Singapore’s culinary scene has always prided itself on its diverse and innovative offerings, and the new restaurants in our city certainly stand as proof of that. If you’re looking to try something new, Chifa introduces Chinese-Peruvian cuisine to our shores. Here, you’ll find delectable renditions of familiar Cantonese and Peruvian dishes that embrace the traditions of both cultures, giving rise to a menu that is wholly unique. The distinct culinary style—one of the most popular in Peru—originated in the 1800s when Chinese immigrants started incorporating Peruvian ingredients into their cooking.
Meanwhile, Thai cuisine is presented in a new light at Restaurant Chedi. Helmed by chef-owner K-Jin, who learnt to cook from a chef whose grandmother served as head chef for the Thai royal family, the restaurant presents modern reinterpretations of familiar flavours and beloved dishes. An ode to the diverse flavours that make up the country’s cuisine, the restaurant’s eight-course tasting menu combines authentic recipes with contemporary culinary concepts.
For fans of Japanese food, the openings of both Hanazen and Ikkagoyo offer plenty to look forward to. The former—created by chef Yusuke Takada, the man behind two Michelin-starred La Cime in Osaka—presents a 16-course charcoal-grilled omakase experience. Meanwhile, the latter offers an exquisite kaiseki menu presented by chef-owner Mitsutaka Sakamoto from Hyogo, Japan, who is setting up shop on our shores for the first time.
Ahead of your next big night out, look to our list of the city’s most exciting new restaurants to dine at.
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Chifa
For the uninitiated, the term chifa refers to Chinese-Peruvian cuisine, one of the most popular culinary offerings in Peru. Birthed in the 1800s when Chinese immigrants started combining Peruvian ingredients and spices with Cantonese cooking, the term is a local transliteration of the Chinese phrase chi fan—to have a meal. Bringing the celebrated culinary style to our shores, Chifa is an exciting new addition to the vibrant dining scene at Resorts World Sentosa.
Step into the restaurant and you’ll find that the lively interiors are a perfect reflection of both cultures. Colourful Chinese lanterns hang alongside artisanal textiles and backdrops of the iconic Peru rainbow mountain. The playlist—which includes an eclectic mix of music in both Chinese and Spanish—is a nice finishing touch.
Helmed by chef Rodrigo Serrano from Peru, the restaurant serves up dishes that are both familiar and new. The Whole Fish Jalapeno Chili Style is steamed Cantonese-style, but comes topped with pickled jalapeno peppers for a fiery kick. In a similar vein, the Andean-Peru Potatoes features Peruvian purple and yellow potatoes julienned and tossed with Sichuan peppers, resembling the stir-fried potato dish popular in Sichuan cooking. Peruvian favourites are also prepared with an Asian flair, evident in the daikon and kyuri that elevate the Yellowfin Tuna Tamarind Ceviche and the rice crisps that accompany the sashimi-style octopus in the Pulpo al Olivo Achifado.
Don’t leave without trying the Hen “Caldo Criollo” Ginger Chimichurri Soup, a homely chicken broth packed full of flavour. Ginger chimichurri adds a delightfully fragrant dimension to the dish, creating flavours reminiscent of another favourite Singaporean dish—Hainanese chicken rice. And to end your meal, go for the Purple “Chicha Bebe” Man Tao. Featuring ice cream made of Peruvian sweet corn sandwiched between a purple bao and topped with a spot of cotton candy, the dessert is a standout dish that is as unique as it is delicious.
Chifa, 8 Sentosa Gateway Singapore 098269
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Hanazen
From visionary chef Yusuke Takada—the man behind two Michelin-starred La Cime in Osaka—comes Hanazen, a new duo-concept dining experience seated within the beautiful landscape of Chijmes. Opening in phases, the restaurant’s al fresco seating area offers a laid-back respite from the city’s bustle with French brasserie favourites, while its indoor space serves up an exquisite 16-course charcoal-grilled omakase menu.
La Cime’s signature Boudin Dog (blood sausage) is reinterpreted here as the Singa Dog, a Singapore-inspired rendition that consists of chicken floss and chicken liver in a crisp fried battered ball, brushed with an earthy buah keluak sauce. Another dish born from familiar flavours is the Panna Cotta. Inspired by kaya toast, fragrant pandan flan is layered with seasonal Hamaguri clams from Japan that are tender and sweet. Served in a beautiful wooden box, the chilled dish is accompanied by crunchy bread tuile and nanohana buds for texture, and finished with caviar for brininess.
