1 LIXIN TEOCHEW FISHBALL NOODLES
Founder Lim Lee Seng started selling fishball noodles from a pushcart in 1968.
Since then, LiXin Teochew Fishball Noodles has set up shop in Toa Payoh (in 1987) and expanded into foodcourts in 2009.
Now, it has opened its first standalone outlet at Viva Business Park (off New Upper Changi Road), serving fishballs, fish cake and fish dumplings handmade with yellowtail fish.
Prices start at $4.80 for a bowl of fishball noodles; $5.50 for fishcake noodles; and $6.20 for fishball and fish dumpling noodles. For the best of everything, get the signature noodle ($6.50, photo 1) with fishballs, fish cake and fish dumplings. Dry and soup options are available. Set meals (from $6) come with a choice of cold drink.
To mark the shop's opening, the fishball noodles set is priced at $4.90 from tomorrow to Sept 30.
Where: Viva Business Park (Old Chai Chee Technopark), 750 Chai Chee Road, 01-01
Open: 7am to 10pm daily
Info: Call 6444-6342 or e-mail customerservice@lixin1968.com.sg
2 LE BINCHOTAN
Restaurateur Jessica Lim, who used to run the now-defunct restaurant Salut, and Au Petit Salut at 40C Harding Road, has opened French-Japanese tapas bar Le Binchotan, which focuses on meats and seafood smoked over bincho- tan (Japanese white charcoal).
Her business partners are Mr Kenichi Mori, who runs Japanese restaurants in Tokyo's Ginza district, and Mr Kenji Tanaka and Mr Takahiro Inoue - the duo behind the Fuji Group of Japanese eateries in Thailand, Myanmar and Laos.
Lunch sets ($38+ for three courses, $48+ for four courses) are available, with a choice of starter, main course and dessert. Main course options include snapper en papillote with silken tofu, cherry tomato and Japanese cabbage; and fungi in Akitakomachi rice in truffle jus and garlic chips. These dishes are also part of the large plates section in the dinner menu.
For small plates, pick from dishes such as Myoban uni ($23, photo 2) with corn mousse, grilled corn, sudachi and shoyu; grilled gizzard with mesclun salad, egg and lentils ($15); and Japanese red seabream ($25) with cold-smoked eggplant, radish and sherry vinaigrette.
Where: 115 Amoy Street, 01-04
Open: 11.30am to 3pm, 6 to 11pm, 10.30pm to midnight (bar snacks and drinks) (Monday to Saturday), closed on Sunday
Info: Call 6221-6065 or e-mail reservations.binchotan@gmail.com
3 EYESCREAM AND FRIENDS
Barcelona's four-year-old shaved gelato brand opens its first outlet in Asia at Compass One mall on Thursday.
This is the second eyescream and friends outlet outside Spain after it expanded to Cairo, Egypt, in April.
The gelato is made in cylindrical solid blocks which are frozen at minus 25 deg C. The blocks are then "shaved" to obtain smooth, thin layers. Flavours include vanilla, chocolate (photo 4), cheesecake, yogurt and wildberry yogurt. Mango and strawberry are offered as non-dairy sorbets.
Pick two toppings, such as chocolate and cookies, and the gelato is completed with the brand's signature pair of googly sugar candy eyes. Each serving costs $6.90.
Other products include personalised KissMeStupid lollipops, Tears of Joy water bottles and gelato shakes.
Watch out for two more outlets planned for this year and four more next year.
Where: Compass One, 1 Sengkang Square, B1-42
Open: 10am to 10pm daily
Info: www.facebook.com/eyescreamandfriendssg
4 PLANK SOURDOUGH PIZZA NAMLY ESTATE
Pastry chef Dean Brettschneider has opened his second Plank Sourdough Pizza outlet at Namly Place.
The sourdough crust is made using the same long fermentation process as the popular sourdough bread at Brettschneider's artisan bakery and foodstore Baker & Cook. A combination of flours is slowly fermented with wild yeast for up to 48 hours at 8 deg C, then pressed and baked at high heat between 380 and 400 deg C for a soft interior and crisp exterior.
Menu highlights include No. 4 ($23), with tomato, pulled barbecued chicken, cranberry compote, camembert cheese and rocket; No. 3 ($24), with tomato, prawns, smoked salmon, wild mushrooms, capers, rocket sour cream and dill; and No. 1 ($22, photo 4), with tomato, mozzarella, caramelised garlic and basil.
For something sweet, opt for the Cheese Plank Pizza ($14), a sourdough pizza topped with caramelised garlic creme fraiche, blue cheese, fig jam, caramelised walnuts, maple syrup, fresh thyme and lemon zest.
Where: 64 Namly Place
Open: Noon to 3pm, 6 to 10pm (Monday to Thursday), noon to 10pm (Friday to Sunday)
Info: Call 6466-2280 or go to www.plankpizza.biz
5 PLENTYFULL
There is plenty to feast on at new multi-concept Plentyfull, which encompasses a restaurant, bakery, gourmet grocer and food laboratory under one roof.
The 4,002 sq ft space in Millenia Walk seats 132 diners and focuses on healthy food made from scratch.
By day, food is presented like a buffet spread. Diners can pick one base, one protein and two sides ($17); or one base, one protein and three sides ($19). Base options ($5) include broken wheat with laurel leaves, and risoni (pasta) with mint, parsley and dill. For protein options ($8), choose from Thai roasted chicken, teriyaki glazed salmon and spicy Moroccan lamb meatballs. Finally, pick from maple and bacon brussels sprouts, green lentil stew and plum salted tomatoes for a side dish.
By night, Plentyfull becomes a full-service restaurant offering an a la carte menu. Highlights include miso gratinated aubergine ($18+, photo 5); grilled Kin Yan Farm mushroom ($20+) with smoked onion puree and pickled radish; root vegetable gnocchi ($24+) with pecorino in brown butter and sage; and house-smoked mussels tostada ($24+).
Where: Millenia Walk, 9 Raffles Boulevard, 01-79/80
Open: 11.30am to 10.30pm daily
Info: Call 6493-2997 or e-mail hello@plentyfull.com
Eunice Quek
• Opening a new restaurant? Send the details to stlife@sph.com.sg
Correction Note: An earlier version of this story said that Au Petit Salut is now defunct. This is incorrect. We are sorry for the error.
