We call forth all foodies! The Restaurant Association of Singapore brings to you the inaugural Singapore Restaurant Festival (SRF) that will take place from 01 July to 30 September 2017. The festival is an extension of the highly lauded Singapore Restaurant Month having seen its success for the past two years.

This year, the Singapore Restaurant Festival has adopted a ‘Flavours of Singapore’ theme, garnering more than 50 restaurant brands with over 200 eateries that offer a range of Chinese, Western, Middle-Eastern, Italian, Korean, Japanese, Indian and buffet restaurants. During this three-month period, expect great savings when you dine at participating restaurants island-wide.

DBS and POSB cardmembers are entitled to purchase the Singapore Restaurant Festival Dining Voucher Set worth $100 at a discounted price of $70, redeemable at over 200 participating restaurants. That’s a whopping 30% discount! The vouchers come in denominations of $25 and can be combined up to $100 value per bill.

In addition, the participating outlets will also offer attractive deals and discounts for cardholders during the event. Here’s everything you need to know about the food festival of the year!

FLAVOURS OF SINGAPORE – HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS

To Singaporeans, no matter how far we wander off to, home is where our hearts will always be. Local flavours make one of the most vital themes for Singaporeans when it comes to food.

In concurrence with the Singapore Food Festival (14 to 30 July 2017), each participating eatery will showcase a locally-inspired dish for the Singapore Restaurant Festival.

Diners can expect exciting fusion dishes and creative hybrids of local and foreign cuisine. Traditional and modern dishes will be served; some names to note are Joo Bar’s Chicken Rice Risotto, Palm Beach Seafood’s Chilli Crab and Cali Cafe and Bar’s Chicken Tikka Pizza. These toothsome dishes will be available throughout the festival.

The festival will also witness the launch of the ‘Salted Egg Shiok’ Campaign, in which all the salted egg dishes in Singapore are accumulated and compiled into a mapped guide. The website (www.saltedeggshiok.com) is now launched.

Diners are also given an opportunity to vote and review the salted egg dishes in the Salted Egg Shiok campaign. Stand a chance to win brilliant prizes in the grand lucky draw!

SAY HELLO TO THE VETERANS AND THE NEW

Be prepared to greet the heritage restaurants amid the participating restaurants. Fatty Weng Restaurant, Goldleaf Restaurant, Ng Ah Sio Bak Kut Teh, Omar Shariff Authentic Indian Cuisine and Palm Beach Restaurant are some of the participating heritage restaurants that have been veterans in the local food scene for many years.

In addition to all these brands, watch out for the newcomers. They are E!GHT Korean BBQ, Joo Bar, Hoshino Coffee, MUSEO, SUN with MOON Japanese Dining & Cafe, Supply & Demand, Equilibrium and Sakae Sushi. . Make sure you do not miss out all the fun!

Meat lovers, rejoice!

E!GHT Korean BBQ is inviting you to their outlet at The Central for some juicy and tender Har Jeong-flavoured Mangalitsa Pork Belly (S$12). Accompanied with lush and fresh lettuce leaves, these luscious Korean-Singaporean meaty slices are to die for!

Supply & Demand offers an assortment of Italian delights. Dig into the Maiale Orientale Pasta, a take on the locally adored Bak Chor Mee. The dish is priced at S$15 for the tasting portion and S$20 for the full portion.

Notable mentions include the eatery’s Zucca and La Mattina Dopo pizza at S$21 for a regular and S$25 for a large. You can top up an additional $2.50 to the pizza for a 2-in-1 mix and match.

Ng Ah Sio Bak Kut Teh will also be taking the stage with their Signature Bak Kut Teh priced at S$10.50. This restaurant has certainly earned its well-deserved spot as one of the best places in Singapore to eat Bak Kut Teh. Diners are encouraged to drink the restaurant’s Ye Gan Tea prior to their meal.

Be sure to check out and explore these mouth-watering fares during the festival!

For updates on outlets and voucher purchase, do visit www.singaporerestaurantfestival.com for more information.

Singapore Restaurant Festival is organised by Restaurant Association of Singapore and will be held from 01 July to 30 September. It is supported by DBS and POSB as its Official Card Partner.

