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The 2023 live2makan List (Singapore)

Happy New Year! It’s time for the most memorable eats for 2023 in Singapore. Difficult to come up with the list as I was travelling 60% of the time out of Singapore. These are new restaurants I have tasted in 2023.

10/ Cultivate Cafe @ Tanjong Pagar – Vegan

A vegetarian restaurant on my list? My closest friends know that I am not vegan, not even close. But this Vegan restaurant has impressed me a lot. The meals are satisfying and delicious.

Smoked Onion and Asparagus Risotto with Grated Lemon Rind 

Cultivate Cafe
Maxwell Reserve, Autograph Collection, 2 Cook St, Singapore 078857
Tel : +65  8866 0159

Visited Jul 2023

9/ SG Taps @ Duxton – Beer and Tapas

It’s on the list because it has two of my favourite things – beer and tapas. Firstly it has 20 craft beers on tap all the time. And he bar food and tapas, they were all deliciously good.

20 types of craft beers on tap

SG Taps
13 Duxton Hill #01-01, Singapore 089597
Tel : +65 6904 8474

Visited Jun 2023

8/ Story One @ Tanjong Pagar – Korean BBQ

Fine dining KBBQ with excellent banchan to match. And this was only lunch, but we had the ala carte menu. What blew me away was their homemade kimchi. Somehow it hit the spot but they don’t sell them separately. The beef was excellent too and they grilled them perfectly at table side for you.

Banchan and condiments

Story One Korean Cuisine 이야기 하나
60 Peck Seah Street Singapore 079323
Tel : +65 6518 9695

Visited Feb 2023

7/ Shinji by Kanesaka @ St Regis – Sushi

Nothing beats a good sushi-ya for its taste and presentation. But these days, all the good ones are priced out of fashion. Thank goodness there are some lunch specials that would not break the bank. Shinji at St Regis has got the CP value right.

Lunch Omakase

Shinji by Kanesaka すし道真次 (St Regis)
29 Tanglin Road, Lobby Floor, St Regis, Singapore 247911
Tel : +65 6884 8239

Visited May 2023

6/ Nae:um @ Telok Ayer – Korean Fine Dining

The menu changes with each season, which the chef/owner Louis Han called episodes. I tasted Episode 5 and was blown away with the familiarity and yet innovative take on Korean comfort food. Must do their alcoholic beverage pairing with the omakase.

Doeji-Galbi Bap

Nae:um Restaurant
161 Telok Ayer Street Singapore 068615
Tel : +65 8830 5016

Visited May 2023

5/ Daniu Teochew Seafood 大牛 @ Outram – Teochew

I came specifically for their Teochew marinated raw crabs 生腌膏蟹, and I was not disappointed. Daniu or Daniel Zhang started as a coffee machine salesman, but decided to venture into Teochew cuisine as he could not find his hometown favourites. Kakineng, you got my vote!

生腌红膏蟹 Marinated raw female mud crab 

Daniu Teochew Seafood 大牛潮汕海鲜
61 Kampong Bahru Rd, Singapore 169368
Tel : +65 6677 6725

Visited Apr 2023

4/ Buona Terra @ Newton – Italian

I was surprised I did not discover this excellent Italian restaurant along Scotts Road earlier. Chef Denis Lucci has been running this place for 10 years which got their first star in 2019.

Mozambique Scampi, Puntarelle, Black Garlic, Anchovies Sauce

Buona Terra
29 Scotts Road Singapore 228224
Tel : +65 6733 0209

Visited Jan 2023

3/ Ba Xian 八仙 @ Raffles Place – Cantonese

This is a private club and cannot be booked unless you are a member. The diners are mainly in the legal and financial fraternity because of the proximity and exclusivity of the dining place. Usually these restaurants are so-so, but Ba Xian is quite exceptional.

红酒烧羊扒 Pan-Fried New Zealand Lamb Cutlet in Red Wine Reduction

The Tower Club Singapore – Ba Xian
9 Raffles Place Penthouse (62nd – 64th Floors)
Republic Plaza Tower 1 Singapore 048619
Tel : +65  6737 3388

Visited Sep 2023

2/ Claudine @ Dempsey – French

Another hit by Chef-Patron Julien Royer of Odette fame. The 3-star Michelin chef named this restaurant after his mother. The place is helmed by Executive Chef Mercier Julien. After the initial rah-rah, tables are starting to be released, and finally I can get some solid French food with a reasonably priced wine list to match.

Claudine Bouillabaisse

Claudine
39C Harding Road Singapore 249541
Tel : +65 6265 2966

Visited Dec 2023

1/ Kemuri @ Cuppage – Yakitori

This was the best yakitori I tasted in Singapore in 2023, and trust me I tasted a lot of them. They started as a members-only with compulsory drinks, but now they offer top notch yakitori as omakase for a fixed price to anyone that can get a table. And why is it my No.1? Because I keep thinking of going back again.

そぼろ丼 Minced Chicken Bowl

kemuri
5 Koek Road, #04-02 Cuppage Plaza, Singapore 228796
Tel : +65 9772 4300

Visited Jan 2023

So there you have it, the live2makan Top 10 List for 2023 Singapore.

Happy New Year! And see you next year!

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