A series of expertly grilled skewers form the bulk of the meal, delivering the smoky char of traditional Japanese charcoal-grilled cooking infused with a French twist. Tender but bouncy Awabi abalone is cooked sous vide for 12 hours with radish, kombu and sake, then finished with caramelisation from bincho-tan (white charcoal). Complementing it perfectly are the chicken gizzards, dressed with aromatic gyoja-ninniku (garlic chives) butter for a rich dose of savouriness. Another standout dish is the chicken liver, served with raisin sauce and sweetened with tamarind and white wine. To balance out its richness, a garnish of julienned oba leaf and flowers sits atop the skewer.
Hanazen, 30 Victoria St, #01-21/22 CHIJMES, Singapore 187996
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Restaurant Chedi
Putting a contemporary spin on Thai cuisine, Restaurant Chedi invites guests to rediscover what the country’s vibrant culinary scene has to offer. Housed in a shophouse along Hamilton Road, the restaurant weaves authentic recipes passed down through generations with modern culinary concepts. A specially-curated tasting menu takes diners on a journey across Thailand to experience the diverse flavours—both familiar and lesser-known—that make up the country’s cuisine.
The eight-course dinner begins with the Miang Kham, a dish that chef-owner K-Jin Lim describes as “the best representation of Thai cuisine”. Consisting of Rayong dried shrimp, Hokkaido ikura and homemade Thai miang reduction wrapped in wild betel leaf, the dish delivers a burst of freshness and vibrant umami flavour that sets the tone for the rest of the meal. At each point of the dining experience, curries, sauces and relishes complement and enhance already outstanding dishes. The Nam Prik Gapi—which features tempura ocean shrimp and broccolini—comes accompanied by a delicious spicy shrimp paste relish, while the Gaeng Som Fak Thong sees Chilean sea bass and Thai fish floss atop a bed of piquant curry.
Spotlighting dishes from southern Thailand, the Nam Ya Goong Mang Korn consists of tender Maine lobster served with rich yellow curry, grilled greens and crispy rice. From there, the meal takes us to northeast Thailand, where the Kor Muu Yang features a deliciously marbled cut of iberico secreto marinated with Thai herbs and cooked over high-heat charcoal with palm sugar to produce an appetising char. Tomato sweet basil salad and northern Thai relishes complete the dish, cutting through the heavier flavours on the plate. Closing the meal is the restaurant’s unique rendition of a universally recognised Thai dessert—the Tub Tim Krob, better known as red rubies. Every element of the dish is made in-house, from the diced water chestnut encased in tapioca to the creamy coconut ice cream it is served with. Topped with pink oxalis sorrel blooms for mild acidity, the dish is a simple but satisfying end to a wonderful meal.
Restaurant Chedi, 15 Hamilton Rd, Singapore 209185
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Ikkagoyo
To enjoy your meal at Ikkagoyo, come with an appetite and an open heart. Burrowed in a back alley between Amoy Street and Gemmill Lane, the new kaiseki hideout sits behind an unassuming facade, which reveals a sanctuary of calm dressed in a wabi-sabi aesthetic and considered colour palette.
Authenticity and rigour are the guiding principles behind the multi-course restaurant—helmed by Japanese chef-owner Mitsutaka Sakamoto. These are sentiments that make sense for Sakamoto, who approaches each dish with discipline, from pursuing the freshest of seasonal produce to hand-picking each piece of tableware.
The beginnings of a 12-course menu set the tone; a refreshing and light combination of nanohana (rapeseed flower), ikura paste and Japanese tiger prawns is served as a cold appetiser, before heartier dishes such as a flavourful sea bream in a wonderfully-balanced dashi broth arrive. Next comes a fleshy Spanish mackerel bursting with intense flavour—prepared à la minute by pressing the skin against a steaming hot charcoal for a crispy edge. Amidst the traditional hassun or seasonal platter, the cold spear squid stands out, after having had its innards removed, cleaned, and stuffed into its exterior once again.
But the main highlights of the evening come through two key dishes: a decadent eel wrap and the Himi udon. The former makes a case for Sakamoto’s inventiveness, with the surprisingly welcome inclusion of almond cream cheese and grated truffle sourced from France. As for the latter, a total of three hours is taken to produce the brilliant texture of the Ishikawa abalone before it tops a bowl of fresh, chewy udon. To round out an evening here, Ikkagoyo doesn’t forget its locale: the handmade shiroi warabimochi is a splendid dessert whipped up from coconut milk and walnuts, as if paying homage to the restaurant’s new tropical home.
Ikkagoyo, 115 Amoy Street, #01-04, Singapore 069935
