13. Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle (*) – there were 2 hawker stalls that were awarded a Michelin star in Singapore. One was for a chicken rice stall (the owner was an ex-Malaysian – not surprising), but we never got a chance to try that and the stall subsequently lost their 1-star. The second was this Bak Chor Mee stall. I had it once and while it was nice, and the noodles springy, and the fried dried plaice (fish) was extremely yummy, it wasn’t something that I would line up for 3 hours to get a bowl of. Done, ticked the box & probably wouldn’t go back for seconds.

14. Reve (*) – we tried this on a whim, and we were lucky that they had a table for us on the night we wanted to dine out (which has been a little bit too often of late, much to the delight of our domestic helper). The dishes were well presented, but we felt let down by 2 glaring errors that shouldn’t have crept up, given the 1-star the restaurant holds: the menu had to be changed at the last minute because what was on offer on paper was not available on plate – the restaurant did not receive the delivery/stocks in time. That in itself is not a failing, the choice of the replacement which was offered without consultation being the greater crime. Wife was offered a pork dish without first checking if she even took pork, whereas I was offered an octopus dish, again, without asking if I was OK with that option.

And, as I mentioned, they served us a dish without any cutlery! The food was OK for this standard, but with the service lacking, we’d probably not be heading back anytime soon.

15. Candlenut (*) – I was told about this by trojandude and thought I’d do well to give it a miss, until my colleague & his family from Sydney came a-visiting and thought they’d like to try a Michelin-starred place with a local Peranakan twist. They enjoyed the flavours and the restaurant’s interpretation and elevation of humble Nyonya cooking, but wife and I found it to be no different (if anything at all, someone over-interpreted) than humbler (but no less tastier) offerings from places in Malaysia. The service was as usual, attentive and genuine, but trojandude was spot on … I’ve had better. Not one I’d go back unless another lot of Uni mates from Down Under end up craving for it…

12. Alma (*) – we visited this place years ago, before it came to be called Alma and before it was awarded its 1-star status. So, when Maybank reminded me that there was this little nook hidden away in the city oasis that is Goodwood Park, I made a booking and traipsed our way there one evening for a cozy dinner. And sadly, realised that there may be a reason why a 1-star joint needed advertising by Maybank Private Diamante Card’s concierge. The uni was less than fresh and left a rather strong and unpleasant aftertaste, and my wife’s fish dish was decidedly fishy to her (admitted sensitive) olfactory bulbs. There wasn’t anything extraordinarily memorable about the experience, and when I did a quick online search, it seems that there was at least one other reviewer that walked away with the same impression. Not one I’d go back again.

13. Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle (*) – there were 2 hawker stalls that were awarded a Michelin star in Singapore. One was for a chicken rice stall (the owner was an ex-Malaysian – not surprising), but we never got a chance to try that and the stall subsequently lost their 1-star. The second was this Bak Chor Mee stall. I had it once and while it was nice, and the noodles springy, and the fried dried plaice (fish) was extremely yummy, it wasn’t something that I would line up for 3 hours to get a bowl of. Done, ticked the box & probably wouldn’t go back for seconds.

14. Reve (*) – we tried this on a whim, and we were lucky that they had a table for us on the night we wanted to dine out (which has been a little bit too often of late, much to the delight of our domestic helper). The dishes were well presented, but we felt let down by 2 glaring errors that shouldn’t have crept up, given the 1-star the restaurant holds: the menu had to be changed at the last minute because what was on offer on paper was not available on plate – the restaurant did not receive the delivery/stocks in time. That in itself is not a failing, the choice of the replacement which was offered without consultation being the greater crime. Wife was offered a pork dish without first checking if she even took pork, whereas I was offered an octopus dish, again, without asking if I was OK with that option.

And, as I mentioned, they served us a dish without any cutlery! The food was OK for this standard, but with the service lacking, we’d probably not be heading back anytime soon.

