Your guide to the latest in the local dining scene, from new restaurant openings to refreshed concepts.
Text by: Eris Choo
Coriander Leaf
Beloved Pan-Asian restaurant Coriander Leaf has just launched a brand new flagship at 20 Craig Road, marking a fresh chapter in its storied 25-year journey. Their other outlet is at Singapore Polo Club.
Chefs Samia Ahmad and Iskander Latiff – both stalwarts of the local culinary scene – present a menu of signature favourites alongside bold new interpretations. Tuck into flavourful dishes like charcoal grilled baby lamb chops, wagyu beef rib rendang with saffron rice, and Nepalese chicken momo dumplings with roasted tomato relish and Sichuan pepper. A must is Samia’s Signature Frontier Chicken, enlivened with coriander seeds and kashmiri chilli and offset with yoghurt cream.
There is a vegetarian and vegan-friendly menu too, featuring highlights like roasted red carrots with spicy chaat masala and cashew labneh, and homemade Sri Lankan jackfruit curry. Pairing with the food is a refreshed cocktail programme, with curated drinks inspired by regional ingredients and flavour profiles.
Station by Kotuwa
Located at 21 Boon Tat Street (former Fools wine bar space), Station by Kotuwa is Chef Rishi Naleendra’s latest love letter to his Sri Lankan roots. Inspired by the bustling Kotuwa railway station in Chef Rishi’s hometown of Colombo, the restaurant sports an energetic vibe where punchy flavours take centre stage. Interiors mirror the vibrant chaos of a train station, with open shutters, high tables, eclectic art, and neon lights.
In the kitchen, head chef Jay Teo reunites with Chef Rishi to create a host of boldly flavoured creations like the Babath crispy tripe with smoked chilli and lime, and the Kaliya chicken liver. The latter is take on Kaliya, an earthy traditional Sri Lankan Malay curry – prepared by cooking chicken liver in a kaliya gravy, laced with fresh coconut milk and simmered till caramelised, and finally scattered with shallot and fried curry leaves. Enjoy with a squeeze of lime and delicious egg roti.
To refresh the palate is the chefs’ version of rasam – yoghurt and a gazpacho-style rasam simmered with warming spices, and topped with sweet cherry tomatoes and a drizzling of mustard oil. There’s also a delicate kingfish sashimi livened up with light coconut dressing with pickled jambu and green chilli. The fish is topped with puffed rice, fried shallots, and a touch of kaffir lime oil.
In place of traditional family-style dining, diners can build their own full-course meals from snacks and starters to mains and desserts. Or if you’re finding it hard to decide, the Station Feast delivers a ‘greatest hits’ spread. As for drinks, the beverage list is packed with artisanal arrack, inventive cocktails, and wines that range from the obscure to the quirky.
Pulsii French Bistro And Bar
Pulsii celebrates new beginnings as Pulsii French Bistro and Bar, shedding its former concept to embrace a livelier and more convivial French bistro-bar experience. Like its namesake (Pulsii is a portmanteau of pulse and ii, which means good in Japanese), the restaurant is all about energy, rhythm, and life, reflected in a refreshed menu of vibrant sharing plates and soulful flavours.
Chef Daisuke Yoshikawa’s signature open-flame cooking techniques are still very much part of Pulsii’s DNA: you can see it in mains like grilled lamb tenderloin with Kanzuri chilli oil, grilled yellowtail served with velvety chrysanthemum leaves puree, and the tender Magret duck breast, where the meat is cooked to smoky perfection on the woodfire.
Small bites are also creatively presented, such as the addictive Brandade Croquettes, made from whipped salt, cod, and potato topped with onion relish; and chicken liver mousse where the light and airy pate mingles with an apple and raisin jam enhanced with a dash of whisky, with everything seated atop a fluffy brioche.
More than a place to eat, Pulsii offers a lively space to connect over good food and drinks, especially during The Social Pour, where weekday pours go for just $9.90 a glass.
