The chef here is a bit of a nazi (his eyes scare us a little), but his food pays off. You might suffer a little if you don’t fancy seafood and innards. You could settle for the cheese platter, eggs and chorizo, but why kid yourself. Get the duck hearts on toast, ox heart, seafood paella and crispy pig’s head (above). Animals here are killed with intention and eaten with pleasure (we did). Call us a sadist, but if this doesn’t make you/your partner swoon, we don’t know what will.
12 North Canal Road, tel. 6221 7790
Level33
If you know you’re spending this Thursday night out with a very indecisive partner, book a table at this urban microbrewery for a special degustation. For just this one night, head chef Jimi Tegerdine and Drew Nocente of Salted & Hung will share a kitchen. Instead of mulling over what you should order, you’ll be eating a fixed set of 10 dishes, where Jimi’s focus on beer and Drew’s strength in curing will shine.
The dishes will remain exclusive to this night, except maybe for the 12-hour pork belly, a Jimi classic since the birth of Level33. Revised over the years, it is now a seared slab of crispy pork belly that sits over whipped celeriac, snails and “buckwheat soil”. Among the rest, you’ll find haggis, wagyu cheek and mackerel.
Marina Bay Financial Tower 1, 33-01, tel. 6834 3133. Dinner is at $98++. Reservations strongly recommended
The Other Room
Lurking somewhere within the Marriott is The Other Room, a spiffy outfit seats only a handful of guests, but with ample space between each table for privacy. It’s known for its library of over 150 kinds of spirits that are cask finished in different ways. Call it moonshine if you will, but the bartender knows his stuff. Also good enough as a dinner spot, grab a meat platter, oysters or some steak. Just don’t miss out on the cocktails. The whisky sours are great to start with, but if you’re a regular, you might be granted a passport that will eventually lead you to a secret menu. We can’t tell you what you’ll end up drinking, but it may involve some balloons and popcorn…
Singapore Marriott Hotel, tel. 8300 6085