This article is part of a guide to Singapore from FT Globetrotter
While Singapore has long been a bastion of fine dining, its award-winning repertoire over the years has tended to lean French or Japanese. In recent years, however, a slew of young, talented chefs has challenged this stance — and the misconception that local (which, due to the city-state’s history as a trading post in the 19th and 20th centuries, can be anything from Chinese, Malay, Indian and Peranakan) had to be “cheaper.”
These cuisines, as well as those from neighbouring states, were previously mostly found only at hawker stalls and casual joints. Today, they can also be enjoyed on multi-course tasting menus, proudly celebrating their respective chefs’ heritages.
This shift began with the birth of “mod-Sin”, or modern Singapore cuisine, attributed to chef Willin Low, who coined the term in 2005 to describe his cuisine at the now-closed Wild Rocket. There, he recreated the hawker favourite char kway teow using thinly sliced cuttlefish in place of noodles, and topped stir-fried Hokkien mee with luscious king prawns.
Mod-Sin has continued to gain momentum. In 2014, banker-turned-chef Han Liguang opened Labyrinth, serving progressive Singaporean flavours and sourcing the vast majority of ingredients locally (a particular feat in a state where limited agricultural production means that more than 90 per cent of food is imported from overseas). When Busan-born chef Sun Kim opened his first iteration of Meta in 2016, he specialised in French-inspired fare. But he has since shifted towards highlighting his Korean heritage and its produce, with the famed abalone from Jeju Island now a mainstay on his menus. And at his namesake restaurant Thevar, which opened in 2018, chef Mano Thevar translates his Indian heritage into modern dishes.
The critics started paying attention: in recent years, all of these restaurants were awarded Michelin stars and ranked on the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list.
But that was just the beginning. As soon as the Covid-19 stay-at-home orders were no longer in place, a new wave of young south-east and East Asian chefs opened their own fine-dining restaurants — or completely refreshed an existing one — with their respective heritages as a focal point. Below are five of the most exciting places that celebrate the vastness of the region’s cuisines.
Seroja
7 Fraser Street, 01-30/31/32/33 Duo Galleria, Singapore 189356
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Good for: A culinary journey through the Malay Archipelago, while also learning about the farmers, fishers and artists who harvested and produced the ingredients for this dining experience
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Not so good for: Vegans and vegetarians
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FYI: Book one of the 13 counter seats for a closer interaction with the chefs and the kitchen team
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What to drink: The restaurant offers excellent wine- and non-alcoholic pairings. A surprising highlight was a fortified wine from Bali
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Opening times: Lunch: Friday—Saturday, noon — 2.30pm. Dinner: Tuesday—Saturday, 6pm — 11pm
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Prices: Lunch tasting menu, S$218 ($160/£130); dinner tasting menu, S$268 ($195/£160)
Seroja serves multi-course tasting menus that pay tribute to the vast flavours and culinary traditions of the Malay Archipelago, heralding 29-year-old chef-owner Kevin Wong’s homeland. Since opening last year, it has been awarded a Michelin star, as well as a Michelin Green star for its sustainability efforts (Singapore’s first), while Wong himself picked up Michelin’s Young Chef nod too, which recognises rising stars in the culinary world.
Diners begin a meal at Seroja with delicate one-bite wonders, such as obsiblue prawns in a caramelised sambal hitam (a black chilli paste), anchovies topped with finely shredded leek, or barbecue eel with sare roti (wherein the flatbread is seasoned with sare, a seaweed found abundantly in the Malay Peninsula, that has been dried and turned into a powder). This is usually followed by a memorable bread course: Malaysian roti paung (aka butter buns) that are steamed before being deep-fried. Soft, pillowy and crisp on the edges, the pull-apart roti is served with a hand-dived scallop on an aromatic laksa sauce that’s perfect to dip the bread in.
