In search of Singapore’s next best ramen? Look no further than Mashi No Mashi, the beloved Japanese ramen chain by Wagyumafia founder Hisato Hamada, which is opening its Singapore flagship on April 5. These ramen bowls only feature 100 per cent Wagyu, such as the signature Wagyujiro, which is made with a 24-hour stewed Ozaki beef bone stock. While you can fill up on the ramen you miss the most at its Tokyo, Hong Kong and Jeddah branches such as the Wagyu tsukemen and the spicy “Wagyu Tsukemen Death”, make sure to taste Singapore exclusives such as the bak kut teh ramen.

Mashi No Mashi
Address: 124 Beach Road, 01-04 Guoco Midtown, S(189771)

Yes, the beloved Db Oyster and Bistro Bar has closed, but in its place is Maison Boulud, celebrity chef Daniel Boulud’s supplanting two-story restaurant in Marina Bay Sands. Refinery is the word of the day, with delicate French dishes for an elegant palate. The seafood salad, for one, enjoys a pesto and anchovy-garlic dressing over red hamachi cured in gin and beetroot. When it comes to the mains, free-range rotisserie chicken is taken to the next level with curry spice, alongside sweet carrot confit and vadouvan jus. 

Maison Boulud
Address: 2 Bayfront Avenue, B1-15 & L1-83 The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands, S(018972), +65  6688 6088

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The cuisine of West Africa has arrived in Singapore within the trendy Duxton enclave. You may have heard of the staple jollof rice, which is prepared here with Sakura chicken and smoked pork belly. But make sure to expand your horizons with dishes like suya, an Angus tenderloin skewer dish that’s served with kachumbari, a tomato and onion salad, and smoked kuli kuli (groundnut chips). Enjoy it all under a thatched roof, surrounded with rustic clay vessels.  

Tamba
Address: 101 Duxton Road, S(089964)

Omakase, but make it Indian. At Ammakase, executive chef Abhijit Saha injects European and Asian culinary technique into traditional Indian recipes for a dash of innovative spice. Think Goan coconut kokum, which is here served with cured hamachi and mango chilli sorbet for a layered seduction of the palate. Or look at the picture-perfect caramelised rasgulla and mishti doi brûlée, a delicate creation that’s crowned with spun sugar and berries for a rich yet fresh flavour profile.

Ammakase
Address: One Raffles Place, 04-48, S(048616), +65 8898 5275

Joining the ranks of elegant hotel bars here is Lobby Bar at Amara Singapore. Set within a stylish space set in wood and accented with leather and marble, the project is a collaboration with wine merchant Grand Vin, which is why the bar is home to an oenophile’s paradise of bottles—indeed, besides top selections including Baron de Rothschild and Domaine Faiveley, Lobby Bar boasts the island’s largest collection of Louis Roederer champagne. Come in the morning for grab-and-go coffee and pastries before indulging in a glass (or two) at sundown.

Lobby Bar
Address: 165 Tanjong Pagar Road, S(088539), +65 6879 2626

In search of a cool neighbourhood spot to indulge in good food and good drinks? Head down to Dirty Supper in Tiong Bahru, which shares a space with the iconic Hua Bee Restaurant. It’s helmed by chef Pete Smit, previously of Underdog Inn, who is bringing his talent for whole-animal cooking to the open-kitchen concept. Mashable, unpretentious nosh packed with flavour is the focus here—take the smoked mackerel, which comes on top of a fried chicken skin terrine that’s insatiably crunchy and bursting with juice. Or the barbecue squid that’s impossibly tender, enriched with a pork fat relish and cut with pickled tomato. The cocktails here are equally as important, so make sure to indulge in a Wagyu boulevardier or a pickled lemon martini.

Dirty Supper
Address: 78 Moh Guan Terrace, 01-19, S(162078), +65 6438 4567

Oldies really are goodies. At Little Island Brewing Co, Singapore’s first vintage vinyl bar, audiophiles will be pleased to note that you get to listen to retro music with Technics MK5G turntables and Altec Lansing A5-X speakers from the 1950s. The food, too, is on theme—take the vinyl charcoal pizza, featuring woodfire pizzas stained black with activated charcoal, mimicking the look of a vintage vinyl record. Elsewhere, munch on regional delights like nasi kerabu with rendang daging or its signature Little Island chicken wings, which are inseparable from Little Island’s own beer brewed at its Changi Village microbrewery.

Little Island Brewing Company at Gillman Barracks
Address: 43 Malan Road, S(109443), +65 6513 5088

Holland Village welcomes House of Swiss Butchery to its charming neighbourhood. Featuring premium meats like Wagyu cuts, champagne hams and artisanal sausages, the retail and dine-in concept is overseen by chef Otto Weibel, who also runs Black Marble. Here, you can select your cut and have it cooked to your liking, or choose a dish from the regular menu. Nothing goes wrong with a classic Wagyu steak, but make sure to get your hands on sides such as the triple-cooked beef tallow potatoes flavoured with rosemary salt, or the Sapporo candied bacon.

House of Swiss Butchery
Address: 22 Lorong Mambong, S(277681), +65 9711 4271

The East Coast is bringing in another culinary gem in its fold. Griglia Open Fire Italian Kitchen opens its second location in Katong on April 2, offering its signature grilled Italian delights to the neighbourhood. What sets this branch apart from its Craig Road flagship is its more liberal use of the charcoal grill, so make sure you get your hands on generous cuts like the 30-day dry-aged Porterhouse “Fiorentina” and a suckling pig porchetta. 

Griglia Katong
Address: 139 East Coast Road, S(428829)

If you liked Sushi Yujo’s omakase concept, you might also like chef-owner Desmond Fong’s new izakaya experience at Shinrai. Don’t expect traditional izakaya fare here—instead, look out for plates such as salmon carpaccio, dressed with truffle sauce and topped with truffle caviar, or the torched scallop and caramelised foie gras sushi. Lovers of maki, the Shinrai signature maki is a must—filled with salmon, unagi, avocado, cucumber, tobiko and chicken floss, this maki is a mouthful. 

Shinrai
Address: 173 Telok Ayer Street, S(068622), +65  8858 8831

Those familiar with The Hitsuji Club should familiarise themselves with The Ushi Club, a new yakiniku restaurant serving top quality Wagyu beef with exquisite marbling. Thin cuts are best enjoyed lightly grilled, of course, but to truly taste what this beef has to offer, go for the beef tartare, drizzled with sesame seeds, spring onions, and an insatiable runny egg yolk. Don’t forget the beef tongue, a specialty that should set the taste buds alight.

The Ushi Club
Address: 64 Circular Road, 01-01, S(049418), +65 6423 9060

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