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’s the deal this week? Stellar French classics at So France’s second outpost, Breadtalk’s bringing back well-loved floss buns, Tiong Bahru Bakery celebrates its 10th year with a pop-up and free croissants, and more.
Following its first opening at Duo Galleria, So France has opened a second store at Claymore Drive with the same French bistro and grocery concept it’s known for. From the geometric floor tiles to the rattan chairs, the space is quintessentially French, with striking pop art pieces that add a modern joie de vivre. There’s also a quaint al fresco terrace if you prefer dining outdoors.
Expect the same enticing menu of rustic, classic Gallic fare treated with a contemporary interpretation – from Pan Seared Foie Gras ($30++) given a hint of sweetness with cherry puree, fresh plum atop toasted gingerbread, to hand-cut Beef Tartare (from $26++), a buttery Chilean Sea Bass in silky white wine sauce to a glorious Canard à l’Orange ($36++) boasting crispy-skin slices of duck that’s both sweet and citrusy with blood orange purée and orange gastrique sauce.
Don’t miss the Boeuf Bourguignon ($38++) with satisfyingly tender braised Wagyu beef cheeks, bacon, and mashed potatoes in a deep robust red wine sauce. For a plant-based option, get the Beetroot Tartare (from $20++), which showcases the vegetable across a gorgeous mix of textures and flavours — it’s sweet, a little tart, earthy, and nutty from a sprinkling of chopped hazelnuts.
Whatever you do, order the Baba Au Rhum ($14++), the seemingly simple mix of boozy rum syrup, moist sponge and a touch of cream still has us thinking about it. Wine lovers will also be pleased with the selection here, which includes wines from Bordeaux, Burgundy, and crisp whites from the Loire Valley.
Do pop by the adjoining grocer shop, where you’ll find a wide array of French imports, from Bordier butter to a plethora of cheeses, cold cuts and meats, wines, prettily packaged confectionery, and even a bakery.
So France @ Claymore is at 1 Claymore Drive #01-01, Singapore 229594. Visit its website for more information.
If you’re in the mood for hearty, loaded sandwiches, call on artisanal sandwich specialist Stacked, which prides itself on hand-kneaded bread that’s baked fresh daily in small batches. This means they can only push out 30 sandwiches a day, so order fast.
Each sandwich comes with toasted bread that’s sturdy and chewy, as well as tapioca chips. Hands down our favourite is the hefty Mighty Mala ($13), a flavour bomb with thick and crispy mala-marinated chicken thigh. The mala mayo spread uses Sichuan peppercorn, and you can choose from three levels of spiciness for that authentic mala experience.
Then there’s the Bitchy Bacon ($14), Stacked’s take on the BLT, layered with thin and crisp streaky bacon, avocado slices, melted Emmental cheese and mayo. We also chowed down on Sassy Seafood ($13), which is tasty too and generously stuffed with minced crab meat, tiger prawns, Spanish red onions, jalapenos, and nutty Emmental cheese. But a touch more acidity would have lifted the dish.
There are a total of seven flavours to choose from, and other options include Hunky Beefy ($17) with bulgogi-marinated beef, and the vegan Avo-Bello ($15) with roasted portobello mushroom.
Available for takeaways and pickup #01-45 Stars of Kovan, 988 Upper Serangoon Road, Singapore 534733. For online orders and delivery, click here.
If you’re in the CBD and after a sugar hit, Mr Holmes Bakehouse has opened its second outlet at MYP Centre. It’s (sadly) a tad less pink and whimsical, with a grown-up aesthetic to cater to the working crowd, but you can still find its signature cruffins with flaky, sugar-topped crusts, and brioche doughnuts.
Its cruffins ($6.50) are seasonal, and right now, there’s a flavoursome Coconut Cream piped with a homemade coconut filling studded with dried coconut bits. The earthy Pistachio Cream with a silky oozy custard is also worth sampling while the coffee flavour we expected from the Raspberry Mocha’s espresso-infused chocolate cream was a little lacking.
Or curb your sweet tooth with the brioche doughnuts ($5.80) — we’d have preferred the dough to be airier, but the oozy and generous fillings do make up for it. Of the lot, Rose Lychee with rosewater-infused lychee curd that’s just the right side of sweet gets our thumbs up. There’s also the Banoffee with housemade toffee and banana cream, as well as a tart Strawberry Lemonade creation.
