We love a good meal at Palais Renaissance on days when we just want to get away from all the crazy crowd, and Palais Renaissance being so accessible from the main area makes it an ideal location for some quietness in the middle of the hubbubs of Orchard Road. The bonus? Free valet parking from 12pm – 4pm from Sunday till Thursday and 12pm – 11pm on Fri, Sat and Public Holidays. Car park charges are really reasonable, too.

But more than these, do you know why else we love Palais Renaissance? It may not have the longest list when it comes to F&B tenants, but what it has to offer is a unique experience at each of its tenant – nothing mainstream, nothing too predictable, and with surprisingly affordable price tags.

Yes, Palais Renaissance is not all about expensive shopping for the high net-worth. While it is a destination shopping mall, it also has some very impressive dining outlets to boast. And you need not pay an arm and a leg for a meal here.

We are giving away 5 X S$20 dining vouchers from P. Bistro, as well as 10 sets of Bara Chirashi Set Lunches from Ishinomaki Grill & Sake Bar. More details of the giveaway at the end of this post.

Here is our guide to Palais Renaissance where you can find 4 affordable dining destinations in the heart of Orchard Road.

JING HUA XIAO CHI

Jing Hua impresses us with their very humble beginnings. What used to be just a small eatery along Neil Road and Rochor Road has now made their third expansion to a modern and atmospheric restaurant that also sits at the basement of Palais Renaissance. Jing Hua Xiao Chi is a casual chic Chinese restaurant that serves a concise and inexpensive menu, making it a good place for an intimate business lunch or a casual dinner date.

On its all-day menu, you have to zoom straight in to the Jing Hua Signatures. The Chinese Pizza (S$10.80) is flaky, savoury pastry with generous fillings of meat and vegetables, and the Little Juicy Steamed Pork Dumplings (S$5 for 4pcs, and S$8.80 for 8pcs) are served piping hot with a rich soup that bursts with flavours as you bite into them.

The best-seller is the Noodle with Minced Pork & Soya Bean Sauce (S$6.80). The portion is just perfect for lunch, so you can spare yourself that post-lunch lethargy from overstuffing.

And we love their desserts. Crispy Red Bean Pancake for you? At S$10.50 per serving, this pan-fried golden goodness with fragrant red bean filling is good to share. We also dig the steamed version – Green Tea Red Bean Steamed Dumplings (S$4.50 for 4pcs). With a thin layer of green tea crystal skin, this bite-sized goodie is light in taste and easy on texture.

Jing Hua Xiao Chi also has an extensive drinks menu. Pick from the Chinese wines and spirits, beers, and elegant Chinese teas.

390 Orchard Road
#B1-04/05 Palais Renaissance
Tel: +65 6733 8231
Daily: 11.30am – 3pm, 5.30pm – 10pm
Nearest Station: Orchard

ISHINOMAKI GRILL & SAKE BAR

This Japanese restaurant is truly an undiscovered gem. Opening its door to public since September 2014, Ishinomaki Grill & Sake Bar is a welcoming diner helmed by Chef Chi – a well-experienced chef who has been in the industry for 25 years and had a stint as executive chef at Pan Pacific. His keen passion on Japanese food has seen him traveling to different parts of Japan and building relationships with the best suppliers, so expect nothing less than the freshest catches when you dine at Ishinomaki.

Any day is a good day for a hearty Japanese lunch, and over at Ishinomaki, the set lunches are so affordable, we will soon become regulars. Tenju – a tempura rice box set – is only S$17, and the Bara Chirashi Set – beautifully sliced sashimi atop Japanese rice, served with chawan mushi and miso soup – is S$23. Unbeatable priced for so many slices of fish in a variety! Chef, you’ve got our hearts here. Other affordable set lunches include Grilled Mackerel with Salt (S$17) and Grilled Salmon in Teriyaki Sauce (S$18).

For dinner, go for the robatayaki. They use traditional grills and methods to bring out the best flavours of every ingredient. Minimum seasoning, no frills, just the essence that you are going to savour.

If you prefer to leave it in the good hands of the chefs, go for the super affordable 7-course Omakase dinner (S$50/pax). We guarantee you that there will be definitely more than enough food.

