Where to eat at Orchard Road?

Orchard Road is a must go to for anyone who is visiting or live in Singapore. It is a shopping belt with glitzy shopping malls and myriads of shops and eateries.

If you plan to have your meal from breakfast to dinner somewhere at Orchard than the regular food courts, hope these restaurants review may be of assistance.

It is a long stretch of Orchard Road that you can cover, this recap covers from Orchard Central to Scotts Road area.

From Orchard Central to
Dean & Deluca
Good for brunch, light meal or tea break and buying gift too. It's on 4th floor of Orchard Central, there is a long escalator that will take you directly to Dean & Deluca.


Cathay Cineleisure (Behind Mandarin Gallery)
Raindrops Café
A small café/bistro with access from Cathay Cineleisure back side door (next to KFC), it is ideal for hanging out with few of your buddy for a chat. Food was good and nicely presented

Continuing to Mandarin Gallery/Mandarin Orchard Hotel
Tonkatsu by Ma Maison
Good for a hearty meal either lunch or dinner. This is one of the popular restaurants scattered throughout Mandarin Gallery; beside Ippudo, Ma Maison seems to be the most go to here.

Antoinette @ Mandarin Gallery
You wouldn't miss this Parisian looking bistro, with its pastry counter at the entrance and long queue during lunch hour. Ideal for light meal follow by pastry and a cup of tea or coffee.

Triple Three @ Mandarin Orchard Hotel
Famous buffet restaurant in this smack in the middle of Orchard Road. The hotel went into major revamp and its restaurants too. Triple Three has an open concept but I found its grilling station to be the most outstanding. I didn't like its live station though during my last visit; hate it when they cooked live prawns alive after scooping it out in front of you, a bit distasteful for a hotel standard.

And across to Ngee Ann City / Takashimaya
TWG @ Takashimaya Ngee Ann City
Latest opening of TWG, I couldn't help but felt this outlet tried too hard and its staff let it down from their lack of attention and half-hearted service. Even though, the lunch or dinner dish was quite good. Warning to first timer, you will be overwhelmed by their Tea List; a hint for you, it is not so much different from the basic teas (Earl Grey, Oolong, Jasmine) so just pick one from the basic flavour.

Pique Nique
This more suitable for youngster, it is at Basement 1, next to KFC and entrance to Takashimaya Dept. Store, you wouldn't miss its whimsical décor which quite rare to see inside Ngee Ann City. Good for western brunch/eggs, ham, bacon and fries collection.


From Ngee Ann, we across the main road to Paragon; food spots mostly located at B1
OCha Cha
This is a simple bistro specializing in Green Tea/Ocha at B1, opposite Starbuck, cladded with light green and white décor. It served simple Japanese fusion meal from sandwich to cold noodles. A must try is their Smoked Chicken Somen Noodle served cold, it was a fantastic dish; light but enough to satisfy your hunger with a sip of fantastic ocha.

If you come early to Paragon before lunch hour, it is recommended to try Shimbashi Soba, which also at Basement 1; serving handmade soba cold and hot. There is no food court at Paragon but you will find myriad of restaurants at B1 with enough diversity for your food hunt.

I do like the Sushi Tei located on 5th floor if you are looking to more comprehensive Japanese menu or those in favour of Chinese, there is always the Imperial Treasure on same floor.

From Paragon, take a walk passing Lucky Plaza to Tangs Ochard
Island Cafe
Where you will Love this café located on 4th floor; it serves Good local cuisine as well as western with Excellent service. Popular local dishes like Char Kwey Tiauw, Laksa, Chicken Rice, Chicken Biryani Rice and Soft Shell Crab Tang Hoon are patron favourite. You can always get a seat and it is a good spot to rest and have your meal after a good day around Orchard or before starting your Orchard shopping venture.

It is a sure no fail spot each time we visit Island Café, but beware that some of popular dishes may out of order by evening time.

Walking down passing Tangs Orchard, you will meet the newest addition of apartment and sizeable shopping spot on Scott Square. Restaurants are not many but it certainly hand-picked to be among the best

Wild Honey @ Scott Square
From 3rd floor, this is one of the most popular restaurants in Singapore; it never ending queue and reservation is a Must. Willing to wait for 1 hour...Perhaps its novel concept of serving All Day Breakfast from all over the world is the winning formula...

Arossa
Down to 2nd floor, this is one of hidden gem in Orchard and for fusion lover; Japanese fusion food is always a delight

Delicious
Going further down to B1, everyone will be lured in to visit this Turquoise, Black, White and Timber coloured restaurants with its hanging bird cage. Serving us western and Malaysian dishes

Going out from Scott Square and down to the underpass leading to ION Orchard, where you are bound to find a spot to eat from its B4 to 55th floor.

