KOTA88 RESTAURANT
Kota88 Restaurant serves authentic Chinese-Indonesian cuisine and the fusion is represented in its name.
Kota means "city" in Bahasa Indonesia and is also a slang used to describe Glodok, Jakarta's Chinatown, while "88" represents prosperity for many Chinese.
The menu comprises individual and sharing dishes. A signature dish is Nasi Campur Babi or mixed pork rice ($12.88++), with roasted pork items and sides such as siomay, ngo hiang, braised pig's ear, sweet pork satay, fried prawn beancurd roll and soya-sauce egg. Diners can choose white rice or chicken rice ($1.88++ for extra serving of either).
Sate Babi or pork satay ($15.88++, 10 sticks) is also ideal for sharing. The skewers come in a mix of sweet and savoury pork, parts of pork liver, intestine and the skin.
Other dishes include Kepiting Sauce Padang (above) or Sri Lankan crab with sweet, salty and sour padang sauce ($55.88++) and Sup Baikut ($15.88++), which is Indonesian-style pork ribs and salted vegetable soup.
You can also find items such as roast duck ($48.88++ whole, $27.88 half), roast duck rice ($8.88++, top up $2.88++ for "upgrade" to duck thigh); roast, Hainanese-style or soya sauce chicken ($32.88++ whole, $17.88++ half); BBQ/roast pork ($7.88++ and $8.88++; combo: $34.88++); fried rice or noodles ($12.88++ and $14.88++); and seafood and vegetable dishes.
Where: 01-02 Springvale, 907 East Coast Road
Open: 11am to 3pm, 6pm to 3am daily
Info: Call 6242-2645 or go to kota88restaurant.com or facebook.com/kota88restaurant/
THE BOTANIC
Plant-based dishes - vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free choices - get equal footing on The Botanic's menu alongside free-range, organic meat and seafood offerings.
Group executive chef Shannon Binnie, a vegan himself, helms the restaurant.
There are free-range eggs from Japan; organic honey, vegetables and grass-fed meats from Australia; and ingredients sourced from local markets and farmers.
The vegetarian version of Scotch Egg ($15++) features an organic free-range egg in falafel, paired with tabouli, cucumber and yogurt.
The vegan version of Chendol Pavlova ($12++) combines an eggless meringue made from chickpeas with coconut cream, jackfruit granita, harum manis mango and salted gula melaka.
Other dishes are Smoked Sambal Short Rib ($39++), Slow Cooked Lamb Shoulder ($32++), Carame-lised Organic Bungalow Pork Belly ($22++), Grilled Sardines ($16++), Whole Roasted Market Fish (market price) and Grilled Squid ($22++, above) with inked rice, sea herbs, dried tomato and chilli.
For beverages, there are wine, fruit-based cocktails and mocktails. The restaurant's namesake, The Botanic ($18++), is a house-infused gin combined with lemongrass, fresh basil and lime juice. Bar bites include oysters (market price) with a local ginger flower dressing and a slow-cooked Brisket Burger ($22++) with chipotle and slaw.
Where: 01-22A Raffles City Shopping Centre, 252 North Bridge Road
Open: Noon to 11pm daily
Info: Call 6837-0995 or go to
HEYTEA
Contemporary tea brand Heytea opened its first overseas outlet at Ion Orchard yesterday, touting itself as China's most popular tea brand and the "original inventor" of cheese tea.
Boasting more than 110 outlets in China across 17 major cities such as Beijing, Guangzhou and Shenzhen, Heytea has created some Singapore-only offerings.
The key ingredients it uses to create its beverages include the best tea leaves from different regions, fresh fruits, natural rock sugar and natural cheese.
The first section of the menu is Cheezo Tea ($4.50 to $6.60 nett).
A salty layer of frothy cheese foam helps to mask the tea's bitter taste. King Fone and Ever Spring use oolong tea leaves, while Aqua Green (green tea) comes in a faint bluish-green colour.
Flavours in the Fruity Boom section ($5.50 to $6.80) include Orange, Golden Pineapple, Lemon and Grapefruit, where grapefruit slices are added with a layer of shaved ice.
The Berry Mango series ($6.90 to $8.70) has Strawberry Cheezo (right) - go for the Very version (40 cents more) for more pulp - and Tangy Mango With Ice-Cream and Mango Cheezo.
The four classic ice cream flavours are the tea ones ($2.80 to $4.80) and, available only in Singapore, D24 Durian and Salted Egg Yolk (both $4.80).
Most of the tea drinks, including Pure Aqua Green ($2.90) and Pure King Fone ($3.90), can be served hot too.
Where: B4-29 Ion Orchard Mall, 2 Orchard Turn
Open: 10am to 10pm daily
Info: Go to www.facebook.com/ heytea.official
- Opening a restaurant? Send the details to stlife@sph.com.sg
