I bet you never thought we’d see the day, but it’s actually getting relatively less pricey to eat at a pricey restaurant. With consumers tightening our belts against the worrying rise in the cost of living, upscale restaurants have responded by offering more affordable tasting menus and, in a first for many of them, even a la carte options.
Here’s where to take advantage of fancy food at friendlier prices.
1. NOURI: S$68 LUNCH
In January last year, chef Ivan Brehm’s “crossroads cooking” restaurant Nouri began serving a two-course weekday set lunch at S$68.
(Photo: Nouri)
The afternoon meal begins with Nouri’s soothing Bread & Broth comprising warm rye sourdough with a cup of vegetable broth and an elegant silken cheese dip. The starter and main course that follow change weekly according to what’s in season. Expect the likes of hamachi tiradito with charred heirloom tomatoes or duck magret with physalis and parsley root puree.
2. APPETITE: A LA CARTE MENU
Last August, Nouri’s sister restaurant Appetite introduced an a la carte menu featuring dishes that are the result of the kitchen’s culinary explorations.
(Photo: Appetite)
Launched in 2020, Appetite is as much a place to grab a cocktail as it is a showcase of chef-owner Ivan Brehm’s interest in tracing the roots of the world’s cuisines. The food is light yet complex, with dishes like tuna crudo with spicy aguachile and avocado relish (S$30), and Hokkaido corn custard with Japanese uni (S$38).
3. CURE: A LA CARTE SET MENUS
Always among the first to pivot is Andrew Walsh, chef-owner of Michelin-starred Irish restaurant Cure and concepts like 87 Club Street and Catfish Izakaya.
If you’re new to Cure’s Nua (new) Irish cuisine, now’s the time to try it. Come Mar 8, Walsh will be launching “a la carte set menus” where diners choose from a selection of dishes for each course.
(Photo: Cure)
Lunch sets go for S$78 for two courses and S$98 for three courses, while dinner starts from S$118 for two courses. On these menus are popular Cure signatures like kinmeidai and squid noodle laksa, Silver Hill duck with cordyceps mushrooms, and queen scallops with barbecued eel. There’s also a Bar Bites Menu on which snacks like Tayto cheese and onion crisps, and pig’s head cheese and purple sea urchin (both S$22) are worth a gander.
4. LOUNGE AT HAZUKI: A LA CARTE MENU
Last September, the polished Kyoto-style restaurant Hazuki debuted an a la carte menu which it serves in its Gucci-appointed lounge.
(Photo: Hazuki)
No need to sit through a S$280-and-up set menu in its 12-seat dining room. Instead, you can nibble on uni and ikura donburi (S$28) or kegani and uni handrolls (S$68) from the comforts of a plush armchair. There’s even a flight of three sakes for a friendly S$48 and comforting sakura ebi donabe (clay pot rice) for S$78 (serves two). It’s a game-changer for anyone looking to experience a fine Japanese dining experience without breaking the bank.
5. BACATA: S$158 TASTING MENU AND A LA CARTE DISHES
That same month, chef Fernando Arevalo traded in Preludio, his tasting-menu-only restaurant, for the more fun and casual Bacata, serving elegant renditions of his native Colombian fare.
Pescado y arroz con coco, on Bacata's a la carte menu: Sea bass, arborio coconut rice, plantain. (Photo: Bacata)
He’s priced his Colombian Experience tasting menus at a sensible S$158 for eight courses and offers an a la carte menu of flavour-packed dishes like pescado arroz con coco (sea bass with arborio coconut rice and plantain, S$32), ceviche (S$26), and arepa con conejo (corn cakes with rabbit and burrata, S$28).
6. BRASSERIE ASTORIA: PLAT DU JOUR AND GOLDEN HOUR
In November, the indubitably fancy Brasserie Astoria premiered its Plat Du Jour menu (S$65 for two courses, S$75 for three), available on weekdays between noon and 2.30pm. Updated weekly, the menu of classical brasserie fare has included buri carpaccio, Caesar salad with grilled chicken breast, and carbonara with gremolata and veal meatballs.
(Photo: Brasserie Astoria)
From 3pm to 6pm on Fridays and Saturdays, you can luxuriate in Astoria’s grand dining room with a small menu of dishes and drinks that cost a standard S$12 each. These include the popular smashed burger (add S$4 for fries) and the best garlic bread this side of the Singapore River.
