good Beer Company is not very easy to find in this large and complex hawker center but don't give up. The beer is certainly worth the find! Since it is in a hawker center, you will sit in a standard hawker center table but this also means that the imported, craft beer you drink is relatively cheaper compared to your usual restaurant or bar. Unlike many people, I am a fan of fruit beer and Taiwanese (NTW) Lychee Beer (which is sometimes available in supermarkets) is a must try and you would probably like it even if you are not a fan of fruit beer. Anyway, the stall has really great selection and if you are not sure what you should try, ask the uncle : he will make great recommendations.

Located in Chinatown Complex hawker center, The Good Beer Company offers nice selection of craft beer with reasonable prices

The Good Beer Company is at #02-58 Chinatown Complex, 335 Smith Street, 050335.

Turkish Restaurants in Singapore

If you are looking for Turkish food in Singapore, you can find some good options around Arab Street and Bugis Area but you also have some options outside these centers. Do not expect the rich menus you can find in countries like USA though, the menu is mostly kebab, doner kebab, kofte and pide based (these are also Turkish food but does not reflect the whole picture at all) and you can hardly find grilled fish, vegetarian Turkish food ( like bean based food) or even the classic Turkish dumpling Manti. Almost all of these restaurants are also halal certified so you will not find alcoholic beverages (with the exception of Deli Turk where you can taste Turkish food with wine or beer like you can do in Turkey).

Here I have tried to list the Turkish Restaurants in Singapore. If you think any restaurant or establishment is left out let us know.

Sofra Turkish Cafe & Restaurant
#02-42/43/44, Shaw Towers, 100 Beach Road, 189702

Centrally located on Beach Road in Shaw Towers, Sofra Turkish Cafe & Restaurant offers a rich menu from Turkish Cuisine with nice ambiance and good service. Highly popular, this establishment is serving Turkish food in Singapore since 2000. It has also a small mini shop where you can buy Turkish food ingredients and Turkish products such as olive oil, beans, Turkish cheese and some Turkish deserts. Try the Lahmacun (which is served on Mondays and Thursdays), Iskender Kebab.

Deli Turk Turkish Cuisine
162 Upper East Coast Road, 455259

There used to be a very popular Deli Turk Turkish Restaurant in Suntec City Tower 4 and this Deli Turk in Upper East Coast Road is a spin off that restaurant. If you are in the east and want to try out Turkish food, this is a nice option. Unlike many other Turkish restaurants, Deli Turk Turkish Cuisine offers alcoholic beverages so you can have the unique experience of drinking your wine, beer or spirit with Turkish food. Try the national drink of Turkey, Raki and national beer of Turkey, Efes Beer (Pilsener) and also several wine options.

Turkish Kebab House

#B1-105, Suntec City Mall, 3 Temasek Boulevard, 038985

This small bufe in Suntec City Mall is a place where I regularly go because I visit Suntec City a lot and the food here is very good. Their doner kebab is very good and you can also have a few other Turkish food there. 

Arkadas Cafe
 #03-02, Fusionopolis, 1 Fusionopolis Way, 138632

Opened by a Turk after serving 22 years in Turkish Embassy in Singapore as a chef for ambassadors, Arkadas Cafe is definitely in a location which is not central but a visit to this small and nice Turkish restaurant is rewarding. Although main course is mostly limited to kebab and kofte, don't forget to try the houmus with pita bread which is really nicely done.

Alaturka Mediterranean & Turkish Restaurant
16 Bussorah Street, 199437

Most people head to Arab Street to eat Turkish or Middle Eastern food and Alaturka is one of the popular Turkish restaurants in the vicinity.

Cafe Le Caire
#01-01, 39 Arab Street, 199736

If you like Middle Eastern / Turkish Food, Cafe Le Caire is one of the good alternatives in the Arab Street vicinity.

British tourist paid 216 Dolars for two sea bass dishes

This week, a letter from a British tourist (George Vickers) made its way to headlines in Singapore. George Vickers and his wife apparently went to Boat Quay for seafood and felt "ripped-off" after paying $216 for 2 sea bass. “We went to Boat Quay for a meal one evening and both of us chose sea bass without asking the price, so we were surprised when we got the bill and found that each fish had cost us $108” he said. “In most countries, the equivalent of $216 for two fish would be considered a rip-off.”

The issue here may seem like the restaurant : they did not warn the customers about the price. But due to the culture in Singapore, the real issue here is that the tourists did not ask for the price. Based on my experience in Singapore, I can say that it is not `appropriate` for a waiter to hint about the prices of expensive dishes. This is thought be considered as an insult, like saying `you may not be able to afford` it. This goes to news one or two times every year : a tourist orders a dish and faces with a super high bill and then argues with the restaurant because he was not informed.

So in Singapore in expensive establishments like the restaurants in Clarke Quay and Boat Quay, try to understand the prices of the expensive looking dishes before ordering them cheerfully. For example some dishes like Alaska crabs can cost more than 500 SGD per crab depending on its weight. No one will warn you because of the reason I have explained. For example a Filipino family on a trip in Singapore faced a bill of $1,186.20 where just the crab alone cost them $707. Their meal on April 26 at Forum Seafood Village Restaurant at Boat Quay also included prawns, a fish and a plate of vegetables.

By the way, the local media went to Boat Quay and tried to understand why a single sea bass costs 100+ SGD there. The reason is simple, rents! A restaurant in Boat Quay pays around 30,000 SGD per month(!) and it is a must to overcharge with these rents.

