Unless you’re armed with a fail-proof list of romantic restaurants to take your other half on special occasions, a date night out in celebration of a milestone would, more often than not, have you racking your brains on where to go for a meal.

Singapore is a city that surely doesn’t fall short of romantic restaurants and if you are looking to add another restaurant to your list of where to take bae, Salt Grill & Sky Bar would be it.

Located on the 55th storey of ION Orchard, Salt Grill & Sky Bar offers diners an unobstructed bird eye’s view of the city and an elegant dining atmosphere, making it an ideal restaurant no matter if you’re looking for a sensuous spot to impress your first date or a charming restaurant to spoil bae.

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Floor-to-ceiling glass windows surround the restaurant, granting guests a stunning panoramic vista of the city from day through night.

The kitchen is helmed by Australian born and bred Head Chef Jake Kowalewski, who strictly utilises only the best Australian produce in a clean and simple manner. On the menu, you can expect a range of Asian classics that are derived from these ingredients.

Salt Grill & Sky Bar offers a neat range of tantalising appetisers for you to kick-start your meal on the right note. The Geraldton Kingfish (S$31++) is one that is set to impress with the complexity of flavours.

Each slice of kingfish boasts a firm texture and a clean flavour. Served with Yarra Valley salmon pearl, avocado cream, white soy and herb oil on the side, these elements only serve to bring out the umami goodness of the dish. 

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If you’re a fan of beef, Salt Grill & Sky Bar definitely will not disappoint. Priding themselves on serving premium Australian beef, they offer a variety of cuts that will impress diners old and new.

The Westholme Wagyu Flat Iron (S$76++) came served with a pink-hued interior. Biting in, the explosion of flavours left us in total awe—incredibly tender, succulent and boasting intense flavours, this dish struck all the right chords in terms of taste and texture.

Other options include the Gippsland O’conner Pasture Fed Tenderloin (S$88++) and the Westhome Wagyu Rump Cap (S$69++).

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What better way to round off your meal than on a sweet note?

Taking on a contemporary spin to the traditional Malay pastry, the Ondeh Ondeh ‘Lamington’ Pandan Chocolate Mousse (S$19++) encompasses the same flavours you would get in the traditional pastry but in a modern form.

Sitting atop coconut snow and sponge is a ball of pandan mousse. Smooth, creamy and luscious, we appreciated how it wasn’t overly sweet. Hidden within the pandan mousse lies a helping of lava gula Melaka caramel, which gives the dessert an extra oomph of sweetness.

Salt Grill & Sky Bar
2 Orchard Turn
ION Orchard Mall #55-01
Singapore 238801
Tel: +65 6592 5118
Mon to Fri: 11.30am – 1.45pm, 6pm – 9.45pm
Sat & Sun: 11am – 2.30pm, 6pm – 9.45pm
Nearest Station: Orchard

Calling all meat lovers and those passionate about a good steak—there is a new steak bar in town that you will not want to miss.

Sharing the same shop space as The Bao Makers, Butler’s Steakbar is the newest resident eatery along the food-laden Jiak Chuan Road. Like its name suggests, diners can expect to tuck into to luxurious steaks, gourmet burgers and possibly the crispiest French fries around.

Although a spot like Jiak Chuan Road may be home to a considerable amount of fine-dining establishments, you can rest assured that dining here is anything but expensive. Priding themselves with serving up exceptional cuts of beef and a variety of gourmet dishes without an overly exorbitant price tag attached, Butler’s Steakbar is one that all steak lovers should check out.

Butler’s Steakbar and The Bao Makers join the list of restaurants with dual concepts that transform through the day.

The Bao Makers operates in the day while Butler’s Steakbar takes over its operations at night. Their menu features anything from gourmet burgers, sensational sides and of course not forgetting their signature Butler Steak.

Make no mis-steak, although prices here for food are rather affordable compared to its fine-dining neighbours, what you can expect at Butler’s Steakbar is nothing short of delicious.

The restaurant’s pride and joy—the Butler Steak—is a black Angus flat iron steak and it is only available in limited portions daily.

For the uninitiated, the flat iron is a steak cut that comes from the shoulder of the cow. The flat iron is rich in beefy flavours and is also incredibly tender when cooked properly, but the only flaw of this particular cut is a thick piece of connective tissue that runs through the middle of it—which experienced cooks should all know to remove before cooking.

Modestly seasoned without overwhelming the natural flavour of the beef, the Butler’s Steak comes with a simple side salad and a serving of rock salt that really helps to bring out the natural flavours of the black Angus.

Butler’s Steakbar
4 Jiak Chuan Road
Singapore 089261
Tel: +65 6291 2330
(Closed on Sundays)
Mon to Thu: 6pm – 11pm
Fri & Sat: 6pm to 1am
Nearest Station: Outram Park

All photos are credited to Butler’s Steakbar

Fat Belly is a new speakeasy-style steakhouse in Singapore that shares the same space with its sister brand and ice cream joint, Sugarhaus, at Serene Centre. It only opens in the evening, occupying the counter seats at the back of the ice cream parlour.