7. ART DI DANIELE SPERINDIO: PRIX FIXE MENUS
At around the same time, Italian chef Daniele Sperindio began offering a S$208 four-course dinner at his eponymous restaurant where guests choose from a variety of dishes at each course. Up until then, only the S$328 seven-course Degustation Menu was available to guests in the evenings.
(Photo: Art di Daniele Sperindio)
The draw at this Michelin-starred restaurant is not just the chef’s elegant renditions of Italian cuisine, but also its unbeatable view of the Civic District from its sixth-storey perch at the National Gallery.
8. MARGUERITE: FOUR-COURSE LUNCH
The S$120 four-course menu at Michelin-starred Marguerite is another value-for-money experience. Available from Thursday through Sunday, it features dishes like chef Michael Wilson’s lettuce gazpacho with king crab and Black Angus beef with celeriac and red cabbage.
(Photo: Marguerite)
Although it’s labelled four courses, the meal comes with canapes, sourdough bread, and still or sparkling water. Add S$7 for mignardises and coffee or tea. Bonus: Free entry to Gardens By The Bay’s Flower Dome next door, where you can walk off your meal without breaking a sweat.
9. TAKAYAMA: LUNCH OMAKASE
Fans of chef Taro Takayama’s eponymous restaurant have long known that this is the place to visit when you want a superlative Japanese lunch at down-to-earth prices.
(Photo: Takayama)
Even at a time where S$250 was the norm for omakase lunches, Takayama kept his prices well below S$200. No surprise then, that his latest weekday lunch specials are priced at a decent S$130 for five courses, one of which is his popular donabe rice.
10. SUSHI SATO: LUNCH OMAKASE
Another fine Japanese restaurant that’s offering more affordably priced omakase lunches is the Edomae-style Sushi Sato tucked away in Dempsey Hill.
(Photo: Sushi Sato)
As of last month, chef Yuji Sato is serving lunch starting from S$168 per person, which comes with seasonal appetisers, 10 nigiri sushi, a negitoro hand roll, soup and dessert. I’m particularly fond of the shari (seasoned rice) here, made from three Japanese red vinegars and Tsuyahime rice from Yamagata.
11. ZENIYA SINGAPORE: S$88 SET LUNCH
When it first opened last August, the only option at this feted Kanazawa import was a S$450 11-course kaiseki menu. Last month, Zeniya introduced an S$88 Express Executive Set Lunch, which typically comprises five to six courses.
Expect a salad to start, chawanmushi, sashimi, your choice of grilled cod, salmon or chicken, a rice bowl like oyakodon (chicken and egg) or maguro don (tuna), and a scoop of ice cream. There’s also a S$188 menu of about 10 dishes, available at lunch and dinner.
12. IRU DEN: S$128 FIVE-COURSE MENU
At the highly underrated Iru Den, chef Javier Low is now serving a five-course (S$128) menu that utilises produce from small-scale producers in Taiwan and Japan. Although underpinned by these ingredients, Low’s cuisine has a distinct Singaporean accent that results in stronger flavours and more robust cooking.
(Photo: Iru Den)
Expect the likes of a silky egg custard with Jerusalem artichokes and smoked caviar, and dry-aged Silver Hill duck that’s smoked, grilled and served with miso-glazed leeks. The five courses are bookended by a duo of snacks and a pair of petits fours.
13. FLEURETTE: S$88 TASTING LUNCH MENU
Also underrated is Fleurette, Singaporean chef Tariq Helou’s jewel-box restaurant serving contemporary cuisine inspired by his Singaporean and Japanese heritage.
(Photo: Fleurette)
The S$88 three-course lunch menu starts with a complimentary snack before courses like his well-loved chilled ebi somen and donabe of koshihikari rice with Marcona almonds. Coffee and tea are included with the price of the meal.
14. RESTAURANT INICIO: AFFORDABLE FINE DINING IN THE HEARTLANDS
Take three young chefs with backgrounds that span big names like Joel Robuchon, Saint Pierre and Nae:um, and odds are, you’ll get a restaurant with plenty of ambition. Except at the newly opened Restaurant Inicio, founded by chefs Marcus Tan, Ian Goh and Zachariah Chow, those ambitions are writ in sensibly priced menus that suit its location in a humble Queenstown office building.