Other highlights include nasi dagang (made with a heirloom red rice grown for 3,000 years by the Lun Bawang tribe in Sarawak) that is anointed with coconut and ginger scallion oil, and served with coral trout on percik, a Malaysian barbecue sauce. Served alongside: chutney and herb sambal, with sides of chayote (a green squash) and a cucumber-coconut salad, altogether offering sweet, savoury and umami flavours all at once. “It’s like in south-east Asian homes where, when we eat, we have a lot of side dishes,” Wong adds.
Even if you don’t have a sweet tooth, make space for dessert: the Borneo raw-sugar bahulu, a traditional Malay pastry, baked in handmade brassware from the Malaysian state of Terengganu, is delightful and cannot be missed.
Malaysian culture is thoughtfully integrated into Seroja’s space — an art installation by the entrance is inspired by ketupat, which Wong explains is a local way of making rice cakes. Just behind, the Seroja signage on the hostess’s podium is inspired by wayang kulit, a regional folk art of shadow puppetry. The ceiling above the chefs’ counter (which is where one should aim to sit to take in the action in the kitchen) is an illustration of the Malay Archipelago.
In addition to providing a platform for Malay farmers, fishers and artists, Seroja uses a compost garden and has built a rooftop garden-farm where they source their tropical vegetables and herbs. They also collect and recycle rainwater.
Pangium
11 Gallop Road, Gallop Entrance, Singapore Botanic Gardens, Singapore 259015
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Good for: Revisiting the city-state’s history and tradition through the different cultures that have made it their home, specifically the Straits Settlements of Singapore, Malacca and Penang and the early migrants from south China
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Not so good for: Vegetarians; those with soy and nuts allergies
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FYI: The menu changes every few months
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What to drink: I had hot tea with my meal, but Pangium offers an assortment of wines, as well as wine-, sake- and mixed pairings for its tasting menus
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Opening times: Lunch: Thursday—Saturday, noon — 2.30pm. Dinner: Wednesday— Saturday, 6.30pm — 10pm
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Prices: Lunch tasting menu, S$198 ($145/£119). Dinner tasting menu, S$258 ($188/£155)
Malcolm Lee’s Candlenut is the world’s first Peranakan restaurant to receive a Michelin star, and has held on to this distinction since 2016, the year the guide made its debut in Singapore. He has long championed his Peranakan heritage (also referred to as Straits Chinese: generally a person of mixed Chinese and Malay/Indonesian lineage) in various iterations, from the ah-ma-kase menu (a play on the words omakase and ah-ma, which means “grandmother” in Hokkien) at Candlenut to his favourite ingredient, the poisonous fruit of the buah keluak tree (which is made edible by fermentation).
His latest venue, Pangium, opened last year at the Singapore Botanic Gardens’ eight-hectare Gallop Extension. Here he serves tasting menus on minimalist ceramics that celebrate contemporary Straits cuisine, which he describes as “the food our forebears first created with the knowledge, ingredients and tools they had on hand upon sailing down south-east Asia in search of a better life”.
The menu during my last visit was themed to the Lunar New Year — an ode to the Chinese migrants who made Singapore home. Pang susi, the Eurasian sweet potato bun, was filled with Iberico pork cheek, though as a pescatarian I enjoyed a version with turmeric blue swimmer crab curry, its sugary crust giving way to a beautiful sweet and savoury finish. Buah keluak was mixed into a wok-fried rice with lobster and free-range eggs, lending to an earthy, umami-laden dish. Fish moolie, a dish believed to have originated in Kerala, was served here with toothfish (a type of sea bass) and scallops.
The multi-course menu changes every three months, and Lee says they are tied to “the whole vision of exploring and rediscovering Straits cuisine” — for the most recent one, he “looked at old recipes and stories, like a salad recipe from a 1960s cookbook called laksa siam”.
Dining here at lunchtime offers serene 180-degree views overlooking the Unesco World Heritage site, with the feeling of being in a treehouse in the middle of a forest — although in the evening, the minimalist space can be romantic (tables are generously spaced out, too).
