Here in foodie nation, meat-lovers are blessed with lots of options for every meal, especially it comes to beef. You can have it served up as a sizzling slab of steak, in a juicy towering burger, as part of a stir-fry … and all that on top of deciding upon the provenance and cut. If the ever-popular wagyu is your (or your man’s) meat of choice, make reservations now at one of these 10 places. Bon appetit, and don’t forget to bring along your heartburn meds!
Image: 123rf.com
ALSO READ: Turmeric, Shiitake and 8 other supermarket super-foods you should consider now
If you prefer your wagyu Chinese-style, this is the place to go. This multiple-award-winning restaurant is helmed by executive Chinese chef Ku Keung, who has almost 20 years of professional culinary experience under his belt; he may be a familiar face for some as he has appeared on TV shows such as Channel 8’s Neighbourhood Chef. One of the restaurant’s signature dishes is the Pan-fried Wagyu Beef with Red Wine Sauce ($38++) served with crunchy asparagus. (Note: Pictured in this shot is a side of seasonal white asparagus; this dish is usually served with those of the green variety).
Conrad Centennial Singapore, Two Temasek Boulevard; www.conradsingapore.com
ALSO READ: Go with your gut: The foods to eat now for better digestion and a boost in health
This is the first grill in Singapore to boast a bespoke Himalayan salt-tiled aging cabinet. Hand-selected prime meats are dry-aged between 18 to 36 days on the premises for perfectly marbleised meats with a rich and complex melange of flavours. And because the grill uses only charcoal, you can be sure that whatever cut you choose will be full of delicious smoky notes. Try the 220g Kobe Cuisine Australian Wagyu rib-eye ($92++); there’s also an ongoing Steak + Wine Promotion, where any order of Opus Steak allows you to enjoy free flow of wines (Sunday to Thursday) or 50 percent off a bottle of wine (Fridays and Saturdays). It will take superhuman willpower to say no to a deal as tempting as that!
Hilton Singapore, 581 Orchard Road; www3.hilton.com/en/hotels/singapore/hilton-singapore-SINHITW/dining/opus-bar-and-grill.html
ALSO READ: 8 potato chip alternatives to satisfy your cravings
Modern European cuisine is what you’ll get at this chic spot; the fact that the food is pretty darn affordable makes it a firm favourite with many diners. The Wagyu Beef Carpaccio ($18++) is served with rocket lettuce, shaved parmesan cheese, balsamic vinegar and a drizzling of intoxicating truffle oil. The hearty food and unpretentious atmosphere may have you coming back for another visit or three.
#01-15/16/17 UE Square Shopping Mall; www.district10.com.sg
This restaurant is a veritable haven for meat lovers. Our go-to? The Duo of Beef ($56) comprises of Braised Wagyu beef cheek and grilled Black Angus fillet simmering in a Bordelaise sauce with root vegetables. Thanks to a 24-hour soaking process in red wine and a further 24 hours of oven cooking at a low temperature, the cheek is meltingly tender and full of flavour too. If you prefer to choose your own meat, pick something from the meat trolley, which boasts some of the finest cut steaks in Singapore. A choice of cuts is wheeled to your table and, after you’ve made your selection, the service staff will slice and weigh it in front of you, before sending it to the kitchen for cooking. One of the popular cuts is the Snake River Farms, American Wagyu, Sirloin Gold Grade 8 – 9, $4.80 per 10g (minimum of 220g).
Goodwood Park Hotel, 22 Scotts Road; www.goodwoodparkhotel.com
ALSO READ: Everything you need to know about dairy-free milk alternatives
This Japanese-inspired steakhouse is a luxurious foodie destination where you can enjoy a handpicked selection of the finest wagyu from around the world. Enjoy your beef via various Japanese preparation methods such as shabu-shabu, sukiyaki, hobayaki or sumibiyaki (charcoal-grill). Wagyu menu items – all of which are well worth sussing out – include Wafu Wagyu Hamburg ($38, wagyu hamburger steak with housemade ponzu and daikon radish), Wagyu Soboro Don ($40, miso braised minced wagyu, sautéed spinach, mushrooms, onsen egg) and the intriguing Wagyu ‘Somen’ ($45, raw wagyu ‘noodle’, mentsuyu, scallion, kizami nori).
