Best in dining: Winners of the Chope Diners' Choice 2018 unveiled
The foodies have spoken; here are the 10 best restaurants of the year selected by you
When it comes to eating out, Singapore has no shortage of restaurants and cuisines to sate voracious appetites and preferences. At this year’s Chope’s Diners’ Choice Awards, diners have voted for their favourite establishments across 10 categories from Restaurant of the Year to Most Romantic Restaurant. Discover the delicious places where people love to eat.
Restaurant of the Year, presented by DBS PayLah!
This win comes as no surprise as the Japanese-inspired steakhouse at Camden Medical Centre offers top grade premium wagyu. Sourced from various prefectures in Japan, their menu features items such as the Ohmi Grade A4 Ribeye, Tochigi Grade A5 Ribeye and Kagoshima Grade A4 Tenderloin – all guaranteed to satisfy steak lovers. You can choose how your beef is prepared, whether it is shabu shabu, sukiyaki or the most popular option, sumibiyaki, which means charcoal-grilled. Plus, the friendly chefs are always more than happy to have a chat about your meal.
If you’d like to have a lunchtime treat, the popular Fat Cow Wagyu Donburi with slices of charcoal-grilled beef and onsen egg offers a wallet-friendly option, or try the new Wagyu sandwich with a juicy katsu wagyu slice wedged between toasted bread.
For the ultimate indulgence, ask for the omakase menu.
New Restaurant of the Year, presented by ST Food
We all love sinking our teeth into a hearty burger every now and then and this German burger grill and bar (which opened four outlets here in this year alone) is just the right place. Guaranteed to deliver some happiness – glück means happiness or luck in German – the restaurant’s freshly made burgers are 100% made from beef or chicken, served with fresh vegetables and topped with its special secret sauce. There are also vegetarian and vegan options, so there’s always something for everyone!
Order some refreshing cocktails to go with your meal if you need a little something more – rum, vodka, or gin-based options are available.
Bar of the Year, presented by Robert Parker Wine Advocate
A favourite among many, this elegant and modern cocktail bar at the Fairmont Singapore is the perfect place for an after-work tipple with colleagues or friends. Disguised as “cure-alls”, Anti:dote’s concoctions are crafted with spirits such as Remy Martin, Bacardi and Campari and fresh ingredients, balanced with fragrant herbs and flowers. Indulge in creatively-named drinks such as the Donkey Kong, Friends With Benefits and Stay Humble – each with different levels of alcohol to keep you going through the night. For a stronger alternative, choose from the wide selection of wine, gin, tequila, rum, bourbon, whiskey and more. If you’re feeling peckish, try the varied range of premium tapas such as Salmon Ceviche, Hokkaido Scallop Tartar and Beer Braised Pork Belly.
Deal-icious Restaurant of the Year, presented by Chope Deals
Conceived purely out of the love for breakfast, this all-day breakfast restaurant serves up a limitless array of options for almost every palate, even if you’re not a morning person. Having been around for almost a decade, their menu is ever-evolving with wordly tastes influenced by the chef’s travels over the years, bringing a beautiful collection of breakfast dishes that evoke the sensations of our childhood or take us to far flung places as diverse as Paris, Mexico, Turkey, Yemen, Australia and more. Some of their signatures have found its way to the hearts (and guts) of many and these must-trys include The Norwegian, European, Canadian and Parisienne, along with new new favourites such as The Greek, Brooklyn Double Pastrami burger, & the Turkish.
Hottest Group Dining Hangout
With a huge variety of comforting and familiar tzechar dishes – juicy crabs cooked in different styles and hefty angus steaks, it’s no wonder that the award goes to this famous seafood restaurant You’ll definitely need to bring your whole gang down so that you can try everything!
From its humble kampong beginnings on Pulau Ubin to mainland Singapore in coffee shop locations, this famous seafood restaurant now has a central location at Chijmes, in addition to its other branch at Hillview and a newly opened outlet at Zhongshan Park along Balestier.
