Cherie Lok

2 weeks ago | straitstimes.com | Cherie Lok

SINGAPORE – Sushi restaurant Ashino celebrates its 10th anniversary with a fresh menu and new dwelling. After spending the last decade at Chijmes, it is now parked in Club Street, under the terracotta feature fins of the Mercure Icon Singapore City Centre. It occupies an otherwise nondescript unit, marked only by a fluted wooden door and khaki noren bearing the restaurant’s name. Its interior is panelled in the same blond monochrome that characterised the Chijmes outlet.

2 weeks ago | straitstimes.com | Cherie Lok

SINGAPORE – Some restaurants survive by stepping up their social media game. Others get by on the abiding loyalty of regulars. Then there is the row of restaurants in East Coast Road, which has evolved to become all things to all men. As The Straits Times reported in April, diners can now cross-order from any of the eight eateries in the East Coast Food Strip, regardless of which outlet they are dining at. Which means having a glass of wine with hotpot or aglio olio alongside prawn mee.

2 weeks ago | straitstimes.com | Cherie Lok

SINGAPORE – Chengdu Bowl, a new self-styled speakeasy at Changi Airport Terminal 3, makes a half-hearted attempt at secrecy, disguised as it is behind a suspiciously flat vending machine stamped with the label “pull”. Too bad the set-up is undermined by the fact that you can turn the corner and walk right into the restaurant anyway.

2 weeks ago | straitstimes.com | Cherie Lok

To grasp the culinary essence of a country, visit a McDonald’s and pursue its local specials. This is where one might find idiosyncrasies like Italy’s pistachio McFlurry, the Philippines’ McSpaghetti and, of course, that Singaporean cult classic, the McSpicy. In some ways, glocalisation is a form of flattery, with these variables reflecting the sophistication and taste of local consumers. And so, Singapore’s favourite burger might very well be a credit to its people.

3 weeks ago | straitstimes.com | Cherie Lok

SINGAPORE – Dining out is a fairly straightforward process in Singapore, swathed, for the most part, in the certainty of a guaranteed seat. You pick a place, punch in your details and rock up at the prearranged hour. Recognition glints in the host’s eyes as your name surfaces in the system. The food arrives after a while. You pay, you leave. In some cases, a special reservation link is sent to your e-mail, and the cycle begins anew.