This 10-seater steakhouse is helmed by chef-owner Stanley Seow, who specialises in alternative, less well-known cuts of beef such as the Flat Iron, which is essentially a cut taken from the shoulder of a cow—generally much less tender than a tenderloin or even a ribeye but let us leave it to the expert to prove us otherwise.

Photo Credit: Fat Belly Singapore

The menu is small and concise. Choose either the Flat Iron (S$22) or the juicy well-marbled Short Rib (S$25). Instead of drowning their steaks in an overly rich sauce, they are treated with a modest seasoning of salt and a house-made chimichurri sauce that comes served on the side—simple, yet ideal for meat as flavourful as this.

Some side dishes to consider are their Guanciale Mac & Cheese (S$5), Salted Thyme Mushrooms (S$5) and the surprisingly addictive, Creamed Kale (S$5).

For dessert, don’t miss out on the unusual Foie Gras Ice Cream (S$13) that comes served with candied bananas, Speculoos and roasted nuts.

Fat Belly
10 Jalan Serene, #01-03A
Serene Centre
Singapore 258748
Tel: +65 6314 2247
Sun to Thu: 6pm – 10pm
Fri & Sat: 6pm – 11pm
Nearest Station: Botanic Gardens

We had many great meals when we were in London last week, but the standout was the dinner that we had at Flat Iron Steak. It is one of those hip and trendy no-reservation restaurants that have been popping up all over Soho. If we had to describe Flat Iron Steak in just one word, it would be brilliant.

There is only one dish on the menu – the flat iron steak. The steak is superbly cooked and very tasty. While the flat iron is not the best cut, at £10 for a steak, it is extremely value for money and warrants a visit. You can order accompanying sides such as dripping cooked fries, creamed spinach, and roast aubergine.

We love dining concepts like these that just focus on doing one item well. It would be really cool if there are more of such dining concepts, just imagine restaurants that specialise in serving one signature item.

Flat Iron Steak
17 Beak Street
London WC2H 8LS
Nearest Station: Oxford Circus/Piccadilly Circus

You may be familiar with ribeye, tenderloin and sirloin, but have you heard of other relatively unknown cuts like skirt, flat iron and hanger steak? Here is a beginners guide to the different cuts of steak. Read on to find out which cut suits you best.

RIBEYE STEAK

The ribeye – also known as Scotch Fillet, Beauty Steak or Delmonico Steak – comes from the area near the rib, so it has good marbling with a nice amount of fat in the centre to give it the distinctive concentrated flavour. Suffice it to say, it is easy to understand why this is usually one of the top sellers in steakhouses.

TENDERLOIN STEAK

Tenderloin, or eye fillet, as it is known in certain parts of the world, is cut from the middle of a cow. As the muscle is less utilised, it is very lean and tender. Tenderloin is the crowd’s favourite because it is lean and does not contain too much fat. Also, it is a cut that is easy to cook and eat.

FILLET MIGNON

This cut is taken from the end of the tenderloin. It is extremely tender and has no fat as the muscle does not have to work. I am not a fan of Fillet Mignon as I prefer to have some fat in my steak. This cut, however, is perfect for
ladies.

SIRLOIN STEAK

Like the tenderloin, a sirloin steak is a cut from the loin section of a cow. While sirloin steaks are not as tender as the tenderloin steaks, they are popular as they are significantly less expensive than that from the short loin and rib section.

FLANK STEAK

The Flank is a beef steak cut from the underside of a cow. This part of the muscle is well-exercised, making it a naturally lean cut. Most people would probably be familiar with the flank steak as it is used for Fajitas and also as stir-fried beef in Asian cuisine.

T-BONE STEAK & PORTERHOUSE

The T-Bone steak, recognised by the distinctive T-shaped bone, is cut from the centre of the short loin and it comprises both the top loin and tenderloin. Porterhouse, on the other hand, is from the rear end of the short loin, thus has more of tenderloin steak. In general, they are expensive in steakhouses as they contain meat from two of the most prized cuts of beef. My favourite is the Bistecca alla Fiorentina, T-Bone steak prepared in Fiorentine style, an exceptional charcoal-grilled steak that is tasty and flavourful; it melts like butter in your mouth.

FLAT IRON STEAK

A relatively unknown cut, the Flat Iron Steak has been gaining popularity in recent years as restaurants start to offer this cut on the menu as a more affordable option. For instance, Prive Grill is serving a 200g Australian Flat Iron Steak for just S$38, while The Prime Society has a Black Angus Flat Iron for S$48.

HANGER STEAK

In an attempt to save on cost and to provide more variety, more restaurants are starting to offer alternative cuts instead of the more expensive cuts such as ribeye or strip. The hanger steak is one of them. It is inexpensive (usually you can get it for S$30), flavourful and rich. I have had several good hanger steaks recently. I would recommend going to Barracks Cafe, Osteria Mozza or Suprette at Kam Leng Hotel for their hanger steaks.

SKIRT STEAK

The skirt steak is a cow’s diaphragm muscle, located in the area just below the ribs on the cow. For what it lacks in tenderness, the skirt steak more than makes up for it with flavour. Most importantly, it is an inexpensive cut, and provides good value for money. The new Skirt at W Hotel Singapore serves the namesake Skirt Steak on its menu.