(Photo: Restaurant Inicio)
Having grown up in the heartlands, these chefs say they are giving back with a S$38 three-course lunch menu and an a la carte menu at dinner. Expect food backed by modern European techniques with familiar Asian flavours. To wit: Miso-roasted Alaskan black cod moated by a sauerkraut and bacon broth (S$56), and XL Hokkaido scallops with Bloody Mary dressing, salt-baked celeriac and black truffles (S$42).
15. IMBUE: A LA CARTE MENU
There’s been plenty of buzz surrounding chef Lee Boon Seng’s Imbue, which opened in October last year. At this atmospheric restaurant, the Global Chef Challenge 2015 winner serves skilful dishes that combine western techniques with Asian ingredients and sauces.
While his dinner tasting menus, starting at S$158 for five courses, are already well-priced, diners who want to try a few dishes before committing to their next visit can opt for the a la carte menu. Snacks start from S$9 for an oyster mousse with jellyfish and citrus white soy, while an appetiser of chilled noodles with seasonal sea urchin, plum consommé and beef granita goes for S$32.
16. REVOLVER: A LA CARTE LUNCH
The rock-and-roll vibe is alive and well at Revolver, where the kitchen slings fire-kissed Indian dishes from an open kitchen.
(Photo: Revolver)
Apart from its tasting menus, the restaurant now serves a la carte dishes at lunch that start from $16 for a dish of baby carrots with cumin and peas. The lobster Kerala rice (S$28) is a real treat, as is the fresh-from-the-tandoor butter chicken kulchette (S$22).
17. AHARA: SHARING PLATES
In its latest “journey”, contemporary Indian restaurant Ahara has evolved from tasting menus-only to a la carte options at lunch and dinner.
(Photo: Ahara)
Designed for sharing, the new dishes offer fresh takes on familiar Indian classics and an introduction to lesser-known dishes from the sub-continent. Offerings include Ahara Pani Puri (S$28), with spiced celeriac and aerated chutney, and Chicken Tikka Meatball (S$46) – chef-owner Vikramjit Roy’s take on butter chicken.
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Here’s where to take advantage of fancy food at friendlier prices.
1. NOURI: S$68 LUNCH
In January last year, chef Ivan Brehm’s “crossroads cooking” restaurant Nouri began serving a two-course weekday set lunch at S$68.
(Photo: Nouri)
The afternoon meal begins with Nouri’s soothing Bread & Broth comprising warm rye sourdough with a cup of vegetable broth and an elegant silken cheese dip. The starter and main course that follow change weekly according to what’s in season. Expect the likes of hamachi tiradito with charred heirloom tomatoes or duck magret with physalis and parsley root puree.
2. APPETITE: A LA CARTE MENU
Last August, Nouri’s sister restaurant Appetite introduced an a la carte menu featuring dishes that are the result of the kitchen’s culinary explorations.
(Photo: Appetite)
Launched in 2020, Appetite is as much a place to grab a cocktail as it is a showcase of chef-owner Ivan Brehm’s interest in tracing the roots of the world’s cuisines. The food is light yet complex, with dishes like tuna crudo with spicy aguachile and avocado relish (S$30), and Hokkaido corn custard with Japanese uni (S$38).
3. CURE: A LA CARTE SET MENUS
Always among the first to pivot is Andrew Walsh, chef-owner of Michelin-starred Irish restaurant Cure and concepts like 87 Club Street and Catfish Izakaya.
If you’re new to Cure’s Nua (new) Irish cuisine, now’s the time to try it. Come Mar 8, Walsh will be launching “a la carte set menus” where diners choose from a selection of dishes for each course.
(Photo: Cure)
Lunch sets go for S$78 for two courses and S$98 for three courses, while dinner starts from S$118 for two courses. On these menus are popular Cure signatures like kinmeidai and squid noodle laksa, Silver Hill duck with cordyceps mushrooms, and queen scallops with barbecued eel. There’s also a Bar Bites Menu on which snacks like Tayto cheese and onion crisps, and pig’s head cheese and purple sea urchin (both S$22) are worth a gander.