Salt Grill and Sky Bar
Accessing from 4th floor to the ION Gallery Hall, you would be enveloped in darkness going up the chic elevator to this restaurant. A fine dining by Australian Chef, Luke Mangan; in middle of Orchard Road which beyond what we imagined from a busy mall like ION. An excellent choice for hosting corporate guests, romantic dinner to special occasion with family. An impressive venue...


Jones the Grocer
On 4th floor itself; head to Jones the Grocer, for light western meal and your organic food supply

Marmalade Pantry
Down to 3rd floor, you won't miss this restaurant, always popular. Good spot for brunch.
 
TWG
From 3rd floor, we are down to 1st floor; a very popular and long queue during tea break hour. Have a meal or tea break and pastry here


Nara Thai 
Newest opened restaurant at ION at B3 and what an oasis to visit at ION Orchard among the Western, Japanese and Chinese restaurant. This is a place to go for authentic Thai food. You won't regret it!

Toss & Turn
At B4, if food court and other small stalls are not what your heart desire, gearing toward healthy and weight conscious is then this is a good spot to try.


Leaving food spots galore at B4 of ION Orchard, going up to B2; you will find a linkway to Wheelock Place
Nam Nam @ Wheelock Place
Where you will see this when you are walking from B2 ION to Wheelock Place B2; a casual Vietnamese eatery serving Pho Bo (Noodle in Hanoi Stye) and sandwiches

Bangkok Jam
Going up to 2nd floor, you will not miss this attractive open concept restaurant serving Thai cuisine


Connecting by underpass or main road crossing, you will go to Shaw House
Tonkichi @ Shaw House
Few restaurants on 4th floor but it seems Tonkichi is the most popular.

There is some construction going on at Shaw House but if you are walking toward DFS Galleria direction, you will pass Pacific Plaza, a small shopping centre with an eclectic and vibrant handmade burger spot from famous chef, Bruno Menard 
&Made by Bruno Menard
Cleverly called &Made (Handmade), it is a different take of burger that you know..


It is quite a feast to dine at Orchard Road, there is always something new and I will update this list as it goes.. 

In the meantime, enjoy your trip along Orchard Road...

Jones the Grocer @ ION

Jones the Grocer, the pioneer of store café in local market from Australia, has been a success in local market with 3 outlets around the island up till date.

Somehow, I never been keen to try their Mandarin Gallery, perhaps the snobbish attitude of the staff from the moment you stepped in to queue was the major putting-off factor.
Really, I tried few times to saunter in but again and again, the staff never been friendly and courteous in welcoming you in.

So, here I was at ION Orchard, wondering what to have for my lone lunch meal and saw the latest outlet opened on 4th floor, there and then, decided to try it.

It was lunch time but there was no queue and few tables were available though from outside, it looked quite busy.
Staff here were much better compared to Mandarin, they were at least friendlier with a smile. But, the lack of staff training started to show once I placed my order, she asked whether I'd like cold/warm water and I asked for warm water.

Waited for the water but no sign of anyone approaching me. My drink came around 10 mins and I asked for the warm water to the serving staff, who was different staff. He noted but then I saw he was busy clearing other tables and started delivering other orders. Then my pasta came, I forgot to ask my glass of water from this 3rd different staff. In the end, I called up the 1st staff, she suddenly recalled and slightly embarrassed but quickly filled my glass.

Preferred the drink than the pasta which was presented nicely but sadly, lack on taste. Thought of trying the cakes which I recalled was on popular page when the 1st outlet opened.

The clearing plate staff were the 2nd staff, a young guy, so I asked (instead of my usual habit of walking over to cake counter display), what were the popular cake they offered. He mentioned they got variety but Lemon cake was one of it, I instantly perked up hearing about Lemon. I clearly asked whether it was a big slice of cake; but he said, No, should be enough for 1 person consumption. Okay then, I asked for one.

5 minutes past and another staff came over but brought me Lemon Meringue Tart (?)... Wait a minute, I thought I clearly asked about Cake and he answered me about Slice of Cake but not Lemon Tart (?)

Lazy to ask another, I just settled in and it was pretty good though the pastry was quite hard.

I got the feeling, Jones the Grocer, relied to much on its name but lack the attention in training their staff. It was so apparent from lack of warmth, attention to order and inconsistency.

It just a so-so establishment and some may don't care for the service standard shown here but in my opinion, with dishes that just average and disappointing service, it just not value for money at all.

