15 June 2016
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In this week’s round-up of essential dining news: Business meetings get delicious venue upgrades, the URA puts a cap on Singapore supper spots and Jason Atherton extends his empire-building efforts to the Philippines
Swanky office by day, Michelin-awarded eatery by night
Tired of having yet another sad desk lunch? What if said desk is a table within a Michelin-awarded eatery?
Month-old start-up Spacious by former corporate bigwig, Preston Pesek and developer Chris Smothers aim to address exactly that - by turning top restaurants across New York City into co-working spaces and lush meeting rooms in their off-hours.
The aim, said the founders, is to build a mutually beneficial relationship: dinner-only restaurants get an additional revenue channel for the usage of its premises in the afternoons, while businesses and freelancers can work in the affordably priced places, and continue to kick back or entertain their partners and business associates in the same venue after work.
Each location will be equipped with amenities such as high speed internet, concierge and guest reception services as well as free flow coffee and tea. Customers are charged a fee of US$95 per month (or US$29 for a day and a half), and have the option to bring one guest for free, and sign in additional individuals in for US$6 per person.
A more ambitious goal is to improve food culture by allowing restaurants to focus on what they do best, Pesek explains: “If we can help relieve ground-level retail pressure, then restaurants can afford to take more risks with food, or the head chef can experiment more with new concepts." Acknowledging that it might be pretty tempting to work in a restaurant when the kitchen staff are prepping, Spacious will also work with restaurants to offer small bites, exclusive lunch menus and even open bar options, for members.
Only one location - Daniel Boulud’s DBGB Kitchen and Bar, an establishment stamped with the Bib-Gourmand rating by the Michelin Guide New York 2016 - is listed for now, but Spacious is already in talks with six other restaurants of similar calibre, it said.
URA circumscribes supper hot spots
Too much of a good thing, it turns out, isn't always a good thing.
The Urban Redevelopment Authority’s (URA) decided last week to impose a ban on additional eateries in three dining clusters across the island, in response to repeated complaints from residents about the illegal parking of cars by diners, as well as the disruptive noise levels they bring about. The cap on new eateries, which was effected from May 30, applies to stretches of shophouses along Upper Thomson Road, a network of roads surrounding Kitchener Road in the Little India Historic District, and along Bedok Road. Under the rules, new food businesses may move in only if they take over a unit that is approved for use as an eating house, while existing eateries can carry on their business if no one complains, the URA said.
While most residents were happy to see the ban implemented, others were more skeptical, and some even expressed doubt that the congestion would ease up as long as the incumbent establishments remained.
Catalunya bows out
In a surprise move, flashy Spanish restaurant, Catalunya at the Fullerton waterfront, has quietly ceased operations and vacated their premises as of June 2.
The popular restaurant opened in 2012 to much fanfare, boasting a all-Catalan kitchen and service team that comprised prominent alumi of El Bulli, the three-Michelin-starred restaurant by Ferran Adrià, and progressive, molecular technique-driven takes on traditional Spanish tapas dishes. It is succeeded by its sister establishment, Catalunya Hong Kong.
A love letter from a celebrity chef
Ever wondered how romantic chefs from Michelin-starred establishments are? Jason Atherton, the man behind much-lauded restaurant group, The Social Company, has just about set the standard - with his latest “love letter restaurant” to his wife, Irha Atherton.
Opening in Cebu in the Philippines in July, The Pig and Palm will serve contemporary Spanish tapas with an emphasis on pork dishes, in line with Cebu’s porcine-loving reputation. The restaurant will seat 57 at full capacity and is complemented by a separate cocktail bar. It is a collaboration between the Athertons, Cebu-based property developers Chris and Carla McKowen, and architect Lyndon Neri.
"It has always been Irha's dream to bring some of the success of The Social Company back to her hometown of Cebu," said Atherton.