But do not forget, the real reason behind an exaggerated bill may really be overcharging. For example in a famous case in 2009, a food stall in (overrated) Newton Food Centre charged  a group of American diners a hefty S$239 for eight tiger prawns. The stall's license was suspended after the news went straight into local newspapers and TV.

  

Dishes you should try at Nando's

Nando's delivery specializes in chicken dishes, so if you don’t like chicken then you might as well skip over their meal delivery for Singapore.

The Quarter Chicken Breast is a great place to start, if you’re not ordering for a family. Throw in a side of Peri-peri vegetables or fries and that’s probably the most popular starter combo on the menu.

Nando’s grilled Peri-peri chicken is famous for being the most succulent and moist chicken on the market. You can order your chicken to taste for level of spiciness.  Even the Peri-peri veggies are glazed in their famous zing. They arrive crisp and fresh, just like the fries.

Your customization of Nando’s famous chicken can be from gently mild to  extra hot and you can also then pick one of their famous Peri-Peri sauces of garlic and mild, to extra hot sauce. A safe bet for those who are sensitive to spicy food is the lemon & herb chicken with a side of garlic bread. You get more of an Italian flavoring, but with the hint of Nando’s famous Peri-peri chili.

Another amazing dish is the EspetadaRustica, a specially marinated chicken skewer with sides. This chicken is so juicy and succulent and tender, it just melts in your mouth with all the flavors that have marinated in it over the past 24hrs. Not only is it tasty, but it also looks just as beautiful, hanging vertically from a skewer, glazed with the Peri-Peri sauce as it cooks.  It’s packed with so much flavor and the sauce drip is captured by a bowl with the vegetable salad, giving the veggies a lot more flavor.  You can use the runoff as a dipping sauce by itself for your fries or other sides.

Once you cut into the chicken, you’ll see each piece of chicken is embedded with sun-dried tomatoes, red onions, and red chilli that adds the most intense flavor palette and zing to the chicken, your taste buds will be going crazy with every bite!

Other honorable mentions on the menu:

● Angry Mango Burger: Mango+Peri-peri chicken = heaven!
● Chicken Breast Fillet Wrap: Their signature Peri-peri chicken in the palm of your hand!
● Veggie Burgers and Pitas: Nando’s allows vegetarians to enjoy their Peri-peri, too!
● Portuguese Salad: Another taste of Nando’s heritage, not to be missed!
● Natas: A sweet Portuguese custard tart that is so rich and filling!

Toast Box Gift Voucher Singapore Deal

Nanyang Kopi and food house Toast Box offers a nice place to sit and enjoy kopi and is one of the most popular cafe chains in Singapore. You can find one everywhere from Marina Bay Sands to the far far away heartland malls.

Toast Box is a reflection of the coffee shops from the 60s and 70s, where the common practice for breakfast was a fragrant cup of Nanyang Coffee accompanied by freshly toasted bread. This warm, nostalgic concept was reinvented to bring back fond memories for those who missed the good old times, and for the younger ones to experience the feel and flavours of a bygone era.

Toast Box was first established in December 2005 as a food stall unit Food Republic Wisma Atria in Singapore. The concept was so popular that it has expanded to 61 outlets in Singapore and later expanded to Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, Hong Kong and China.

If you are regularly visiting Toast Box, you should take a look at this Toast Box Gift Voucher deal. You can buy 2 x $5 Gift Voucher for only $8 instead of $10 (save $2) or 5 x $5 Gift Voucher for only $20 instead of $25 (save $5) or 20 x $5 Gift Voucher for only $80 instead of $103 (save $23). If you go for the last option, the vouchers are delivered free via SMS mail by SingPost. The vouchers are valid in all Toast Box Singapore outlets and for all dishes & merchandise.

Toast Box voucher will be valid for 6 months (from 23 May 2014) and cash voucher will be in $5 denomination. If you do not want to go all the way to DEALs.com.sg office to get your vouchers (you cannot redeem your purchased vouchers in Toast Box outlets but need to exchange them with real ones in DEALs.com.sg office), go for $80 option which is delivered to your address.

For more information and details, visit Toast Box voucher deal's web site. There are many more deals like this in DEALs.com.sg Dinning Deals page.

A Toast Box outlet in Marina Bay Sands

Beijing No.1 presents a majestic culinary experience at Marina Bay Sands

Joining the myriad of renowned restaurants at Marina Bay Sands is Beijing No. 1, a Northern Chinese restaurant that celebrates the history of famous imperial cuisine passed down from the Qing dynasty (17th to 20th century).

Located on Atrium 2 at The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands, Beijing No. 1 is set within an exclusive dining space with a grand main dining hall and nine opulent private dining rooms which sit a total of 120 diners. The restaurant is conceptualised by veteran Master Chef Liu Guo Zhu (刘国柱) and helmed by Executive Chef Shi Wei Dong (史卫东). Master Chef Liu is also the Executive Chef of Wynn Macau’s entire Chinese culinary operations with a special emphasis on overseeing Golden Flower, a two Michelin-starred restaurant in Macau.

Signature dishes include braised Jinshan’s shark’s fin in supreme chicken broth, poached fish with chili oil and Beijing No. 1 supreme happy family with shark′s fin, sea cucumber and fish maw.

