Alex - Here have what I know

Sweet Salty Spicy
Chris Millar was chef at Poppi at Fort Canning, which was one of Expat’s favorite restaurants and has closed temporarily. In the meantime he’s keeping busy with this new venture, an Asian food market meets trendy Thai canteen. He’s having no problem pulling in the crowds even though it’s not a conventional location, and we’d advise reservations. The food is fresh and very tasty and, yes, there are Thai chefs in the kitchen.
392/394 Upper Bukit Timah Road, The Rail Mall, Tel: 6877 2544.

Sukhothai
While not the best Thai food in town, Sukhothai is still a breath of fresh air by Boat Quay standards. Although, does anyone actually go to Boat Quay unless they have visitors in town? All the old favourites are on the menu, the straightforward Thai decor is pleasing, and the tables right by the river - book these in advance - will make those visitors happy, though you’ll have to run the gauntlet of touts to get there.
47 Boat Quay, Tel: +65 6538-2422.
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Al-Hamra
Low-key and relaxed, this is a prime place in Holland V for tasty, al fresco dining. If you go for a weekend meal, you get the added entertainment of some serious people watching along Lorong Mambong. The Lebanese and Middle Eastern food is simple but well prepared, as witnessed by a super smooth hummus that was balanced, not dominated by tahini, warn, fresh pitta and a pile of flavourful falafel intensified by a spritz of lemon. We also rate their juicy lamb and seafood kebabs.
23 Lorong Mambing, Holland Village, tel: +65 6464-8488.

KHA
Yenn Wong of Graze fame has finally given us what we have been crying out for - a classy Thai experience. KHA is set within the beautifully landscaped grounds of HortPark so like Graze over at Rochester, it’s already well ahead in the location stakes. Decor is an artful blend of rustic meeting contemporary, there’s an alfresco cocktail lounge and dining section, and the food is a lip-smacking, modern take on Thai but wholly faithful to authentic tastes, so all in all it’s got all the boxes ticked.
33 Hyderabad Road, #02-02 HortPark, Tel: 6476 9000

Lemongrass
Want a successful restaurant? Here’s a smart premise: Thai food at very reasonable prices. Lemongrass has been around for well over a decade and there’s the reason. The Heeren outlet packs the crowds in - and churns them out again pretty quickly, which is great if you’re in a hurry (perfect before heading to the cinema over the road), but not overly conducive to a leisurely meal. Everything is good.
The Heeren Shops, #05-02A, 260 Orchard Road, Tel: +65 6736-1998; 899 East Coast Road, Tel: +65 6443-1995; The Village Centre, #03-03, 3 South Bouna Vista Road, Tel: +65 6873-2112; NUTUC Lifestyle world-Downtown East, #01-41, 1 Pasir Ris Close, Tel: +65 6583-2112.
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Dolce Vita
If you haven’t been here since the old Pronto days, you won’t recognise the place. We urge you to go there post haste; it will not disappoint. The space is very modern Med, with a minimally decorated, airy, resort-style interior. The top tables, naturally, are on the terrace by the landscaped pool, but there are only a few so make sure you reserve one. From certain angles you can see the high rises of the business district and the Singapore Flyer, a view which is particularly seductive by night. The menu presents diners with a contemporary and elegant take on Mediterranean cuisine and you know you’re in for a culinary treat when the freshly baked bread arrives with five different spreads and dips. Bouillabaisse, turbot with clams and fresh herbs in a beurre blanc, and suckling pig confit are all highlights on the current menu.
Mandarin Oriental Singapore, Level 5, 5 Raffles Avenue, Marina Square, tel: +65 6885-3551.

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Ah Hoi’s Kitchen
Too often overlooked, Ah Hoi’s Kitchen is a safe bet for authentic Singapore flavours in a pretty, alfresco setting with the amenities of a hotel. Granted, you’re paying extra for the landscaped rooftop poolside (which sits above Tanglin Mall) but then you are getting decent service. So another good place to bring first time visitors, although now they have competition from Long Beach and Jumbo up the road at Dempsey. Delicious, fresh seafood is unmissable; lobster bee hoon, sambal prawns and chilli crab will have you caming back for more.
Level 4, Traders Hotel Singapore, 1A Cuscaden Road, tel: +65 6831-4373.

