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Ms Melissa Ow, Assistant Chief Executive, Industry Development Group II, Singapore Tourism Board
My favourite spots in Singapore:
Top three restaurants
1. Iggy’s is one of the few restaurants to make it to the S. Pellegrino World’s Best Restaurant list, and it also tops the list of the 2010/2011 Miele Guide. Visitors may not know that it’s named after its founder, Ignatius Chan, who also happens to be an excellent sommelier. His travels and dining experiences inspire the restaurant’s progressive modern European cuisine that has won so many fans. Iggy’s recently relocated to the Hilton Hotel in September 2010, and now has a dessert counter where you can watch the dessert chef at work!
2. Another good place to dine is the Tippling Club. What I like about this place is the way its talented duo, chef Ryan Clift and bartender Matthew Bax, have cleverly paired cocktails and cuisine, and creating a pretty exciting menu in the process. Their Tippling Terrace also offers an open-air dining area that’s perfect for intimate parties.
3. Then there’s Wild Rocket which is special for what its owners call “Mod Sin cuisine” (you must try it to understand it). Tucked away at Mount Emily, a charming little precinct not far from Orchard Road, the restaurant is a firm favourite among locals and visitors.
Top three bars
1. A must-visit nightspot is Ku Dé Ta, located 200 metres high at the Sands SkyPark. Apart from its Club Lounge, it features an open-air bar and a poolside terrace where you can sip on one of their famed cocktails (designed by their own team of mixologists), as you chill out in the much-talked about infinity pool.
2. There’s also Lantern, a stylish rooftop bar and pool at Fullerton Bay Hotel. One of the best things about it is the panoramic view of the Marina Bay waterfront and the Singapore skyline. It’s a sophisticated, urban oasis which offers gourmet snacks, fine champagnes, signature cocktails, wines and other beverages – perfect for a relaxing evening out.
3. If you have a thing for rooftop views of the city, Helipad at Clarke Quay is also a good place to go. The bar occupies the top two floors of Central shopping mall at the Singapore River. Music lovers can stay indoors on the lower floor and enjoy the commercial and contemporary house music. Or you can have drinks at the al fresco rooftop area where, on clear nights, the city lights make for a very pretty sight.
Top three hotspots
1. I am particularly partial to Rochester Park, a cluster of colonial bungalows in a lovely green setting. The cluster has grown organically into a trendy dining enclave with different cuisines and chill-out wine bars. It’s difficult to pinpoint a favourite establishment in Rochester Park. Every time I go there, I can’t help but try something new because there’s so much choice. There’s Da Paolo Bistro Bar for Italian food, Min Jiang @ One North if you crave the familiar taste of Chinese cuisine, Krish the Restaurant for something more exotic – European cuisine with a South Asian influence – and of course, One Rochester, perhaps the most recognised name in the area.
2. I am also fond of Dempsey Hill, which used to be the Armed Forces’ Central Manpower Base of Singapore and the British army barracks before that. It’s now a thriving collection of hallmark F&B establishments like Jones The Grocer, The White Rabbit and Oosh alongside chic watering holes like Tippling Club and Culina Enoteca. Dempsey Hill also houses unique concepts such as House which combines F&B offerings with spa services.
3. Visiting friends from abroad seldom expect to find a scenic hilltop dining experience in a city known for its skyscrapers, integrated resorts, and urban landscape, Hence, they’re always pleasantly surprised with Mount Faber Jewel Box. What used to be a simple cable car station has undergone a major refurbishment and now houses five F&B establishments, each offering a distinct dining experience. For a really special evening, you can even choose to dine in one of the VIP jewelled cable cars adorned with Swarovski crystals.