I figure that writing an entry for each restaurant is unsustainable since I’m busy with my day job, so it’s best to have a weekly update or biweekly. These are the new restaurants that open recently or old restaurants having new menus or promotions:

Nori Nori Yakiniku
180 Telok Ayer St, #01-01, Singapore 068628
T: +65 9782 2190
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I always boast that I can order in Japanese because I’ve been to so many Japanese restaurants and so I thought the one month-old Nori Nori Yakiniku means “seaweed seaweed.” It is, in fact, a Japanese slang, waving like a seaweed in the sea, so it’s a welcoming, relaxing, chill vibe, akin to the Thai word “sabai sabai.”

They use Japanese bincho-tan (charcoal) so it burns cleanly.

It’s open by the original founders of Mrs Pho who bring with them the same attention to details and the passion to provide great food at affordable prices. It’s very hard to find another yakiniku restaurant that prices A5 Japanese wagyu at about $30 at about 100g. Unlike most Yakiniku restaurants which serve a mixture of Japanese and Australian beef, Nori Nori serves only Japanese beef. Besides beef, they have a very delicious Mangalica pork (not from Japan, it’s from Hungary). I recommend the sirloin highly, just fat enough with a nice bite and as you chew, the juices flow.

One last thing: their exhaust system is as powerful as Scarlet Witch: I smelled exactly the same when I left as before I went in. If you’re working nearby and craving for yakiniku for lunch, just go, don’t worry, you’ll still smell as fresh as a daisy. Unless you already stink before you go in. You know who you are, you stinkos on MRT. Take a shower, okay?

Peppermint
Parkroyal Collection Marina Bay Level 4, 6 Raffles Boulevard, Singapore 039594
t: +65 6845 1112
6.30am – 10.30am, 12pm – 2.30pm, 6.30pm – 10pm

Peppermint is having a Thai-themed buffet until 30 June. It has its standard fare, like Japanese sashimi, sushi, cold cuts, cheeses, cold seafood such as prawns and crabs (they only serve pincers here!), Indian food, Peranakan desserts, and durian penyat! There are just a few Thai items and they don’t really taste authentic. But I think nobody cares, customers just want expensive fare, as attested by the full house when I was there. The food is not bad.

Food: 6.5/10
Service: 6.5/10
Ambience: 7/10
Price/value: 6/10

Zorba
Clarke Quay, 3A River Valley Road, #01-02, Singapore 179024
M – Th: 5pm – 11pm
F: 5pm – 12am
Sat: 9am – 12am
Sun: 9am – 11pm
T: +65 8218 5602

Zorba, which serves Greek food, is having a summer promo ($88/pax, with a minimum of 5 pax) till 31 July. If there are more people in. your group, the chefs will adjust the portions to feed your pack. The set includes the best classics of Zorba including 3 dips, Greek salad, a grilled halloumi salad, meatballs, pork chop, grilled seabass and prawns, moussaka, bakalava and yogurt. The food falls just slightly below average for me because the moussaka isn’t really moussaka I ate in Greece; theirs is more like ratatouille, putting all veg in a ramekin, dousing in tomato sauce, and baking it. Meatballs were mushy. Bakalava wasn’t sweet enough, authentic ones are saccharine.

Food: 5.5/10
Price/value: 6.5/10
Ambience/decor: 6/10

You may be interested in…
– Fine Dining I’ve Been For the Past Year Part 1: 5 on 25 (Andaz); Bam! (Tras St); Bedrock Origin (Sentosa); Caviar (Palais Renaissance); and Guccio (Gemmill Lane)
– Best Food in Singapore 2022
– Bakalaki Greek Taverna, Tiong Bahru: Amazing Greek Food But Service Needs Some Improvement
– Syohachi Yakiniku 尚八日式燒肉店, Tanjong Pagar: Premium Japanese A5 Wagyu Beef Buffet and More – Syo Good!

Written by Dr. A. Nathanael Ho.