1 BRETON
The French Stall, which closed earlier this year, has re-opened as Breton.
Known for its French onion soup, charcoal-grilled sirloin steak and chicken liver pate, The French Stall openedin2000and is known as one of the first food outlets selling French fare at affordable prices.
Breton intends to continue in that vein under chef Xavier Le Henaff, who was chef-owner of The French Stall. He is consultant chef at Breton and has roped in his brother, Arnaud, to helm the new restaurant.
The name, Breton, pays homage to the brothers' roots -it refers to the people and Celtic language spoken in Brittany in north-western France.
The restaurant specialises in live lobsters.
Enjoy them grilled with butter sauce or paprika-scented butter ($54) or have them flambeed with Lambig, a type of cider brandy from Brittany (additional $12, photo 1).
Save some space in your tummy for desserts such as Biscuit Maneerat ($7), a white chocolate croustillant topped with lime-scented cream and sprinkled with roasted pistachios; and Crepes Fourrees ($7), served warm with chocolate ganache and bananas.
From now until next month, the restaurant has a one-for-one, all-day dessert promotion.
Where: 544 Serangoon Road
Open: 3 to10pm(Sunday to Thursday),3 to 10.30pm (Friday and Saturday)
Info: Call 6299-3544
2 COO BISTRO
Enjoy "glocal" (global and local) dishes at Coo Bistro, a 60-seater casual dining outlet in Tiong Bahru.
Locally inspired dishes include the Tiong Bahru Platter ($28), a medley of roasted pork belly, grilled chicken satay, salt and pepper barramundi, and mackerel keropok; and the Tiong Bahru Chwee Kueh ($9, photo 2), a sweet version of the usual steamed rice cakes with preserved radish.
This whimsical dessert dish is made with panna cotta, with candied walnuts in place of the radish and balsamic strawberries as the sambal.
The dinner menu offers mains such as prawn risotto ($25), braised lamb shoulder ($32) and pork cheek capellini ($18).
Where: 259 Outram Road
Open: 11am to10pm(Monday and Wednesday to Saturday), 11am to 6pm(Sunday), closed on Tuesday
Info: Call 6221-7060 or e-mail eat@staycoo.com
3 PYXIEMOSS RESTAURANT & BAR
British chef Tim Ross-Watson has embarked on a second restaurant venture in the form of a 49-seater modern European eatery, Pyxie Moss.
He previously ran Garden of Edenin Neil Road, which closed in 2012.
The new restaurant's name is derived from pixie moss, the only flowering moss in more than 12,000 species, and alludes to the chef's aspiration to make this venture bloom.
The menu will change every three months or so, but current highlights include the Seaviche ($8), a sea coconut take on the seafood dish; and Mother's Lamb ($18), which features lamb hearts and neck, and carbonated green and purple champagne grapes.
Chef Ross-Watson's Pina Colada ($10, photo 3) is a deconstructed rendition of the cocktail's key ingredients and includes coconut granola and salted coconut cream.
Don't leave without having some cocktails, which promise to be as intriguing as the food. The chef's Bananarama ($16), for instance, comprises homemade beer syrup, burnt banana dark rum, extra dry vermouth with herbs and aquafaba (water left behind after cooking beans).
Where: 43 North Canal Road
Open: 5pmto midnight(Monday to Saturday), closed on Sunday
Info: Call 6532-2171
4 POPPY POPS
Tucked away on the rooftop garden level of Jem is Poppy Pops, a popsicle parlour that also serves hot food.
The store concept and popsicle flavours are the brainchild of Piak Jia Ying, 25, who holds a degree from the The Culinary Institute of America, Singapore.
She makes the popsicles from scratch daily.
Popular flavours include salted honey, which comes with homemade honeycomb pieces, smores (chocolate with torched marshmallows and graham crackers) and brown butter cookie dough ($4.80 each, including a coating and topping).
Customers can choose the coating and topping, such as coconut flakes and almond bits (photo 4).
Sip a glass of lemonade ($6) while you suck on your popsicle.
Poppy Pops also has a weekday set lunch menu offering items such as kimchi pasta ($6) and smoked salmon quesadilla ($14).
Each meal comes with a mini popsicle and a cup of tea.
Where: Jem, 50 Jurong Gateway Road, 06-03
Open: 11am to10pm(Sunday to Thursday), 11am to 11pm (Friday and Saturday)
Info: Call 6262-0339
5 CIN CIN
Clink your glasses and hit the gin at Cin Cin, a 75-seater gin bar in Oasia Hotel Downtown in Tanjong Pagar.
The bar offers close to 100 gin labels, from the well-loved to the boutique.
Menu recommendations include the Gin Del Professore Madame ($17 for a glass, $200 ++ for a bottle), a gin made of berries picked solely in Italy and is produced in batches of fewer than 3,000 bottles each time.
There is also the Cin Cin gin cocktail ($20++, photo 5), made with Bulldog gin and grapefruit bitters and garnished with grapefruit peel.
Dishes include Seared Ahi Tuna ($18++), Black Cod Ceviche ($20++) and Pulled Pork Sliders ($20++).
Each portion is good for two to three persons.
Where: 100 Peck Seah Street, 01-02
Open: 5pmto midnight (Sunday to Thursday),5pmto1am (Friday, Saturday and eve of public holiday)
Info: Call 6385-2604
Bryna Singh
• Opening a new restaurant? Send the details to stlife@sph. com.sg
