Top 10 Best Restaurants in Singapore

Given that bread was hardly a staple in Japan until recent decades, it’s impressive how the Japanese have become masters at baking. The country has won the Coupe du Monde de la Boulangerie (Bakery World Cup) twice over, in 2002 and 2012. It’s worth noting that, historically, breads have come out of the Japanese bakery or panya in two waves. The first arose in the late 19th century with the creation of the anpan, which has since birthed numerous pillowy offshoots with fillings from kare (curry) to kuri (chestnut). The second wave swept the nation only in the last fifty years or so with the invasion of French baking. Here in Singapore, Japanese-style bakeries have cleverly combined classic European baking techniques with their own yudane method of making soft, fluffy breads while incorporating other Asian ingredients to appeal to local taste buds.

The origin of the cinnamon bun is a sugar-coated mystery and occasionally provokes fierce debate. Regardless of the origin and preparation, there’s no denying that these whorls of sweet, dark cinnamon in rich, buttery pastry are impossible to resist.

Superfoods and protein bowls are all the rage these days, but there’s something to be said about a classic caesar salad. Here’s our list of the most versatile toppings and sapid dressings in town.

For a nation that loves carbs and seafood, there are few things more satisfying than a perfectly cooked plate of al dente pasta brimming with fresh catch. Literally translating to ‘fruits of the sea’, this dish likely originated in the seaside villages of Italy, where fisherman cooked what they couldn’t sell and served the seafood stew with pasta. Our favourite renditions of the lip-smacking frutti di mare come loaded with various ocean gems cooked in either a tomato-based sauce or a garlicky white wine version, but each packing a hearty punch of flavour and freshness.

A convenient, all-in-one grain bowl is the trendy dine-in or takeaway option these days, hence the reason for the mind-boggling choices available. But we’re not interested in just any ordinary grain. We’re bowled over by one of the most underrated superfoods — the healthy and humble super grain — quinoa. Packed with fibre, vitamins, antioxidants and nutrients, this glutenfree South American staple is the more superior alternative to bulghur wheat, couscous and rice. We’ve inhaled copious bowls to bring you the best quinoa combinations in town.

The beauty of the cocktail hour lies not only in the pleasure of boozy libations, but also in the bar bites that are so easy to put away. Nothing beats sinking our teeth into a scrumptious beef slider while on a bar crawl. Originally defined as a thin patty of ground beef, smashed and cooked on a griddle with onions, then topped with pickles and American cheese before being sandwiched between buns, the common and looser definition of a slider these days refers more to mini burgers, with creative non-beef fillings to boot. Soft, pillowy (not soggy) buns cradling a mini juicy beef patty and a judicious amount of cheese, pickles and condiments hit the spot when we are craving something substantial and yet won’t sit like a tonne in the tummy.

Delicate, yielding custard beneath a thin sheet of shatteringly crisp torched sugar topping… add to that the sweet scent of vanilla beans and toasty notes of burnt sugar crystals, and that just about sums up the definition of a sublime crème brûlée in our books. The origins of crème brûlée aren’t clear. Some reports point to Trinity College in Cambridge, England, as the birthplace of the dessert (known as burnt cream) and claims that it first came about after the college crest was burnt into sugar on top of a custard with a hot iron. Over in France, the first recorded recipes for the French version were discovered during the 17th century, while crema catalana, the Spanish variation, was found a century later. History aside, what’s important for the enjoyment of a classic crème brulée is that the texture of the custard must not bring to mind curdled eggs, the torched sugar topping not too thick that it takes effort to crack with the back of a spoon, and the ramekin should be wide and shallow (not narrow and deep) as a bigger surface area means more of that delicious caramelised topping to break into.

Like yu sheng, the yam ring is a uniquely Singapore dish. Its popularity has sealed its status as a tze char staple; the colourful ingredients and bountiful filling also ensure its repeat appearance on Chinese New Year menus.

Treacly, rich and crowned with a layer of toasted pecan halves, pecan pies are a joy to savour. And there’s more reason to do so this time of the year when it makes its appearance on many Christmas menus. A quintessential Southern festive dessert, it’s believed to have been created in the late 19th century. Variations abound and when you’ve got your hands on a scrumptious one, enjoy it with sips of Bourbon or relish it like we do, with freshly brewed coffee. Here’s our round-up of the best in town.