Note: Preparazzi has closed.
Words by Alexa Michelle, photographs by ladyironchef
Ever wondered how it’s like to have Asian food in your taste buds while dining in a western ambience? That would be my closest description to how I felt when at Preparazzi Bar Gourmet.
Located in the midst of the Central Business District area along Boon Tat Street, Preparazzi Bar Gourmet is a relatively new restaurant which specialises in serving modern Singapore cuisine – western dishes with a local twist.
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Occasionally I like to indulge in a sinful supper, and even though I have my trusty list of late night dining places to turn to, there are times when I would run out of places to go to, too.
Some restaurants are great spots for late night dining, but they often close by midnight, and of course, it is impossible to dine at expensive restaurants all the time. Some eateries, on the other hand, have good supper food, but they are not places where you would want to linger for long.
My ideal supper place should be somewhere that a) opens across wee hours, b) serves hearty supper food at affordable prices, c) offers a nice environment to hang out and d) is located conveniently. And Xin Wang Hong Kong Cafe fits the bill perfectly.
I was thrilled when I learned that 13 of the 16 Xin Wang Hong Kong Cafes have extended their opening hours till 4am daily. Whoopie! What a great news for supper lovers.
The good people from Thai Express Group (parent company of Xin Wang Hong Kong Cafe) hosted us for a late night party, and all of us had so much fun playing games while pigging out.
Also, to celebrate the newly revised operation timings, Xin Wang Hong Kong Café is launching a new Facebook ‘Spot the Wee Owls’ contest. Read more to find out more about Xin Wang Hong Kong Cafe and the contest.
When I heard from my friend Eunice that she was planning to open a vintage home store and artisan bakery café – I was excited for two reasons. First, I know Eunice and her eyes for perfection; I am confident that she will only deliver the best to customers, and her strong aesthetic sense will definitely create a wonderful setting. Second, I stay in the area, and I’ve always lamented that we did not have many nice cafes in the west of Singapore to talk about. But of course, that has changed with the addition of Carpenter and Cook at Lorong Kilat.
Since the vintage cafe opened in June, I’ve been there many times and I am happy to tell you that it is now one of my favourite cafes in Singapore.
If you are like me, always craving for Japanese food, you need to make a trip down to Shunjuu Izakaya – a restaurant that is known for its sumiyaki (Japanese charcoal grill).
It is easy to walk past Shunjuu Izakaya, located along in Robertson Quay, an area packed with good restaurants and eateries. But once you have been there, chances are, you will be a regular.
French restaurants are aplenty in Singapore, it is not difficult to find good French food here. But if you are on a hunt for a pocket-friendly option, the options become considerately limited. So I was quite excited to hear about Poulet, a casual French restaurant, by the Thai Express group, at the new Bugis+ (previously Illuma) which specialises in poulet rôti (roast chicken).
Note: Smitten Coffee & Tea Bar is now closed.
Many indie cafes have been making a name for themselves in the local scene, and I think it is a good thing because more and more people are starting to appreciate coffee.
Smitten Coffee & Tea Bar at Robertson Quay is one of those that has been gaining loyal followers for serving good coffee. If you are going on a cafe hopping adventure, you should definitely include it in your list.
HAN Restaurant at Odeon Towers is a kushikatsu speciality restaurant that serves Japanese skewers kaiseki-style. During lunch, they have a lunch set of seven sticks for $75, while omakase at dinner starts from $120.
I know you cannot really go wrong with deep-fried stuff, but trust me, the offerings at HAN restaurant are not your typical greasy and sinful food. How should I put it? Every stick that we had was fresh, flavourful, and most importantly, not oily to the extent that you will feel sick after eating it. In fact, we still wanted more after we had seven to eight sticks.
With a name as quirky as Table Manners, it is hard not to do a double-take when we passed this little gastrobar hidden in a corner of Changi City Point. The sleek layout had been thoughtfully planned, with wooden furniture and quirky quotes adorning the walls, adding a casual vibe to the chic atmosphere.