Where To Eat & Drink: Excellent Pasta In Joo Chiat, Ippudo's Hawker Collab & More
Our round-up of great dining spots to check out, fab drinks and the latest in food news this week
By Michelle Lee SM -
Always on the hunt for new dining spots? We bring you sound bites on where to eat, including new restaurant and eatery openings, the best places for your after-work tipple, and what’s new in the food scene.
What to know this week: The Cicheti Group has teamed up with private dining chef Lee Yum Hwa to open Italian restaurant Forma, Ippudo has a tie-up with local hawkers, and there's a new pizza concept from Bulgaria in town.
The Joo Chiat neighbourhood's been bustling, and there's a newcomer to add to your to-go list. Italian trattoria Forma by The Cicheti Group, is set to open this May.
To start, do it like the Italians and get a shot of the aromatic Cucielo Vermouth ($12++). We tried the various antipasti, and honestly, there wasn't one we didn't like. What stood out was the Polpette di Baccala ($21++), breaded salted cod and mashed potato bites brightened with lemon aioli, and the Prosciutto di San Daniel e Melone ($24++) that delivers an explosion of flavours with grilled sweet philibon melon, sharp jalapeno jam, and syrupy aged balsamic vinegar. The Smoked Speck Ham ($18++) also impresses with lightly cured cold-smoked ham and smoke-kissed pan-roasted Medjool dates.
The pasta programme, spotlighting pasta shapes from different regions, is helmed by local pasta artisan and private dining chef, Lee Yumhwa of Ben Fatto, as well as sfoglina Denise Tsi who apprenticed under him for a year. You can catch them in action through the glass windows of the pasta production kitchen.
From the opening menu, there's the comforting Tortellini in Brodo ($34++) served in a light chicken stock. Don't let the mini parcels fool you - they're packed with an intensely flavourful meat filling. We also enjoyed the Oriechette al Sugo d'Agnello ($36++), with a ear-shaped pasta typical of Puglia that holds the robust tomato-based sugo sauce, and slivers of meltingly tender lamb shank. The machine-made bronze-extruded Linguine al Limone ($29++) marries the zesty notes of Amalfi lemons and piquant Provolone del Monaco DOP in an emulsified sauce that clings to the pasta's porous surface.
The secondi are equally exciting, presented by executive chef Dylan Cheong. The Merluzzo alla Scafata ($38++) or pan-roasted blue cod has a beautifully crisp and airy skin - almost like biting into a wafer - and tender flesh. It sits in a silky vermouth-butter sauce stew that's given an earthy touch from fava beans, peas and onions. And if you like your meat red, there's the Bistecca di Tomahawk ($248++), starring 55-day dry-aged grass-fed Australian beef, served with roasted garlic, homemade steak sauce, mustard salsa verde and porcini gremolata.
Forma officially opens May 3, 2022, but we heard it's already booked out till the end of May.
Forma is at 128 Tembeling Road, Singapore 423638. It's open for dinner from 6pm (Tues to Sat).
Bulgarian chef Radostin Kiryazov, who's had three decades of pizza making experience, and also won awards at the World Pizza Championship, has opened his first outpost outside of Bulgaria, at Wallich Street.
The highlight of the Romana-style pizzas lies in the hand-kneaded dough — a crisp, crackling base that uses sourdough, as well as a high ratio of water to the Italy-imported flour. It makes for a soft, pillowy dough that yields an airy open crumb.
There are 10 flavours to choose from. My dining companions enjoyed the signature Burrata Cheese ($9.50 per slice/$34 whole) crowned with light creamy burrata, and a rich burst of tomato as well as a delicious housemade pesto. But if you're fond of stronger cheeses like I am, the Tartufata ($9.50 per slice/$34 whole) with mozzarella, a thick truffle cream with ricotta cheese, parma ham as well as a sharper parmesan will be up your alley. The Formaggi ($8 per slice/$28 whole), another signature with mozzarella, gorgonzola, scamorza and parmesan, is also worth sampling.
For something heartier, try the Diavola, topped with spicy Italian sausage, tomato sauce, mozzarella, red onion, black olives and grilled pepper. After a sweet snack? There's the Nutella ($6 per slice/$20 whole) — the concoction of banana, strawberry, mint and a drizzling of Nutella won chef Radostin the first place in the Pizza World Championship 2005 in the Dessert Pizza Category.
L’Arte Pizza & Focaccia officially opens on May 9, 2022, at 5 Wallich Street,#01-14, Singapore 078883. Online reservations will open from May 5, Thurs, with limited quantities available daily.
Ippudo's signatures have been given a local spin with a collab with local eateries Da Dong Prawn Noodles, Jin Ji Teochew Braised Duck & Kway Chap, and Keng Eng Kee Seafood.
To celebrate local food culture, the ramen restaurant has rolled out The Heritage Set, comprising three dishes. The main event is the Hae Ramen, which blends Da Dong’s umami prawn soup with Ippudo's signature creamy tonkotsu as well as thin noodles, prawns, pork lard and chives. Slurp it up on its own, or enjoy it with a lashing of hae bee hiam (a recipe by local actor Lee Nanxing).
Accompanying it is the Lor Ark Bun, which sees Jin Ji braised duck sandwiched between Ippudo's Global Signature soft fluffy buns. And for a delightfully moreish snack, there's the Kopi Chicken Karaage. The Japanese-style fried chicken thigh is slathered in KEK Seafood’s bittersweet coffee sauce.
The Hawker Heritage Set is at ($28++) and exclusively available at Ippudo's Marina Bay Sands outlet, from now till May 15, 2022.
If you've been to 313 @ Somerset lately, you'd likely have noticed the vibrant and retro-style interiors of new dining spot Ohayo Mama San.
It serves up a medley of all-day brunch sets and Japanese fusion fare. Think light bites of ikura and tobiko pappadams ($20++ for 10 pieces), crabmeat nori tacos ($20++ for four pieces), and a Nishoku Tamago Total Satisfaction Brunch ($34++). For something decadent, check out the wagyu truffle ramen ($40++), king prawn truffle ramen ($24++), or the Uni Garden ($228++, currently available via pre-order) laden with uni, snow crab, shiro ebi, botan ebi, oysters, and more.
Sushi's on the menu too, but Ohayo Mama San has given it a twist with its signature Riceless Sushi rolls like the Dancing Geisha ($24++) boasting fresh salmon and tuna, and fresh ikura, and the the Forbidden Love ($24) with subtly peppery kaiware sprouts and crunchy tempura bits.
If you're up for a spot of afternoon tea, choose from its two options, both of which come with savory and sweet treats, as well as a pot of TWG tea ($38++ go for two). Alternatively, shake it up with a signature Passion Mimosa cocktail ($58++), or a carafe of sake ($65++).
To make it a merrier affair, happy hour is on from 11am to 8pm (Mon to Sat), and all-day on Sundays. Fresh beers are from $8 a pint, and house sake start at $10 by the glass. You can also sip on sake-based Geisha Selection of cocktails at this time for $12++ each - after 8pm, they priced at $18++ each.
Ohayo Mama San is at #01-29, 313@Somerset, 313 Orchard Road, Singapore 238895.