4. LOUNGE AT HAZUKI: A LA CARTE MENU
Last September, the polished Kyoto-style restaurant Hazuki debuted an a la carte menu which it serves in its Gucci-appointed lounge.
(Photo: Hazuki)
No need to sit through a S$280-and-up set menu in its 12-seat dining room. Instead, you can nibble on uni and ikura donburi (S$28) or kegani and uni handrolls (S$68) from the comforts of a plush armchair. There’s even a flight of three sakes for a friendly S$48 and comforting sakura ebi donabe (clay pot rice) for S$78 (serves two). It’s a game-changer for anyone looking to experience a fine Japanese dining experience without breaking the bank.
5. BACATA: S$158 TASTING MENU AND A LA CARTE DISHES
That same month, chef Fernando Arevalo traded in Preludio, his tasting-menu-only restaurant, for the more fun and casual Bacata, serving elegant renditions of his native Colombian fare.
Pescado y arroz con coco, on Bacata's a la carte menu: Sea bass, arborio coconut rice, plantain. (Photo: Bacata)
He’s priced his Colombian Experience tasting menus at a sensible S$158 for eight courses and offers an a la carte menu of flavour-packed dishes like pescado arroz con coco (sea bass with arborio coconut rice and plantain, S$32), ceviche (S$26), and arepa con conejo (corn cakes with rabbit and burrata, S$28).
6. BRASSERIE ASTORIA: PLAT DU JOUR AND GOLDEN HOUR
In November, the indubitably fancy Brasserie Astoria premiered its Plat Du Jour menu (S$65 for two courses, S$75 for three), available on weekdays between noon and 2.30pm. Updated weekly, the menu of classical brasserie fare has included buri carpaccio, Caesar salad with grilled chicken breast, and carbonara with gremolata and veal meatballs.
(Photo: Brasserie Astoria)
From 3pm to 6pm on Fridays and Saturdays, you can luxuriate in Astoria’s grand dining room with a small menu of dishes and drinks that cost a standard S$12 each. These include the popular smashed burger (add S$4 for fries) and the best garlic bread this side of the Singapore River.
7. ART DI DANIELE SPERINDIO: PRIX FIXE MENUS
At around the same time, Italian chef Daniele Sperindio began offering a S$208 four-course dinner at his eponymous restaurant where guests choose from a variety of dishes at each course. Up until then, only the S$328 seven-course Degustation Menu was available to guests in the evenings.
(Photo: Art di Daniele Sperindio)
The draw at this Michelin-starred restaurant is not just the chef’s elegant renditions of Italian cuisine, but also its unbeatable view of the Civic District from its sixth-storey perch at the National Gallery.
8. MARGUERITE: FOUR-COURSE LUNCH
The S$120 four-course menu at Michelin-starred Marguerite is another value-for-money experience. Available from Thursday through Sunday, it features dishes like chef Michael Wilson’s lettuce gazpacho with king crab and Black Angus beef with celeriac and red cabbage.
(Photo: Marguerite)
Although it’s labelled four courses, the meal comes with canapes, sourdough bread, and still or sparkling water. Add S$7 for mignardises and coffee or tea. Bonus: Free entry to Gardens By The Bay’s Flower Dome next door, where you can walk off your meal without breaking a sweat.
9. TAKAYAMA: LUNCH OMAKASE
Fans of chef Taro Takayama’s eponymous restaurant have long known that this is the place to visit when you want a superlative Japanese lunch at down-to-earth prices.
(Photo: Takayama)
Even at a time where S$250 was the norm for omakase lunches, Takayama kept his prices well below S$200. No surprise then, that his latest weekday lunch specials are priced at a decent S$130 for five courses, one of which is his popular donabe rice.
10. SUSHI SATO: LUNCH OMAKASE
Another fine Japanese restaurant that’s offering more affordably priced omakase lunches is the Edomae-style Sushi Sato tucked away in Dempsey Hill.
(Photo: Sushi Sato)
As of last month, chef Yuji Sato is serving lunch starting from S$168 per person, which comes with seasonal appetisers, 10 nigiri sushi, a negitoro hand roll, soup and dessert. I’m particularly fond of the shari (seasoned rice) here, made from three Japanese red vinegars and Tsuyahime rice from Yamagata.
