Sign up for Uber with promo code COCOSG for a FREE uberX ride, capped at S$15
A chicly designed space, a tantalising and perfectly curated menu, and a trendy postal code often isn't enough to pull the crowds in today's competitive restaurant scene. Let's be honest, we feed off celebrity culture, and whether the talents in the aprons like it or not, we've pushed them to the forefront of celebrity culture. Our local food culture has readily embraced celebrity chefs in all shapes and forms. We've scoped out a few terrific restaurants helmed by five of the most recognisable faces in the foodie universe.
Jamie's Italian
#01-165/166/167 Vivocity, 1 Harbourfront Walk
When one thinks about celebrity chefs, Jamie Oliver, the charming Brit boy who talks a mile a minute is surely one of the first chefs that come to mind. His first outpost in Singapore, Jamie's Italian, has certainly had no problems putting bums in seats. The atmosphere is characteristically Jamie: down to earth, young, vibrant. The dishes are simple and accessible — but that's why we love the Naked Chef right?
Star pick: Jamie's tagliatelle bologne is a surefire bet for pasta lovers
The baked salmon ($23.50) is a satisfying main dish of the said fish served with a luxurious creamy lemon ricotta and a lightly dressed colourful root vegetable salad. But if you've come for the pasta, the tagliatelle bolognese ($15-$22) won't disappoint. These ribbons of al dente noodles are covered in a chunky pork and beef ragu that has been finished off with an amazing Chianti — it's unlike any bolognese you've had!
Esquina
16 Jiak Chuan Road
If you're a fan of the British food scene, a visit to one of Michelin-starred Jason Atherton's restaurants is a must. He operates three joints on our turf: Pollen, Esquina, and The Study. But it all started with his trendier than thou tapas place, Esquina. With Atherton based in London, Executive Chef Andrew Walsh has the licence to create — and he's got a flair for it. Though Esquina is dubbed a 'tapas bar', its dishes are a far cry from the traditional Spanish nosh. The beef tartare ($24) is a beautiful Japanese-inspired creation centered around dollops of deeply flavoured raw beef. It's served with a rich sea urchin mayonnaise, egg-yolk dressing, deep-fried seaweed, sake and mirin marinated mushroom, and shavings of frozen foie gras.
This healthy pop of colour will soon make a regular appearance on the menu
The spring salad (currently on the specials board, but will soon be making its way to the menu) is a flamboyant display of the season's best greens. On the plate: crisp pea shoots, asparagus, romanesco, and roasted gem lettuce nest a runny slow-cooked egg.
Ocean Restaurant
22 Sentosa Gateway
Arguably, the first true celebrity chef was the French-food-crazed American Julia Child. Since then numerous culinary stars have sprouted up in America. Many thanks to reality television programmes like Iron Chef America. One of the most notable stars to emerge from the show is Cat Cora. Resorts World Singapore lured Cora to our island to run Ocean Restaurant. Though many visitors come for the view (one side of the restaurant looks into the Marine Life Park's Oceanarium), the produce-driven cuisine is equally captivating.
Star pick: This fancy ceviche, like many other items in Ocean's produce-driven menu, is on its own a conversation starter
Chef de cuisine Yew Eng Tong (of The Cliff fame) has updated Cat's signature sous vide king salmon ($26) and has turned it into a jazzed up ceviche of sorts. The almost raw salmon is covered in ikura and micro herbs and sits in a shallow soup of chilled citrus fruit and Laurent Perrier Champagne.
Osteria Mozza
#B1-42/46, The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands, 10 Bayfront Avenue
Ginger haired American chef, Mario Batali, is one of the most well-known chefs in America. Mario's love for Italian cuisine has led him to open a fistful of restaurants across the globe. We're lucky to have two: Osteria Mozza and Pizzeria Mozza. If you're a stickler for handmade pasta, Osteria Mozza is a must-visit. The pasta tasting menu ($98) takes you on a carb-laden tour of the restaurant's best dishes.
Star pick: Handmade, individually rolled out noodle goodness at Osteria Mozza
A truly stand out item is the pici with duck ragu. The udon-thick noodles are made simply with two ingredients: semolina flour and water. But don't get us wrong, these noodles are individually rolled out by hand, and that takes at least 20 minutes per portion! The tomato-based sauce that coats the noodles is slow cooked with flaked duck leg, duck liver and a variety of traditional Italian herbs. Delizioso!
Forest
Level 1, Equarius Hotel, Resorts World Sentosa, 8 Sentosa Gateway
But perhaps the celebrity chef restaurant that fills us with pride most is Sam Leong's Forest. This homegrown talent is lauded for his contemporary Chinese cuisine, and at Forest he puts a Thai spin on many of his creations.
Star pick: an example of Chef Sam Leong's adaptational genius, one of Forest's most popular dishes
One of the restaurant's most popular dishes is the charcoal-grilled wagyu beef with foie gras ($68). This dish is a single serving of juicy Australian beef topped with pan-seared French foie gras that is served with a sweet, tangy black pepper sauce. Perhaps this is Sam's interpretation of the Tournedos Rossini, but it works brilliantly.
[JUICEBOX_GALLERY]
'All-Star Access' is the third segment of the Coconuts Singapore Flavour Tour, a month-long culinary exploration of the city chauffeured by uberX. uberX is the transportation provider's more affordable private car service that just launched in Singapore. New Uber registrations that use the code COCOSG will get $15 off their first uberX order — basically a free ride! Don't miss our previous trips on the uberX: we introduced six of Singapore's must-have favourite foods and new eateries as of April 2014!