15. Candlenut (*) – I was told about this by trojandude and thought I’d do well to give it a miss, until my colleague & his family from Sydney came a-visiting and thought they’d like to try a Michelin-starred place with a local Peranakan twist. They enjoyed the flavours and the restaurant’s interpretation and elevation of humble Nyonya cooking, but wife and I found it to be no different (if anything at all, someone over-interpreted) than humbler (but no less tastier) offerings from places in Malaysia. The service was as usual, attentive and genuine, but trojandude was spot on … I’ve had better. Not one I’d go back unless another lot of Uni mates from Down Under end up craving for it…

11. Corner House (*) – sadly, this quaint little hidden gem in the corner of the UNESCO listed Botanic Gardens of Singapore is no more, having closed down as another silent victim of the COVID pandemic. Wife and I dined there once and once only – before the pandemic struck, and never got the chance to return. The standout feature was the local Chef Jason Tan’s extensive use of vegetable ingredients – and while I’m no fan of greens, even I had to acknowledge the magic he weaved in being able to extract the last distillate of flavour and infuse that onto the plate. They used to give us free buggy rides from the car park to the restaurant and that was a bit of a treat itself. Ah well. At least we got a chance to tick that box off the list.

12. Alma (*) – we visited this place years ago, before it came to be called Alma and before it was awarded its 1-star status. So, when Maybank reminded me that there was this little nook hidden away in the city oasis that is Goodwood Park, I made a booking and traipsed our way there one evening for a cozy dinner. And sadly, realised that there may be a reason why a 1-star joint needed advertising by Maybank Private Diamante Card’s concierge. The uni was less than fresh and left a rather strong and unpleasant aftertaste, and my wife’s fish dish was decidedly fishy to her (admitted sensitive) olfactory bulbs. There wasn’t anything extraordinarily memorable about the experience, and when I did a quick online search, it seems that there was at least one other reviewer that walked away with the same impression. Not one I’d go back again.

13. Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle (*) – there were 2 hawker stalls that were awarded a Michelin star in Singapore. One was for a chicken rice stall (the owner was an ex-Malaysian – not surprising), but we never got a chance to try that and the stall subsequently lost their 1-star. The second was this Bak Chor Mee stall. I had it once and while it was nice, and the noodles springy, and the fried dried plaice (fish) was extremely yummy, it wasn’t something that I would line up for 3 hours to get a bowl of. Done, ticked the box & probably wouldn’t go back for seconds.

14. Reve (*) – we tried this on a whim, and we were lucky that they had a table for us on the night we wanted to dine out (which has been a little bit too often of late, much to the delight of our domestic helper). The dishes were well presented, but we felt let down by 2 glaring errors that shouldn’t have crept up, given the 1-star the restaurant holds: the menu had to be changed at the last minute because what was on offer on paper was not available on plate – the restaurant did not receive the delivery/stocks in time. That in itself is not a failing, the choice of the replacement which was offered without consultation being the greater crime. Wife was offered a pork dish without first checking if she even took pork, whereas I was offered an octopus dish, again, without asking if I was OK with that option.

And, as I mentioned, they served us a dish without any cutlery! The food was OK for this standard, but with the service lacking, we’d probably not be heading back anytime soon.

15. Candlenut (*) – I was told about this by trojandude and thought I’d do well to give it a miss, until my colleague & his family from Sydney came a-visiting and thought they’d like to try a Michelin-starred place with a local Peranakan twist. They enjoyed the flavours and the restaurant’s interpretation and elevation of humble Nyonya cooking, but wife and I found it to be no different (if anything at all, someone over-interpreted) than humbler (but no less tastier) offerings from places in Malaysia. The service was as usual, attentive and genuine, but trojandude was spot on … I’ve had better. Not one I’d go back unless another lot of Uni mates from Down Under end up craving for it…

10. Marguerite (*) – strategically nestled within the magnificent greenhouse that’s the Flower Dome and housed within the Gardens by the Bay complex is this 1-starred place that we loved so much we went back for seconds the very next week. The food was tasty, the service was attentive, and there were a bunch of Malaysian wait staff that we connected with immediately (although we didn’t talk politics haha). Similar to the now closed Corner House, there’s a heavy theme of vegetable ingredients on the table, and also a free buggy ride from the pick up point at the car park to the restaurant. An additional treat: after dinner, patrons get to roam the air-conditioned Flower Dome for free! Wife and I will plan our next trip to coincide with the tulip blossoms on display…

11. Corner House (*) – sadly, this quaint little hidden gem in the corner of the UNESCO listed Botanic Gardens of Singapore is no more, having closed down as another silent victim of the COVID pandemic. Wife and I dined there once and once only – before the pandemic struck, and never got the chance to return. The standout feature was the local Chef Jason Tan’s extensive use of vegetable ingredients – and while I’m no fan of greens, even I had to acknowledge the magic he weaved in being able to extract the last distillate of flavour and infuse that onto the plate. They used to give us free buggy rides from the car park to the restaurant and that was a bit of a treat itself. Ah well. At least we got a chance to tick that box off the list.