Authentic imperial cuisine with a story
Tan cuisine was created by and named after Tan Zongjun, an official in the Qing dynasty who was fond of hosting friends and acquaintances for culinary feasts at his residence. He would personally supervise the cooking methods used by the chefs he employed from Beijing.

This home-cooked fare later flourished into gourmet cuisine at the end of the Qing dynasty upon many improvisations and perfecting. To date, Tan cuisine has close to 300 dishes to its name and is especially famous for its seafood dishes and its unique agar in clear soup.

Tan cuisine is prepared mainly by braising, stewing, simmering and steaming, and the uniqueness of the cuisine is assorted seafood cooked in savoury soup stock. It tastes moderately sweet and salty and focuses on fresh ingredients to bring out authentic original flavours.

Master Chef Liu and Executive Chef Shi’s illustrious backgrounds
Master Liu is an award winning chef who brings with him more than 40 years of experience in the culinary world. Throughout the course of his esteemed career, he has served dignitaries including Her Royal Highness Queen Elizabeth II, former Chinese Leader Deng Xiao Ping and former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger.

The distinguished veteran was also the Chief Instructor of the Chinese Cuisine Training Institute (CCTI) Hong Kong from 2003 to 2009, a school that provides courses to rising Chinese chefs.

Executive Chef Shi helmed the award-winning Golden Flower restaurant in Macau before moving to Singapore. He also served in the Chinese Cuisine Training Institute (CCTI) Hong Kong for five years as director. As a chef with over 40 years of experience, he has won many honorary titles in the Chinese culinary world, specializing in Sichuan, Shandong and Guangdong cuisine.
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Chef Liu said, “Tan cuisine is a beautiful medley of the best in Northern Chinese cuisine. We are very dedicated to making only the best using fresh ingredients and traditional cooking methods in order to preserve the original flavours of the cuisine.”

“Tan cuisine is truly a culinary art and experience that I hold close to my heart. With Beijing No. 1, I hope to be able to share this prestigious cuisine with Singapore, and at the same time enrich the food and cultural diversity in this part of the world,” said Chef Liu.

Beijing No. 1 opened its doors to the public on 30 June 2013. The restaurant opens daily for lunch (11.30am – 2.30pm) and dinner (5.30pm – 10.30pm).

Online food delivery site FoodPanda Singapore partners Picky app

Online food delivery service Foodpanda is partnering Singapore foodie app Picky which will enable Singaporeans to order food from restaurants from Picky app. The orders will be delivered to the buyers by Foodpanda.

Founded in Singapore on March 2012, FoodPanda Singapore has been aggressively expanding in Singapore. The web-based delivery service claims to be Singapore’s largest home delivery system after it has swallowed Singapore Dine, a rival food delivery system, last month.

Singapore restaurant and dining guide Picky app is a free iPhone app which helps people in Singapore to find  out a place to eat.

FoodPanda offers over 200+ Singapore restaurants to order food online and delivers island-wide.

Other than FoodPanda, One existing major rival is Deal.com.sg’s Food Runner. DealGuru Holdings has just spun out its food delivery subsidiary to form ‘Food Runner’.

DealGuru spins out Asian food delivery business - Food Runner

E-commerce operator DealGuru Holdings, the firm behind Southeast Asian buying site Deal.com.sg, has spun out its food delivery subsidiary to form ‘Food Runner’, the number one food delivery company in Southeast Asia. With the spin out, Food Runner, operating the Room Service Deliveries brand, has more than 50,000 registered users and delivers several million dollars’ worth of restaurant food annually.

Announcing Food Runner, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mr Lance Frey explained the rationale for the stand alone. “The business has been growing strongly. We felt it had reached a point where it made sense to operate with the greater flexibility and focus that a separate business provides. While we will continue to improve our position in Singapore and Malaysia, the next big opportunity is expansion into other Southeast Asian markets, adding millions of consumers to our reach.”

Rebate Networks Founder and Managing Director (CEO) Mr Michael Brehm expressed his optimism. “We know Southeast Asia well, holding several investments there. It is an area of vast opportunity, including in the food delivery business. By 2015, we project the SEA food delivery market to be worth US$390 million, driven by consumer demand, rising incomes and continued urbanization”.

Southeast Asia is one of the world’s most economically vibrant areas, with a population of some 600 million
and some of the world’s fastest growing economies, including The Philippines (7.8%), Indonesia (6.0%) and
Thailand (5.3%). “We believe we have the best business model to succeed: we are number one in Southeast Asia by food sales and revenue; we have deep local, entrepreneurial knowledge of each country, city, block, jalan (street) and lorong (lane); and we provide the best value and service to both restaurants and food lovers. We will invest the right resources in the right cities, remaining focused on Southeast Asia, and not spread thinly across two or three dozen markets”, concluded Lance.

By 2015 the value of the takeaway & home delivery food market in SEA is predicted to replicate the rapid
growth and expansion seen in global markets. Companies in both developed and emerging markets are
generating hundreds of millions of dollars of revenue each year, including US-based Just Eat, US-based
Seamless/Grubhub, Europe’s Delivery Hero, Turkey’s Yemeksepeti and Russia’s Delivery Club and Foodik.

About Food Runner
Food Runner operates in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia (under franchise) as Room Service Deliveries. It became part of DealGuru Holdings in 2012. Food Runner provides restaurants with customer leads, order
processing and food order delivery services, allowing them to reach and serve more customers.