This post is brought to you by Restaurant Association of Singapore.

Singapore Restaurant Month is here again!

This year’s Singapore Restaurant Month will be held from 01 July 2016 to 31 July 2016. In collaboration with the Health Promotion Board and Singapore Tourism Board, the Restaurant Association of Singapore has made ‘healthy dining’ the main theme for this year. Now, aren’t we all more conscious about eating healthier lately?

This year’s slew of dishes have to contain either 500 calories or less, or it has to be made up of at least 8% wholegrains such as oatmeal, brown rice and wholemeal bread. All of these dishes have been approved by certified Health Promotion Board nutritionists.

“The main aim of Singapore Restaurant Month 2016 is to encourage people to explore the option of healthier dining with the introduction of either lower calorie or higher wholegrain content dishes,” explained Mr Andrew Tjioe – President of RAS and Executive Chairman of Tung Lok Group.

46 RESTAURANT BRANDS – 95 HEALTHY DISHES

A total of 46 restaurants have dished out a whopping total of 95 wholesome dishes for Singapore Restaurant Month 2016. The participating restaurants range from Chinese, Thai, Western, Japanese, Indian, Spanish, vegetarian, Korean and fusion cuisine.

Among the 46 restaurants, 22 are new to Singapore Restaurant Month.

HERITAGE RESTAURANTS

Singapore Restaurant Month strongly supports heritage restaurants in Singapore which have been around for decades.

Some of them include Prima Tower Revolving Restaurant, Gim Tim Restaurant, Fatty Weng Restaurant, Beng Thin Hoon Kee Restaurant and Moi Lum; and they are all part of the lineup for Singapore Restaurant Month 2016.

SNEAK PEEKS OF 2016′S CREATIONS

We went on a food trail with the food community in Singapore and we had a preview of some of this year’s highlights.

Earle Swensen’s executive chef has created the Baked Hoisin Cod Fish (S$35.90) for Singapore Restaurant Month 2016. We especially loved the cod fish – almost creamy and very delicious when doused in the savoury goodness of the sauce.

The dish is also served with potato balls to fulfil your carbohydrate intake and sautéed mushrooms.

Total calories (full portion): 470.2

When you think of Si Chuan dishes in general, only crazy mala dishes will come to your mind. However, at this beautiful Chinese restaurant – Si Chuan Dou Hua Restaurant – the kitchen whips up very refined Sichuan-inspired dishes that will change the way you think about Si Chuan cuisine.

The Double-boiled White Fungus in Pear Vessel (S$15) is their addition to this year’s line-up. The soup sits within a pear, and is presented atop a bed of dry ice. Very dramatic, but don’t take your attention away from the sweet broth.

Total calories (full portion): 454.2

The Soup Spoon Union is a well-loved brand in Singapore. They are participating with The Grill Knife’s Grilled Salmon with Cauliflower Rice (S$15.80).

The cauliflower rice is mixed in with other ingredients such as coriander, cranberries, edamame, assorted nuts and quinoa. A huge slab of grilled salmon sits atop the rice. The accompanying black pepper sauce elevated the overall taste of the dish.

Total calories (full portion): 486.3

This is UNA’s submission for 2016′s list – Coca De Higos Y Foie Con Vermouth (S$26).

If you do not understand Spanish, that means Foie Gras and grilled figs on a crisp Spanish flatbread with vermouth reduction. The generous slabs of foie gras were pan-seared beautifully, and the accompaniment with the grilled figs gave the dish a refreshing taste.

Total calories (full portion): 384.1

Probably the most beautiful dim sum platter! This Eight Immortals Dim Sum Platter (S$12) is a treasure trove that you can find at Shin Yeh. In this platter are Steamed Chives Pork Dumpling, Crystal Mixed Vegetable Dumpling, Steamed Shrimp Dumpling and Steamed Chicken Dumpling.

Total calories (full portion): 107

Singapore Restaurant Month 2016 is held in conjunction with the Singapore Food Festival that will take place from 15 July 2016 to 31 July 2016, and Health Promotion Board’s upcoming food and drink campaign taking place from 28 July 2016 to 28 October 2016.

