The next time you and your SO are stuck, be sure to surprise them by suggesting these wacky East-meets-West fusion places.
Western or Asian? Pizza or Ramen? How about both? This will resolve the age-old couple squabble of “Where do you want to eat?”
The next time you and your Significant Other are stuck, be sure to surprise them by suggesting these wacky East-meets-West fusion places. Their playfully innovative dishes and desserts will definitely please both parties. Well it wouldn’t be a fun date night without a few surprises.
1. Lokkee
The moment you get seated, you will realise that Lokkee is not an atypical Chinese joint. A piece of wet tissue set on the table is in a package that would make many blush. The packet cheekily plays on the restaurant’s name as an innuendo, telling you to ‘Get Lokkee’.
The restaurant by Tung Lok group has an American-Chinese concept, with a cheeky, playful and naughty Western take on its seemingly traditional Chinese dishes and decor. We are talking about a head bust of Chairman Mao with Mickey Mouse ears (Mickey Mao?) and paintings of Storm Troopers as Terracotta Warriors.
Their innovative dishes on the menu are also incredibly Instagram-worthy. Their ‘Awesome Flaming Pineapple Beef’ features coconut braised beef served in a pineapple on fire.
‘Firecracker Chicken Nest’ features an all-time favourite chicken dish is presented with numbingly hot Szechuan chilli surrounded by cool mango puree to quell the heat from the spicy chilli.
(My Photo)
The restaurant then takes one last stab at being cheeky with the fortune cookie, a Western tradition in Chinese restaurants, with their troll fortunes. It would definitely make for an interesting and fun dinner date.
Lokkee Restaurant
Plaza Singapura, #03-01, 68 Orchard Road, Singapore 238839
2. Restaurant Labyrinth
Restaurant Labyrinth re-interprets traditional recipes and local flavours and cultures into contemporary charm. The Mod-Sin joint has an innovative menu (think Chendol Xiao Long Baos), and it won the Best Asian Fine Dining in the Restaurant Association of Singapore (RAS) Epicurean Star Award 2015. ‘Mod-Sin’ is a term coined by homegrown chef Willin Low from Wild Rocket to describe Modern Singapore or contemporary local cuisine.
Labyrinth’s creations are deceptively creative, their mango sticky rice dessert comes in the form of a ‘soft boiled egg’, complete with ‘soy sauce’ on the top.
Another dish masquerading to be a local favourite is this Hokkaido Scallops ‘Bak Chor Mee’. The chef actually uses thin slices of squid infused with saffron for noodles, that ‘fish cake’ is deep fried scallops, and the ‘minced meat’ is actually anchovy and tapioca powder.
The next time you tell your date you are bringing them for some ‘bak chor mee’, it’s by no means a humble affair.
Labyrinth
8 Raffles Ave, #02-23 Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay, Singapore 039802
3. Folks Collective
This hipster Thai restaurant Folks Collective draws you in with their decor; the China Square outlet has the charm of a vintage shophouse, with old-school phones, retro TVs and old-fashioned irons decorating the shelves on the wall.
The food is quite typical Thai cuisine like green curry and Thai fish cakes, but it is popular among the CBD folks for their affordable set lunches and their cute concept of the Thai food served in tiffin carriers (or as your mum would call it, tingkat).
Folks Collective has different outlets, with a different theme for each. While the China Square branch models a vintage shophouse, the Asia Version has the luxe of a grand brasserie with a shimmery chandelier. The ‘oriental outpost’ at Capital Square has a Ming-inspired theme and has an exclusive menu to this outlet as well as a fine selection of craft beers and ciders. This is one perfect place for a great date! whichever floats your date-vibe!
Folks Collective
8 Marina View, #01-01 Asia Square Tower 1, Singapore 018960
4. Xiao Ya Tou
At one glance, it may look like an olden-day Chinese restaurant, but you know Xiao Ya Tou is far from it when it calls itself ‘naughty Asian cuisine’. The decor is interestingly nostalgic with retro posters and lanterns decked out in the restaurant.
It jazzes up typical Vietnamese fare like Pho noodles by adding Wagyu striploin, and serves a unique East-West blend with dishes like Tofu and Century Egg Salad, Otak-Otak Aglio Olio, and Truffle Pork Dumplings.
A popular dish is their Unagi Benedict, a new take on brunch with the Japanese eel served atop fried mantous.
Xiao Ya Tou
6 Duxton Hill, Singapore 089592
5. Baba Chews
There aren’t many spots like this one; Baba Chews is a quaint restaurant within Hotel Indigo Singapore Katong with a modern Peranakan charm. The bar and eatery serves up Peranakan dishes with a modern flair, with bites like Chilli Crab Cake with Fried Mantou Chips and Foie Gras Tau Kwa Pau.
They are quirky with their cocktails too, like their signature drink Chews Laksa, which contains Bacardi White, Malibu, pineapple juice, coconut cream, Gula Melaka syrup, Laksa-infused whipped cream
Kueh Durian, the chef’s modern interpretation of the usual Kueh Dadar, is durian mousse and grated coconut tucked inside pandan crepes and topped with gula melaka ice cream.
Baba Chews Bar and Eatery
86 East Coast Road #01-01 Katong Square Singapore 428788
6. redpan
If the sound of Char Siew Chili fries and Satay Beehoon Pasta whets your appetite, redpan is the place for you. DP Architects, a homegrown architecture firm, and GRUB, a young Singapore culinary company, teamed up to birth this Design X Food brainchild, reinterpreting local cuisine.
Some of their redesigned food items are Mexican street snack meets Asian flair, like the Salted Egg Prawn Taco,Beef Rendang taco, and meat-free Tauhu Telor Taco.
Their Baked Durian Alaska dessert features durian ice cream in a blow-torched meringue, which vaguely reminds you of our favourite durian building aka The Esplanade.
redpan
6, Raffles Boulevard, #02-03/04 Marina Square, 039594
7. Chop Suey
Chopsuey Cafe is actually PS Cafe’s first foray into Asian cuisine, inspired by Westernised Chinese food. Set in a black and white decor surround by the lush greenery of Demsey Hill, it is perfect for that #couplegoals shot.
They reinvented Asian dishes like Snapper and Tofu ‘Lagsana’, and Crispy Duck Pow Pockets. A bestseller is their adorable-looking Pumpkin and Cod Dumplings, which features three mini pumpkin-shaped buns with mashed cod.
The place is like zi char-style meets cafe vibe, rosti meets boiled soup. Definitely great when you and your date want some comfort food, but still keeping it classy.
Chopsuey Cafe
10 Dempsey Road, #01-23, Singapore 247700
