Singapore Eating: Colonial District & the Quays

Eating around the Colonial District and the three quays is a fancy affair – budget options are pretty thin on the ground in this part of town. The range of international restaurants, from sophisticated French, such as Saint Pierre, to shameless raunch, like Clarke Quay’s Hooters, is so staggering it would take a year or more just to eat your way through the Quays. A few hawker centres, ideal for a quick lunch or cheap dinner, remain and all the main shopping malls have their obligatory food courts.
PRICE GUIDE
The following price guide is based on dinner for two, with a couple of drinks.

$$$ over $75

$$ $20-75

$ under $20

BOBBY’S TAPROOM & GRILL (American $$$)
6337 5477; www.bobbys.com.sg; B1-03 Chijmes, 30 Victoria St; mains from $20; noon-midnight Sun-Tue, noon-2am Wed-Sat; Metro: City Hall

A completely refurbished high-end American barbecue and sports bar specializing in steaks, chops, ribs and all things meaty. It’s particularly well-known for its baby back pork ribs, but the steaks are also excellent. Veggie options available.

CHEF CHAN’S RESTAURANT (Chinese $$$)
6333 0073; 01-06 National Museum, 93 Stamford Rd; set menu $88; Metro: Dhoby Ghaut
Staking a very strong claim to be Singapore’s top Chinese restaurant, everything about Chef Chan’s is outstanding, from the glorious location buried in a hard-to-find nook of the National Museum to the genuine antique Chinese decor and the magnificent, classic set menu (featuring his famous crispy roast chicken, complete with head). Reservations only.


DOC CHENG’S (International $$$)
6412 1264; level 2, Raffles Hotel Arcade, 1 Beach Rd; mains from $20; Metro: City Hall

Decked out with curtained booths, high ceilings, soft lighting and chequered tiles, Doc Cheng’s has a discreetly colonial air. The food, however, is decidedly modern fusion. ‘Son-in-law’ egg starter is surprisingly successful, as are dishes like the tandoori trout.

BOOK CAFÉ (Cafe $$)
6887 5430; 01-02 Seng Kee Bldg, 20 Martin Rd; mains $10-15; 8.30am-10.30pm Sun-Thu, 8.30am-midnight Fri & Sat

At the river end of Mohamed Sultan Rd, Book Café is a convivial bistro with large, comfy sofas and a good selection of old books, magazines and foreign newspapers to browse through while you lounge around enjoying breakfast or a coffee.

CORIANDER LEAF (Asian Fusion $$)

6732 3354; www.corianderleaf.com; 02-03, 3A Merchant Court, Clarke Quay; mains $15-25; Metro: Clarke Quay

A fusion of European, Middle Eastern and Southeast Asian menus, Coriander Leaf offers a wide selection of dishes, some a little jarring, most excellent. There’s also a small deli and a demo kitchen offering cooking courses

SAGE (European $$)
6333 8726; 7 Mohamed Sultan Rd; mains from $28

Set in a tiny converted shophouse on the Mohamed Sultan bar strip, Sage is one of the best restaurants in the Quays area. Intimate and relaxed, the service is immaculate and the food, from the prawn and escargot risotto starter to the mushroom soup and the beef cheek main, is superb. The only potential downside is the noise, if a big group happens to be sharing the small space with you. Booking is essential.

TAPAS TREE (Spanish $$)
6837 2938; 01-08, Block 3D, Clarke Quay; tapas from $5; Metro: Clarke Quay

Among the most popular of the recent Clarke Quay arrivals, this eatery boasts a huge range of classic tapas, a riverside location (though there’s comfy seating inside) and great music (the flamenco trio are fun, though inevitably they’re Filipino). Booking at weekends is essential.

WAH LOK Map (Chinese $$)
6311 8188; 2nd level, Carlton Hotel, 76 Bras Basah Rd; mains over $20; Metro: City Hall

The rotunda hall with the high dome ceiling, floor-to-ceiling glass windows, bright interior and warm ambience of this Cantonese place don’t quite prepare you for the entertainingly brusque service, but the food is great. Wah Lok well known for its excellent tofu; the roast meats are also a highlight.

GLUTTONS BAY (Hawker Centre $)
6336 7025; 01-15 Esplanade Mall; mains $10-20; 6pm-3am; Metro: City Hall

Selected by the Makansutra food guide, this bayside collection of the best hawkers (or street-food masters, as they call them)

KOPITIAM (Coffeeshop $)
cnr Bencoolen St & Bras Basah Rd; 24hr; Metro: City Hall

One of the top spots in the district for a late-night feed, this branch of the Kopitiam chain is brisk and blindingly bright, so if it’s a late boozy night grab a table outside, where the light is friendlier. The food is uniformly good and you won’t pay much more than $6 for a meal.

Singapore Eating: Colonial District & the Quays