11. ZENIYA SINGAPORE: S$88 SET LUNCH
When it first opened last August, the only option at this feted Kanazawa import was a S$450 11-course kaiseki menu. Last month, Zeniya introduced an S$88 Express Executive Set Lunch, which typically comprises five to six courses.
Expect a salad to start, chawanmushi, sashimi, your choice of grilled cod, salmon or chicken, a rice bowl like oyakodon (chicken and egg) or maguro don (tuna), and a scoop of ice cream. There’s also a S$188 menu of about 10 dishes, available at lunch and dinner.
12. IRU DEN: S$128 FIVE-COURSE MENU
At the highly underrated Iru Den, chef Javier Low is now serving a five-course (S$128) menu that utilises produce from small-scale producers in Taiwan and Japan. Although underpinned by these ingredients, Low’s cuisine has a distinct Singaporean accent that results in stronger flavours and more robust cooking.
(Photo: Iru Den)
Expect the likes of a silky egg custard with Jerusalem artichokes and smoked caviar, and dry-aged Silver Hill duck that’s smoked, grilled and served with miso-glazed leeks. The five courses are bookended by a duo of snacks and a pair of petits fours.
13. FLEURETTE: S$88 TASTING LUNCH MENU
Also underrated is Fleurette, Singaporean chef Tariq Helou’s jewel-box restaurant serving contemporary cuisine inspired by his Singaporean and Japanese heritage.
(Photo: Fleurette)
The S$88 three-course lunch menu starts with a complimentary snack before courses like his well-loved chilled ebi somen and donabe of koshihikari rice with Marcona almonds. Coffee and tea are included with the price of the meal.
14. RESTAURANT INICIO: AFFORDABLE FINE DINING IN THE HEARTLANDS
Take three young chefs with backgrounds that span big names like Joel Robuchon, Saint Pierre and Nae:um, and odds are, you’ll get a restaurant with plenty of ambition. Except at the newly opened Restaurant Inicio, founded by chefs Marcus Tan, Ian Goh and Zachariah Chow, those ambitions are writ in sensibly priced menus that suit its location in a humble Queenstown office building.
(Photo: Restaurant Inicio)
Having grown up in the heartlands, these chefs say they are giving back with a S$38 three-course lunch menu and an a la carte menu at dinner. Expect food backed by modern European techniques with familiar Asian flavours. To wit: Miso-roasted Alaskan black cod moated by a sauerkraut and bacon broth (S$56), and XL Hokkaido scallops with Bloody Mary dressing, salt-baked celeriac and black truffles (S$42).
15. IMBUE: A LA CARTE MENU
There’s been plenty of buzz surrounding chef Lee Boon Seng’s Imbue, which opened in October last year. At this atmospheric restaurant, the Global Chef Challenge 2015 winner serves skilful dishes that combine western techniques with Asian ingredients and sauces.
While his dinner tasting menus, starting at S$158 for five courses, are already well-priced, diners who want to try a few dishes before committing to their next visit can opt for the a la carte menu. Snacks start from S$9 for an oyster mousse with jellyfish and citrus white soy, while an appetiser of chilled noodles with seasonal sea urchin, plum consommé and beef granita goes for S$32.
16. REVOLVER: A LA CARTE LUNCH
The rock-and-roll vibe is alive and well at Revolver, where the kitchen slings fire-kissed Indian dishes from an open kitchen.
(Photo: Revolver)
Apart from its tasting menus, the restaurant now serves a la carte dishes at lunch that start from $16 for a dish of baby carrots with cumin and peas. The lobster Kerala rice (S$28) is a real treat, as is the fresh-from-the-tandoor butter chicken kulchette (S$22).
17. AHARA: SHARING PLATES
In its latest “journey”, contemporary Indian restaurant Ahara has evolved from tasting menus-only to a la carte options at lunch and dinner.
(Photo: Ahara)
Designed for sharing, the new dishes offer fresh takes on familiar Indian classics and an introduction to lesser-known dishes from the sub-continent. Offerings include Ahara Pani Puri (S$28), with spiced celeriac and aerated chutney, and Chicken Tikka Meatball (S$46) – chef-owner Vikramjit Roy’s take on butter chicken.
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