Singapore Restaurant Month 2016
When: 01 July to 31 July 2016
For full list of participating restaurants and dishes, visit www.singaporerestaurantmonth.com
Official hashtags: #singaporerestaurantmonth #singaporerestaurantmonth2016

This post is brought to you by the Restaurant Association of Singapore (RAS).

This year’s Singapore Food Festival comes back bigger and better, focusing on local flavours, as well as celebrating our country’s best dishes unique to our own. Titled “A Fresh Taste of Tradition”, Singapore Food Festival (SFF 2015) hopes to bring foodies together to revisit some of Singapore’s most iconic dishes and to remember our very special food heritage.

A variety of festivities and events have been lined up over the course of two weeks – 17 July to 2 August – where you will get a more hands-on and close up experience of Singapore’s amazing local fare.

Here are some events to note, and the highlights of Singapore Food Festival 2015 that you must not miss the world for:

STREAT BY SINGAPORE TOURISM BOARD

The first of the festivities lined up would be STREAT (Reinventing Local Street Food), an initiative created by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB). Each year, one local chef will create his/her own pop-up restaurant together with his/her choice of notable Singapore food establishments. The 2015 edition would be the inaugural edition of STREAT.

This year’s featured chef is none other than our very own Chef Justin Quek of Sky on 57, who is undisputedly one of Singapore’s top chefs. He will be bringing together Singapore’s best hawkers & chefs, and working with some of them to put a modern spin on classic local fare.

You can taste Mod-Sin dishes such as fresh Pacific Oysters in Ginger Flower Dressing and Gula Java Creme Brûlée. Using contrasting flavours and marrying them together perfectly, Chef Justin Quek’s dishes are a treat for both the young and old.

Some hawker favourites to look out for include Nasi Kerabu and Suckling Pig Sandwich with Salted Vegetable Relish from 16 different stalls at the event. STREAT will take place from 24 to 25 July 2015 (Fri – Sat), 6pm – 10pm at Clifford Square, 80 Collyer Quay.

Chef Justin’s pop-up restaurant will include a 3-course set menu at S$35, and seats are very limited. Sign up for a cooking workshop with the chef himself or visit his 2-day only pop-up restaurant at STREAT. More details are available at www.singaporefoodfestival.com.

REVISITING LOCAL HAWKER FOOD

There will be three dedicated hawker spots during SFF 2015, and they are:

• “A Wok Down Memory Lane at Ellenborough Market”

During the 1800s to 1960s, the Ellenborough Market (aka Teochew Market) was home to some of the best local hawker and street food before it was burned down in 1968. To relive the good old memories of this very special market, it will be recreated as part of this year’s Singapore Food Festival at Read Bridge, Clarke Quay from 24 July to 2 August 2015, 5pm – 11pm.

Authentic Teochew favourites will be served here and they are sure to take you on a trip down memory lane. Prices range from only S$2-S$5 for a drink and S$2-S$14 for food.

• Mod-Local Fest at Chinatown Food Street

Kick off SFF with Chinatown Food Street’s special gala dinner of modern local dishes that takes place on 17 & 18 July only. Expect to catch celebrities such as radio personality Fen Ying, and renowned local chef Jimmy Chok. Be entertained by performances on stage as you enjoy your dinner and engage in fun on-stage activities too.

To find out more on how you can attend this dinner, visit www.chinatownfoodstreet.sg/mod-local-fest

• 51 Old Airport Road Food Centre

This iconic food centre is the appointed featured hawker centre for SFF 2015. First built way back in 1973, this is one of Singapore’s oldest hawker centres. Old Airport Road Food Centre has always been known as a food haven, offering mouth-watering local hawker fare at pocket-friendly prices.

Mark your calendars and make a trip down from 17 July to 2 August 2015, where hawker stalls will be having special deals for their respective food.

HIGHLIGHTING SINGAPORE’S HERITAGE IN OUR FOOD

• Cooking Workshops with Violet Oon

Violet Oon is one of Singapore’s most renowned chefs that focuses on preserving local flavours and passing on to future generations. Learn a trick or two with “Living Culinary Treasures” – eight cooking workshops where you get to learn traditional cooking techniques in an intimate setting.

