The Michelin stars and Bib Gourmand ratings may be the most visible parts of the Michelin Guide, but few realise that our inspectors actually visited hundreds of restaurants, eateries and even hawker stalls to put together Singapore's inaugural edition.
While it may not cover the entire country just yet, they’ve gone to great pains to suss out the best that the country has to offer and compiled a pretty appetite-whetting list that includes everything from hotel buffets to family-run eateries in sleepy HDB estates, and even a little stall serving piping hot putu piring. It's Singapore's culinary diversity at its finest.
"I want to emphasise that just the fact that a restaurant is in the selection — even if it doesn't have a star or a Bib Gourmand — means that it's a restaurant of great quality,” says Michael Ellis, International Director of The Michelin Guides at the awards ceremony. “Just being in the selection is a sign of quality."
Here are 12 more foodie favourites in the selection that you may not know about, and what our inspectors have to say about them. For the full selection, head over to our fully searchable online directory for the 2016 Michelin Guide Singapore, or download the Michelin SG app for iOS here.
Tippling Club
Address: 38 Tanjong Pagar Road
What our inspectors say:
"Ryan Clift’s discreetly signed flagship restaurant is dominated by a long kitchen counter, which is where most diners choose to sit so that they can engage with the chefs and watch them in action – lunch is a simpler affair so come for dinner to fully appreciate their ability and ambition. They embrace all the latest techniques to produce quite elaborate and exciting dishes with some challenging combinations of flavour and texture." tipplingclub.com
Gunther's
Address: 36 Purvis Street, #01-03
What our inspectors say:
“The owner-chef worked in some well-known restaurants in his native Belgium before coming to Singapore. He may describe his cooking as “simple, honest and down-to-earth" but typical dishes include angel hair pasta with Oscietra caviar, roast rack of black pig, and a fine apple tart. Many regulars wait until they’ve seen the tray of the day’s special ingredients before ordering, however. The two dining rooms are enlivened by some colourful art.” gunthers.com.sg
Address: Mandarin Gallery, #04-16, 333A Orchard Road
What our inspectors say:
“A typically discreet entrance and corridor lead into two elegant counter restaurants, one of which seats just six and is ideal for an intimate dinner. There are three menu options for lunch while at dinner only an omakase is offered. For the sushi, fish comes four times a week from Tokyo’s Tsukiji Market and twice a week from Hokkaido, with selected white-hulled rice also imported from Japan. The signature dish is monkfish liver with sea eel sauce.” hashida.com.sg
Basilico
Address: Regent Singapore, A Four Seasons Hotel, Level 2
What our inspectors say:
"By concentrating on quality not quantity, Basilico proves that buffets and good food are not mutually exclusive. The main course at dinner is served at the table but everything else is from the various stations – all regions of Italy are covered and the dessert counter is especially good. The handsome dining room, on the 2nd floor of the luxurious Regent hotel, comes with an impressive walk-in wine cellar, an open kitchen and an outdoor terrace." regenthotels.com
Iggy's
Address: The Hilton Hotel, Level 3
What our inspectors say:
"It may be inside the Hilton, but this diminutive restaurant is run entirely independently. Ingredients come from as far away as France, Italy and Japan and there’s a strong Asian element to the contemporary cuisine – the kitchen makes use of modern cooking techniques and dishes are vibrant and full of colour. It has just 8 tables and 8 seats at the dessert counter which, along with subdued lighting, make it ideal for a romantic dinner." iggys.com.sg
Roland
Address: Marine Parade, Block 89, #06-750
What our inspectors say:
"In 1956 Mdm Cher Yam Tian created her famous chilli crab and, together with her husband Lim Choon Ngee, opened a small restaurant along the Kallang River. Now occupying a vast space atop a multi-storey carpark in Katong (with a hard-to-find entrance) and run by the second and third generations. Chilli crab rightly remains the bestseller. Other dishes to look out for are black sauce prawn, crispy baby squid and pomfret done in two ways." rolandrestaurant.com.sg
Hawker Centres and Street Food
There's no lack of cultural diversity in the guide as our inspectors visited these hawker centres and brought forth what's worth your dime. On the list many might have overlooked is a delicious selection of Singaporean favourites. Think along the lines of nasi lemak, oyster omelette, roti prata and even the rather divisive, offal-laden local delicacy, kway chap. Keep your eyes peeled for some of these favourites:
Haig Road Market & Food Centre
Address: 14 Haig Road
What our inspectors say:
“It’s no surprise that this centre is congested with customers as it’s located between Katong and Geylang, two of the most popular eating areas in Singapore. There is so much to sample, like wanton mee and mee rebus – and no one should miss the famous putu piring."
Listed stall:Traditional Haig Road Putu Piring
Stall No: #01-07.
Image credit:Traditional Haig Road Putu Piring Facebook page
Address: 90/91 Whampoa Drive
What our inspectors say:
"There are 52 stalls housed between two blocks. Stalls in Block 91 mostly offer breakfast food and many close after lunch; stalls in Block 90 are usually open for lunch and dinner or even until midnight. A wide array of good food can be found here."
Listed stall: Huat Heng Fried Oyster
Stall No. #01-26
Address: 30 Seng Poh Road
What our inspectors say:
“Located in one of the city’s oldest residential areas, this market is one of the most popular hawker centres. There are too many great food items to choose from, like lor mee, porridge and roast chicken. The silky white chwee kueh, topped with hot diced radish, is very tempting."
Listed stall: Jian Bo Shui Kueh
Stall No: #02-05
Address: Blk 6 Jalan Bukit Merah
What our inspectors say:
"Opened in 1974, near to industrial and residential areas, it has almost 100 stalls and is one of the most popular hawker centres. It was the birthplace of the Archipelago Brewery Company and, in remembrance of the company, was named ABC market."
Listed stall: Y R Ahmad
Stall No: #01-10
Address: Blk 724, Ang Mo Kio Avenue 6
What our inspectors say:
“Thanks to its convenient location, this centre is always packed. It has 45 stalls offering a range of dishes to satisfy your tastebuds. The minced meat noodles fried Hokkien prawn mee, char kway teow and Hainanese chicken rice are always worth trying.”
Listed stall: Hup Hup Minced Meat Noodle
Stall No. #01-39
Nasi Lemak Kukus
Address: 229 Selegie Road
What our inspectors say:
"The flavoursome Nasi Lemak comes with a wide selection of dishes. Beef rendang and paru-paru are very popular."
Image credit: Nasi Lemak Kukus Facebook page
