New Restaurants, Cafes and Bars in Singapore: December 2017

This latest concept by the Travis Masiero Restaurant Group is a lovely spot to enjoy some seriously tasty pizza — certainly good enough to justify the higher prices. The playlist is funky but it can get noisy in here, so file this away for a night out with friends instead of a romantic date. Settle into one of the booth seats and order a platter of the Blue Label Chicken Wings ($14 for a small portion, $28 for large) to share. According to Burppler Veronica Phua, the fresh wings are prepared in a four-step process — brine, sous vide, fry and glaze. This means very juicy meat, slicked in a gorgeously sticky, golden brown sauce, that doesn't require much more oomph from the blue cheese ranch dip served on the side. As for pizzas, theirs are made using a long ferment dough (takes two days just to be ready), which results in a crust that's not at all floury, and with a slightly oily (but yummy) distinctly crisp bite. Veronica liked the Dr. Pepperoni ($31), which combines red sauce, mozzarella, capers, chilli oil, pepperoni and lots of sesame seeds. Consider the Housemade Soft Serve ($8, additional $2 per topping) for dessert; it's smooth, thick and creamy, and a lovely way to end the meal.
Avg price: $35
Photo by Burppler Shawn Loh

A stone's throw from Serangoon MRT Station (exit F), this new shophouse cafe is a lovely new find, and a great place to while away a laid-back afternoon. The interiors have been thoughtfully designed, with high ceilings, brick walls and wooden tables forming a cosy backdrop against which to feast on their selection of Ice Cream (from $3.50 a scoop, additional $1 for premium flavours), Crepes ($3.50) and Waffles ($5). In addition to foolproof flavours like Cottontail Cookies & Cream and Piedmont Hazelnuts & Chocolate, Burpple Tastemaker Xing Wei Chua loves that they have some unusual ice cream flavours here, such as the Craft Beer IPA and Mont Blanc Chestnut, both of which he really enjoyed. He also praises the crepes for being thin, yet chewy and fragrant — a lovely base for the ice-cream.

Pro tip: We hear they will be rolling out a weekend brunch menu real soon, with hearty options like Weekend Roast, and Fish Rice Bake.
Avg price: $10
Photo by Burppler Muriel A

The guys behind Geylang's popular The Skewer Bar are behind this izakaya concept at Siglap. What sets them apart from the many Japanese joints in Singapore is their unabashed feature of local flavours, along with extremely wallet-friendly prices — prices are nett, with no GST or service charge. Bring a few friends along to this spacious spot, not only to knock back a few drinks with, but also to partake in a communal feeding experience. Burppler Jasper Six&Seven highly recommends the Special Yaki Onigiri ($5 for two), which he describes to have a "smokey, hae bee hiam-belachan aroma". Other dishes to try include the Otah Tamago ($6.90), which cleverly combines lightly spiced otah and Japanese rolled egg, and Grilled Eggplant with Housemade Chilli ($5), which features a bed of soft smoky eggplant blanketed with chilli paste. The Oysters ($12 for three) are also plump and fresh, and you can even opt to have them grilled if you don't enjoy raw shellfish.
Avg price: $25
Photo by Burppler Veronica Phua

A trending hotspot among the Burpple community, OMU is a must-visit for all omu rice lovers. Prices begin at an affordable $9.80 for a basic Omurice, with five sauce types to choose from, and the option for toppings like Pork Shabu Shabu, Cream Croquettes and Deep-fried Shrimps. If it's your first visit, you must request for eggs to be made lava-style (additional $2), regardless of what Omurice you choose (except for Doria-style). In this option, the eggs are cooked till set on the surface, but half-cooked and creamy within. Burppler Rueann Dass shares that the eggs here are generally underseasoned, and to choose your sauce wisely for flavour. She highly recommends the Hayashi, a hearty, beefy Japanese-Western brown sauce. We also enjoyed the more balanced Tomato and umami Demi Glace. If you plan on Instagramming this, take Burppler Siming T's advice to ask that toppings be served on a separate side plate, so the lava-style egg can flow beautifully over the rice and sauce.

