Our List of Five Interesting Restaurants in Singapore! - mGuides

With so many restaurants in Singapore, there are bound to be some that serve up food that aren’t as widely available as others. But where are they at?

Bored of the usual restaurant options and looking to try something new? Well, do we have the list for you. On today’s mGuides, we’ll be showing you some of the more interesting restaurants that we’ve come across.

Kotuwa

(Photo Credits: Kotuwa)

Starting with something familiar, yet different. Indian food is commonplace in Singapore, and is an integral part of our local cuisine. But what about Sri Lankan food? Can’t say that is widely available here, can you? Besides a hawker stall at Tekka Market selling home cooked-style Sri Lankan food, we are only aware of one other place, and that is Kotuwa!

The menu here isn’t extensive, but they focus on what they know, preparing everything in-house. Besides the staples like Devilled Cashew, Crab Cutlet and Jaffna Duck Curry, Kotuwa also has specialties like Crab Curry and (something almost never seen locally) Mango Curry. Hungry yet? Well, make reservations well in advance, for their seats fill up fast. 

Address: 2 Dickson Rd, Level 1 Wanderlust Hotel, 209494  

Operating Hours: Monday and Tuesday, closed. Wednesday to Friday, 6pm to 9.30pm. Saturday and Sunday, 12pm to 3.30pm, 6pm to  9.30pm. 

Parking: Street parking rates apply

Borscht.sg

(Photo Credits: Borscht.sg)

Formerly known as Dumplings.RU (they recently changed their name), Borscht.sg is the only restaurant in town serving authentic Slavic cuisine. Expect to be surprised by the decor before you even step in, for there is a mannequin at the entrance wearing a traditional Russian dress, replete with headgear and accessories.

Like their former name suggests, they are best known for their Russian dumplings. Chewy, thicker skin with a variety of fillings, the dumplings here are unlike the ones most of us are used to, but they are no less tastier. Don’t forget to try their other dishes like borscht, salmon or herring salad, rice in bell pepper, and potato salad. While some menu items may sound a little peculiar, we guarantee you will be pleasantly surprised after licking your plate clean. 

Address: 32 Maxwell Rd, #01-05 Maxwell Chambers, 069115   

Operating Hours: Monday to Sunday, 11.30am to 10.30pm

Parking: Nearest open-air carpark is the Peck Seah Street URA carpark.

Monday to Friday, 7am to 11am, $1.20 per 30 minutes, 11am to 5pm, $1.50 per 30 minutes, 5pm to 7am, $0.60 per 30 minutes. 

Saturday, 7am to 5pm, $1.20 per 30 minutes. 5pm to 7am, $0.60 per 30 minutes.

Sunday and public holidays, 7am to 7am, $0.60 per 30 minutes.

The GOGIJIP Korean BBQ

(Photo Credits: Elizbeartravel)

Why is a Korean barbecue restaurant on this list? And how is it interesting? Put down your pitchforks, people. Yes, we know this restaurant does KBBQ, but did you know it also serves a specialty Korean dish, raw crabs marinated in soy sauce (gejang)? One of the few Korean restaurants in Singapore to serve this dish, odds are you might never even have heard about this dish.

If you’re curious to try gejang, be prepared to get messy. There’s honestly no neat way to enjoy this, so use your hands and get messy, then lap up all the soy sauce on hot rice to complete your meal. Additionally, their other dishes include Korean beef tartare and various kinds of interesting and nourishing soups. Ox knee soup or eel soup, anybody?

Address: 72 Tanjong Pagar Road, 088493

Operating Hours: Monday to Thursday, 12pm to 12am. Friday to Sunday, 12pm to 3pm, 6pm to 12am

Parking: Street parking rates apply

Kafe Utu

(Photo Credits: Expat Living Singapore)

African food in Singapore? We used to think that was never available locally. Well, we were proven wrong by Kafe Utu, the only joint in town serving African food, not to mention a completely African-themed space as well.

While they serve some typical cafe fare like eggs benedict, ricotta hotcakes and smoked trout on sourdough for the less adventurous (or less capable) eaters among us, their African fare is where it’s at. Goat curry, Liberian peanut chicken stew, Swahili fish curry and Matoke (a Ugandan plantain stew), where have you seen such dishes locally? And if you're thinking of desserts, Kafe Utu also serves African desserts, and we daresay they could very well be one of the most interesting restaurants in Singapore to date.

Address: 12 Jiak Chuan Road, 089265

Operating Hours: Monday and Tuesday, closed. Wednesday to Friday, 10am to 4.30pm, 6pm to 9.30pm. Saturday and Sunday, 9am to 4.30pm, 6pm to 9.30pm.

Parking: Street parking rates apply

Poison Ivy Bistro

(Photo Credits: Hawkerpedia)

Nestled deep inside Lim Chu Kang, and part of the Bollywood Veggies compound, is Poison Ivy Bistro. Granted, getting here will take some effort, but you’ll be greeted by lush vegetation upon arrival. Take a walk around the grounds of Bollywood Veggies before your meal, and take in the greenery around you, before sampling the food awaiting you.

If there is a restaurant that is the local epitome of farm-to-table, this could possibly be it. The menu here depends on what is available, and changes season to season, so each visit could very well be a new culinary experience! All ingredients are either sourced from their own compound or neighbouring farms, and that’s as fresh as you can get, if you ask us!

Address: 100 Neo Tiew Road, 719026 

Operating Hours: Monday to Wednesday, closed. Thursday and Friday, 8am to 4pm. Saturday and Sunday, 7am to 5pm.

Parking: Free parking

Combined Itinerary

As always, we’ve plotted out all the locations of these restaurants on Google Maps so that you can have your own little adventure. Pick and choose which restaurant you would like to visit, or try to visit all of them! The world is your oyster, after all. As always, let us know what you think, and if you have any suggestions, let us know too!

Read More: Pizza, Something For Any and All Occasions - mGuides

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