12. Alma (*) – we visited this place years ago, before it came to be called Alma and before it was awarded its 1-star status. So, when Maybank reminded me that there was this little nook hidden away in the city oasis that is Goodwood Park, I made a booking and traipsed our way there one evening for a cozy dinner. And sadly, realised that there may be a reason why a 1-star joint needed advertising by Maybank Private Diamante Card’s concierge. The uni was less than fresh and left a rather strong and unpleasant aftertaste, and my wife’s fish dish was decidedly fishy to her (admitted sensitive) olfactory bulbs. There wasn’t anything extraordinarily memorable about the experience, and when I did a quick online search, it seems that there was at least one other reviewer that walked away with the same impression. Not one I’d go back again.

13. Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle (*) – there were 2 hawker stalls that were awarded a Michelin star in Singapore. One was for a chicken rice stall (the owner was an ex-Malaysian – not surprising), but we never got a chance to try that and the stall subsequently lost their 1-star. The second was this Bak Chor Mee stall. I had it once and while it was nice, and the noodles springy, and the fried dried plaice (fish) was extremely yummy, it wasn’t something that I would line up for 3 hours to get a bowl of. Done, ticked the box & probably wouldn’t go back for seconds.

14. Reve (*) – we tried this on a whim, and we were lucky that they had a table for us on the night we wanted to dine out (which has been a little bit too often of late, much to the delight of our domestic helper). The dishes were well presented, but we felt let down by 2 glaring errors that shouldn’t have crept up, given the 1-star the restaurant holds: the menu had to be changed at the last minute because what was on offer on paper was not available on plate – the restaurant did not receive the delivery/stocks in time. That in itself is not a failing, the choice of the replacement which was offered without consultation being the greater crime. Wife was offered a pork dish without first checking if she even took pork, whereas I was offered an octopus dish, again, without asking if I was OK with that option.

And, as I mentioned, they served us a dish without any cutlery! The food was OK for this standard, but with the service lacking, we’d probably not be heading back anytime soon.

15. Candlenut (*) – I was told about this by trojandude and thought I’d do well to give it a miss, until my colleague & his family from Sydney came a-visiting and thought they’d like to try a Michelin-starred place with a local Peranakan twist. They enjoyed the flavours and the restaurant’s interpretation and elevation of humble Nyonya cooking, but wife and I found it to be no different (if anything at all, someone over-interpreted) than humbler (but no less tastier) offerings from places in Malaysia. The service was as usual, attentive and genuine, but trojandude was spot on … I’ve had better. Not one I’d go back unless another lot of Uni mates from Down Under end up craving for it…

9. Cut (*) – the second of 2 Michelin-starred restaurants located within Marina Bay Sands, and the one that we go to for our carnivore fix, seeing how I’ve been waiting in vain for a reservation slot to pop up over at Burnt Ends for months to end now… Wolfgang Puck’s curtly named meat-lover joint serves a good mix of USDA prime cuts and Japanese Wagyu, and although the price is a little on the high side for the quality of meat (I can do as good as steak for half the price, with meat bought from the butchery) and the music way too loud (they jack up the volume after 730pm), there’s no denying that we will be back again for seconds and thirds and more.

10. Marguerite (*) – strategically nestled within the magnificent greenhouse that’s the Flower Dome and housed within the Gardens by the Bay complex is this 1-starred place that we loved so much we went back for seconds the very next week. The food was tasty, the service was attentive, and there were a bunch of Malaysian wait staff that we connected with immediately (although we didn’t talk politics haha). Similar to the now closed Corner House, there’s a heavy theme of vegetable ingredients on the table, and also a free buggy ride from the pick up point at the car park to the restaurant. An additional treat: after dinner, patrons get to roam the air-conditioned Flower Dome for free! Wife and I will plan our next trip to coincide with the tulip blossoms on display…

11. Corner House (*) – sadly, this quaint little hidden gem in the corner of the UNESCO listed Botanic Gardens of Singapore is no more, having closed down as another silent victim of the COVID pandemic. Wife and I dined there once and once only – before the pandemic struck, and never got the chance to return. The standout feature was the local Chef Jason Tan’s extensive use of vegetable ingredients – and while I’m no fan of greens, even I had to acknowledge the magic he weaved in being able to extract the last distillate of flavour and infuse that onto the plate. They used to give us free buggy rides from the car park to the restaurant and that was a bit of a treat itself. Ah well. At least we got a chance to tick that box off the list.

