Chijmes's a-changing

WHEN you're 160 years old, sometimes just one facelift isn't enough. That's why Chijmes - the former convent girls' school turned lifestyle destination on Victoria Street - announced plans to undergo a S$45-million renovation in June last year, and now things are finally starting to fall into place. While there's still some way to go, a fresh look and new restaurants form added incentives for visitors to rediscover this heritage complex.

The first thing you'll notice is how much more visible Chijmes is from the streets, thanks to a lowering of the cloister walls along Victoria Street. New entrances on Bras Basah Road and North Bridge Road allow easy access to the building. The old cobblestone flooring in the driveway has been replaced with pedestrian-friendly black granite pavers that match the old world setting. There is also a new sheltered drop-off area and to beat the heat, sheltered walkways, jet fans and coolers help to raise the comfort level.

Complementing the new look is a revamp of its dining options. The new "Asian Street" features Japanese eateries such as Ikkousha Ramen; Shirokiya's Bishoku-nabe, a nourishing collagen hotpot joint; and On Yasai, a popular Japanese shabu shabu franchise. Tonkatsu fans should pop by Tonkatsu & Sake Bar Tonzaemon by Ma Maison for breaded and deep-fried pork cutlets, using rosu (loin) and hire (fillet) that are specially aged and marinated. Two pre-renovation tenants on the steet have returned, also with spruced up concepts. Gyu-Kaku Prime has become more upmarket with a selection of premium meats while Tatsu now serves sushi by day and teppanyaki by night.

Plans to go more upmarket in its tenant mix are evident in the swanky gastropub Here & There which serves Japanese Kushiyaki in a bar setting, while Paprika & Cumin is a bistro featuring 238 labels of wine that can be paired with its Mediterranean style cuisine. Three new dining concepts have opened in the leafy courtyard in the past month: Privé at Chijmes, El Mero Mero, and Oyster Bar and Wine Dining Wharf.

"Chijmes is a one-of-a-kind location that is both convenient and charming. The lush gardens make our outdoor Terraza a wonderful place for dinner or drinks, it feels like you're on holiday," says Alejandro Blanco, owner of El Mero Mero. For some tenants, Chijmes also holds a special place in their hearts. Yuan Oeij, the chairman of The Privé Group, remembers when it was still CHIJ St Nicholas Girls' School. "My sisters attended school here and I used to take violin lessons under one of the nuns, a Sister Anna," he reminisces.

El Mero Mero

#01-20 Chijmes Tel 6337 1377

WHEN Senor Taco, a successful Mexican chain taquería, had to close due to renovations taking place at Chijmes, the owner Alejandro Blanco chose to replace the boisterous diner concept with a more sophisticated interpretation of Mexican cuisine. The new 80-seater El Mero Mero - slang for "go-to-guy" - is clad in slate grey and neutral hues. The chic décor doesn't shout "fiesta" like your typical colourful taquería but on closer look you'll spot tell-tale signs that tacos and enchiladas might be on the menu. Jars of pickled chillies and chipotles dot the shelves near the entrance; and a row of molcajetes (Mexican mortar and pestle) used for pounding salsas, line up in front of the open kitchen.

French executive chef Remy Lefebvre spent six months travelling from Cancún to the south of Mexico when he was 20 years old and his familiarity with the cuisine comes into play in El Mero Mero's kitchen.

"We have the traditional flavours of Mexican food but we used modern precise cooking techniques like sous vide for the pork carnitas and liquid nitrogen to freeze our ice creams," says chef Lefebvre.

Unique ingredients like huitlacoches (a purplish fungus that grows on corn) are used to impart umami flavour to flambéed veal sweetbreads and cauliflower cream in a dish called Mollejas (S$22). Not for the faint hearted are spicy dried Oaxacan grasshoppers (they taste grassy, smokey and with a hint of lime) that you eat with tortilla chips and a hearty dollop of guacamole.

Mole sauce from Puebla as well as boutique beers from Tijuana and Monterrey are brought in from Mexico. Not everything is imported though. They are planning to grow epazote, habaneros, jalapenos, serrano and poblano with local farming company Comcrop. "We just grew our first batch of habanero and with Comcrop's expertise, we hope that other crops will be just as successful," says Mr Blanco.

Prive

#01-35 Chijmes Tel 6776 0777

"EVEN before the renovation, Chijmes drew a crowd throughout the week because it is surrounded by hotels, offices, and shopping malls," notes Yuan Oeij of The Privé Group on why he picked the location as part of his expansion plan.

The all-day dining restaurant bar is housed in the only standalone pavilion on the premises, which used to be a pizzeria. Like the original Privé at the Marina Keppel Bay (except for the waterfront view), the Chijmes outlet is a cafe bar that is "very nightlife related, but in a garden setting", explains Mr Oeij.

Designed by Hui Designs, the restaurant bar shows off honeycomb-patterned red terracotta floor tiles, exposed textured brick wall painted vintage green, and teak wood furnishings. Much of the space is devoted to al fresco seating. There are plans to have a live band to add to the outdoor ambience.

The offerings are everyday casual dining comfort food. The Privé Group's executive chef Robin Ho has stuck to a menu that is 85 per cent similar to Privé Café at Keppel Bay. All-time favourites include Eggs Benedict (S$16), Fish & Chips with beer-battered dory (S$22), and the Signature Burger with Wagyu beef patty (S$27).

To appeal to the tourist crowd, some Asian inspired dishes such as a Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup, Miso Cod Burger and seaweed fries (S$26) have also been added to the list. Sixty per cent of the ground space is dedicated to the kitchen because they wanted to place emphasis on the food. "I didn't want a small kitchen offering just bar snacks," adds Mr Oeij.

Oyster Bar and Wine Dining Wharf

#01-19 Chijmes Tel 6332 6789

THE new oyster bar already has two sister outlets at Robertson Quay and Sentosa Cove, with all three emphasising quality shellfish in a laid back ambience. Opened by Japanese company Dinelike, the 100-seater restaurant bar focuses on oysters served in myriad ways - on the shell, steamed with white wine or breaded and deep-fried.

To ensure maximum freshness, the Oyster Bar and Wine Dining Wharf has a tank onsite to keep their oysters fed and alive. There are mainly four varietals of oysters on offer: Coffin Bay Australian bred Japanese oysters, New Zealand Kaipara, USA-Pacific, and Fanny Bay from Canada. Depending on the season, French Fine de Claires are also flown in.

Oysters aren't the only thing on the menu. The Robertson Quay outlet focuses on teppan grill, but the Chijmes outlet features meaty mains like charcoal-grilled Iberian Pork and wet-aged Australian sirloin. There's a breezy patio where guests can quaff and choose from a hundred types of mojitos and just as many wines.