From entrance

 

The menu

View to the main entrance, opposite Crate & Barrel

 

I do like their ceiling lighting, it just so 'Scandi' style; sleek, modern yet simple

 

Simple yet modern looking furnitures

 

The Bar counter and prepping area

 

The groceries corner / wall

 

Some of the groceries on sale

 

Orange Earl Grey Ice Tea

It was refreshing indeed, you tasted both the orange and earl grey flavour

It was something new and I liked it

 

Angel Hair Pasta with Blue Swimmer Crab, Chilli, Rocket, Garlic & Grana Padana

 It beautifully presented and all the ingredients were fresh but it lack of taste; something amiss but I couldn't pin point what was missing. A pity, though

 

Lemon Tart

 

It was bigger than normal tart that I encountered and the pastry was too hard

 

 

Jones the Grocer
ION Orchard 2 Orchard Turn #04-14 
Singapore, 238801
Tel: +65 6884 5597        

http://www.jonesthegrocer.com/

Opens daily from 10 am to 10 pm


Salt Grill by Luke Mangan @ Jakarta

When I read Salt Grill by Luke Mangan was going to open in Jakarta, it really caught my eyes. It seemed Jakarta F&B scene really caught investor eyes to open this upscale fine dining restaurants.

Following the same concept as his latest opened restaurant in Singapore, Salt Grill Jakarta is located on top floor of the Plaza, latest skyscraper of office building and prestigious apartments link to a upscale shopping mall, Plaza Indonesia.

Turned out, Salt Grill was not the only restaurant on the Altitude, name of this top floor area. There are 3 restaurants here, including Salt Grill; all related to Singapore restaurants. Gaia by Oso Ristorante presenting North Italian cuisine, Enmaru presenting Japanese cuisine and Salt Grill with its modern Australian cuisine.

I was surprised to see how all restaurants were quite packed that night. Interesting concept indeed, three different designs yet blended in quite well as one area.

Our table proved to be a good table indeed, I loved how Salt Grill Jakarta had a different concept than the norm. Instead of putting the table right to the window, it was pulled back and gave us a different perspective of the Table by the Window phrase.

The price was exactly on Singapore standard, I was indeed surprised, my host mentioned, it considered too steep then as in norm, it should have lower price than Singapore. It made sense as cost of living there is still lower than Singapore.

Service was good, same excellent standard as in Singapore restaurant. It seemed they were trained well, still got a sense that they were still a 'newbie' but they did know what to do and offered.

All of us ordered the same dish that night so not many photos to share here. Next round, I would be happy to visit Salt Grill again and other restaurants at the Altitude.

These restaurants at the Altitude are really the game changer in Jakarta F&B scene. It is getting more excited to visit Jakarta for its dining venues. But, it also made me amazed on the confidence in opening such a fine dining restaurants with steep pricing in a city where social gap is still huge yet they do see the market for those who can afford to dine here day by day.

The woodcraft as the wall panel was really reflection of Indonesian woodcraft work. Impressed

The wine storage cart near the entrance

Great detail to this staircase bar, the staircase that next to entrance and wine luggage compartment

The steel partition really caught my eyes, elegant yet striking partition design

Having an aisle by the window and pulling back the tables were something new that I encountered for the phrase of Table by the Window

View from our table to the city night view

Gorgeous view 

Another view 

Another reflection of Indonesian craft on the ceiling

Another beautiful steel handicraft as window panel adornment

Modern yet simple circular glass lighting

The U-shape sofa seating for 4 pax

Candle on our table as darkness slipped in

Serving counter behind our table and other tables

 

The big graphic on far end of the wall

Staircase to the bar area ?

Our wines

Mocktail of green apple and parsley, refreshing drink

Bread serving plate

Same standard of the soft bread and its vinegar and nuts dips; Salt Grill has the best breads to offer

Our medium well steak with red wine sauce and another with BBQ sauce served with green beans

It was cooked as requested, the sauce was good; it certainly made us full to order any dessert

Cute restroom signs

Glimpsed to the different area for another restaurant, next to the entrance 

The Lift Lobby, thought, it was so striking to see the wall artwork. Quite puzzled to see why they selected these tree wallpapers

Salt Grill Jakarta by Luke Mangan

Altitude

The Plaza, Level 46 

Jl. M.H. Thamrin Kav. 28-30

Jakarta 10350

Indonesia

Tel: +62-21-2992-2448

http://saltgrillindonesia.com

Opening hours

Sunday to Thursday from 11 am to 11 pm

Friday from 11 am to 12 pm

Saturday from 11 am to 2 am