Pro tip: This place is still buzzing, so visit during off-peak meal hours or be prepared to queue!
Avg price: $15
Photo by Burppler Siming T

Telok Ayer's popular smokehouse Meatsmith has ventured into Little India with its second outlet, and head chef Andrew Baldus presents a menu of American barbecue accented with Indian spices, rubs and sauces. In short, expect seriously delicious American-Indian fusion food. Take Burppler Veronica Phua's cue and start with the Picklebacks ($5), which sees India's Amrut single malt whisky chased down with housemade jalapeno pickle juice, and then work your way through stellar snacks like Pulled Pork Samosas, Currywurst Sausages and Butter Chicken Hot Pockets ($7-$8 each). That should prime you well for their Stuffed Suckling Pig ($48), stuffed with a nasi biryani stuffing that mixes together lots of dried fruit and nuts to elevate the sweetness of the pork, as well as their flawless Tandoori Chicken ($18), which will impress with its flavourful marinade and incredibly moist meat. Pair the meats with an order of Gunpowder Potatoes ($6), where spot-on seasoning, crisp edges and curry leaves come together in addictive harmony. Wash everything down with tall glasses of Nimbu Pani ($4, free flow), a cumin-kissed Indian lemonade that's super refreshing and palate-cleansing.
Avg price: $40
Photo by Burppler Veronica Phua

In its first foray outside of Japan, where it has 168 shops, Kushikatsu Tanaka has found its first international outpost here in Singapore's Clarke Quay. They specialise in Osaka-style skewers ($1 to $2.50), crumbed in panko (Japanese breadcrumbs) and deep-fried till perfectly golden. Burppler Dex Neo especially loves their Oyster, Shrimp and Asparagus Kushikatsu ($2.50 each). Apart from all that deep-fried deliciousness, consider sharing the Chiritori Hotpan Beef ($18 for small, $34 for large) with a friend or two. The sizzling hotpan dish sees sliced beef and wagyu beef intestines (uh huh!) cooked over a bed of bean sprouts — amazing! Afterwards, you can opt to add the Cheese Curry Risotto ($7) into the pan to further soak up all that goodness.
Avg price: $30
Photo by Burppler Dex Neo

Avocado toast fans will have a whale of a time eating their way through the menu at this spot at the Food Garden in Asia Square Tower 2. The delicious options may also inspire those who have fallen off the clean eating bandwagon to get back on. The toasts, served on customised bread by Maison Kayser, are a favourite — there are nine options including You're My Toast ($6.50) that sees bread slathered in mashed avo topped with oregano roasted tomatoes in balsamic glaze, and Double Barrel ($7.50) that combines mozzarella, ham and smashed avocado. If you're really looking to fill up, consider their grain bowls instead, which are more substantial and generous with the toppings. Burppler Rueann Dass ordered the Large Grain Bowl ($13) that comes with two bases, two proteins and three toppings. She likes the bulgur (cracked wheat) base for its interesting, mildly spicy seasoning, and recommends paying an extra $1 each for both the paprika shrimp and Moroccan salmon as protein. Despite Avorush's avocado focus, the bowls actually don't come heaped with avocado, so bear that in mind when you're deciding between the toasts and bowls.
Avg price: $10
Photo by Burpple Tastemaker Blueskies Cottonclouds

Sprouting up amongst the budding handful of eateries at Tai Seng's Irving Place is this juice shop, which blends up healthy smoothies and substantial fruit bowls. It's a decent option for office workers looking for a healthy breakfast, or even to grab a very decent Coffee (from $2) brewed using Brother Basil & Co. beans from Melbourne. The Juices (from $4.50) are fresh and the combinations tasty, but we do wish they could be more generous with the portion sizes. Try Fresh Start ($5.50), which blends pineapple, pear, lemon, ginger, mint and chia seeds for a refreshing pick-me-up. On the other hand, their smoothie bowls are very filling. We tried Going Nuts ($12), which sees a peanut butter smoothie base topped with fresh fruit, seeds and granola. It's richer in mouthfeel and a more interesting option compared to fruity acai bowls, which they also serve ($12).
Pro tip: They took quite a while to prepare our orders even though we were the only customers. This is hopefully a teething problem they'll soon work out, but bear that in mind for now if you're in a rush.
Avg price: $10
Photo by Burppler Leigh Khoo

