The long week is finally coming to a close with yet another Friday the 13th that some of us are weary about and fearful of. While we kick away these heavy thoughts, here are four places you can drop by over the weekend to either catch up with your friends over food, or to just sink comfortably into sofa chairs with an aromatic cup of coffee.
Olivia & Co.
3 Temasek Boulevard, Suntec City Mall, #01-481-483A, Singapore 038983
Built around the concept of travel, a new modern bistro, Olivia & Co, opens in the heart of the city at Suntec City Mall. At first glance, you would notice the bistro’s open concept, which sits like an island separate from its kitchen. The mix of quirky patchwork and industrial style chairs, together with its other imported furniture, cook up a good blend of vintage and industrial chic. You might think this is all, but this new kid in town is more than just its elaborate decorations. Drawing inspiration from comforting and exciting flavours from around the world, Olivia & Co serves a whole menu of original creations. It is precisely the reason it is named after the first wife of Sir Stamford Raffles, Olivia Cassivelaun Fancourt, who opened up our little country to the world and its different cultures and flavours. Served in bigger portions, most items on the menu are good for sharing, making it a perfect location to eat over quiet conversations. A must try on the menu will be the Quayside Soft-Shell Crab Burger, which puts together the crispy tempura battered soft-shell crab with jalapeño mayonnaise on Olivia & Co’s signature house-made brioche buns. For meat-lovers, go for the Spring Chicken, served with a unique wasabi parmesan potato mash which will melt your heart at once.
Tel: 6337 2518
Noshery by Nosh
9 Rochester Park Singapore 139220
Getting away from the hustle and bustle of town might not be an easy task now as more and more foodies explore the nooks and crannies of Singapore. Despite that, Noshery by Nosh provides you with a lush habitat to catch up with your friends over an elaborate menu of good food and coffee. Nestled in the quiet Rochester Park enclave, Nosh introduces its latest member of the Nosh family of spaces, Noshery, which is a café by day and a bar by night. Rattan chairs, ceiling lights and botany printed wallpapers helm the intricate interior, which resonates with its quaint and green surroundings. Its decorations simulate the rawness of nature and its vastness, making it a perfect spot for people to seek solace as time slowly passes them by. If you’re in search of a wholesome lunch or a decadent brunch, be sure to try the Devil’s Breakfast on the brunch menu, which comes with eggs, spicy tomato ragu, chorizo, potato, samba flakes, guacamole, rustic bread and side salad. Noshery’s Yakitori Salmon also puts together a unique taste, with its salmon and coconut rice, which melts instantly in your mouth. If you are going for something sweet, the Chocolate Brownie served with chocolate sauce and peanut butter ice cream might just make your day.
Tel: 6779 4644
The Populus Coffee & Food Co.
146 Neil Rd, Singapore 088875. Tel: 6635 8420
Those who can appreciate a good cup of coffee have a new destination to check out: Populus. Set up as the flagship for the owners’ coffee roastery, 2degrees North Coffee Co., this contemporary cafe not only showcases the range of seasonal single origins and specialty coffee blends such as the Kenya Thiriku AB and the Ethiopia Kochere Dumerso, but also takes its menu to another level with its own twists on popular dishes such as rice bowls, fried chicken and pancakes. If you’re there for lunch, try out the grain bowl, which comes in choices for pulled pork, roast chicken and wagyu beef. Presented like a modern bibimbap, it serves up a generous portion of charred furikake baby corn, red cabbage and apple slaw, chargrilled zucchini, roasted butternut squash, sautéed cherry tomatoes and L&P mixed mushrooms atop a healthy mix of three grains: quinoa, bulgur wheat and pearl barley. The buckwheat pancakes are also somewhat of a signature, topped with berry compote, passionfruit curd, thyme-infused maple syrup and cornflake crumbs. Roasted cod & soba noodle salad makes for a light dinner, with edamame, mushrooms and seaweed drizzled with lime and sesame sauce, while a more hearty option would be the linguine cooked in bisque with lobster, scallops and crab. The bingsoo-inspired dark chocolate soft-serve ice cream makes for a light and sweet dessert at the end of the meal.
Tel: 6635 8420
SAVOUR 2016
Bayfront Avenue, Singapore 018971
It’s all about promoting local culinary talents with SAVOUR Gourmet, the first part of this year’s home-grown gourmet festival. From 12 to 15 May, enter for free to visit the alfresco Gourmet Village, where you can wine and dine from an affordable selection of offerings by bars and restaurants such as Artichoke, CATO, Labyrinth and Salt Tapas & Bar, all to the tune of live music. Aspiring chefs would probably do well to check out the exceptional products at the Jasons Gourmet Market too. The first 1,500 customers will be entitled to purchase the SAVOUR Experience Pack, which includes vouchers for both the Village and the Market, a goodie bag, and an exclusive taste of the delicious Xiao Long Bao by “Demon Chef” Alvin Leung from 3-Michelin-starred Bo Innovation. Leung and his protege Eric Chong, winner of the first MasterChef Canada, will be taking over the kitchen in the elegant yet relaxed setting within L’Espace Martell, to demonstrate how well the official cognac for SAVOUR 2016 pairs delectably with Asian cuisine. Also watch out for SAVOUR’s Emerging Chef Singapore 2016, Martell Projects: Chef, the spectacular culinary battle that will be held through all three editions, and be sure to buy the Martell Gourmet Passport for complimentary servings of some delicious Martell Cordon Bleu.
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Text by Dewey Sim and Rachel Ang
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