12. Alma (*) – we visited this place years ago, before it came to be called Alma and before it was awarded its 1-star status. So, when Maybank reminded me that there was this little nook hidden away in the city oasis that is Goodwood Park, I made a booking and traipsed our way there one evening for a cozy dinner. And sadly, realised that there may be a reason why a 1-star joint needed advertising by Maybank Private Diamante Card’s concierge. The uni was less than fresh and left a rather strong and unpleasant aftertaste, and my wife’s fish dish was decidedly fishy to her (admitted sensitive) olfactory bulbs. There wasn’t anything extraordinarily memorable about the experience, and when I did a quick online search, it seems that there was at least one other reviewer that walked away with the same impression. Not one I’d go back again.

13. Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle (*) – there were 2 hawker stalls that were awarded a Michelin star in Singapore. One was for a chicken rice stall (the owner was an ex-Malaysian – not surprising), but we never got a chance to try that and the stall subsequently lost their 1-star. The second was this Bak Chor Mee stall. I had it once and while it was nice, and the noodles springy, and the fried dried plaice (fish) was extremely yummy, it wasn’t something that I would line up for 3 hours to get a bowl of. Done, ticked the box & probably wouldn’t go back for seconds.

14. Reve (*) – we tried this on a whim, and we were lucky that they had a table for us on the night we wanted to dine out (which has been a little bit too often of late, much to the delight of our domestic helper). The dishes were well presented, but we felt let down by 2 glaring errors that shouldn’t have crept up, given the 1-star the restaurant holds: the menu had to be changed at the last minute because what was on offer on paper was not available on plate – the restaurant did not receive the delivery/stocks in time. That in itself is not a failing, the choice of the replacement which was offered without consultation being the greater crime. Wife was offered a pork dish without first checking if she even took pork, whereas I was offered an octopus dish, again, without asking if I was OK with that option.

And, as I mentioned, they served us a dish without any cutlery! The food was OK for this standard, but with the service lacking, we’d probably not be heading back anytime soon.

15. Candlenut (*) – I was told about this by trojandude and thought I’d do well to give it a miss, until my colleague & his family from Sydney came a-visiting and thought they’d like to try a Michelin-starred place with a local Peranakan twist. They enjoyed the flavours and the restaurant’s interpretation and elevation of humble Nyonya cooking, but wife and I found it to be no different (if anything at all, someone over-interpreted) than humbler (but no less tastier) offerings from places in Malaysia. The service was as usual, attentive and genuine, but trojandude was spot on … I’ve had better. Not one I’d go back unless another lot of Uni mates from Down Under end up craving for it…

8. Zen (***) – to be honest, I thought I would like this a lot more than I did. I had a patient who worked there as a pastry chef, and I read many positive reviews about how Zen deserved its place amongst the holy trinity of 3-starred restaurants in Singapore (alongside Les Amis & Odette), and it took over the old unit that housed Andre, one of our favourite restaurants. Took my wife there once and unfortunately, we were a little overwhelmed by how loud the music was and underwhelmed by the food. It was Scandinavian and perhaps our untrained palate weren’t used to the flavours, but both of us felt the Kingfish sashimi (crudo) was less fresh than other variants we’ve tasted, and the main course of duck had so much gristle that both our jaws ached after we manfully chewed and swallowed our way through. Some of the flavours were amazing, but in the end, for a bill that was nearly SGD1,500 for a party of 2, the experience was not as memorable as we’d hoped it would be.