The company provides a services platform for customers to choose from hundreds of restaurants and thousands of food choices, and have lunch or dinner delivered quickly to their home or office. Food Runner is majority owned by DealGuru Holdings (DealGuru), the leading independent e-commerce operator in Singapore and Malaysia. DealGuru reported 2012 revenue of US$40 million. DealGuru made the original food service delivery investment to extend its expertise of managing a large online e-commerce platform, including technology, customer service and scalability. The traditional ‘off line’ food delivery model has been modernised with online capabilities, providing greater scale and efficiencies.

Source : Rebate Networks-backed DealGuru spins out Asian food delivery business - ‘Food Runner’; Largest Food Delivery Business in Southeast Asia

Foodpanda and Singapore Dine merge in Singapore and become Number One

Foodpanda Singapore, an online food order and delivery platform in Singapore, has started a partnership with Singapore Dine, Singapore’s best Restaurant and Dining web portal. This partnership will make Foodpanda the market leading food delivery company in Singapore. This partnership announcement came just a week after Foodpanda announced its cooperation with RedMart, Singapore’s fastest growing online grocery delivery service.

Founded in March 2012, Foodpanda Singapore grew into a Singapore wide food order and delivery platform with more than 200 restaurants in its list. “The merge with Singapore Dine makes us by far the market leader in the Singaporean food delivery market. Customers, who want to order at Singapore’s Dine will be redirected to www.foodpanda.sg in future to access the broadest culinary variety from more than 200 restaurants delivering island-wide. We are very happy that we can offer the leading and best food delivery platform in Singapore” said Kiren Tanna, CEO Asia at foodpanda in Singapore about the merger.

Singapore-Dine has also been operating food delivery service since 2010 through its online ordering portal: www.Singapore-Dine.sg/delivery. The site offers the widest index of eateries in Singapore, including buffets, coffee places, hawker centers, restaurants & more, taking into account your budget, your location and even by MRT station. Our site includes an on-line reservations system; the first on-line restaurant booking system in Singapore.

Foodpanda and RedMart partners

Foodpanda Singapore, a leading online food order and delivery platform in Singapore, has announced a partnership with RedMart, Singapore’s fastest growing online grocery delivery service. Both companies will pursue exclusive deals for both customer sides and perform joint marketing activities.

Foodpanda SG is founded in Singapore on March 2012 by German online start-up incubator Rocket Internet GmbH, who is also the founder of online shoes and fashion shopping site Zalora Singapore. Foodpanda currently has 200+ restaurants in its list with island-wide coverage.

Online grocery and home essentials service RedMart.com offers delivery seven days a week of groceries and home essentials throughout Singapore. Customers also receive free deliveries for orders above $75 and can even set automatic reorder reminders for their next purchases via the website.

“We are very happy about our cooperation with RedMart. Both companies are leaders in their areas and share a similar target market and a strong culture for customer service and value. With this partnership, we aim to provide the best service, choices, offers and create even more value for our customers. This will help us further firm up our leadership position in Singapore” said Kiren Tanna, CEO Asia at foodpanda.

Roger Egan, CEO of RedMart, added: "Both RedMart and foodpanda have the same focus - making people's lives easier by offering great deals on food and related items with the convenience of online ordering and delivery.  This is a natural partnership and we are confident that all of our respective customers will benefit from us working together."

Order food online with Foodpanda Singapore

If you are lazy to go out to fill your empty stomach, you can order your food online and have food delivery in Singapore through Foodpanda Singapore, a leading online food ordering platform in Singapore. Instead of keeping links to many individual restaurant or food chain online order sites, you can simply go to Foodpanda and choose among partner restaurants.

Foodpanda SG is founded in Singapore on March 2012 by German online start-up incubator Rocket Internet GmbH, who is also the founder of online shoes and fashion shopping site Zalora Singapore. Rocket Internet GmbH's business model is to identify the successful internet ideas, usually from the US (e.g. Groupon), and replicate them in other countries such as Germany (e.g. Citydeal). They then usually sell the sites to the original company (they have sold Citydeal to Groupon in 2010).

Ordering food online from Foodpanda is fuss-free and fast. You simply enter your post code, find your favorite restaurant near you and with just a few effortless clicks, you can to easily order food over the internet. Although started with 51 restaurants targetting only Central Business District and its over working executives, Foodpanda has grown to 200+ restaurants and Singapore wide coverage in a year. Some popular restaurants from where you can order food online are Thai to Go (Kitchen), Cafe Mexicana, Omar Shariff Authentic Indian Cuisine, Golden Pillow 933, Indian Curry House (Sixth Avenue), Sarpino's Pizzeria (Balestier), The Yang's Traditional Hainanese Chicken Rice, Brinda's, Khansama Tandoori Restaurant, Sarpino's Pizzeria (Downtown East), Yeo Keng Nam Traditional Hainanese Chicken Rice, Ananda Bhavan Restaurant, Thai to Go (Sembawang), JK Don, The Shepherd's Pie, Da Vinci's Italian Restaurant, Hui Wei Chinese Thai Cusine, Tandoor Curry Club, Maharajah Restaurants ( Dial-a-Curry ), Sakunthala's, Thin Crust Pizza and  Madjack Clementi.

FoodPanda delivers your favorite food straight to your desk or doorstep!
You can choose from over 200+ restaurants and order online.

