These are some of the restaurants I’ve eaten at in the past month:

Chico Loco
102 Amoy Street Singapore 069922
Tel: +65 9738 7828
M-W: 11.30am – 10.30pm
Th-F: 11.30am – 11pm
Sat: 5pm – 11pm
Sun: Closed
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Chico Loco is part of the Super Loco Group. What’s the difference since they both serve Mexican food? Chico Loco focuses on Mexican rotisserie chicken and frozen margaritas. And I think Chico Loco is more casual. Although the margaritas are quite expensive and watered down and tiny, and although the elotes corn should have been grilled, the food is quite good here. The service is also great, the staff felt like they are more family than simply working. We had a blast – the food, the ambience, the service all contributed to it. We spent about $50 per pax.

Cutlery Optional
Ang Mo Kio Ave 9

Many home chefs and private dining cannot make it that I feel like my mom cooks better. But Cutlery Optional is fantastic. It’s operated by Vasunthara Ramasamy, a Masterchef contestant and former primary school teacher, who specialises in South Indian and Sri Lanka food. Each person pays $135 from 6 pax onwards. It may sound expensive but the labour and the details and the spices and the intricacies that go into varied, panoply of dishes – it’s worth the money. The dosai and curried pork belly are *chef’s kiss*.

One-Ninety Restaurant & Bar
Four Seasons Hotel, 190 Orchard Blvd, Singapore 248646
T: +65 6831 7250

One-Ninety Restaurant and Bar is having an Argentinian takeover now until the end of October. Dishes and cocktails are from Atlantico (one of the best bars in the world). There is a 6-course menu at $168++ per person but a la carte is easier on the pockets with mains starting at $30 something. Try the frog leg, spit chicken, empanadas, and flan.

Anthology
10 Circular Rd, Singapore 049366
t: +65 8451 5389
4pm – 12am, closed Sun

Compendium Spirits, a homegrown local distillery brand since 2015, has set up shop to showcase their range of whiskys, gins, honey mead, and other spirits. They also have cocktails here. Try the honey mead and gula melaka whiskey. Like the raw materials for their spirits, the food also uses Southeast Asian ingredients. Try: lazi ji (mala chicken), duck rilettte, and churros.

Tha Chang Noodle Bar
171 Telok Ayer St, Singapore 068621
t: +65 8509 9171
11.30am – 10pm daily

Formerly at Golden Mile, Tha Chang moved to Telok Ayer and it’s bustling. If you don’t make a reservation, you may have to queue for some time. They are most known for their boat noodles which are fantastic, sort of like a sugared version of Chinese beef noodles. But they also added to their repertoire famous Bangkok dishes such as tomyam noodles (from Jeh O Chula) and the crab omelette (from Jay Fay). They also have interested food like raw cockles and raw marinated crabs. We spent about $42 per pax.

You may be interested in…
– New Restaurants and Promos: Mish Mash (Chinatown), Tomidou (Orchard), and Maria and Singh (Craig Road), Tam Chiak Kopitiam (Kovan)
– New Restaurants & Promos: EatAlley (Orchard Gateway), Tonkatsu ENbiton (Somerset 313), 30th Singapore Food Festival (19 – 30 July 2023, Bayfront Event Space)
– New Restaurants & Promos: Soll (Havelock Road), Goldenroy Sourdough Pizza (Desker Road), The Alkaff Mansion (Telok Blangah), GOHO Kaiseki (Duxton)
– New Restaurants & Promos: Nori Nori Yakiniku (Telok Ayer); Zorba (Clarke Quay); Peppermint (Parkroyal Marina Bay)

Written by Dr. A. Nathanael Ho.