390 Orchard Road
#B1-02/02A/03 Palais Renaissance
Tel: +65 6737 1065
Daily: 11.30am – 3pm, 6pm – 10pm
Nearest Station: Orchard

P. BISTRO

P. Bistro started out in a shophouse along Owen Road and it has since opened a second outlet at Palais Renaissance. While the new outlet is a lot more upmarket and classier, the menu remains the same – healthy and well-cooked comfort bistro fare served at reasonable prices that will not burn a hole in your pocket.

P. Bistro Beef Burger (S$22) – with a juicy patty, melted cheese, pickles and tomatoes – is a substantial main that the gentlemen will love for both lunch and dinner. And our favourite is the P. Bistro Special Duck Leg Stew (S$28); think of it as a Duck Confit with an Asian twist – a whole duck leg submerged in a hearty stew of cherry tomatoes and mushrooms

P. Bistro at Palais Renaissance also has an all-day brunch menu, with the popular Classic Big Breakfast at only S$18 – comes with two eggs done in your choice, bacon, spicy Italian sausages, grilled tomato, salad and toast.

What will make us come back again and again for is the Nonya Dory (S$18). It may be strange to order a Peranakan dish in a modern Western bistro, but trust us on this, P. Bistro’s Nonya Dory – cooked on banana leaf with super addictive chilli – made a really memorable lunch for us.

Min Yee – P. Bistro’s pastry chef and co-owner – bakes the desserts and pastries personally. Try the Salted Caramel Cheesecake (S$7.80), Passionfruit Tart (S$4) and Chocolate Praline Tart (S$4).

390 Orchard Road
#B1-06 Palais Renaissance
Tel: +65 6734 9268
Daily: 11am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Orchard

PS.CAFE

Everyone knows PS.Cafe, and it is almost synonymous with Palais Renaissance. This outlet is ever popular, and you can always count on these folks to whip up scrumptious dishes to put on the table. It also makes a perfect pit stop in between shopping, and a quaint afternoon with the girlfriends over some cakes and coffee sounds like a splendid idea, yes?

Every PS.Cafe has its own menu with their respective signatures. Whenever we dine at PS.Cafe, we are always lost. Too many choices to pick from, and deciding on what to eat is as hard as making life decisions. Over at Palais Renaissance, the bestseller is it’s PS. Crispy Onion Burger (S$29) that is good for both lunch and dinner.

The eggs dishes are evergreen – Eggs Benedict (S$26), Eggs Florentine (S$25) and Eggs Royale (S$32). Then, there is the Blueberry & Banana Pancakes (S$24) that is so photo-worthy. The health-conscious ones can order an Egg White Omelette (S$26), but we’d do the Brunch Burger (S$30) and PS. Big Breakfast (S$26) any time.

For something more substantial for dinner, there’s the Miso Cod (S$32) with eggplant and roasted pumpkin, and a section of pasta awaits your indulgence.

But when at PS.Cafe, what you must not miss for the world is its desserts. The choices will spoil you rotten, but we will save you from deciding. The outstanding ones are its Florida Key Lime Pie (S$13), Double Chocolate Blackout Cake (S$16) and Sticky Date Pudding (S$15).

390 Orchard Road
Palais Renaissance
Tel: +65 9834 8232
Mon to Thu: 9.30am – 12 midnight
Fri & Sat: 9.30am – 1am
Sun: 9.30am – 12 midnight
Nearest Station: Orchard

PALAIS RENAISSANCE GIVEAWAY

1. Palais Renaissance is giving away 5 X S$20 dining vouchers from P. Bistro, as well as 10 sets of Bara Chirashi Set Lunches from Ishinomaki Grill & Sake Bar.
2. Leave a comment in this post and tell us which restaurant at Palais Renaissance you would like to dine at.
3. Share the link of this post on your Facebook timeline.
4. The contest runs from 14 Mar to 28 Mar 2015.
5. Winners will be notified by email.

GIVEAWAY WINNERS: Gabriel Ng, Zan Phua, Lydia Tan, Joleen Goh, Ng Qi Yan, Natika, Claricia, Yue Sheng, Kenneth Chan, Evaleen Tan, Lim Min, Wendy Tay, Jannefer, Eng Keat, and Dion.

For more information, go to www.palais.sg or contact Palais’s concierge number at +65 6737 6992.

This post is brought to you by Palais Renaissance.

Rangoon Road is one of those areas that we’d love to think of as the “last frontiers of Singapore”. In our memories, we grew up knowing Rangoon Road as one laid back neighbourhood scattered with coffee shops, little eateries and workshops. When one thinks of Rangoon Road, Ng Ah Sio and Founders Bak Kut Teh come to mind.