Foodpanda together with its affiliated brand hellofood is the leading group of online food ordering platforms active in 27 countries (India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Morocco, Senegal, Nigeria, Russia, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, Hungary, Venezuela, Poland, Ukraine, Romania and Saudi Arabia).

db Bistro Moderne at Marina Bay Sands new menu items, promotions and event programming

French-American bistro db Bistro Moderne at Marina Bay Sands, located in The Shoppes At Marina Bay Sands, gears up for an exciting season of new menu items, promotions and event programming, under the direction of new Executive Chef Jonathan Kinsella who joined the team in Singapore in January 2013. Coupled with the fresh talent of Executive Pastry Chef Benjamin Siwek, regulars and newbies alike can look forward to a host of dining adventures at db Bistro Moderne in the coming months.

Fresh items on the db Bistro Moderne menu:

Executive Chef Jonathan Kinsella has collaborated with Chef Daniel Boulud to introduce new, regular menu items sure to become popular mainstays. With an eye towards lighter fare using local ingredients and fresh seafood, highlights include the Bouillabaisse Royale with Wild Snapper, Sea Bass, Scallop, Prawn, Mussels, Lobster, Fennel, Tomato Confit and Rouille, Seafood and Market Vegetable Aioli, Saffron Tagliolini with Fresh Spanner Crab, Tomatoes, Italian Parsley, Lemon and Olive Oil, Grilled Mediterranean Sea Bream with Fennel, Orange and Olive Salata, Whole Herb Roasted Organic Chicken and Chef Benjamin’s feather-light Durian Soufflé with Mangosteen Sorbet.

The brunch menu also features exciting additions including delicious house-made Charcuterie, seafood platters, Duck Hash, as well as the signature dbBurger- the classic ground sirloin burger lovingly crafted with foie gras, red wine braised short ribs (off the bone), a mirepoix of root vegetables and preserved black truffle. Also on the brunch menu is the new Brunch Bloody Mary: This liquid pick-me-up features a festive brunch skewer of poached shrimp, Parisian ham wrapped cornichon, pepperoncini, heirloom cherry tomatoes, pickled asparagus, fresh celery, and an Old Bay Spiced Rim- a fantastic way to kickstart any
weekend morning.

Take a Tour of Daniel Boulud’s Classic NYC dishes every Monday night:

Starting every Monday from 8 April, guests will get a taste of the best from Chef Daniel’s New York “originals”. As part of the celebration of the 20th anniversary of Chef Daniel’s flagship Restaurant Daniel, dishes from the iconic location as well as his other New York gems will rotate on the menu every Monday, giving diners a chance to experience an eclectic selection of Chef Daniel’s NYC classics. The menu will change every few weeks with a completely new repertoire of classics being offered each time, with highlights
including:

• Popular signature dishes from Restaurant Daniel such as Black Tie Scallops, Lobster Pot Pie, or a Duo of Grass-fed Beef with braised short ribs.
• Classic Charcuterie board selections from Bar Boulud such as Pate Grand Mere, Pate Grande Pere, Sliced Parisian Ham, Duck Pate Encroute, with new selections changing weekly.
• db Bistro Moderne’s classic French starter, Tarte Flambé.
• Boulud Sud’s famous Mediterranean Mezze, Sea Urchin and Crab Tartine, Octopus “A la Plancha” with Marcona Almond, Arugula, and Jerez Vinegar and Tagine of Chicken with Cauliflower, Apricots, Moroccan Couscous, and Preserved Lemon.
• Desserts like the Baked Alaska from DBGB with flavors rotating on a weekly basis as well as the db bistro Moderne classic “Clafoutis Tout Chocolat.” 

Monday evenings are made even sweeter by guests being able to enjoy any bottle of wine on the menu that is over $150, at half price. This could include pairing the meal with a halfpriced bottle of 1990 Chateau Lafite Rothschild Bordeaux, a 2005 Armand Rousseau Clos de la Roche Grand Cru or even a 1997 Peter Michael, Les Pavots.

db Bistro Moderne “Junior Pastry Academy”:

With the upcoming school holidays in mind, db Bistro Moderne will be engaging young culinary talents with its inaugural “Junior Pastry Academy”. This series of specialty pastry workshops will take place at 3:00PM across the five Saturdays in June at db Bistro Moderne, and are open to children aged 5-12 years old. Conducted by Executive Pastry Chef Benjamin Siwek, each 90-minute session will focus on a different theme as follows:

• June 1 - Yogurt Cake
• June 8 – Brownies
• June 15 – Cupcakes
• June 22 – Cookies
• June 29 - Candy Bars

The workshops are priced at $75 per child, and this includes sweet treats and champagne for the child’s accompanying parent. Classes are capped at a maximum of 15 people, and children will get to bring home their apron, chef hat and their pastry creations. Special prices are available for parents with more than one child. Package prices for 3- 5 sessions are also available. To make a reservation for a workshop or to enquire about the different pricing options, please contact db Bistro Moderne.

Upcoming Wine and Beer Dinners :

db Bistro Moderne continues to host its regular wine series for amateurs and connoisseurs alike featuring esteemed winemakers and custom-crafted menus. Later this month, the restaurant will present its Michel Roland Collection Wine Dinner. Michel Rolland is an indefatigable ambassador of good winemaking practices and has now extended his activities overseas. Guests will be able to sample Argentinean and French Collections paired deliciously with a four course menu by Executive Chef Jonathan Kinsella. Presented by wine ambassador Didier Richer, the dinner will commence at 7:30PM on 24 April and is priced at $148++ per person. Beer lovers can also look forward to upcoming beer dinners at db Bistro
Moderne, in partnership with local brewery Brewerkz.

db Bistro Moderne is Chef Daniel Boulud's renowned re-interpretation of the Parisian classic. Among his many achievements, Chef Boulud is credited with elevating the simple burger into an art form--a new sophisticated take on an old classic.