The workshops will take place on 21 & 28 July, 23 to 25 July, and 30 July to 1 August from 9.30am – 1pm. Prices are at S$129 and you can make a reservation at info@violetoon.com or call +65 8533 1122

• Celebrating Traditional Malay Cuisine

Get your hands working and create delicious and hearty Malay dishes at AKAR-Social Heritage Kitchen. Learn more about this exciting event at www.culinaryart.sg

• Kueh Appreciation Day

Kuehs play such a big part in our life, and we all grew up with our respective favourites. Come enjoy all the delicious local kuehs you love on this special day, 26 July 2015, and take part in festivities such as kueh-making demonstrations. To find out more, visit www.slowfood.sg/programs/kueh-appreciation-day-2015/

SETTING THE GUINNESS WORLD RECORD FOR THE LARGEST AMOUNT OF CURRY

Join in for an iconic event by the Indian Chefs & Culinary Association as they attempt to break two records – Largest Amount of Curry Cooked at a Single Time and Largest Cooking Vessel. They will be attempting to cook the most amount of curry in a vessel that is said to be 11 meters wide!

The event will take place at Tan Quee Lan Street at the open field opposite Bugis Junction from 30 July – 2 August 2015, 12pm – 11pm. Get a taste of local Indian fare from S$5 – S$15 only.

STORIES – A THEATRICAL DINNER SERIES BY MY PRIVATE CHEF

My Private Chef and the Sentosa Leisure Group collaborated to create STORIES, a pop-up theatrical dinner series that features two chapters. The first chapter will be held during SFF 2015 at Fort Siloso.

The 5-Course dinner menu is lovingly curated by top local chefs such as Chef Malcolm Lee from Candlenut. This unique dining experience will take place on 25 July 2015 at 6.30pm – 9pm. Prices start from S$138 per pax.

For more information on this event, visit www.myprivatechef.com.sg

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS

• Singapore Hawker Feast at Ngee Ann City, 18 – 19 July 2015 from 12pm – 10pm
• Singapore Restaurant Month at various venues from 1 July – 10 August 2015 (more information on www.ras.org.sg/srm.html)
• The Line at Shangri-La “SG50 + 50″, featuring an exclusive range of local dishes from 24 – 31 July 2015. Make your reservations at www.shangri-la.com/singapore/shangrila/dining/restaurants/the-line/
• Carousel at Royal Plaza on Scotts presents 50 local dishes in conjunction with SFF 2015 and SG50 from 17 July – 10 August 2015. Make your reservations at www.carouselbuffet.com.sg

In lieu of Singapore Food Festival 2015?s theme – ‘A Fresh Taste of Tradition’, share your Family’s signature dish and stand a chance to win weekly prizes including exclusive event passes to SFF 2015 and F&B dining Vouchers!

For more information on Singapore Food Festival 2015, visit www.singaporefoodfestival.com

This post is brought to you by the Singapore Tourism Board.

Here’s an exciting piece of news for all foodies! The very first Singapore Restaurant Month will be held from 1 July to 10 August 2015. Organised by Restaurant Association of Singapore (RAS), this inaugural event will be showcasing 50 reputable restaurant brands and their 50 unique gourmet creations.

In commemoration of Singapore’s 50th National Day, the talented chefs of the 50 participating restaurant brands have each been invited to creating a toothsome dish made with Singapore’s local produce. Seize this opportunity to savour these exclusive dishes that will be on the menu for a limited time only during Singapore Restaurant Month.

A LINE UP OF 50 DIVERSE RESTAURANT BRANDS

Singapore Restaurant Month’s line up of 50 restaurant brands boasts a variety of cuisines – Chinese, Indian, Malay, Japanese, Korean, American, Australian, European and more. The wide diversity reflects our cosmopolitan hometown’s seamless assimilation of many cultures into an ever-growing melting pot.

Seafood lovers will be thrilled to indulge in Mexican Café Iguana’s Pibil Pescadao in Red Chile Sauce (S$30++, inclusive of Iguana Lager or SG50 margarita), Palm Beach Seafood Restaurant’s Fried Baby Barramundi (market price – about S$18 / 500g) and Timbre’s Laksa Marinated Cripsy Barramundi on a bed of Bee Hoon Crackers (S$16++).

