China F&B players enter Singapore fine dining scene

FORGET free manicures with your hotpot. How about individual servings of truffle-infused steamboat broth, drunken crab marinated in wine or poached yellow croaker, or even sushi served by a Beijing-born chef who used to serve the likes of Tim Cook and Carina Lau?

In just the past few months alone, a sprinkling of high-end restaurants in town have been opened by restaurateurs from China – unperturbed by Singapore’s own struggling fine dining scene – largely spurred by an equally, if not more, tough F&B scene in their home country. If your view of China eateries thus far has been limited to casual coffee, tea or mass-market regional fare, get a taste of what’s to come in Friday’s issue of BT Lifestyle as we take a look at this growing trend.

Meanwhile, in the Arts, here’s a chance to see the works of lauded centenarian artist Lim Tze Peng all in one location as the 103-year-old holds his first solo exhibition at National Gallery Singapore, featuring his paintings from 1946 all the way to the present time.

And if you’re in the market for an oriental or other woven rugs, check out our report on two new brands from India and Australia that have made their debut in Singapore, offering a wide variety of carpets to match your home decor.

In Dining, we head to one of the most hyped restaurant openings in town – Somma – and find out what Italian chef Mirko Febbrile’s new culinary adventure is all about.

For all this and more, don’t miss Friday’s issue of BT.