Originally from Lyon, France, New York was where Chef Daniel Boulud’s name became synonymous with fine dining. His Manhattan restaurant 'Daniel' is considered one of the 10 best in the world. Chef Boulud has published six books, has a successful television series ‘After Hours with Daniel’, and is recipient of numerous honors, including James Beard Foundation awards for ‘Outstanding Restaurateur’ and ‘Best Chef of New York City’.

Sky on 57 at Marina Bay Sands welcomes top Norwegian Chef Eyvind Hellstrøm this April

Marina Bay Sands and Chef Justin Quek of Sky on 57 have invited renowned Norwegian Chef Eyvind Hellstrøm to showcase his mastery of Norwegian seafood.

“It is such an honour to have Chef Hellstrøm as a guest chef at Sky on 57. We have been friends for a long time and have been sharing techniques of cooking Norwegian seafood like divers’ scallops, halibut, cod, salmon and King Crab Legs- all of which I have used at Sky on 57 since it started. To have Chef Hellstrøm in Marina Bay Sands, Singapore, to showcase his country’s finest is really a perfect match,” said Chef Justin Quek. Sky on 57 currently uses premium Norwegian seafood in popular dishes like Nordic King Crab Braised Vermicelli in Superior Broth, Nordic Scallop with Sautéed Ceps and Slow cooked organic egg with Norwegian Smoked Salmon Asparagus Emulsion.

Chef Hellstrøm shot to fame heading up one of Oslo’s top restaurants, Bagatelle. Under his meticulous direction from 1982 to 2009, Bagatelle was awarded two Michelin stars in 1992, which it held till Chef Hellstrøm left in 2009. He has, over the last 10 years, published more than 13 cookbooks and led several high-rated culinary television shows in Norway. In 2009, he won the Golden Frame, Norway’s top television entertainment award, as Best Male Television Host for Hellstrøm rydder opp, the Norwegian version of Kitchen Nightmares.

Eyvind Hellstrøm

From 16-20 April, guests can enjoy classical Bagatelle dishes from Chef Hellstrøm like his whimsical Tomato “Club” with Norwegian King Crab, Green Beans and Avocado, Norway Lobster Ravioli with Tomato-Olive Bouillon and Atlantic Cod and Truffles. Throughout the promotional period, Sky on 57 will continue to offer its regular a la carte lunch and dinner menus.

Savour 2013 Singapore

The SAVOUR concept remains the only one of its kind in Singapore; a relentless pursuit to unite the best in food and drink with a wide range of unique activities that is accessible to all. SAVOUR 2012 brought together over 14,000 like-minded food enthusiasts into one exclusive purpose-built venue where they enjoyed a day of Michelin-starred dishes, expert master classes, live demonstrations, fun workshops and culinary shopping.

Savour 2013 will be held on 11-14th April 2013 and the venue is 1 REPUBLIC BOULEVARD F1 PIT BUILDING AND PADDOCK.

You can go on a tasting trail and sample over 60 award-winning dishes at the Gourmet Village – Savour 2013 dishes are now priced lower, from S$6 to S$18. You can create your own unique culinary journey - why not start with a molecular-fusion appetizer from Hong Kong, move on to a main course from South Africa, and finish off with a delicate Peruvian dessert.

Gourmet Village
Once again in 2013, the alfresco Gourmet Village will feature over 25 leading chefs and 18 award-winning restaurants serving up a global tasting trail. Singapore's biggest gourmet festival packs a mighty punch, all in one 32,000sqm purpose-built location. The Gourmet Village in 2013 not only features the finest in food and drink, but an all-weather experience under additional shelter, including a brand new air-cooled dining pavilion.

The 2013 line-up will feature chefs with over 10 Michelin-stars between them in addition to top-100 ranked restaurants, including representation from South America and Africa – a massive progression from the 2012 line-up. Overall, over 60 signature dishes will be on offer for you to create your very own culinary adventure. Click here to view participant chefs and restaurants.

Gourmet Village

Gourmet Market
SAVOUR would not be complete without the Gourmet Market - a 10,000 sqm international showcase of of over 150 food and drink exhibitors. The Market also includes Savour Event Arenas which will host complementary workshops, tastings and product demonstrations conducted by renowned experts. Sample hundreds of quality products from an array of top producers, and take part in fun activities at the Wine Theatre, Baking Arena and even the Kids' Corner.

Gourmet Auditorium
Expect the best chefs from around the world as well as Singapore's top talent to put on master classes to remember at the Gourmet Auditorium, SAVOUR's bespoke 300-seater air-conditioned arena. SAVOUR 2013 will see a expanded schedule of master classes - a 50% increase from 2012 - covering an increased variety of topics. Click here for the latest schedule of master classes.

Savour 2013 Ticket Prices
You can either purchase a Savour Pass or Savour Premier Pass.

Savour Pass is SG$35 per day and comes with $20 worth of Savour Dollars. It let's you access only to Gourmet Market and attend complimentary workshops and demonstrations at all Event Arenas within the Gourmet Market.