The fresh barramundi mentioned above was reared in Singapore’s Good Aquaculture Practice for Fish Farming (GAP-FF) certified farms.

HIGHLIGHT OF LOCAL HERITAGE RESTAURANTS

12 out of the 50 participating restaurant brands are heritage-listed for their various contributions to Singapore’s burgeoning dining landscape. Despite the many transient food fads, these traditional restaurants have stood true to their rich culinary history. They have persevered over the decades in serving authentic mouthwatering dishes and deserve special recognition for their relentless dedication.

The stalwart pioneers are Bee Heong Palace Restaurant, Beng Thin Hoon Kee Restaurant, Chin Lee Restaurant, Fatty Weng Restaurant, Gim Tim, Hua Yu Wee, Islamic Restaurant, Prima Tower Revolving Restaurant, Red Star Restaurant, Spring Court Restaurant, Westlake and Zi Yean Restaurant. Each establishment has been around for at least 30 years.

All heritage-listed restaurants dishes are available to the public from 17 July to 2 August 2015 in conjunction with Singapore Food Festival.

Noteworthy dishes by heritage restaurants include Prima Tower Revolving Restaurant’s Sauteed Bird’s Nest with Egg White (S$70) and Fatty Weng’s Crispy-fried Barramundi with Asparagus (S$16.80).

SUPPORTING OUR HOMEGROWN INGREDIENTS

More than 90% of the food consumed in Singapore is actually imported. While this may not come as a surprising fact since Singapore is an urbanized country, we should still strive to support our locally produced ingredients. By diversifying our food procurement methods, Singapore can avoid the setbacks of food shortages should any importations be disrupted for whatever reasons.

Homegrown produce is infinitely better in many ways. The minimal distance travelled to the kitchens mean significantly fresher ingredients and tastier meals. Environmental impacts are negligible and safety is guaranteed with the quality assurance schemes implemented by the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA).

There are 200 food farms in Singapore; 3 hen layer farms, 50 vegetable farms and 130 fish farms. The three key local produces, namely fish (red marine tilapia, black marine tilapia, crimson red snapper, grey mullet, milk fish, mangrove red snapper etc), eggs and vegetables (cai xin, kai lan, sharp leaf bayam, butterhead lettuce, kow peck chye, kang kong, sweet potato leaves, xiao bai cai etc) are used in Singapore Restaurant Month’s specially created dishes.

Usage of homegrown ingredients however remains a tricky issue in this competitive food industry, with its primary barrier being its higher costs. Fortunately, the rise of discerning diners are gradually increasing and they are willing to pay more in order to support local farms and reduce carbon footprints.

RAS President Mr. Andrew Tjoe hopes that Singapore Restaurant Month will simultaneously encourage and educate both restaurants and customers the importance of supporting local ingredients. The end goal would be to convert restaurants to consider local produce in their future operations permanently.

CELEBRATION OF CULINARY CREATIVITY

Food has always been an indelible part of Singaporeans’ lives. The celebration of Singapore’s Golden Jubilee also marks the further advancement of Singapore’s gastronomy scene. Selected restaurants will be recreating local dishes with innovative twists.

Notable mentions include Portico’s 3 Grain Laksa Risotto with Homemade Pulau Ubin Seabass Fish Cake. The interesting fusion fish is part of a five-course S$50 SG50 menu.

Kuhlbarra, a local fish farm specialising in premium barramundi, also deserves a special mention. You can find barramundi by Kuhlbarra being served at several restaurants participating in Singapore Restaurant Month such as TungLok, Jumbo Seafood and Palm Beach Seafood.

Singapore Restaurant Month is held in Singapore from 1 July to 10 August 2015 and is organized by Restaurant Association of Singapore. It will be held in conjunction with Singapore Food Festival and is supported by Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore, Singapore Tourism Board and Union Pay.

For more information, visit www.singaporerestaurantmonth.com.

This post is brought to you by the Restaurant Association of Singapore (RAS).