#01-01/02 Camden Medical Centre, 1 Orchard Boulevard; www.fat-cow.com.sg
Image: Facebook.
ALSO READ: From street food to haute cuisine – do we have what it takes to be the next fine dining capital?
Much of this rustic restaurant’s menu is inspired by the nosh of San Francisco, with the hearty buffet salad bar being a huge draw here. Try the Charbroiled Wagyu Minute Steak ($34.90), which is delicately seasoned with a tantalising blend of herbs and spices for lots of meaty flavour without overpowering your palette. You’ll also get access to the aforementioned salad buffet, so save space for some greens.
#02-117 VivoCity and #03-10/11 Westgate Mall; www.earleswensens.com.sg
ALSO READ: Get that fibre in you: 6 scrumptious tricks to make oatmeal taste less boring
Using only the highest quality meats and freshest ingredients, this is the ultimate dining destination for burger fans. Their signature burger is the Fullblood Wagyu Burger ($26), which consists of Blackmore 100 percent fullblood wagyu patty served alongside creamy butterhead lettuce, sliced tomatoes, beer caramelised onions, cheddar cheese and their signature master sauce. You know you’re getting good quality meat as Blackmore’s wagyu-breeding programme selects beef boasting only the best genetics from the famous Itozakura and Kikumidoi bloodlines for the best marbling scores. Wash it all down with something from the exciting craft beer menu.
#01-06, 26 Evans Road; wildfireburgers.com
ALSO READ: These 6 foods will stain your teeth
If you want to fulfil all your wagyu dreams at one restaurant, this is the place to go. Bistecca Tuscan Steakhouse serves F1 Wagyu from Australia, which is pasture-raised and organic-feed finished to the highest ethical standards. The beef is then cut artisan-butcher style to produce bone-in, inch-thick steaks. The steakhouse’s signature Wagyu-Holstein beef ($65-$188) is thick cut in the traditional manner and prepared in classic Tuscan style over a high temperature wood-red grill to produce a traditional charred crust steak that’s finished with just some extra-virgin olive oil and salt.
25 Mohamed Sultan Road; www.bistecca.com.sg
ALSO READ: I went from a meat eater to a vegan in 2 weeks (and never looked back)
Pop by if you’re in the mood for something decadent. You’ll be served prime cuts of meat and fresh, sustainably-sourced seafood that are beautifully prepared on the centrepiece parrilla grill. Wagyu options here include American Wagyu ($98 for sirloin 300g/$90 for tenderloin 200g) from Snake River Farm Eastern Idaho, F1 Wagyu Grain Fed, Sher Wagyu MS 6-7 ($118, ribeye 250g) from Ballan in Victoria, Australia, and Black Angus Grain Fed, Black Market MS 5+ ($158 for T-bone 700g/$225 for T-bone 1kg/$112 for bone in striploin 500g) from Glen Innes in New South Wales, Australia.
W Singapore – Sentosa Cove, 21 Ocean Way; www.skirt.wsingaporesentosacove.com
ALSO READ: Here’s what happens to your body when you don’t eat enough protein
Sample a wide selection of meat cuts here from the USA, Japan and Australia. They are available in various ways too, such as wood-grilled, smoked hot or cold, and with exotic spices or you can choose to keep it classic too. The Tomahawk Steak (market price) will bag you a beautiful slab of 400 days grain-fed F1 long-bone wagyu ribeye and is certainly one to share with the table. A Wagyu Minute Steak – served with potatoes and onions, with a shallot sauce – is also one of the options in the restaurant’s three-course set lunch ($58 for steaks, $38 for seafood, poultry or pie).
#01-05 Pan Pacific Serviced Suites, 96 Somerset Road; bedrock.com.sg