New Restaurants to Check Out in Singapore In August 2024

The following new restaurants in Singapore present a range of excellent food and wine – from the freshest Sri Lankan crab to Japanese kappo dining and Korean flavours.

Ministry of Crab

Sri Lanka’s famed crab institution has opened its sixth international outpost at Dempsey, serving only the freshest seafood with recipes perfected by Chef Dharshan Munidasa, whose dual-heritage marries Sri Lankan ingredients with Japanese culinary philosophies. Crabs are the highlight here: they are wild-caught in small batches and air-flown from Sri Lanka thrice weekly, before being prepared in various ways to bring out their best flavours.

Start with crab liver pâté, slathered on Melba toast and elevated with a drop of kithul (palm sugar syrup) treacle. Follow this with mains of signature Garlic Chilli Crab, a crowd favourite which features an unusual but sublime pairing of Italian olive oil and Japanese soy sauce. Those who prefer punchier flavours can opt for MOC’s Original Recipe Spicy Crab, which delivers a kick with a generous number of red chillies, or Sri Lankan Curry Crab, a flavourful creation made with an array of spices, sprigs of moringa, and pandan leaves. The menu has an extensive selection of other seafood options too, such as massive freshwater prawns, clams, oysters, and fish. For more information: ministryofcrab.com

Ichigo Ichie

Fine dining kappo restaurant Ichigo Ichie moved from InterContinental Robertson Quay to its  new home at Orchard Road’s Claymore Connect a couple of months ago. Chef Akane Eno has transformed this ground level unit into an intimate space to express her personal passions of art and food. The main dining counter-cum-kitchen allows for close and meaningful interactions with the chef. Hand-picked art pieces grace the restaurant’s interiors, and a private room provides a sanctuary for tranquil enjoyment.

Guests get to enjoy high quality seasonal ingredients carefully prepared by the chef. The current menu features summer produce like ayu. Abundant in the summer months, this sweetfish is prized for its delicate flavour. The chef confits and grills the ayu before serving it with a drizzle of fresh sansho ankake sauce. The dish is then crowned with deep-fried crispy yamatotoki (also known as Chinese dang gui leaf), one of Chef Akane’s favourite vegetables sourced from the renowned Katsuragi Sanroku farm.

Following the restaurant’s move, the chef introduced tea-centric creations like soy-marinated akami (tuna) with grain mustard given a hint of smokiness from lapsang souchong. The omakase meal also comes with a hearty donabe made with Koshihikari rice from Nagano cooked with white corn in a mix of dashi and Dong Ding oolong tea and served with clear maguro dashi (enjoyed like an ochazuke). Depending on what’s in season, the rice may be paired with ingredients like charcoal grilled unagi. Aside from that, the chef’s signature dish of chilled Miwa somen continues to be a standout. The slippery noodles are laced with a flavourful prawn broth fused with sake and mirin, and topped with botan ebi, bafun uni, prawns, tonburi from Akita prefecture, along with a touch of piquant kanzuri or fermented chilli paste made from snow-aged salt-marinated red chilli, yuzu rind, koji and salt.

The menu is available for lunch as a five- and seven-course meal, and for dinner as a nine-course meal. For more information: ichigoichie.com.sg 

SUSHISAMBA 

Famed for its unique blend of Japanese, Brazilian, and Peruvian cuisine, SUSHISAMBA is set to open its first Asian outpost at the Capital Tower this July – promising stunning all-round views of Singapore’s skyline and a stellar dining programme by acclaimed Chef Kyung Soo Moon. Diners will not find a better setting to indulge: perched on the 52nd floor of Capitol Tower, the restaurant affords panoramic scenery of Singapore’s skyscrapers as well as the sparkling sea. Interiors are designed by world-renowned architectural firm KokaiStudios, boasting an expansive and stylish space that seats 250 across multiple levels.

The main dining area is lively and convivial, with a theatre-style open kitchen where diners can watch the chefs in action as they fire up premium ingredients over the robata grill. Or kick back at the laidback lounge and savour expertly crafted cocktails. Completing the SUSHISAMBA Singapore experience is the iconic SAMBA ROOM, a chic lounge-style setting on the mezzanine floor. The menu spotlights quality and carefully sourced ingredients from around the world, including fresh tuna sourced directly from Japan.

Popular signature dishes from SUSHISAMBA will be mainstays, so expect favourites like the Peruvian seviche, sushi, and sashimi, in addition to new creations like Samba chilli crab roll with tempura softshell crab with sweet chilli sauce and yuzu mayo. For more information: www.sushisamba.com

Nou Noodle Bar

Boasting stylish, neon-lit interiors, this noodle bar along Craig Road is a collaboration between Petites Ventures (the group behind Foxtail bar) and Chef Petrina Loh of Morsels. The chef applies an imaginative approach to classic Asian fare, centred on a culinary philosophy of slow food, fermentation, and cultural flavours from around the world to nourish body and soul. Her notable skills in experimenting with marinades, umami, and fermentation is apparent in crowd favourites like the robust Nou Umami Noodles served with olive scallion sauce, pickled jalapeno, tea marinated egg and laced with koji tomato fermented hot sauce. Or the aromatic Tom Saap vermicelli served with juicy pork belly and spiked with a lacto-ferment yuzu green chilli.