Text: Marisse Gabrielle Reyes
Photos: Shawn Byron Danker
Sign up for Uber with promo code COCOSG for a FREE uberX ride, capped at S$15
A chicly designed space, a tantalising and perfectly curated menu, and a trendy postal code often isn't enough to pull the crowds in today's competitive restaurant scene. Let's be honest, we feed off celebrity culture, and whether the talents in the aprons like it or not, we've pushed them to the forefront of celebrity culture. Our local food culture has readily embraced celebrity chefs in all shapes and forms. We've scoped out a few terrific restaurants helmed by five of the most recognisable faces in the foodie universe.
Jamie's Italian
#01-165/166/167 Vivocity, 1 Harbourfront Walk
When one thinks about celebrity chefs, Jamie Oliver, the charming Brit boy who talks a mile a minute is surely one of the first chefs that come to mind. His first outpost in Singapore, Jamie's Italian, has certainly had no problems putting bums in seats. The atmosphere is characteristically Jamie: down to earth, young, vibrant. The dishes are simple and accessible — but that's why we love the Naked Chef right?
Star pick: Jamie's tagliatelle bologne is a surefire bet for pasta lovers
The baked salmon ($23.50) is a satisfying main dish of the said fish served with a luxurious creamy lemon ricotta and a lightly dressed colourful root vegetable salad. But if you've come for the pasta, the tagliatelle bolognese ($15-$22) won't disappoint. These ribbons of al dente noodles are covered in a chunky pork and beef ragu that has been finished off with an amazing Chianti — it's unlike any bolognese you've had!
Esquina
16 Jiak Chuan Road
If you're a fan of the British food scene, a visit to one of Michelin-starred Jason Atherton's restaurants is a must. He operates three joints on our turf: Pollen, Esquina, and The Study. But it all started with his trendier than thou tapas place, Esquina. With Atherton based in London, Executive Chef Andrew Walsh has the licence to create — and he's got a flair for it. Though Esquina is dubbed a 'tapas bar', its dishes are a far cry from the traditional Spanish nosh. The beef tartare ($24) is a beautiful Japanese-inspired creation centered around dollops of deeply flavoured raw beef. It's served with a rich sea urchin mayonnaise, egg-yolk dressing, deep-fried seaweed, sake and mirin marinated mushroom, and shavings of frozen foie gras.
This healthy pop of colour will soon make a regular appearance on the menu
The spring salad (currently on the specials board, but will soon be making its way to the menu) is a flamboyant display of the season's best greens. On the plate: crisp pea shoots, asparagus, romanesco, and roasted gem lettuce nest a runny slow-cooked egg.
Ocean Restaurant
22 Sentosa Gateway
Arguably, the first true celebrity chef was the French-food-crazed American Julia Child. Since then numerous culinary stars have sprouted up in America. Many thanks to reality television programmes like Iron Chef America. One of the most notable stars to emerge from the show is Cat Cora. Resorts World Singapore lured Cora to our island to run Ocean Restaurant. Though many visitors come for the view (one side of the restaurant looks into the Marine Life Park's Oceanarium), the produce-driven cuisine is equally captivating.
Star pick: This fancy ceviche, like many other items in Ocean's produce-driven menu, is on its own a conversation starter
Chef de cuisine Yew Eng Tong (of The Cliff fame) has updated Cat's signature sous vide king salmon ($26) and has turned it into a jazzed up ceviche of sorts. The almost raw salmon is covered in ikura and micro herbs and sits in a shallow soup of chilled citrus fruit and Laurent Perrier Champagne.
Osteria Mozza
#B1-42/46, The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands, 10 Bayfront Avenue
Ginger haired American chef, Mario Batali, is one of the most well-known chefs in America. Mario's love for Italian cuisine has led him to open a fistful of restaurants across the globe. We're lucky to have two: Osteria Mozza and Pizzeria Mozza. If you're a stickler for handmade pasta, Osteria Mozza is a must-visit. The pasta tasting menu ($98) takes you on a carb-laden tour of the restaurant's best dishes.
Star pick: Handmade, individually rolled out noodle goodness at Osteria Mozza
A truly stand out item is the pici with duck ragu. The udon-thick noodles are made simply with two ingredients: semolina flour and water. But don't get us wrong, these noodles are individually rolled out by hand, and that takes at least 20 minutes per portion! The tomato-based sauce that coats the noodles is slow cooked with flaked duck leg, duck liver and a variety of traditional Italian herbs. Delizioso!
Forest
Level 1, Equarius Hotel, Resorts World Sentosa, 8 Sentosa Gateway
But perhaps the celebrity chef restaurant that fills us with pride most is Sam Leong's Forest. This homegrown talent is lauded for his contemporary Chinese cuisine, and at Forest he puts a Thai spin on many of his creations.
Star pick: an example of Chef Sam Leong's adaptational genius, one of Forest's most popular dishes
One of the restaurant's most popular dishes is the charcoal-grilled wagyu beef with foie gras ($68). This dish is a single serving of juicy Australian beef topped with pan-seared French foie gras that is served with a sweet, tangy black pepper sauce. Perhaps this is Sam's interpretation of the Tournedos Rossini, but it works brilliantly.
[JUICEBOX_GALLERY]
'All-Star Access' is the third segment of the Coconuts Singapore Flavour Tour, a month-long culinary exploration of the city chauffeured by uberX. uberX is the transportation provider's more affordable private car service that just launched in Singapore. New Uber registrations that use the code COCOSG will get $15 off their first uberX order — basically a free ride! Don't miss our previous trips on the uberX: we introduced six of Singapore's must-have favourite foods and new eateries as of April 2014!
Text: Marisse Gabrielle Reyes
Photos: Shawn Byron Danker