Where to have a hip and romantic Japanese dinner this Valentine’s Day
From the classic to the edgy, these are the tables to book in Singapore
Another February, another Valentine’s Day dinner to plan. If you’re over the usual options in Singapore, try something Japanese for a change. And we don’t just mean a bowl of ramen (although that, now that we think of it, would make for some nice alt-romance). Singapore’s top Japanese restaurants are pulling out all the stops for their gorgeous V-Day menus. These are a few of the most exciting.
Easily one of the most atmospheric places on this list, this long, narrow and elegantly lit Tiong Bahru stalwart is great both for sushi (best enjoyed at the bar with the talented, new chef Chong Yoong Kiong) and casual but stylish Japanese and Japanese-fusion dining. Through the end of February, they're serving a six-course couple menu ($188) that brings the best of both: oyster with yuzu pepper sauce, grilled halibut with miso, assorted sushi and sashimi and other goodies. The price includes a bottle of sake.
There aren’t too many Spanish-inspired Japanese restaurants in Singapore, and when you couple that with Boruto’s high-ceilinged, warmly lit interiors, you have a classic date night with an industrial edge on your hands. Chef Angus Chow’s Valentine’s Day menu is $188 per couple and comes with a bottle of wine, and the dishes—portioned to share—include intriguing options like beef tataki, made with A3 wagyu from Saga, foie gras a la plancha with shiitake jam; and black truffle somen with sakura ebi and caviar.
If you are in a new romance this V-Day and prefer to keep things fun and casual—preferably with a pretty waterfront view, Japanese fusion bar and restaurant Kinki is a great choice. Also famous for its regular DJ gigs, the Valentine’s package here is similarly fun and simple. On Feb 14, couplies spending $150 or more stand a chance to win a staycation, discount vouchers from The Fullerton and food vouchers for your next visit to Kinki. And if you’re currently unattached, come by on Feb 11 for a singles’ party, with games and Cupid’s Kisses (six shots) for $50.
One of 2016’s most talked-about openings, this tunnel-like, industrial-chic French-Japanese is located on Gemmill Lane and feels like dining inside a bunker—a very well-decorated bunker, that is. The specialty here, as the name might suggest, is charcoal-grilled food, though the three-course V-Day menu ($199 per couple, with two glasses of rose) has plenty of other kinds of dishes, like the Crack Me Up amuse-bouche with rice paper and ebi, and the Garden of Love main, a salad of spanner crab, orange-fennel and pomegranate dressing. The set menu is available Feb 10-14.
Fort Canning Hill’s ultra-pretty colonial white bungalow is the perfect choice for some good, old fashioned romance—so much so that it’s actually a popular spot for weddings and receptions, too! Chef Keisuke Matsumoto brings his delicate French-Japanese sensibility to the luxurious, five-course menu ($388 per couple). Dishes like the sautéed scallops with pomme ecrase, the Kagoshima wagyu steak and the amadai fish—not to mention the Pol Roger Champagne included in the set—are sure to make a memorable evening.
If you are a rock star couple that eschews traditional romance, check out what’s in store for club-like Japanese-American izakaya Izy. Cozy up knee-to-knee at the dimly lit bar, and snap a few selfies with the colorful mural behind you. Foodwise, there’s a $230 menu for two, which includes poke bowls, sashimi in Japanese tofu skin and rice bowls topped with uni, ikura and negitoro. For an extra $30 per person, you can pair your meal with three cocktails each—courtesy of secret bar Cache in the back. Learn more about Izy here.
Trained on high-quality New Zealand beef in the teppanyaki restaurants of Christchurch, chef Nick Tan at Boat Quay's Wakanui will ensure you're in good hands for your carnivorous V-Day date. The cozy restaurant is serving a four-course set menu, with main options including 21 day-aged NZ Ocean beef ribeye and NZ spring lamb chop, both cooked over a binchotan grill. Save room for the signature Anna Pavlova, Chef Tan's take on a classic New Zealand dessert.
If the relationship is too young for sweeping skyline views and multi-course fine dining, Sen of Japan is a great choice for a low-stakes but memorable date. It's very pretty, with a ground-level view of the bay, and has a contemporary Japanese menu designed by Nakano Hiromi who used to head Las Vegas' legendary NOBU. They're skipping the set menu for V-Day, so you can order their signatures like the A5 Tochigi wagyu steak and the black cod soy. But if the mood feels romantic, they have a couple of special dishes: the heart-shaped baked salmon with tartar sauce, and the pink sashimi maki, both available Feb 10-14.
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