Where to eat & drink: Tim Ho Wan's CNY specials, nasi lemak-inspired cocktails & more

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.

For this week, our hit-list includes Club 5 at Parkroyal on Beach Road for fab innovative drinks and great bar bites, Bedrock Bar & Grill for Yamaguchi Aged wagyu beef, and delicious yoghurt shakes from Hey Yogurt.

1. Club 5 at Parkroyal on Beach Road

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With 34 years of history, the newly revamped Club 5 at Parkroyal on Beach Road has been transformed into stunning Art Deco-inspired space by Emma Maxwell.

And along with it comes a specially curated menu of cocktails, concocted by head bartender Ong Jun Han, that’ll take you through different districts in the vicinity of Parkroyal on Beach Road. To start, the 20 Houses Tonic ($18), refreshes with a mix of aromatic gin, cardamom, fresh citrus and classic tonic.

For those with adventurous tastebuds, there’s the Nasi Lema’rgarita ($20) inspired by Arab Street, with housemade coconut tequila and spicy pandan syrup.

Our favourite is the Boogie Street ($22) that nods to the iconic Bugis Street – a London dry gin sour with apricot liqueur, agave syrup, violette liqueur and smokey hints from mezcal.

The Asian-inspired bar bites aren’t to be missed either. Chow down on Homemade Wagyu Satay with Hazelnut Dip ($12), Peranakan style Chicken Kueh Pie Tee with Buah Keluak Dressing ($15), Deep-Fried Soft Shell Crabs with Singapore Chilli Crab Sauce ($15), and more.

Club 5 at Parkroyal on Beach Road is at 7500 Beach Road, Singapore 199591.

2. Tim Ho Wan

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If you’re craving dim sum for the festive season, make your way to Tim Ho Wan. It’s launched a new seven-item menu with Chinese New Year specials, which is a collab with its founding chef, Chef Mak Kwai Pui.

Winners on our list include the Maine Lobster and Scallop Radish Cake ($14) with crisp exteriors and soft insides, as well as the Golden Custard Bun (fried or steamed, $5.50 for three), and the Crispy Prawn Paste Wings ($6.50 for four).

Available from now till Feb 28 at all Tim Ho Wan outlets.

3. Hey Yogurt

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Local yoghurt shake brand Hey Yogurt has unveiled its Huat Huat series, a line-up of four tropical CNY drinks: The Mandarin Orange Yogurt ($6.30), Mango Pomelo Yogurt ($8.80), Dragon Fruit Lychee Yogurt, and Avocado Brown Sugar Yogurt.

Especially if you love the Hong Kong mango pomelo sago dessert, you’ll enjoy the super creamy Mango Pomelo Yogurt with generous chunks of fruit. The Dragon Fruit Lychee Yogurt gets our thumbs up too, with lovely hints of lychee and isn’t overly sweet.

A heads-up: Each cup is rather filling – in fact, they make for great on-the-go breakfasts or healthy afternoon snacks to keep you full till dinner time.

The Huat Huat Series is available across all Hey Yogurt’s outlets from Jan 15 to Feb 28. Visit its website for a list of locations.

4. Bedrock Bar & Grill Kicks Off 2021 with the Return of the World Meat Series

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First launched in 2017, Bedrock Bar & Grill is back with its World Meat Series, a unique dining experience that showcases premium meats from different parts of the world.

From now till Mar 31, 2021, the Singapore steakhouse takes you to Yamaguchi Japan, which is home to the Jukuho Farm and its famed Yamaguchi Aged wagyu beef – this is produced by refattening cows after they have calved, resulting in meat with a unique umami flavour.

The restaurant’s award-winning executive chef Isaac Tan, has created three dishes that showcase the rich, distinctive flavour of this beef – the Bone Marrow Tartare ($36++), Applewood Smoked Wagyu Tataki ($42++), and Woodfire Grilled Fullblood Aged Wagyu Striploin ($148++).

Bedrock Bar & Grill is at #01-05, Pan Pacific Serviced Suites Orchard, 96 Somerset Road, Singapore 238163.

5. Tiong Bahru Bakery rolls out brioche-inspired handwash and a CNY cheesecake

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If you can’t get enough of Tiong Bahru Bakery’s delicious artisanal pastries and breads, you may want to get your hands on (or lathered up with) its new handwash, Brioche N°5.

TBB teamed up with local fragrance house Oo La Lab to create this cruelty-free handwash that smells like freshly baked bread – think vanilla, caramel, and pineapple.

So yes, we know this isn’t quite edible, but it’s supposed to smell so good you’d want to eat it. But if you’re looking for something to tantalise your tastebuds, go for the bakery’s new festive special Exotic Pineapple Cheesecake.

This features a yuzu and pineapple confit sphere atop a baked cheesecake centre and coconut sponge cake base, and has coconut and lime chantilly cream studded with fresh pineapples.

Brioche N°5 is at $24 nett (also available online), and the Exotic Pineapple Cheesecake is at $9.50++ (from Feb 10 – 15), available at all Tiong Bahru Bakery outlets.

This article was first published in The Singapore Women's Weekly.