9. Cut (*) – the second of 2 Michelin-starred restaurants located within Marina Bay Sands, and the one that we go to for our carnivore fix, seeing how I’ve been waiting in vain for a reservation slot to pop up over at Burnt Ends for months to end now… Wolfgang Puck’s curtly named meat-lover joint serves a good mix of USDA prime cuts and Japanese Wagyu, and although the price is a little on the high side for the quality of meat (I can do as good as steak for half the price, with meat bought from the butchery) and the music way too loud (they jack up the volume after 730pm), there’s no denying that we will be back again for seconds and thirds and more.

10. Marguerite (*) – strategically nestled within the magnificent greenhouse that’s the Flower Dome and housed within the Gardens by the Bay complex is this 1-starred place that we loved so much we went back for seconds the very next week. The food was tasty, the service was attentive, and there were a bunch of Malaysian wait staff that we connected with immediately (although we didn’t talk politics haha). Similar to the now closed Corner House, there’s a heavy theme of vegetable ingredients on the table, and also a free buggy ride from the pick up point at the car park to the restaurant. An additional treat: after dinner, patrons get to roam the air-conditioned Flower Dome for free! Wife and I will plan our next trip to coincide with the tulip blossoms on display…

11. Corner House (*) – sadly, this quaint little hidden gem in the corner of the UNESCO listed Botanic Gardens of Singapore is no more, having closed down as another silent victim of the COVID pandemic. Wife and I dined there once and once only – before the pandemic struck, and never got the chance to return. The standout feature was the local Chef Jason Tan’s extensive use of vegetable ingredients – and while I’m no fan of greens, even I had to acknowledge the magic he weaved in being able to extract the last distillate of flavour and infuse that onto the plate. They used to give us free buggy rides from the car park to the restaurant and that was a bit of a treat itself. Ah well. At least we got a chance to tick that box off the list.

12. Alma (*) – we visited this place years ago, before it came to be called Alma and before it was awarded its 1-star status. So, when Maybank reminded me that there was this little nook hidden away in the city oasis that is Goodwood Park, I made a booking and traipsed our way there one evening for a cozy dinner. And sadly, realised that there may be a reason why a 1-star joint needed advertising by Maybank Private Diamante Card’s concierge. The uni was less than fresh and left a rather strong and unpleasant aftertaste, and my wife’s fish dish was decidedly fishy to her (admitted sensitive) olfactory bulbs. There wasn’t anything extraordinarily memorable about the experience, and when I did a quick online search, it seems that there was at least one other reviewer that walked away with the same impression. Not one I’d go back again.

13. Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle (*) – there were 2 hawker stalls that were awarded a Michelin star in Singapore. One was for a chicken rice stall (the owner was an ex-Malaysian – not surprising), but we never got a chance to try that and the stall subsequently lost their 1-star. The second was this Bak Chor Mee stall. I had it once and while it was nice, and the noodles springy, and the fried dried plaice (fish) was extremely yummy, it wasn’t something that I would line up for 3 hours to get a bowl of. Done, ticked the box & probably wouldn’t go back for seconds.

14. Reve (*) – we tried this on a whim, and we were lucky that they had a table for us on the night we wanted to dine out (which has been a little bit too often of late, much to the delight of our domestic helper). The dishes were well presented, but we felt let down by 2 glaring errors that shouldn’t have crept up, given the 1-star the restaurant holds: the menu had to be changed at the last minute because what was on offer on paper was not available on plate – the restaurant did not receive the delivery/stocks in time. That in itself is not a failing, the choice of the replacement which was offered without consultation being the greater crime. Wife was offered a pork dish without first checking if she even took pork, whereas I was offered an octopus dish, again, without asking if I was OK with that option.

And, as I mentioned, they served us a dish without any cutlery! The food was OK for this standard, but with the service lacking, we’d probably not be heading back anytime soon.

15. Candlenut (*) – I was told about this by trojandude and thought I’d do well to give it a miss, until my colleague & his family from Sydney came a-visiting and thought they’d like to try a Michelin-starred place with a local Peranakan twist. They enjoyed the flavours and the restaurant’s interpretation and elevation of humble Nyonya cooking, but wife and I found it to be no different (if anything at all, someone over-interpreted) than humbler (but no less tastier) offerings from places in Malaysia. The service was as usual, attentive and genuine, but trojandude was spot on … I’ve had better. Not one I’d go back unless another lot of Uni mates from Down Under end up craving for it…