From fresh, seasonal fare elevated with traditional European culinary techniques, to hearty, casual cuisine inspired by the robust flavours of Southeast Asia – these are the up-and-coming restaurants and refreshed concepts to watch out for in Singapore.
Humpback
The modern seafood restaurant and wine bar in Bukit Pasoh reopens after a two-month renovation with a refreshed look and new menu that is a confident, nuanced exploration of seasonal seafood. Start your dining adventure with oysters at Humpback’s signature raw bar, served on ice and shucked to order.
Moving on to more substantial plates, the marble goby with broccolini, black garlic, and mussels is a must-try – featuring wild-caught marble goby from Sumatra that is pan-seared with thyme and brown butter before finished with a reduction of mussel jus and butter. The wines at Humpback are as delightful as its food, covering a diverse list of over 60 labels designed to pair with the restaurant’s dishes. Aside from traditional vintages from iconic producers, diners will find playful modern interpretations from new winemakers.
808 Eating House
Newly opened in the buzzing dining enclave of Joo Chiat is 808 Eating House, a casual and inviting eatery by homegrown chef Eugene Chee. With a tagline like “more fun dining than fine dining”, diners can anticipate a fun menu with familiar yet inventive Southeast Asian dishes that focus on thoughtfully-sourced regional produce.
Bold, punchy flavours are exemplified in dishes such as the Buah Keluak Pork Belly, which is braised for 12 hours in soy sauce and buah keluak until the meat is melt-in-the-mouth tender. Other choice big plates include Braised Lamb Shank permeated with chuan-chuan spices and complemented with burnt eggplant purée, pickled shallots, and watercress; and Mouth-Watering Chicken poached and served with Sichuan chilli oil, toasted peanuts, and scallions.
Tinto
Fans of Spanish cuisine will have something to look forward, as Tinto is set to open its doors on May 9 in Dempsey Hill, just a few steps away from its sister restaurant, the popular Peruvian restaurant Canchita.
Tinto’s menu is specially curated by chefs Tamara and Daniel Chavez together with their team. Expect an excellent selection of tapas, paellas, and fideuas (a seafood dish using ‘noodles’ from the Valencia region) as well as high-quality Spanish wines.