May May

Braised Pork Belly Rice Bowl (SGD18) with green tea (can’t remember the price)

What: Modern Asian CBD resto with fairly expensive food (mains start at SGD12 bucks) that is actually worth it. Also they have a lunch special – if you add SGD3 you get a drink and salad.

Pros: The restaurant is beautiful – my lunch mate and I were surprised and concluded it would make a lovely intimate wedding venue. It’s filled with light, it’s clean and crisp and I’m even into their unexpected marbled tables. The rice bowls (she had Butter Poached Cod (SGD18) and I had Braised Pork Belly (SGD16)) were delicious and fresh and the hefty meat serving made me happy.

Cons: Their Liu Shia Custard Donuts AKA salted egg yolk donuts (SGD7 for three), though beautiful, were fairly ordinary and a bit too sweet. Skip them!

Verdict: I think it’s a good place for an overdue Friday lunch catch-up or a lunch meeting with clients.

Details:
May May
65 Tras Street
Singapore 079004
+65 6221 4698

The Bakehouse

Ham and cheese croissant

Salted caramel chocolate tart

What: A newly-opened whimsical cafe housed, somewhat unceremoniously, at the base of the Park Hotel and next to Ikea.

Pros: The staff are fantastic, the decor is charming and for the most part I really liked my food (coffee, ham and cheese croissant and the choc tart get full marks).

Cons: It’s small so it may be tough to get a seat and I didn’t really like their lemon tart – it was all curd and too light to pack a punch.

Verdict: Oh I loved it! I want to go back and eat ALL THE THINGS.

Details:
The Bakehouse by Carpenter and Cook
321 Alexandra Road #01-14
Singapore 159971
6250 0040

Bottura

From the bottom to the top :P: Polenta lasagne (SGD18), Arancini with ragù and tomato sauce (SGD8) and Egg and squid ink tagliolini with shrimp and zucchini (SGD18)

What: A casual Italian restaurant located in a very quiet part of Suntec.

Pros: The food is good, fresh and reasonable. I enjoyed my polenta lasagne and Yuka thoroughly enjoyed her tagliolini (the squid ink abomination, above). Also, the wait staff are polite, knowledgeable and helpful.

Cons: It’s like on a second floor in Suntec – where NOTHING is open. Ambience is negligible and lighting is fluorescent mall lighting. #justsayin

Verdict: I’m itching to go back and try their degustation menu (Six pastas and a glass of wine for SGD26 – what?!), their desserts and their gelato so clearly, I say go.

Details:
Bottura
Suntec City Mall Tower 1
#02-472/473/474
3 Temasek Boulevard 038983
6238 7527

*Forgive the messy plate.

Super Loco

Super Huevos Rancheros (SGD 20) and the Taco de Desayuno (SGD7) with a side of baconnn

What: A beautiful restaurant perched in a very trendy part of the already very trendy Robertson Quay.

Pros: The breeze in your hair and pretty people errwhere. Their food is pretty good, like I enjoyed my breakfast taco, but it’s not as good as the price or the ambiance of the restaurant suggests.

Cons: I had their Sparkling Yuzu Margarita (SGD17) which sounded like it would taste like a party in my mouth but was at very best, passable.

Verdict: I would say… don’t go. The food is better at their sister restaurant Lucha Loco and if you want good food on the river… make yourself a tasty sandwich and sit on the steps in the quay.

Details:
Super Loco
60 Robertson Quay
6235 8900

Etna

 

Ciriole alla Norcina at SGD28 yo

What: Tiny, classy, Italian joint in the Duxton area.

Pros: The food is spot-on. We ordered this antipasti which was this gorgeous burrata, rocket and tomato thing and it made me completely forget I had a fake cheese allergy. My pasta (pictured above) was delicious as well, if a little heavy.

Cons: I would not have visited this place – had it been on someone else’s tab (it was my boss – haHA) – that gorgeous antipasti was SGD45 and the pastas are on the pricey side too.

Verdict: I would say, go if someone else is paying – hear me out – the food is good but you can get similar at Pasta Brava AND it’s in a far more charming space.

Details:
Etna
49-50 Duxton Road
Singapore 089513
6220 5513