From The Straits Times    |

Shoppers used to the same-old chain restaurants in Orchard Road, take note. Breaks in between shopping are getting more exciting, with niche and new-to-market restaurants opening in malls around the Somerset area. Eunice Quek looks at the new places to check out.

10 new restaurants and cafes on Orchard Road to check out

A trio of signature pastas at Supply & Demand. Image: Supply & Demand

1. Supply & Demand
Where: Orchard Gateway, #02-13/14

What: While its first outlet at the Esplanade Mall caters to the drinking crowd and theatre-goers, Supply & Demand’s offshoot, opening at Orchard Gateway, is geared towards hungry shoppers. The restaurant’s menu features a range of Italian dishes with Southeast Asian influences. These include spicy pork with Thai basil pasta ($19); Malaysian spicy otak-otak fingers ($10), which is deepfried otah served with tomato relish; and pandan panna cotta ($12) served with salted caramel and fruit.

Brunch items include steak and eggs ($25); and Tartine Salumi ($14) with homemade pumpkin batard topped with cheddar, mozarella, tomato relish, beef pepperoni, spicy pork salami and parma ham. For Orchard Road diners, the restaurant features a selection of teas ($9.90 a pot), with flavours such as Peach Brulee and Chocolate Rose black teas, as well as Tangerine Rosemary and White Ginger Pear white teas. Its Esplanade Mall outlet, which has a rooftop bar, features cocktails instead. In conjunction with its opening, get 50 per cent off your second main course at the Orchard Gateway outlet this month.

Open: 11.30am to 10.30pm daily, 11.30am to 5pm (weekend brunch menu)
Info: Call 6702-6218 or go to https://www.facebook.com/supplydemandsin

2. Dulce & Sucre
Where: Orchard Gateway, #B1-01

10 new restaurants and cafes on Orchard Road to check out

Whoopie pies at Dulce & Sucre. Image: Dulce & Sucre

What: Going beyond their Twelve Cupcakes brand, celebrity couple Daniel Ong and Jaime Teo’s latest brand is dessert parlour Dulce & Sucre. The cafe, which also sells their popular cupcake range, serves a range of sweet treats such as whoopie pies ($3.50 each) with flavours such as salted caramel banana, Rocky Road and chocolate strawberry cheesecake. There are also mini dessert cake loaves ($5.60 each) such as caramel pecan, and banana walnut; and cookies ($5.20 a packet), with cinnamon pecan, earl grey, and rose flavours.

Open: 10am to 10pm daily
Info: https://www.facebook.com/DulceAndSucre

3. Glacier Yogurt Cafe
Where: Orchard Gateway, #B2-09

What: Head to Glacier Yogurt Cafe for your yogurt fix, which is priced at $3.30 per 100g, and from 70 cents for one topping. Waffles are also available (from $3.50) and you can add a yogurt scoop of your choice. The cafe also serves coffee, tea, chocolate drinks and smoothies.

Open: 10am to 10.30pm daily
Info: Call 6702-6123 or go to https://www.facebook.com/glacieryogurt

4. Noodle Place Restaurant
Where: Orchard Gateway, #01/17

10 new restaurants and cafes on Orchard Road to check out

Shrimp wonton noodles at the Noodle Place Restaurant.
Image: Prima Group

What: Famous for its noodle dishes, especially its wonton noodles, Prima Group’s Noodle Place Restaurant has moved from The Centrepoint to Orchard Gateway.

5. Spanish Doughnuts
Where: Orchard Central, #05-51/52

10 new restaurants and cafes on Orchard Road to check out

Flavoured churros at Spanish Doughnuts. Image: ST/ Matthias Ho

What: Australian franchise Spanish Doughnuts is taking churros, the fried dough dessert, to a new level. The premium ones ($4.30 each, $12 for three, $21.60 for six) are not only filled, they are also glazed and some even have toppings, just like a fancy doughnut. Flavours include Salted Caramel Brulee, with a caramel filling and caramelised sugar; Creme Brulee, with a custard filling and caramelised sugar; Cookies & Cream, with a caramel filling, coated in milk chocolate and topped with cookie crumbs; and Hazelnut Dream, with a hazelnut filling, milk chocolate coating and topped with chopped hazelnuts. If you prefer plain churros, get the made-to-order Choco Churrito’s ($9.90), which come with white, milk and dark chocolate dips. This is the brand’s first cafe. Its other outlets in Australia, South Korea, and China only operate churro kiosks.