For brains behind Chicken Up have ventured into burgers, this time setting up Burger Monster at Jurong East MRT Station. You'll find typical fast food options like burgers and fried chicken, prepared with a Korean slant. Expect the likes of Bulgogi Beef Roll ($3), Fried Chicken Burger ($5) and Fried Chicken Wings ($8 for six). The one thing to try, if your friends and appetites are up for it, is the Monster Burger ($20). The 20cm burger is made to share among three to four, and sees a mountain of well-cooked sliced beef bulgogi, caramelised onions, cheese and veggies, sandwiched between two gargantuan buns — insanely filling, but delicious and fun. It's also available in a fish option if you don't fancy beef. Pro-tip: Spice up your meal with sauces from the self-serve condiment dispenser, with choices like spicy yangnyum, wasabi mayo and bulgogi BBQ.
Avg price: $10
Photo by Burpple Tastemaker Xing Wei Chua

The jury is still out on which tastes better — Yolé or llaollao — so we say leave the politics aside, try it and then decide. Yolé, which replaced llaollao outlets, sports many similarities, which we like to think is good news for llaollao fans who can't bear to say their goodbyes just yet. Some say it melts a tad faster and is slightly less creamy, but Burppler Eunice Foo declares the frozen yoghurt to taste exactly the same, so you might want to take her advice to try the limited edition strawberry flavour if you fancy something different. Prices start from $2.50 for their baby-sized froyo cup sans toppings, or go for the Ibiza (from $5.50 with one each of fruit, topping and sauce). Sauce and topping options run the gamut from milky candy and black chocolate sauce to caramelised cookies and chocolate muesli, so knock yourself out. We heard that a coconut soft serve ice cream is in the pipeline.
Avg price: $5
Photo by Burppler Eunice Foo

Tucked away on the first floor of Sunshine Plaza, District Sushi serves up some seriously delish AND affordable Japanese — $10 Bara Chirashi Don anyone? Considering the amount of fresh seafood that the rice bowl comes topped with, this could possibly be the most value for money version we've tried. Along with cooked prawns, the fish cubes are chunky and fresh, and tossed in a slightly sweet marinade (nothing a trickle of soy sauce won't fix, says Burppler Muriel A). You might be tempted to upsize to the Premium Bara Chirashi Don, but the $10 portion should satisfy regular appetites. If you're not into raw seafood, you'll find equally tasty $10 bowls in the donburi section: both the Salmon Mentaiyaki Donburi ($10) and Aburi Duck Teriyaki + Onsen Egg ($10) have our nods of approval.
Avg price: $10
Photo by Burpple Tastemaker Wei Zhi Chiang

Set within The Plaza at Beach Road, this uni (sea urchin) centric restaurant is bound to be music to the ears of uni lovers. Prices are on the higher side, but the quality of uni, along with the other fresh seafood, justifies this to be a worthy special occasion splurge. Their signature is a heftily priced The Uni Bomb ($99), which pairs three types of uni with specialised condiments, along with a shot of Japanese gin or sake. Thankfully, there are more affordable options. The Uni Chirashi Set ($28.90, including a side salad, miso soup and green tea) sees a bowl of rice topped with generous portions of creamy sea urchin, which got Burpple Tastemaker Casey Tan's stamp of approval for being ridiculously value for money. You can also add on five slices of salmon sashimi for $6.90. For more variety, consider taking Burpple Tastemaker Wei Zhi Chiang's advice to get the Uni Tokusen Sashimi 7 Types (from $38 for one person). Apart from uni, the platter also includes various ocean-fresh sashimi including salmon and a luxuriously thick slice of otoro (tuna belly).
Avg price: $40
Photo by Burpple Tastemaker Casey Tan