Xperience Restaurant & Bar
Xperience Restaurant & Bar, headed by chef Anne-Cecile Degenne, has opened at Sofitel So Singapore in the Central Business District. Diners can choose the size of their dish.
XS is a tasting portion, XM is good for one person and XL is meant for sharing. The menu is split into different tastes and texturesand desserts.
Signature dishes include seared pork knuckle and pickles (from $12 for XS) and fish ceviche with cucumber and jalapeno (from $10 for XS).
Where: 35 Robinson Road, Sofitel So Singapore
Open: 6.30am to 10.30pm daily
Info: Call 6701-6800 or go to www.sofitel.com
The Tastemaker
Week-old cafe The Tastemaker offers a mix of local and Western fare.
Among the local offerings are the toast set ($5.80), which comprises toasted muffin buns, with a choice of kaya, lemon curd or fruit jam for the spread, soft-boiled eggs and coffee or tea; and yam cake ($3.80).
Other options include the pizza set ($8.50), with toppings such as mushroom and cherry tomato or sausage and pineapple, served with coffee or tea.
Where: Block 22 Havelock Road, 01-705
Open: 8am to 8pm daily
Info: E-mail info@thetastemakerstore.com or go to facebook.com/thetastemakerstore
Flee Away Cafe
This 33-seat cafe evokes a sense of nostalgia, with toys of yesteryear such as a wooden rocking horse by the door and a large plane sculpture hanging on the wall.
The cafe's signature dish, the Le Char Kuey ($12.50 to $15.50), is youtiao or dough fritters spread with fillings such as coleslaw, chicken curry and dry laksa, served with a salad and mini papadums.
Where: 70 Dunlop Street
Open: 11am to 9pm (Tuesday to Thursday), 11am to 11pm (Friday and Saturday), 10am to 5pm (Sunday), closed on Monday
Info: Call 6341-7843 or go to facebook.com/fleeawaycafe
Sanpoutei Ramen
Sanpoutei Ramen from Niigata, Japan, has opened a shop in Holland Village.
The restaurant serves four kinds of ramen: the signature Niigata Shoyu ($13); Rich Tori x Miso ($15), ramen with an eight-hour-long simmered Tori (chicken) broth mixed with miso; Rich Tori x Spicy Miso ($16); and W Soup Tonkotsu ($15, below), ramen with a 12-hour-long simmered pork-bone and chicken broth.
Sides include the Sanpoutei Deep Fried Spring Chicken with oroshi yuzu ponzu sauce ($7.80) and the Crispy Tempura Shrimp Salad ($12), topped with sweet chilli sauce and wasabi mayonnaise.
Where: 253 Holland Avenue, 01-01
Open: 11.30am to 11pm daily
Info: Call 6463-7277 or go to www.sanpoutei.sg
The White Ombre
This week-old takeaway place offers cakes and sweet treats as well as baking classes.
Cakes on the menu include the signature Earl Grey Strawberry Shortcake ($7), covered with puff pastry flakes. For smaller bites, there are macarons ($2 a piece) and cake pops ($2.50), with flavours which change daily.
Where: Block 206 Toa Payoh North, 01-1209
Open: 10am to 7pm (Tuesday to Sunday), closed on Monday
Info: Call 6254-6434 or go to facebook.com/thewhiteombre
This article was first published on June 8, 2014.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.