First look at the F&B offerings at Andaz Singapore

We got a first look at chic new hotel Andaz Singapore by Hyatt Hotels Corporation, the first Andaz property in Southeast Asia. The brainchild of acclaimed Hong Kong-based designer and architect André Fu, the swanky 342-room hotel occupies levels 25 to 39 of DUO Tower and flawlessly marries Singapore's local urban spirit with contemporary design and modern day comforts.

A must-visit here is Mr Stork, the hotel’s rooftop bar with 360° city views and cosy teepee huts amid a tropical garden with cobbled pathways.

We especially liked Fu’s concept of Alley on 25, the hotel's culinary hub and all-day dining venue consisting of five individual shophouse-like outlets, inspired by the cultural districts of Kampong Glam, Little India and Bras Basah, all occupying the 25th floor of the hotel. Refreshingly, each of the restaurants is innovatively designed to focus on a particular cooking style rather than a cuisine, using high-quality organic ingredients that are locally or regionally sourced wherever possible. They also offer value-for-money set lunches and happy hour promotions for diners, on top of their regular menus. 

At the breakfast and dessert venue aptly named Icehaus, guests can look forward to cold dishes such as charcuterie, sustainably sourced seafood, salads, sandwiches and desserts. We loved the bright green-hued Andaz Pop ($10), a palm sugar-coconut ice cream and red bean-caramel-filled popsicle coated with pandan-flavoured white chocolate – the happy result of a collaboration with Neh Neh Pop, by local celebrity chef Bjorn Shen. Another of Icehaus’ signature desserts is the pandan chiffon cake ($14), a tribute to Singapore's unofficial national cake. It gets better – the iconic cake is available in three sizes and five other velvety mousse combination flavours including black sesame, durian, yam, banana and coconut.

Singaporeans love food cooked on open charcoal grills, and Smoke & Pepper is sure to satisfy your cravings with their signature dishes like the grilled diver scallops ($18) and grilled squid with green chilli and shiso pesto ($18) among others.

Likewise, dinner-only Plancha’Lah! specialises in dishes cooked over an open hot plate, serving up five-course dinner sets, including a vegetarian set menu (from $108). While we fancied the A4 Japanese Saga Wagyu sirloin and succulent Kurobuta pork chop with Fuji apple purée, we wished the Atlantic cod en papillote oozed a little more pizzazz.

Craving Singapore's tze char food culture with Sichuan influences? Head to Auntie’s Wok and Steam. The restaurant doles out seafood, dim sum, and classic rice, meat and hand-pulled noodle dishes with a Sichuan twist. Our favourite picks were executive chef Soren Lascelles’ signature hearty double-boiled beef short rib noodles ($18) and the mapo-style silken tofu with Alaskan king crab meat ($30).

The atmosphere at The Green Oven is particularly homely, with its naturally lit interiors rife with comforting aromas of classic international fare prepared in a giant green Beech oven in the heart of its kitchen. Designed to be family-style, come here for dishes like braised lamb shank ($35) and spring chicken (also $35).

Meat and steak lovers rejoice for 665°F, Andaz’s premium steakhouse located on the 38th floor of the hotel, boasting great city views. It’s slated to open on 8 December. Inspired by the design of a vintage tailor shop and named after the temperature of the signature wood-fired oven and grill, the upcoming restaurant is expected to dish out gourmet meats, top-tier steaks and sustainable seafood. Manners maketh meat? We’ll keep you posted. www.andazsingapore.com