Dishes differ at each outlet but expect crabs, prawns, squids and fish, all cooked in different styles. Or go for hearty meats steaks, lambs and pork dishes on offer.
Cafe of the Year
Cafes have come and gone over the years, but PS.Cafe has remained a stalwart in the local scene for nearly two decades. There are now eight outlets around town, offering shoppers respite from the hustle and bustle of the city. Each outlet also has its own unique décor (for example, the latest outlet in Raffles City Shopping Centre is housed in a gorgeous wood-and-glass structure), but all feature the brand’s innovative take on local and international favourites. Start your day with a hearty Breakfast Grand Slam Bunwich, or have a satisfying PS. Crab and Prawn Laksa after work. Order a side (or several) of the famous Truffle Shoestring Fries to share, and of course, enjoy the delightfully sinful Double Chocolate Blackout Cake.
Best Bountiful Buffet
We’ll definitely be Line-ing up for this buffet! Housed in the swish Shangri-La Hotel, The Line’s sixteen “theatre kitchens” each offer an impeccable range of cuisines from around the world. Enjoy heartening local fare like mee pok and laksa, or order a crisp prata to be fried on the spot. Bring back memories of your Japanese holiday by selecting from a dizzying array of sushi and sashimi, and indulge in fresh seafood. Cap off your meal with a well-earned dessert from the indoor dessert bar. And if you’re there for the Sunday Champagne Lunch, you can even enjoy free flow champagne, wine, beers, soft drinks and juices. Enjoy all these while being surrounded by famed interior designer Adam D. Tihany’s chic and modern decor.
‘IT’ Restaurant of the Year
From its white-walled interior and minimalist decor to exquisite, modern European cuisine, nothing exudes elegant chic quite like this establishment in the leafy surrounds of Dempsey. Helmed by renowned Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten - who has a successful slew of restaurants across the world including his two Michelin-starred namesake restaurant in New York City - expect top notch dishes and quality fare at his first restaurant in Southeast Asia. Bringing his signature dishes such as the Egg Caviar and the Black Truffle and Fontina Cheese Pizza, delight in his refined yet intense flavours through the use of vegetable juices, fruit essences, light broths and herbal vinaigrettes. For drinks, try one of the unique Asian-inspired cocktails or be spoilt for choice from the veritable wine selection. There are also specialty brunch dishes for the weekend brunch, a perfect spot for a date or an indulgent catch up with your pals.
Regional Fan Favourite
Travellers to Hong Kong are often in search of good, authentic dim sum. Look no further than Yum Cha to get your fix. Their five outlets, conveniently located across Central and Tsim Sha Tsui, offer creative interpretations of traditional Chinese dishes from different regions of China such as mouth-watering Szechuan spicy chicken and Shanghainese cold cuts. Yet it’s the dim sum that’s the real star of the show. The cute and playful presentations of their BBQ Piggy Buns (decorated to look like tiny piglets) and Hot Custard Buns (with cartoon-like faces) are perfect for Instagram, while still being extremely delicious. So the next time you’re in Hong Kong, use your Chope app and drop in on Yum Cha. Sik faan!
Most Romantic Restaurant
Love, so the song goes, is a many-splendored thing. And what better way to celebrate it than with the one you love with an exquisite meal at Singapore’s most romantic restaurant, set in a hidden chapel at Dempsey? The White Rabbit, led by Head Chef Benjamin Tan, offers an idyllic dining experience for both you and your special someone. Settle in to the one of the crescent-shaped booths, and pamper yourselves with European favourites such as the Roasted Black Truffle Free-range Chicken and the Dover Sole Meuniere, as well as the restaurant’s signature Lobster Bisque. Pick out a delicious bottle of wine from the White Rabbit’s excellently-curated list. When you’re done, you can even walk out to the beautiful garden veranda and watch the stars together.
The official media partner for Chope Diners’ Choice Awards is ST Food and official radio station is ONE FM.
Visit dinerschoice.chope.co or download the Chope app for more details.
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