Open: 11am to 10pm daily, while stocks last
Info: https://www.facebook.com/spanishdoughnuts.sg

6. Milagro Spanish Restaurant
Where: Orchard Central, #08-06/07

10 new restaurants and cafes on Orchard Road to check out

Tapas spread at Milagro Spanish Restaurant. Image: ST/ Matthias Ho

What: Spanish cuisine may be making waves in the dining scene here, but Milagro’s owner Raymond Chong, 27, is looking to introduce a more affordable menu for diners who want to try a variety of dishes from the different Spanish regions. Menu highlights include gazpacho Andaluz ($6), padron peppers ($11), a variety of cheese and cold cuts (from $7), octopus a la Gallega ($17), which is Galician boiled octopus drizzled with olive oil, paprika and sea salt; paella de marisco ($59) with a medley of seafood including softshell crab, squid, mussels and prawns.

Lunch specials include creamy jamon pasta ($10), pisto manchego ($9) which is a Spanish interpretation of ratatouille; and Black Angus ribeye ($19) with sauteed peppers, mini truffle patatas and sundried cherry tomatoes. There is no service charge or GST at the restaurant.

Open: Noon to 2.30pm, 6 to 10pm daily
Info: Call 6238-6248 or go to https://www.facebook.com/milagro.spanish

7. Noodle Stories
Where: Orchard Central, #07-14/15

10 new restaurants and cafes on Orchard Road to check out

Biang Biang noodles at Noodle Story. Image: Tunglok Group

What: The TungLok Group’s new noodle concept specialises in Northern Chinese cuisine featuring a variety of noodle dishes, dumplings and soup.

Open: 11.30am to 10.30pm (Mondays to Saturdays), 10.30am to 10.30pm (Sundays)
Info: Call 6509-1878

8. TungLok XiHe Peking Duck
Where: Orchard Central, #07-07/08/09

10 new restaurants and cafes on Orchard Road to check out

Peking duck from Tung Lok Xihe Restaurant at The Grandstand, Turf City. Image: Tung Lok

What: The second outlet of the TungLok Group’s restaurant specialising in Peking Duck that is sliced at the table and served in three ways – wafer-thin slices of skin, thinly sliced meat from the legs and thighs, and larger pieces of sliced breast meat. A whole duck costs $78. Set menus start from $188++ for two people.

Open: 11.30am to 3pm, 6 to 10.30pm daily
Info: Call 6736-0006

9. Nantsuttei
Where: Orchard Central, #07-12/13

What: After its recent closure at Parco in Millenia Walk, popular ramen joint Nantsuttei has found its new home at Orchard Central. Fans of the ramen joint can look forward to its rich and creamy tonkotsu soup with tender chashu.

Expected opening date: June 15, 2014

10. Llao Llao
Where: 313@Somerset, Basement 3
What: Frozen yogurt outlet Llao Llao (say yow yow), which originated in Spain, has opened at 313@Somerset’s basement food section. Prices start at $4.90 for yogurt with one topping. Other yogurt treats include Sanum ($6.90), which is a yogurt dessert layered with fresh fruit, honey and muesli, and smoothies topped with frozen yogurt ($6.90).

Open: 10am to 11pm daily
Info: https://www.facebook.com/llaollaoSingapore

11. Hai Di Lao
Where: 313@Somerset, Level 4
What: The popular Sichuan steamboat restaurant from Clarke Quay opens its second outlet by the end of this month. Soup bases include spicy Sichuan, tomato soup and mushroom soup. Average spending a person is about $30 to $60.

12. Chabuton
Where: 313@Somerset
What: Expect more ramen coming your way with the first Chabuton ramen outlet opening next month at 313@Somerset. Its signature ramen features a rich and creamy pork bone soup topped with roast pork and Japanese leek. Other soup bases include shio (salt) and miso.

13. Saboten
Where: 313@Somerset
What: Tonkatsu chain Saboten opens next month at 313@Somerset. The Japanese restaurant chain, which recently closed one outlet at Parco in Millenia Walk, also has a branch at IMM mall in Jurong East.

This article was first run in Straits Times.com on June 8, 2014. For similar stories, go to sph.straitstimes.com/premium/singapore. You will not be able to access the Premium section of The Straits Times website unless you are already a subscriber.

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