While the possibility for travelling seems to be months, if not years away, you can do it in a small way through all these new country-themed gourmet spreads in the neighbourhood. Whether it’s for the food, or the ambience, these venues aim to recreate the feel of the country through taste or decor.
Suki-Suki Thai Hot Pot and Siam Kitchen
You can sink your teeth into Thai hot pot with authentic soup bases, and all-time favourite Thai food at SAFRA Toa Payoh. Set in a vibrant Thai-inspired interior, Suki-Suki Thai Hot Pot combines all the elements of Thai cuisine in a pot, offering fresh ingredients, exciting flavours, and a heartwarming meal for all hot pot lovers.
Six authentic Thai soup bases range from sweet, sour to salty and spicy. The buffet spread comes with over 40 different ingredients to pair with the soup bases, such as fresh thinly sliced beef, chicken, homemade fish paste, vegetables, mushrooms and tofu.
Siam Kitchen offers a spread of Thai dishes that hail from the street food hawkers of Bangkok. Fresh and high quality ingredients are used to recreate the aromatic flavours of Thai dishes such as Red Tom Yum Soup with Tiger Prawns, Thai Massaman Curry with Lamb Shank, and Stir-fried Phad Thai with Lobster.
Update: Both Suki-Suki Thai Hot Pot and Siam Kitchen are now halal-certified.
BONUS! SAFRA members can enjoy 20% off their total bill at Suki-Suki Thai Hot Pot and Siam Kitchen. For more information, click here and here.
SAFRA Toa Payoh, 293 Lor 6 Toa Payoh, #01-04, Singapore 319387
www.facebook.com/sukisukithai
Hanjip Korean Grill House
Hanjip Korean Grill House strives to be the most authentic traditional Korean barbecue restaurant in Singapore. Complementing their extensive range of aged Australian Wagyu, USDA Prime Beef as well as Kurobuta Berkshire Pork, are seven different themed private dining rooms to further enhance the dining experience.
The decor here is a mix of contemporary design with traditional paintings and murals in a dimly lit setting. The premium meats are barbecued at the table by Hanjip’s staff over white-hot charcoal, as opposed to the typical electric or gas grills.
The Hanjip Platter is a must-try dish. It is a mix of beef and pork, consisting of four types of cuts – USDA Prime Ribeye, USDA Prime Boneless Short Ribs and Kurobuta Pork Belly and Marinated Kurobuta Pork Collar. Other noteworthy dishes include Spicy Handmade Tofu, Spicy Chicken With Cheese and Beef Short Rib Soup.
3C River Valley Rd, Clarke Quay Blk C, #01-11 The Cannery, Singapore 179022
hanjip.sg
Raffles Hotel’s Moscow Afternoon Tea
Afternoon tea takes a thematic twist with this offering which draws inspiration from the capital and cultural capital of Russia: Moscow and St. Petersburg respectively. This new menu includes Kristal Caviar and Smoked Salmon Blinis (pancakes), with the special caviar harvested from sturgeons.
The Black Sesame Seed Bublik, a traditional Russian pastry that resembles a bagel, is joined by sweet treats such as the Russian Apple Sharlotka, which is a traditional sponge cake.
It is available from 1:00pm to 5.00pm from Monday to Thursday, and 12:00pm to 6:00pm from Friday to Sunday. Reservations are required at least one day in advance. The Moscow Afternoon Tea will be available until 14 March, as the menu will change to capture another country’s culinary traditions and essence.
1 Beach Road, Singapore 189673
www.raffles.com/singapore
Picanhas’ Brazilian Steaks
Have you heard of the “Brazilian cut”, or picanha? A mainstay of a churrasco (Brazilian barbecue) dinner, this cut comes from the rump cap muscle, located at the top rear region of the cow. The picanha is similar to a sirloin but has a robust taste with a signature strip of fat.
The star dishes here are the Queen of Steaks and the Picanha Don. The Queen of Steaks is a serving of picanha steak slices with browned charcoal butter, while the Picanha Don is picanha steak slices served with butterfly pea-infused rice. Deep-fried garlic bits, caramelised onions, pickled cabbage and onsen egg complete the dish.
Other dishes to try are the Sweet and Sour Couscous with sun-dried tomatoes, olives, and orange; Creamy Spinach; Double-cooked Potatoes drizzled with sriracha mayo; and a mix of button and shiitake mushrooms.
90 Club Street, Singapore 069458
www.picanhassg.com
Miznon Singapore’s Israeli Street Food
An internationally renowned Israeli food chain founded by MasterChef Israel judge and Chef Eyal Shani, Miznon’s Singapore outlet is the brand’s 11th restaurant. With a menu that features a fresh take on Israeli street food, it offers both the sweet and savoury fillings in pitas, and out of pitas.
For the health conscious, the Falafel Burger is a combination of tomato steak, accompanied by sour cream, chilli, onion and pickles. For meat lovers, the Abu Kebab is a lamb option that is cooked well and served with grilled tomato, onion, tahini, salsa and chilli. Other interesting dishes include the Folded Cheeseburger, Minute Steak, and seared Chicken Liver.
Vegetarians are also treated to a wide variety of options such as Baby Cauliflower Flower, Bag of Green Beans and the Run Over Potato.
6 Stanley Street, #01-01, Singapore 068725
miznonsingapore.com
Kotuwa’s Sri Lankan Cuisine
Kotuwa, named after the Sri Lankan capital’s central business district, aims to bring the sights, sounds and tastes from Sri Lankan’s streets and markets to Singapore. The interior decor draws inspiration from forts and landmarks from the era of Sinhalese kings and the Portuguese, Dutch and British settlers.
As Singapore’s first full-service Sri Lankan restaurant, one can expect bright, creative dishes made from quality ingredients that are as robust and flavourful as the Sri Lankan culture and history.
Expect famous Sri Lankan quick eats like Hoppers and Kottu Roti, to a myriad of curries and housemade sambols and preserves. Highlights from the mains include the Crab Curry, which is Sri Lankan mud crab cooked with cumin, fenugreek, chilli and coconut, as well as the Black Pepper Kithul Pork, a crispy pork belly with black pepper Kithul caramel and guandillas peppers.
Wanderlust Hotel, 2 Dickson Rd, Singapore 209494
kotuwa.com.sg
Discovered any new eateries lately? Share them with us at magnsman@sph.com.sg!