The menu is bolstered by inventive appetisers, such as the moreish beef tongue spam, Alba lamb char siew served with cannellini beans reminiscent of Singaporean satay, and the distinctive mushroom pork dumplings with pidan and umami chilli oil.

Meanwhile, Nou’s co-founder Cheryl Tng and head bartender Bernardine Chan lead the cocktail narrative with a keen focus on martinis. Explore novel kitchen-to-bar highlights such as the Tomato Tomato, a spin on the classic dirty martini which uses repurposed savoury tomato brine leftover from Nou’s house hot sauce; and the Duck-Tini, which borrows inspiration from the menu favourite Duck Mee Sua and is concocted of peppery Duck-Fat Washed Machetazo Salmiana and pickled onion. For more information: nou.sg

Na Oh 

Top Korean Chef Corey Lee has launched his maiden venture in Singapore, in collaboration with Hyundai. Dubbed Na Oh (Korean for moving from inside out), the new casual dining concept is tucked within the Hyundai Motor Group Innovation Centre Singapore (HMGICS) in Jurong West. Although it takes some effort to get here, Na Oh promises an excellent dining experience with an inclusive and accessible approach to quality Korean cuisine.

The seasonal menu, available as a four-course prix fixe menu, sees traditional Korean preparations such as fermentation and preservation, integrated with modern techniques. Enjoy dishes like Mulhwe (seafood in an icy kimchi broth), Naengmyun (cold beef noodles immersed in a broth of dongchimi and simmered beef stock), and the ever popular Samgyetang or ginseng-flavoured stuffed chicken.

What’s interesting is that Na Oh’s dishes are crafted using ingredients grown in HMGICS’s own vertical Smart Farm. This farm produces up to nine different crops including ice plant, red coral lettuce, swiss chard, mustard, kale, romaine lettuce and mizuna, creating a unique seed-to-table experience. Na Oh is open from Wednesday to Sunday for lunch and dinner. Reservations are recommended and can be made via: www.hyundai.com/sg/naoh

Griglia Open Fire Italian Kitchen

Griglia has opened its second outlet in the lively Katong district, offering diners an avenue where they can enjoy authentic dishes that evoke the traditional Italian summertime experience. Executive Chef Andrea De Paolo presents a new menu brimming with staples from Griglia’s Craig Road restaurant, plus a few new additions.

Embark on a culinary journey across Italy’s myriad cuisines, starting with a selection of finger-food snacks like Cantabrian anchovies, sustainably sourced from the Canabrian Sea’s Bay of Biscay; and an addictively crispy focaccia layered with cheese from Lombardy married with Umbria truffle in two ways: a truffle paste cooked down with Marsala wine and fresh shavings over the soft cheese. Slivers of 36 Months Aged parma ham are paired with smoked pears instead of traditional rock melon for a more tangy and crisp profile.

Pasta-wise go for the pappardelle with soft pork cheek and guanciale or the fusilli “Monograno Felicetti”, an indulgent pasta dish packed with morsels of jumbo crab spiked with Calabrian spice (‘Nduja). Fresh from the grill are savoury mains seared to perfection, from the Tuscan-inspired 30 Days Dry Aged Porterhouse ‘Fiorentina’ and whole Spanish turbot to the juicy 200 Days Grain Fed Angus Beef Prime Rib ‘Costata’, ideal for sharing among four to five people. Pair the meal with a wide selection of wines and cocktails, before rounding off with desserts like Upside-down Apple Cake and Sicilian Cannoli. Griglia’s version of creamy tiramisu is the Nocciolamisu with airy mascarpone, Frangelico and espresso. For more information: www.griglia.sg

Camille @ 1-Flowerhill 

Recently opened near Sentosa’s Mount Imbiah, 1-Flowerhill is housed in a century-old colonial bungalow, which has been refurbished to welcome three vibrant F&B concepts. These include Wildseed Café, as well as the new Wildseed Bar & Grill, and refined French-Japanese restaurant Camille. The latter is located on the bungalow’s second floor and is aptly named after Monet’s greatest love and muse.

Chefs Lamley Chua and Loh Wai Lun collaborate to create a blend of two rich culinary cultures, expressed through exquisite starters such as A5 Hokkaido beef and tuna akami tartare, and pan-fried foie gras on a bed of tender ‘kabu fukumeni’ (simmered turnip) and finished with fragrant genmaicha infused with kombu. This is followed by mains of white miso glazed black cod and Robbins Island full blood wagyu flat iron MBS7, packed with the big flavours of perfectly grilled flat iron steak given depth from the earthiness of salt-baked celeriac infused with balsamic teriyaki and sweet confit banana shallot.

Cocktails like Bright Sun in Spring, inspired by the classic highball but with a Roku Gin base and umbeoshi, and Seduction in Autumn, an innovative take on a classic Sour with Haku Japanese vodka subtly infused with milky oolong tea, cap off the evening. For more information: www.camillerestaurant.sg

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Text by: Eris Choo