Savour Premier Pass allows access to both Gourmet Village and Gourmet Market, access to Celebrity Chef Master Classes at Gourmet Auditorium and attend complimentary workshops and demonstrations at ALL Event Arenas. Lunch Session price is SG$55 comes with $20 worth of Savour Dollars and Dinner Session price is SG$65 comes with $30 worth of Savour Dollars

The Bar at Waku Ghin @ Marina Bay Sands

Celebrity Chef Tetsuya Wakuda launches a new epicurean experience in Singapore


Fresh from debuting in second place on The Miele Guide’s Top 20 Restaurants in Asia 2013, Waku Ghin has unveiled a full bar menu showcasing delectable dishes complimented by exquisite cocktails. With this, The Bar at Waku Ghin now presents a unique new epicurean experience for both regular customers as well as guests new to Waku Ghin to enjoy.

Based on his philosophy of using only the freshest produce available, Chef Tetsuya Wakuda’s food menu for The Bar at Waku Ghin features dishes like Aburi Ocean Trout, a grilled loin of ocean trout with soy, chili, yuzu and olive oil, and the aptly named Salad of Sea, a combination of shellfish and marinated, seasoned and raw fish served with vinegarflavoured rice. Guests can also savour dishes like the Ghin Wagyu Beef Open Sandwich, Grilled Canadian Lobster Open Sandwich, pastas, cheese platters, and a fine selection of oysters and Oscietra Caviar.

The Bar at Waku Ghin features the art of Japanese-style cocktail making at its best, serving over 85 handcrafted cocktails including well-loved classics like the Martini, Moscow Mule, Mojito and Chef Tetsuya’s all-time favorite, the Gimlet, made with Gordon’s Gin, fresh lime juice and sugar syrup. It is also stocked with an equally impressive selection of whiskies that include single malt and blended Scotch whiskeys as well as whiskeys from Japan, America, Canada, Ireland and Australia. Guests can also expect a well curated selection of sake, including the exclusive Waku Ghin Isojiman Junmai Daiginjo M label produced for Chef Tetsuya, the first Sake Ambassador to be appointed outside of Japan.

Waku Ghin Bar

Dishes start from S$38++ with cocktails priced from S$20++ onwards. The Bar at Waku Ghin opens daily from 6pm until late - no reservations are required. For enquiries, contact the restaurant on +65 6688 8507 or wakughinreservation@marinabaysands.com.

Celebrity chef restaurants Waku Ghin and Osteria Mozza are on Asia‟s 50 Best Restaurants List

Celebrity chef restaurants Waku Ghin and Osteria Mozza have been successfully placed on the inaugural “Asia‟s 50 Best Restaurants” list. Their wins were announced at a gala gathering of acclaimed chefs, restaurateurs, gourmands and industry experts at the Marina Bay Sands Expo & Convention Centrelast night.

With its 11th spot placing, this marks the second time Waku Ghin has emerged among the region‟s best, following its debut entrance into the coveted “World‟s 50 Best Restaurants” last year. Osteria Mozza‟s 35th spot marks its debut landing in the list, which is dominated by restaurants in China, Singapore and Japan, with 16, 10 and 9 restaurants listed respectively.

Tamir Shanel, Vice President of F&B at Marina Bay Sands, said: “To have not one but two of our restaurants on the inaugural „Asia‟s 50 Best Restaurants‟ list is an incredible success. To kick off these awards at Marina Bay Sands is a huge honour, and we are very proud to be part of the culinary magic that Asia brings to the table.”

Osteria Mozza at Marina Bay Sands

For Waku Ghin, this award also comes at the back of a recent accolade – a number two ranking on The Miele Guide‟s Top 20 Restaurants in Asia 2013.“Asia is a colourful culinary haven where cultures meet. To be able to emerge as one of the best restaurants right here where all the action is happening is indeed a great honour for Waku Ghin. It would not be possible without my talented team at Waku Ghin as well as the
incredible support from Marina Bay Sands,” said Chef Tetsuya Wakuda. “This is a delightful encouragement as we continue to deliver only the best to our guests from all over the world.”

Waku Ghin at Marina Bay Sands

Will Simon, General Manager of Mozza, said: “Since Osteria Mozza opened its doors at Marina Bay Sands in 2010, we have worked hard to present our guests with the delicious authentic Italian dining with an American touch that is the hallmark of Mozza‟s owners: Mario Batali, Joe Bastianich and Nancy Silverton. This award is such great recognition of the team‟s efforts and great feedback that the concept has been well-received in Asia, our first Mozza location outside the United States.”

Earlier this month, Waku Ghin unveiled a full bar menu showcasing delectable dishes complemented by exquisite cocktails. The Bar at Waku Ghin is the pinnacle of refined Japanese-style cocktail making, serving over 85 handcrafted cocktails punctuated by hand-carved ice and the precision associated with Japanese mixology customs.With this, The Bar at Waku Ghin now presents a unique new epicurean experience for both regular customers as well asguests new to Waku Ghin to enjoy. At Mozza, guests can look out for its new spring/ summer cocktail menu to be released this April.

