1 KAISERHAUS
The rich cuisine from the once-illustrious Habsburg Empire, which spanned countries such as Austria, Hungary and Czech Republic, is the highlight of this 165-seat restaurant.
Fronted by executive chef Hans Luftenegger, 33, who is from Austria, the dishes, pastries and tipples are an ode to food from the 16th century.
History buffs can tuck into Tafelspitz ($38), which was Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph I's favourite dish.
Slow-cooked beef is simmered with carrots, potatoes and bone marrow and served with toasted bread, rosti, creamed spinach and spicy horseradish sauce.
Other historic dishes include Wiener Schnitzel (from $29), which is fried breaded pork or veal cutlets; Cevapcici ($23), grilled skinless beef sausages with rosti, yogurt dip and red bell pepper relish.
There are also confections such as Zaunerstollen (starts from $23 for a 145g piece), a nougat praline made with wafers, hazelnuts and chocolate.
Wash it down with Austrian beer Hirter (from $8.50).
Where: 02-06 and 03-06, Capitol Theatre, 17 Stamford Road
Open: 10.30am to midnight, Sunday to Thursday, 10.30am to 1am, Friday and Saturday
Info: Go to kaiserhaus.com.sg
2 CHO OMAKASE
After six years of heading award-winning Japanese restaurant Bushido in Bahrain, chef Chong Yoong Kiong, 43, returns home to set up this 30-seat omakase restaurant in Boat Quay.
The menu changes daily and top-notch ingredients are flown in from Japan.
These include A4 grade marbled Hida beef, oysters and unagi.
A five-course set lunch, with dishes such as pan-seared salmon and grilled unagi, starts at $18.80++ a person.
A Cho Omakase course starts at $50++ and can go up to $120++.
Where: 14 Lorong Telok
Open: Noon to 3pm, 6 to 10pm, Monday to Saturday, closed on Sunday
Info: Call 6532-2098 or go to facebook.com/choomakase
3 MON BIJOU
This 66-seat bistro in Claymore Connect mall, formerly known as Orchard Hotel Shopping Arcade, serves all-day breakfast, salads, burgers, pasta and sandwiches.
The highlights here are the French pastries. Popular picks include the Raspberry & Lychee Macaroon Cake ($7.80). Chocolate pralines, which come in 12 flavours such as Earl Grey, Lavender and Chocolate Banana ($2.20 each), are shaped like diamonds, a reference to the bistro's name, which means "my jewel" in French.
Savoury items include the MB Crabby Patty burger ($24), which has crab patty jazzed up with mango salsa.
Where: 01-19/20, Claymore Connect, 442 Orchard Road
Open: 11am to 8pm daily
Info: Call 6739-6738 or go to monbijou.sg
4 CATO
Modern Asian cuisine takes centre stage in this 6,000 sq ft restaurant and bar, which will open on Tuesday. Start with appetisers such as Beef Tartare ($16), which is marinated with miso and mustard and served with quail egg yolk, cucumbers and toasted bread.
Tuck into main dishes such as Spicy Prawn Risotto ($25), a tom yum-flavoured risotto topped with tiger prawns; and Pork Rillette Burger ($22) which has a pork belly patty, cheese and ginger salsa.
The menu also features small plates such as beer-battered fish and chips with Sriracha tartar sauce ($18). There is also a list of 14 craft beers on tap, such as Crew Republic's Drunken Sailor Indian Pale Ale and Black House Modern Times Coffee Stout (from $14 a pint).
Where: 237 South Bridge Road
Open: 5pm to midnight, Tuesday to Saturday, closed on Sunday and Monday
Info: Go to catosingapore.com
5 TIGER'S MILK
This 120-seat Latin American rooftop restaurant is named after the Peruvian term for a citrusy marinade used in ceviche.
Signature dishes include Tiger's Milk Trio ($9) which has seabass and octopus served in three shot glasses; Salmon Nikkei ($16), thinly sliced salmon sashimi drizzled with yuzu and ginger dressing and served with wasabi tobiko and crispy vermicelli.
The Lamb Heart ($16) is seasoned with fiery harissa (hot chilli pepper paste) and salsa criolla.
Where: 28 Ann Siang Hill
Open: 5pm to 1am, Monday to Thursday, 5pm to 2am, Friday to Saturday, close on Sunday
Info: Call 6808-2183 or go to theclub.com.sg
Kenneth Goh
•Opening a restaurant? Send the details to stlife@sph.com.sg
