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New Restaurants, Cafes & Bars In Singapore: January 2021

2021 has barely started and these new restaurants and bars are leading the charge. From a bakery bistro that doubles up as a craft beer bar to a modern Sri Lankan concept from one of Singapore's most esteemed chefs, these are the hot new places not to be missed.


Kotuwa
Photo by Burppler Julius Lim

For Sri Lankan Delicacies
Remember Chef Rishi of the famed Cheek by Jowl (now Cheek Bistro) and Cloudstreet? His latest concept is Kotuwa, a spot for delicious Sri Lankan cuisine with punchy flavours and spices. Choose from dishes like the Crab Cutlet ($16), and Deviled Cashew ($8), and the familiar Chicken Curry ($22) with appam. Burppler Julius Lim likes the Wattakka Kalu Pol ($16), a butternut squash cooked in blackened coconut gravy. Tables fill up weeks in advance so make your reservations early!

Happy Ending Pizza Parlour
Photo by Burppler Xing Wei Chua

For Pizzas That Make You Smile
Happy Ending Pizza Parlour may have started out as an online-only pizzeria, but now, their popularity has led them to open their first physical restaurant at City Gate in Lavender. Burppler Xing Wei Chua enjoyed the Sweet Dreams pizza from the "Unique Pizza" section of the menu - a four-cheese pie with mozzarella, blue cheese, parmesan and ricotta, showcasing a crust that "comes beautifully blistered, slightly bready but still light, airy and fluffy. Happy Ending also serves up their pizzas with add-on sauces such as Chili Crab, Zesty Red Pesto and Bacon Jam, perfect for a yummy flavour bomb!

Beng Who Cooks
Photo by Burppler Xing Wei Chua

For Elevated Rice Bowls
Previously located at Hong Lim Food Centre, Beng Who Cooks serves up rice and salad bowls for lunch with a good variety of tea and alcoholic options available, while dinner sees a degustation six-course menu ($78) that's a steep departure from what they were previously known for. Burppler Xing Wei Chua tried their Bak Chor Rice and the Beng's Prawn Paste Chicken, the latter being "good fried chicken with a shattering crisp fried batter on the outside that is also surprisingly light, while the meat comes all juicy, tender and succulent with the umami flavour coming from the marination."

Sushi Masaaki
Photo by Burppler Cassie Ong

For Exquisite Omakase
Got them sushi cravings? Make your way to Masaaki, a new omakase joint at South Beach Avenue with a gorgeously designed open kitchen. Lunch menus start from $120 for a seven-course omakase while dinners start from $280. The restaurant is headed by Kyoto-born chef Masaaki Sakashita, who formerly helmed restaurants Ishi and Hashida Sushi. Burppler Cassie Ong enjoyed the Shirako Chawanmushi with Uni, which is part of the seven-course meal, as "the two ingredients run and swirl together, amplifying each other's flavours.

Picanhas
Photo by Burppler Andre Teo

For Extra Beefy Steaks
Picanhas' is a new steak hotspot that wants to popularise the picanha, a popular Braziliian cut of beef taken from the top of the rump - the fat cap on top makes the steak extra flavourful. The ones here are dry-aged and sous-vide before finished on the grill, and Burppler Andre Teo says he loves "the strong beef flavours of their steaks which remain juicy and tender." The crowd-favourite? A Picanhas Don ($16) for the Brazilian beef, butterfly pea rice, onsen egg, and caramelised onions.

Yeast Side
Photo by Burppler Audrey & Cady

For Sourdough & Craft Beer
Just a stone's throw away from King Albert Park MRT, you'll find this alfresco bistro, bakery and bar housed in KAP mall. Full of chill vibes and good bites, pop on by for a cuppa coffee, pastries and signature Sourdough Loaf ($9) freshly baked every morning! Some of their crowd favourites include the Carrot Cake ($6), which was "pretty yummy, perfect if you prefer the less-sweet type of cakes with a stronger taste of spice. It was moist and light, not the dense kind, which was great for a tea snack," according to Burppler Audrey & Cady. Yeast Side is also home to a rotating tap list of craft beers, so drink away!


Watch our video collaboration with Ah Lian (Michelle Chong) and Richy Von Zhang (Royce Lee) as they discover Burpple Beyond! From now till 28 Feb, use the promo code NIUYEAR to get Burpple Beyond Premium at $63.48 (U.P. $99) so you can enjoy over 2000 deals at ~500 restaurants in Singapore.