Bak kut teh

Bak kut teh (literally 'meat bone tea') is one of the most famous dish of Singapore and Chinese regions with sizable Teochew community. It is a Chinese soup of meaty pork ribs simmered in a complex broth of herbs and spices. I like it a lot but since it is a quite heavy dish to eat, I do not eat it frequently. Actually it has been a whiles since I have eaten Bak kut teh. Last week, one of my wife's friend came to Singapore and she wanted to try Bak kut teh. For me, a Bak kut teh stall in a hawker center near my house is the best but she wanted something famous so I planned to take her to Ng Ah Sio Pork Ribs Soup Eating House at Rangoon Road. She could not make it to there with us but later she went there with her husband and next day they wanted more of it. So since it was near, I have taken them to their stall in Marina Bay Sands food court. The food in Marina Bay Sands food court is usually quite bad and expensive but the bak kut teh here in Ng Ah Sio stall was quite delicious and expensive.

They say the dish is originated from the Chinese coolies and workers of Hokkien origin. These men who took the long way to Singapore for a better life were terribly paid so they could not effort to buy and eat meat. So  they have come out with this soup which was to strengthen them with meat soup and many herbs and quickly became popular. Teochew community originated version of this soup is different from Hokkien version. And if you believe Ng Ah Sio Pork Ribs Soup Eating House, bak kut teh actually was first cooked by Teochew coolies in Singapore:

As one of the pioneers of this now-famous dish, Mr Ng Siak Mai’s father – Mr Ng Mui Song, began plying the pork based, peppery herbal soup cooked in a distinct Teochew style in the 1950s at the current River Valley and Hill Street vicinity. These early servings of the Bak Kut The was accompanied by Chinese doughnuts (You Tiao) and a strong brew of Chinese tea. There was no chilli and soya sauce dips. 

One of the common beliefs of the origins of Bak Kut The is rooted in the early days of Republic’s founding where large numbers of young men migrated from China to work as coolies at the godowns by the historic Singapore River. As their jobs involved much physical hardship and their meagre salaries could ill afford the luxury of meat then,  they used the bones of pork to brew their soups as a form of nourishment. It is said that the Teochew labourers came up with the original version of Bak KutTeh and their legendary stamina and strength after taking it soon led the other groups of Chinese coolies making the same with vanation in the types of herbs added.

Anyway, we had a chance to go to Rangoon Road to eat the dish. Ng Ah Sio Pork Ribs Soup Eating House is one of the best places to try Bak Kut Teh. Their secret recipe for the spicy herbal soup is very delicious and quite different than the other shops. The place is quite accessible, walking distance away from Farrer Park MRT Station. The shop is at the end of the road. Ng Ah Sio is in this business for quite a long time. Mr Ng Siak Mai took over the shop from his father upon his retirement and served food in New World Amusement Park until 1988. Since then the shop is at this location at Rangoon Road. Other than this road, they have a shop in Marina Bay Sands food court and at Tanjong Katong Road (since April 2012).

The shop at Rangoon Road is quite in the middle of nowhere but since the shop is famous and the dishes are delicious, they have plenty of customers and it is usually crowded here in the morning and evening. They are open from 7 am to 10 pm except Mondays.

Ng Ah Sio Pork Ribs Soup Eating House

We have ordered one signaturespare ribs soup (S$8), braised pig trotter (my favorite - S$8) and blanched xiao bai cai (the veggie dish below, S$4) and rice. My wife likes to drink the soup so I usually end up eating most of the meat. For this reason only one bak kut teh dish is enough for us. They renew the soup for free when it finishes but you need to ask for it. 

Bak Kut Teh (the plate with the spoon)

Below map shows the location of the shop in google maps:

View Larger Map

Ruth's Chris Steak House opening in Singapore

Ruth's Chris Steak House, a chain of more than 121 steakhouses[1] across the United States and some other countries, is opening its first steakhouse in Singapore at Marina Mandarin Hotel on August 2012. Ruth's Chris is not an ordinary steakhouse chain, it is publicly listed in NASDAQ and is currently the largest luxury steak company. The steakhouse will be able to accommodate 121 people at any time and will be opened at the location emptied by Ristorante Bologna. The steakhouse will offer USDA prime beef and bone-in Australian wagyu flown in weekly. The average dinner bill in the outlet is expected to be 80 SGD to 120 SGD.

Other than its restaurants around The United States, Ruth's Chris Steak House has restaurants in Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, Mexico, Taiwan, Puerto Rico and United Arab Emirates. The outlet in Singapore is brought by Taiwanese Hasmore Limited.  

There are some other luxury steakhouses in Singapore. CUT by Wolfgang Puck, one of the most popular master chefs and restaurateurs in the world, at Marina Bay Sands Shoppes. CUT serves premium steaks which goes through a special process to give its signature flavorful to the steak. Eating these premiums steaks here will cost you 150 SGD++. You can see a review of CUT by Wolfgang Puck here: CUT by Wolfgang Puck (Singapore): It's all about the Steak. 

Best steak in Singapore?

Another famous and upscale steakhouse in Singapore is Morton's The Steakhouse located on the 4th Storey of Mandarin Oriental. Morton's The Steakhouse is an upscale restaurant chain with locations in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Hong Kong, Macau, Shanghai and Singapore.

Yet another famous steakhouse in Singapore is American Outback Steakhouse at Millenia Walk. The company must be happy with Singapore market, they are opening a second store in Singapore next year. 

I have not been to these but CNNGo's Singapore's best steakhouse also recommends Bedrock Bar & Grill at Pan Pacific Serviced Suites, Prive at Marina at Keppel Bay and Le Bistrot du Sommelier at Armenian St as the best places you can find exceptionally good steak in Singapore.