East Coast Seafood Centre
A Singapore institution. Bright, usually raucous, plastic tables and chairs, indifferent service and architecture inspired by a fluorescent0lit toilet block. The renditions of chilli crab, black pepper crab, garlic fried prawns, steamed fish may vary from place to place but they, and brimming jugs of beer, keep us coming back time after time. Everyone has their favourite, but Long Beach and Jumbo are consistently good and have gone upmarket in recent years with new outlets. The newest, and smartest, additions are up at Dempsey Road. So if your visitors are a little too elderly or a little too refined for the hullabaloo of the East Coast, you now have a more salubrious option.
East Coast Parkway, Block 1202.

Jumbo also at: #B1-46/48 The Riverwalk, 20 Upper Circular Road, tel: +65 6534-3435; 22 Kensington Park Road, Serangoon Gardens Country Club, tel: +65 6383-3435; 30 Merchant Rod, #01-01/02 Riverside Point, tel: +65 6532-3435; 2 Stadium Walk #01-05, tel: +65 6440-3435; Block 11, #01-16 Dempsey Road, tel: +65 6479-3435.

Long Beach also at: #01-01 Tanglin Village, 25 Dempsey Road, tel: +65 6323-2222; 1018 East Coast Parkway, tel: +65 6445-8833
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Knowing the right cutlery to use is the most basic of restaurant etiquette. We interview dining experts on the little-known behaviour expected to us.

On getting hold of the waiter’s attention in a crowded restaurant
Gavin: No need to flail your arms wildly. Catch the eye of the waiter and call out, “Excuse me”. if he’s on the way to serve another table, give him some time to reach yours.

On constantly asking for water
Gavin: it’s definitely not considered rude. A decent restaurant will refill your glass accompanied with a smile. But if you do drink a lot of water and feel embarrassed asking for refills so frequently, request for a bigger glass of water at the start of the meal.

On canceling your order when it’s being prepared
Gavin: The restaurant would appreciate it if you could inform them when you’re placing your orders that you are in a hurry and would like your orders served fast. At Corduroy & Finch, you can cancel your food without being charged if you really have to rush off.

On shushing up a rowdy table
Aby: Every customer has the right to expect a pleasant dining ambience. If you’re not sure how to go about asking noisy diners to behave, ask a waiter to do it for you. Most reputable restaurants would also take the initiative to ask the table to keep it down if they are too noisy.
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Fresh, authentic Korean fusion food is on the menu at KoRyo-Won; the speciality here is Korean BBQ featuring the finest cuts of meat, so that each table comes with a hot plate in the centre. The atmosphere remains smoke-free though, thanks to the silver pipes hanging from the ceiling above every table, which suck up any smoke and oil rising from the barbecue. It is able to seat up to 90 people and shiny polished wood predominates inside, along with warm-hued lighting. The restaurant is surrounded by a fence of polished wood, studded with Oriental symbols.
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It’s India as you’ve never seen it at Vansh - colourful, richly-textured and surprisingly modern. An offshoot of Rang Mahal in Singapore, Vansh - which means “a new generation within the family” - has one of the most exquisite-yet-simple decors in the village, with the backbone of a rough-textured, dark grey feature wall studded with tiny, glinting mirrors in concentric patterns. Tables and settings are kept simple, elegant and modern, but the textured stone counter displays a melange of colourful skewered fruits and vegetables, as well as bottled spices imported from India. Beaded glass lamps lend multi-coloured hues to the dining area. Vansh’s surrounding walls are lengths of wood painted solid colours and placed at various angles.
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Dine on Lebanese fare at Tarbush, completely surrounded by a caravan of wooden camels, some sitting, others ponderously continuing on their way past graceful palm trees. Tiny glowing glass lamps add little bursts of colour amid the softer glow from the large central pillar. Dining tables are accompanied by plush armoires.
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Cowboys never had it this good. Jake’s first outlet in Medan Damansara has gotten itself a reputation for serving up some of the best steaks in town, and the outlet at Feast Village has grown quite a reputation for itself as well. You’ll be moseying into the Wild Wild West at Jake’s which looks a bit like an old-fashioned saloon; it’s wall-to-wall wood as far as the eye can see. The homey, comfortable atmosphere provides respite for the senses; it’s in no way plain though, with numerous artefacts and ornaments adorning surfaces.

On the menu, there are hints of Tex Mex, good old American steakhouse cooking and Australian flavours. Try the signature dish, the BBQ spare beef ribs, marinated for 24 hours in a special secret sauce; another long-time favourite is the buttery, rich Australian T-bone steak from grain-fed cows, a combination of two cuts - the larger part is a sirloin cut, while the smaller is a tenderloin.
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