From The Straits Times    |

1. SUM YI TAI
What: Walking into this place is like stepping onto the set of a Hong Kong gangster movie from the 1980s, with the black Chinese dragon hanging from the ceiling to a mahjong-tiled wall to bartenders dressed in dragon-print T-shirts.

6 new places to lunch at in the CBD

Sum Yi Tai serves Chinese food (above) and Meat Smith will please carnivores with dishes such as vinegar-brined pork belly. Image: Kelly Fan

Sum Yi Tai (third wife in Cantonese) features a Chinese tapas bar on the ground floor, a dining area on the second floor (which opens next month) and a private rooftop bar (reservation required or by invite only).

The lunch menu features roast meats served with rice or noodles. Prices start at $12 and includes a complimentary soup of the day.

6 new places to lunch at in the CBD

Sum Yi Tai serves Chinese food and Meat Smith will please carnivores with dishes such as vinegar-brined pork belly (above). Image: The Business Times

Other highlights include claypot rice ($25 for two) and vermicelli with jumbo head king prawn ($32 for two). Signature Chinese tapas dishes include luncheon meat chips ($9), XO carrot cake ($12), Australian lamb short ribs with five spices ($21) and crispy salmon skin with salted egg yolk ($9). The drinks menu features whisky, sake and cocktails (from $19).

Where: 25 Boon Tat Street, open: 11.30am to 2.30pm (weekday lunch), 5pm to 1am (dinner, Monday to Saturday), closed on Sunday

Info: Call 6221-3665 or e-mail dragons@sumyitai.com

2. FYR
What:
Three-week-old restaurant FYR (say fire) serves steaks and lobsters. South-east Asian flavours also feature in the dishes, including spiced deboned red snapper ($25) with sambal belacan; five-spice half chicken, striploin and spiced tiger prawns ($55); and seafood linguine ($18) with laksa leaves and Thai basil. Complete the meal with a baked pistachio lava cake and pandan ice cream ($10) dessert. Drinks ($4.50 each) include apple rosemary; lime and mint; and ginger lemongrass. Lunch promotions start at $25++ for two courses.

Where: 19 Boon Tat Street, open: 11am to 11pm (Monday to Friday), 5 to 11pm (Saturday). Closed on Sunday. Brunch from 9am to 4pm on Saturday and Sunday (starting April 25)

Info: Call 6221-3703 or go to www.facebook.com/FYRBTS

3. MEAT SMITH
What: Another of restaurateur Loh Lik Peng’s food ventures and sister outlet to Burnt Ends in Teck Lim Road is the two-month-old smokehouse Meat Smith. American head chef Andrew Baldus has come up with a concise menu featuring starters such as pig ear lettuce wrap with banh mi pickles ($5 each), fried green tomatoes ($6) and chicken wings ($12).

Carnivores can head straight for dishes including the half chicken ($20); vinegar-brined pork belly ($14 for 100g); and 365-day grain-fed Angus brisket ($16 for 100g). Sandwiches include pulled pork ($9) with som tum slaw (green papaya salad) and Nashville fried chicken ($8) with pickles, lettuce and mayo.

The restaurant takes walk-ins only but entertains reservations for eight or more guests.

Where: 167 to 169 Telok Ayer Street, open: 11.45am to 2pm (lunch on Thursday and Friday), 5.30pm till late (dinner from Tuesday to Saturday), closed on Sunday and Monday

Info: Call 6221-2262

4. SORREL
What: The four-month-old restaurant is headed by 24-year-old executive chef Johnston Teo, who has worked at Tippling Club and Jaan.

6 new places to lunch at in the CBD

Confit octopus with cauliflower, algae and potato. Image: Sorrel

There is no a la carte menu at the 40-seat restaurant, just a three- ($45) or five-course ($88) menu for lunch, and a five- ($88) or seven-course ($118) menu for dinner. Dishes include confit octopus with cauliflower, algae and potato; roasted baby chicken with maitake mushrooms, onion puree and a chicken consomme reduction; and sous vide wagyu shortrib with smoked beef bone marrow, leek and seaweed.

Where: 21 Boon Tat Street, open: noon to 2pm (weekday lunch), 7 to 10pm (dinner from Monday to Saturday), closed on Sunday

Info: Call 6221-1911 or e-mail info@sorrel.sg

5. DEN
What: Bartini Kitchen & Bar was revamped in November and is now called Den. It is a bistro by day and a tapas and wine bar by night. Lunch items include pasta dishes such as pork belly carbonara ($13), truffle mac and cheese ($12), grilled veggies pesto ($10) and Den burger ($14) with caramelised onions and fries.

6 new places to lunch at in the CBD

The tapas menu for dinner includes kingfish tartare ($12); beef brisket croquettes ($12) with water chestnut confit and pomegranate reduction; 48-hour slow-cooked pork belly ($18) with apple kimchi; and pizzas (from $15 for a Margherita pizza).

Den is owned by restaurant and lifestyle group WWW Concepts, which also owns Bartini in Club Street and Mariko’s bar in Jiak Chuan Road.

Where: 29 Boon Tat Street, open: 11am to 11pm (Monday and Tuesday), 11am to midnight (Wednesday to Friday), 11am to 3pm (Saturday), closed on Sunday

Info: Call 6220-0629 or go to www.facebook.com/den.singapore

6. CRACK & PRESS/COPPER ON STANLEY
What: By day, it is an egg and sandwich cafe called Crack & Press. By night, the space transforms into a sake and cocktail bar with snacks called Copper on Stanley. While the businesses, to open in the third quarter of this year, are independent of each other, pastry chef Gwen Lim of the popular cafe Patisserie G in Millenia Walk is involved in both of them with different partners.

Where: 3 Stanley Street

This story was first published in The Sunday Times on April 12, 2015. 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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