In this week's edition: A new dining club in New York and London makes Michelin dining accessible to children; legendary chef Albert Roux launches gourmet menus for dogs; and supermarket tills in Singapore are a-ringing strong.
Petite palates
Rejoice, all you food-loving parents nurturing little foodies-in-training: Nibble and Squeak, a new dining club started in the US, wants to get more Michelin-starred restaurants to open up their dining rooms to parents with tots in tow.
Founded by mother-of-one Melissa Elders on the belief that being a parent doesn’t mean that you have to forsake fine dining for nuggets and mac and cheese, Nibble and Squeak works with restaurants to create comfortable kid-friendly havens for foodie families. This includes arranging for private rooms, custom menus and convenient daytime openings, plus high chairs, changing mats and space for stroller parking during the club's regular events every month. The aim, says Elders, is to get like-minded parents to meet and mingle, as well as to expose their young charges to table etiquette and a wide range of flavours from an early age.
Meet-ups, mostly breakfasts and lunches, are held in New York and London and will soon be available in Miami and Washington D.C. Here’s hoping a Singapore chapter is also on the blueprint.
Parents dining out with their tots at one of Nibble and Squeak's events. Photo credit: NYTimes
Bone appetit
Want to head out for a nice meal but can’t bear to leave pooch at home?
Now, you won’t have to choose, thanks to legendary chef Albert Roux of Le Gavroche, the first UK restaurant to earn three Michelin stars in 1982 (it now has two stars). The pet-loving Frenchman has recently introduced an interesting new addition to his menus: dishes designed for dogs.
On the carte are special creations such as salmon and mackerel, spinach and brown rice risotto, turkey and sweet potato stew and meatloaf with chicken jelly, all of which will be permanent fixtures in at least four of Roux’s Scotland restaurants, mostly housed within the ICMI group's pet-friendly hotels.
Priced at £10.50 each, the meals can be ordered through room service and were launched in conjunction with the UK’s National Pet Month. Albert's equally animal-loving brother Michel Roux Sr, also has a range of premium dog treats to his name. Can pets get any more pampered these days?
Supermarket sweep
We've always known that Singaporeans love their food, but now we can be empirically sure of it. Despite recent slowdowns reflected in other sectors of the economy, thriving supermarket sales are notching new highs on our national economic data.
According to a recent Straits Times report, Singaporean food shoppers spent a total of S$2.3 billion in supermarkets last year, twice of that in 2005 and the most in a decade. Supermarket stalwarts Fairprice, Giant and Sheng Siong have all reported an uptick in sales in the past year, with last year's total supermarket sales forming about 5.3 per cent of overall takings from the retail sector.
Digital tills at online grocers such as RedMart and SimplyFresh are also ringing strong, with their growing presence prompting traditional supermarkets to up their offerings with more choices, exclusive brands and improved home delivery services, said the report.
The first provincial selection of the MICHELIN Guide in mainland China, dedicated to Fujian Province, features 69 restaurants across Fuzhou, Xiamen, and Quanzhou, including 5 One-Star establishments, 47 Bib Gourmand selections, and 2 professionals honored with Special Awards.
The MICHELIN Guide Shanghai 2025 is released, featuring one new Two Star restaurant, five new One Star establishments, over 30 cooking styles, and honoring three exceptional professionals with Special Awards. And for the first time, a dim sum restaurant is awarded One MICHELIN Star in city.
The latest MICHELIN Guide Beijing includes one new restaurant awarded Two MICHELIN Stars, three restaurants receiving One MICHELIN Star, and four restaurants newly added to the Bib Gourmand list.
From nourishing bone broths to hearty double-boiled soups, here are 9 MICHELIN-recognised addresses to head to when you need to quell the chill of a rain-soaked afternoon in Singapore.
Six new restaurants join the MICHELIN Guide Singapore selection this November 2024, featuring a mix of dining formats and cuisine types — a vegetarian omakase, upscale casual eateries, fuss-free joints, and the ever-reliable hawker fare. Check them out.
Aside from championing imaginative, vegetable-forward desserts, the chef-owner of two-MICHELIN-Starred Cloudstreet pushes for more than just one kind of sustainability in the kitchen.
In a world where conscious eating is becoming the norm, Singapore's vibrant food scene is embracing the “eat less meat” mantra, offering an array of innovative vegetable-forward dishes. From Bib Gourmand-rated restaurants to beloved hawker stalls, diners can enjoy a rich tapestry of flavours that not only cater to health and environmental concerns but also celebrate the joy of eating well.
‘Tis the season for Chinese mitten crabs, better known as hairy crabs. For flesh sweet and succulent and roe most luscious, head to these MICHELIN restaurants in Singapore.
Singapore’s ever-evolving drinking scene is packed with new spots, but the city's iconic hotel bars still reign supreme, offering both polished charm and rich history. Here are the MICHELIN Guide's must-visit hotel bars in the Lion City.
Claypot cooking in Malaysia and Singapore is a soulful, slow-burn art, where earthy claypots cradle fragrant rice, tender meats, and rich broths, allowing flavours to meld into something deeply comforting. The gentle heat from the clay intensifies the ingredients, creating a meal that's both humble and extraordinary, steeped in tradition and warmth.
Yong Tau Foo is a popular dish in Singapore and Malaysia, where diners select an array of tofu, vegetables, and meat or seafood items, which are then boiled or fried and served in a light broth or with a savoury sauce. It's a customisable, comforting meal that reflects the region's Chinese Hakka roots and love for fresh, balanced flavours.
Nasi Padang is the much-loved contribution of the Minangkabau, or Minang, people of West Sumatra, Indonesia, to the Malay culinary world. An irresistible mini-banquet of rice served alongside a mouthwatering spread of richly spiced dishes, a Nasi Padang meal is a veritable smorgasbord of differing flavours and textures, and a feast for the senses.