The bakery-cafe has also launched a series of outlet-exclusive savoury sandwiches and salads for a quick lunch, like the Spam & Egg w/ Kimchi Croissant ($13), Egg Mayo & Candied Bacon ($10) and vegan Roasted Veggie & Hummus ($10).
Mr Holmes Bakehouse is at Open Mon to Fri, 8am to 6.30pm.
Breadtalk’s Flosss bun has come a long way, and in many iterations. In a nostalgic showcase, the bakery chain is putting out its most beloved as well as new pork floss-topped creations exclusively at its Ion store. There’s the Wasabi Flosss with seaweed and wasabi egg cream centre, the Cereal Flosss inspired by cereal prawns as well as the Coconut Floss filled with custard cream and kaya, all at $2.30.
New to the club is the Curry Flosss ($2.30), which spices things up with a marriage of pork
floss, curry leaves, and curry powder. Also new at the Ion store are three Japanese-inspired ‘Dozo’ buns ($2.20 each) that reimagine the classic deep-fried Japanese curry bun – you get the options of sardine, mushroom, and a curry chicken.
Like your sandwiches hot off the grill? The Ion outlet is also offering a selection of sarnies at $5.50 (like Curry Chicken, Bacon Croissant, and Moshi Mushroom) that you can request to be warmed up before you dig in. And for something sweet, check out the Chocolate Loaf ($9) made with a proprietary red wine starter dough or the Berry Walnut Loaf ($9) studded with tart, sweet dried cranberries.
Breadtalk’s Ion Orchard outlet is at #B4-0809, ION Orchard, 2 Orchard Turn, Singapore 238801.
From next Sunday (May 27) till June 12, 2022, keep a lookout for a giant-sized pop-up in the shape of Tiong Bahru Bakery’s takeaway box and cups outside Raffles City Shopping Centre, facing Stamford Road.
The bakery-cafe chain is celebrating its 10th birthday with The Biggest Takeaway installation and will be serving up complimentary croissants and cold brew coffee at various timeslots throughout the day (while stock lasts).
For an interactive touch, visitors can also pen down their favourite TBB moments and slip them into letterboxes onsite. Or snap a creative shot or video in front of the installation, tag #tbbbakingmemories, on Instagram or TikTok, and be one of the 10 lucky winners who will stand a chance to win an exclusive TBB merchandise worth $45+.
The pop-up installation will be available from MAy 27 to June 12, 2022, 8am to 9pm daily.
French for ‘fish’, it’s no surprise that seafood is the focus at Poisson, a new marine-inspired restaurant tucked at an unassuming corner of Bukit Pasoh Road. Even the decor points to it, with the interiors decked in an aqua hue, framed pictures of fishermen, and a diving suit right at the entrance.
Priding itself on sustainably and ethically sourced seafood, the restaurant divides its menu into two: Cold Stream for small plates, and Hot Stream for heartier mains, all inspired by coastal cities of the world.
We started with Uno ($62++), an indulgent Chef’s signature. While the price tag’s a little steep, it bursts with the luscious flavours of uni, smoked negitoro tuna, salmon roe, tamago and seaweed served atop a homemade cereal crunch base. The Amber & Jack ($32++), with hamachi served in a zesty citrus vinaigrette, drew mixed reviews — I enjoyed the tanginess while my dining companion found that it overwhelms the flavour of the already mild fish.
For smoke-kissed seafood, there’s Kurama ($33++) which sees juicy grilled prawns in a punchy yuzu kosho pesto, as well as The Game ($24++) which features squid grilled on the plancha and covered in roasted garlic, herbs, onions and tomato. In case you’re wondering, yes, its name’s inspired by Netflix hit series Squid Game.
Turbot stars in Maximus ($75++), served with seasonal garden vegetables and a tangy and velvety grey shrimp Beurre Blanc sauce. What we didn’t dig was the texture of the baked fish, rather chewy to the bite while the gelatinous layer that the turbot is known for could be silkier.
Poisson is at 48 Bukit Pasoh Road, Singapore . Visit its website for reservations or more information.