However, the neighbourhood is more than just bak kut teh. While Rangoon Road may not have evolved much, it is no less quaint and lovely. Today, many new cafes have opened in the neighbourhood and it is hardly a surprise given the strategic location.

Here is a guide to cafes in the Rangoon Road neighbourhood.

#1 BRUNCHES CAFE

Situated along Rangoon Road, this furniture-cum-bakery cafe has an exceptional decor, cluttered with countless of vintage furniture which you can bag home at a price. Here at Brunches Cafe, you will not feel like you are dining in the usual cafe setting but in a factory store instead. One of the most distinct furnishing includes a mini-cooper turned dining table, allowing you to dine with an nostalgic experience you will never forget.

96 Rangoon Road
Singapore 218381
Tel: +65 8685 8488
Mon, Wed to Sun: 9am – 7pm
Closed on Tue
Nearest Station: Farrer Park

#2 JEWEL CAFE & BAR

Jewel Coffee’s second outlet at Rangoon Road is much spacious than its original coffee shop in Shenton Way. Well-loved by the executives and expats – its first wave of supporters – Jewel sees a younger and hippy crowd at its two-story space at Rangoon Road. Still serving quality brew that is consistent and always pleasing, Jewel Cafe & Bar is a marvellous option to head to when you need a good cuppa.

They have a pretty decent food menu too, and though prices are slightly steep, we really enjoyed the ricotta pancakes we had.

129 Rangoon Road
Tel: +65 6298 9216
Nearest Station: Farrer Park

#3 L’ETOILE CAFE

One of the earliest cafes to open in the Rangoon Road neighbourhood, L’Etoile is a quaint and charming French-themed Japanese café. On the food menu, you can find all day brunch, salad, soup, sandwiches as well as desserts.

Well-loved by many and with a steady stream of loyal supporters over the years, think of it as an artisan cafe with a tastefully-done up space, where you can settle down at a table by the window to hear the rain splatter over a slice of azuki cake.

160 Owen Road
Tel: +65 6298 2872
Mon to Fri: 11am – 10pm
Sat, Sun & PH: 9am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Farrer Park

#4 OLD HEN COFFEE BAR

Established in July 2014, Old Hen Coffee Bar is a relatively newcomer in the local café scene. It is a cosy unit that sits at Rangoon 88, a SoHo building along Rangoon Road. Old Hen offers the standard cappuccino, latte and flat white, but the must-try is its signature cold brew – which is extremely satisfying on a hot day.

What may seem like a small and unassuming unit is actually an inviting space that you can retreat to when you need a coffee break, or when you need somewhere quiet to catch up on your emails or to read your newest issue of Kinfolk.

88 Rangoon Road #01-03
Singapore 218374
Tel: +65 6341 5458
Mon: 12pm – 10pm
Wed to Fri: 12pm – 10pm
Sat: 10am – 6.30pm
Sun: 10am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Farrer Park

#5 P BISTRO

Unlike most of the new cafes that are more hype than substance, P Bistro at Owen Road – just down the road from L’Etoile Cafe – is a refreshing addition to the local dining scene. The no-frills bistro dishes out comfort food at reasonable prices. They may not taste extraordinary, but they make good meals.

Expect dishes like Carbonara (S$15), Beef Bolognaise Spaghetti (S$16), Coq au Vin Jaune (S$22), Roast Chicken with Mushroom Sauce (S$18) and Duck Confit (S$28).

142 Owen Road
Tel: +65 6392 2333
Sun to Thu (Closed on Mon): 11am – 10pm
Fri & Sat: 11am – 11pm
Nearest Station: Farrer Park

#6 THE COLD PANTRY

The Chocolate Root Beer Waffle (S$12.50) is out of this world. Although chocolate in the batter made the waffle slightly cake-ier in texture, we liked that the waffle still stayed crisp throughout and the added chocolate chip cookie, charcoal vanilla soft-serve and the homemade root beer sauce all came together perfectly.
131 Rangoon Road
Tel: +65 9179 7266
Mon to Thu: 12pm – 9pm
Fri to Sun: 12pm – 10pm
(Closed on Tuesdays)
Nearest Station: Farrer Park

For more recommendations, read our guide to Singapore’s Best Cafes.