Born
1 Neil Road, Singapore 088804
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Good for: Enjoying a progression of Chinese flavours (Hokkien, Cantonese, Sichuan, Taiwanese) meticulously prepared with French technique
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Not so good for: Those in a rush. The nine-course menu here lasts for three to four hours, sometimes longer
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FYI: Born debuted at No 36 on this year’s Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list and was awarded a Michelin star. While the counter gives you a close-up view of the kitchen, you can see it from each table in the airy dining space
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What to drink: On my visit, I enjoyed my meal with a few glasses of grower champagne. The robust drinks list includes excellent wine, sakes, local beers and cocktails, as well as non-alcohol alternatives such as house-ferments and juices
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Opening times: Tuesday—Saturday, 6pm — 11pm
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Prices: Chef’s menu, S$368 ($268/£220)
Chinese-Malaysian Zor Tan, who grew up in Malaysia, used to be known as the lauded chef André Chiang’s right hand, having worked alongside him at Restaurant André in Singapore, Raw in Taipei and Sichuan Moon in Macau.
In June 2022, after working with Chiang for 11 years, Tan finally opened his own venture, Born, in the former Jinrikisha station, a heritage building. It has one of the most stunning dining rooms in the country, with an eye-catching paper sculpture by Dutch artist Peter Gentenaar hanging from the ceiling.
Here, Tan serves what he calls “contemporary” cuisine inspired by his childhood memories, professional journey and personal ideas. His menu is made up of nine courses that span the “Circle of Life”, based on the Chinese philosophy that what comes to an end will restart again.
Each dish — rooted in Chinese ingredients (from his Hokkien ancestry to Cantonese, Sichuan, and Taiwanese influences from his work and lived experiences) — is prepared dexterously with classic technique in an exciting interplay of flavours.
On the menu that I had, the taro puff, for instance, is based on the gula Melaka (palm sugar originating from the state of Malacca in Malaysia) puffs his mother used to make while he was growing up. At Born, it is a savoury snack, deep-fried taro with a molten salted egg custard centre, topped with grated bottarga. He relates this to “vicissitude”, or how his family has progressed from humble beginnings through the years. His signature dish, monkfish, steamed and finished over binchotan (Japanese oak-wood charcoal) is served with fermented imperial chilli, jade fungus from the Yunnan mountains and Sichuan peppers, is a tribute to his time living and working in Macau.
Dessert came in the form of toasted rice cream, topped with milk ice cream, puffed rice, chestnut purée, and black garlic and sable — Tan’s take on the classic Mont Blanc dessert, inspired by how rice is often the last dish at Chinese celebratory dinners.
Nae:um
161 Telok Ayer Street, Singapore 068615
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Good for: Those interested in any facet of Korea — its culture, art, drinks and cuisine are all part of the dining experience here
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Not so good for: Anyone who doesn’t like seafood or has dairy/gluten allergies
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FYI: Nae:um has a Michelin star, and chef-owner Louis Han won the Michelin Young Chef award in 2021. While dinner highlights the restaurant’s current “Episode” (ie, its tasting menu, running for six months at a time), lunch offers an abridged version of previous ones
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What to drink: While there are big names like Krug, Dom Pérignon and Opus One, they also have boutique offerings such as the unfiltered Fattoria Al Fiore Arancia from Japan. There is also a selection of boutique Korean rice wines
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Opening times: Lunch: Saturday, noon — 3pm (also Friday in November and December). Dinner: Tuesday—Saturday, 6pm — 10.30pm
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Prices: Lunch menu, S$188 ($137/£113). Dinner menu, from S$198 ($145/£119)
The amuse-bouches at Nae:um were presented in an adorable way: kim mari (fried seaweed roll), yuzu tomato and Korean fried cauliflower centred around figurines of a boy and girl kissing on a picnic. I must have taken 20 photos from every angle as I decided which one to post on Instagram.
