Where To Eat & Drink: Valentino's Merci Marcel Pop-up, Free-flow Peking Duck & 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.
Follow our guide to the best eats this week: Unlimited servings of Peking duck at Si Chuan Dou Hua's UOB Plaza 1 outpost, Valentino's pop-up at French bistro Merci Marcel, Breadtalk's Taiwan-inspired bakes, and more.
Bistecca Tuscan Steakhouse celebrates its 10th anniversary with a special menu
It has been 10 years since Bistecca Tuscan Steakhouse has served up its beloved steaks, and it's now marking the occasion with a limited-edition four-course ‘Best of Bistecca’ menu.
The dining experience kicks off with a choice of Fremantle octopus, burrata or pan-seared scallops accompanied by mint salsa verde and tender, flavourful artichokes. Then choose from two housemade pasta dishes: Busiate, a beef and tomato ragu or Japanese Pumpkin Agnolotti. We went for the latter, which has moreish parcels of sweet and savoury pumpkin puree and gorgonzola piccante, alongside cubes of the root vegetable and chopped almonds for a bit of crunch.
The spotlight is on Bistecca’s hefty Signature Sharing Steaks, which feature premium F1 Wagyu (marble score 6+) beef from Australia. Slice into the Fiorentina, a classic T-bone that's perfectly charred over a wood-fired grill and yet boasts a tender centre. Or go for the Costata, a bone-in ribeye. Both options range from 900g to 1.3kg, based on the number of guests at the table. They're also served with a medley of sides (one choice per person). We recommend the earthy wild mushrooms, or if you're looking for something decadent, the Mac N' Cheese. Otherwise, the broccolini and crisp, fluffy steak fries are great, too.
Tame that sweet tooth with either panna cotta, tiramisu, black forest ganache or a decadent sticky date pudding served with brown butter pecan gelato. Each guest will also get a complimentary glass red or white wine, or fruit soda.
The ‘Best of Bistecca’ menu is priced at $138++ per person. Bistecca Tuscan Steakhouse is at 26 Mohamed Sultan Rd, Singapore 238970. Visit its website for reservations or more information.
Breadtalk has rolled out a Taiwan Taste range of baked goods that nod to beloved Taiwanese eats. Love the classic sesame chicken dish? You'll find its familiar flavours in the Sesame Chicky ($2.20) that has sauteed chicken seasoned with rice wine, melted gouda and mozzarella and wolfberries.
Forget the cheese pull. Get the mochi pull with the Peanut Mochichi ($2.20) that's a riff on Taiwan's famous peanut ice cream roll. Or sink your teeth into the Hello Pollo ($2). The danish-like pastry has a crumbly crust, and a milky golden custard within.
Apart from buns, there's also the Tropical Mango cake ($24, $5.80 for a slice). Expect vanilla chiffon, mango-infused panna cotta, refreshing mango pineapple coulis, and Chantilly cream. An interesting twist: a layer of cheese, which lends a savoury note to the otherwise sweet dessert.
The Taiwan Taste range is available from Feb 18 to April 17, 2022, at all outlets islandwise (except Marina Bay Link Mall, Resorts World Sentosa, Raffles City, 313 Somerset, Centrepoint), and online on Grabfood, Food Panda, Deliveroo as well as its e-store.
Si Chuan Dou Hua at UOB Plaza 1 is wooing diners with a tempting feast that boasts all-you-can-eat Peking duck. From March 1 to May 31, 20222, all you have to do is order either of its Deep Duck Secrets set menus, which come with sides and desserts, to enjoy the deal.
Menu A ($68++ per person, minimum of two persons) has the likes of boiled duck soup with orange peel, Ipoh hor fun soup with duck meat and preserved vegetables, roasted Beijing duck and homemade beancurd with honey osmanthus.
Get Menu B ($88++ per person, minimum of two persons), and you'll be treated to “Chong Qing” diced chicken with dried chilli, boiled chicken soup with velvet mushrooms and mini abalone, roasted Beijing duck, braised rice with diced duck and conpoy, and more.
UOB card members enjoy a further 15 per cent off. Si Chuan Dou Hua is at 1 UOB Plaza, #60-01, 80 Raffles Place, Singapore 048624 Visit Si Chuan Dou Hua's website for reservations or more information.
By now, you'd likely have seen Ella the AI-powered robot barista at Plaza Singapura's atrium. And now, you can catch the six-axis robot arm in action at Raffles Place MRT station, where it's part of the new Bytes Station, a grab-and-go sandwich and smoothie kiosk by Crown Coffee.
Ordering and payment are made via the Ella mobile app or at the self-ordering terminal. From the app, you can also purchase your coffee as well as a variety of hearty sandwiches, wraps, and pastries while on the way to the kiosk, then scan your QR code to retrieve your order when you arrive. Sandwich and wrap choices include the loaded Pesto Chick Ciabatta ($10.90) with juicy chicken thigh chunks and homemade pesto in a sundried tomato ciabatta, Chicken Mango and Brie Pocket ($9.90), and Rendang Ribeye Ciabatta ($11.90).
Prices for coffee start from $3.50 for an Americano to $5 for an Oatly latte crafted with plant-based milk from Oatly, all brewed using ground-to-order Buscaglione coffee beans. Plus, it opens from 7am to 8pm, Mondays to Fridays, so it's perfect for grabbing a morning cuppa and a bite before starting your day.
Bytes Station is at 5 Raffles Place, #B1-55/56, Raffles Place MRT, Singapore 048618. Visit its website for more information.
Luxury label Valentino is bringing a special experience to Merci Marcel. From now till March 14, it's hosting a pop-up at the French bistro's Club Street outlet, a nod to its couture-inspired Rendez-Vous Collection Spring/Summer 2022 showcase at the Carreau du Temple last October.
Details are brief, but you can look forward to a specially curated three-course menu ($80++), with dishes like the Beef Tenderloin Carpaccio, the Tarte Flambee pizza with goat cheese and sunflower seeds, as well as the Eggplant Caviar-topped flatbread with mozzarella and tomato chutney.
From now till March 14, 2022. Merci Marcel is at 7-9 Club Street, Singapore 069403. Visit its website for reservations or more information.