February 01, 2006
Food writing: Tiger Tales
Client: Tiger Tales (produced by INK Publishing)Link
RESTAURANTS, HOTELS, BARS SINGAPORE
The cultural melting pot of Singapore offers different gourmet and clubbing experiences for every person of any persuasion. By Yu-Mei Balasingamchow
Ristorante Bologna
Level 4 Marina Mandarin 6 Raffles Boulevard
+65 6845 1111
12 pm to 2.30 pm (Mon to Fri); 6.30 pm to 10.30 pm (Mon to Sat)
One of the peculiar things about Singapore is its love affair with Italian food. For a really good meal, the super-classic Ristorante Bologna at the Marina Mandarin hotel is the place for a truly authentic Italian experience. Built like the courtyard of an Italian nobleman's home, tuck into Italian cuisine in a contemporary setting, with large windows overlooking a picturesque garden. Must-try dishes include the Crab Meat and Tomato Couscous Salad (SGD24), squid ink cappellini with lobster, lime fillet and Beluga caviar (SGD31) and grilled rump of lamb (SGD36). If you've flown all the way here to celebrate your anniversary with your clan, this restaurant offers Chef's Table, a specially tailored three-course to five-course dinner paired with a wide selection of Italian wines (SGD125-190) upon request.
Balaclava
Raffles Boulevard #01-01B, Suntec City Convention Centre
+65 6339 1800
3 pm to 1 am (Mon to Thur); 3 pm to 2 am (Fri to Sat or eve of public holiday) } Happy hours: 3 pm to 9 pm
Elegance and sophistication are the name of the game. With black leather couches, warm wooden panels and soft mood lighting, Balaclava is just the place to kick back and chill out with a few drinks after a long day. Coveniently located near City Hall MRT, this spot is a fave with both Singaporeans and expatriates alike. Live bands get the rhythm going nightly from 9pm. This lively sprawling bar also has plenty of cosy nooks or al fresco seating for those who prefer some privacy.
Adimann Satay
Stall 56 East Coast Park Lagoon Hawker Centre
6 pm to late daily
You cannot possibly visit Singapore and not eat a stick of real satay. This lovely Malay treat is common enough in town, but a good place to chill out over a satay dinner is at East Coast Park Lagoon Hawker Centre, just steps from the beach. Adimann Satay serves up tender and lightly spiced satay with a warm welcome and a wide grin. At SGD40 cents per stick, choices of meat include chicken, mutton, beef and – for the more adventurous – babat (tripe). Best yet, Adimann’s peanut dip is good enough to drink. Yum!
Zouk
17 Jiak Kim Street
+65 6738 2988
7pm to 3am (Wed to Sat) }Happy hours: 11 pm to midnight (Wed, Fri and Sat only)
Recently reopened after a month-long facelift, this world-famous club now boasts luminous white exteriors, cool designer interiors, and a custom-made sound system (we wore out the last one). Internationally-known deejays spin here regularly, and clubbers get to choose from the chill-out Wine Bar, experimental beats in Phuture, good old dance classics at Velvet Underground and the large main dance floor at Zouk, where the young-hip-rich-skinny-underdressed strike a pose. Indisputably the quintessential Singapore clubbing experience!
Written by Yu-Mei Balasingamchow