Little did I know that was just the beginning of an artful tasting menu (even the actual menu itself features a watercolour illustration) where each dish was as striking as the other. South Korea-born chef-patron Louis Han calls his contemporary tasting menus “Episodes” — compendiums of his memories of growing up in Seoul (and, in the future, of his time spent abroad), each of which runs for six months. Han worked in kitchens in Lebanon (where he volunteered to serve with the UN Peacekeeping force) and Abu Dhabi before coming to Singapore, and working at chef Sun Kim’s Meta and Kimme restaurants.
When I dined at the blond-wood 28-seat space, the theme was the Han river, which chef Han says “brings everyone together in Korea” — hence those picnicking figurines. Other standouts included sliced striped jack (white travelly) and kimchi draped over thin buckwheat noodles; a beautiful milssam roll, with prawns delicately encased in a Korean crepe; deopbap rice with black truffle, morels and mushrooms; and kkul hotteok (Korean sweet pancakes), served with glutinous rice, honeycomb and caramelised fig.
Lolla
22 Ann Siang Road, Singapore 069702
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Good for: Filipino-accented flavours presented in new and exciting ways
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Not so good for: The 13 counter seats, where you can see the kitchen team in action, fills up fast. (All other seating is at a communal table in the basement, which can also be booked for private parties)
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FYI: Philippine-born head chef Johanne Siy was named Asia’s Best Female Chef at this year’s Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants awards
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What to drink: With a seafood-forward menu, I had an assortment of white wines, including André Brunel Les Cailloux Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc, and Pieropan Le Colombare Recioto di Soave
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Opening times: Lunch: Monday—Thursday and Saturday, noon — 2.30pm. Dinner: Monday—Saturday, 6pm — 11pm
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Prices: Starters from S$10; mains from S$46. Tasting menu, S$238
Located in a shophouse, Lolla has been around since 2012. It used to be a Spanish tapas restaurant, but in 2020 had a refresh when Philippine-born Johanne Siy became head chef. Siy had stints at La Bernardin and Café Boulud in New York, Faviken in Sweden and Noma in Copenhagen, and worked with André Chiang at Restaurant André, each influencing her style of cooking. While her culinary training is modern European, she draws much of her inspiration from her Filipino heritage. “Rather than doing a take on a complete dish, I take elements which capture the essence of the dish and incorporate them into my cuisine,” Siy explains.
For instance, Siy’s signature avocado dish is inspired by kinilaw, the Filipino “ceviche”. “I wanted to create a bright dish that’s reminiscent of kinilaw from back home — lots of acidity, brightness and complexity to get the appetite going,” Siy says. While there are other interpretations of kinilaw at Lolla, with different souring agents, aromatics and spices, with this one “there’s acid in the form of citrus, heat from chillies, freshness from cucumber and richness from coconut milk”.
Another signature, the crab relleno, is Siy’s take on the stuffed crab dishes usually served at fiestas and gatherings in the Philippines, taken to the next level. She uses three kinds of crab — blue, snow and river — tied together with one of her favourite ingredients from the Philippines, aligue, an umami-rich paste made from crab tomalley (or crab “roe”) gathered from small river crabs. This velvety, bright orange indulgence is layered above a bed of pearl couscous, and topped with smoked paprika foam, Kaffir lime and mustard flowers to balance the richness.
“I get a lot of comments from diners that even if the dishes don’t necessarily look Filipino, the flavour profiles are Filipino,” she says. On the à la carte menu, Lolla offers the classic Filipino dish of adobo, with charred smoky quail served with a distilled vinegar-soy sauce and an egg-yolk confit, which sometimes makes an appearance on the tasting menu. It is not to be missed.
Which Singapore restaurant in your opinion is best for mod-Sin? Tell us in the comments below. And follow FT Globetrotter on Instagram at @FTGlobetrotter
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