ST Signature Chinatown

(The restaurant is temporarily closed.) The celebrity chef of Frantzén fame has opened his third Asian venture in this shophouse. Diners are offered an aperitif and amuse-bouche on the first floor, before the eight-course neo-Nordic, seafood-slanted tasting menu with Japanese influences unfolds on the second floor. The onion course is a tour de force whose flavours are intensified by contrasting textures and temperatures. The non-alcoholic drink pairing sees eccentric combos that nonetheless work.

Housed in Jinricksha Station, a former rickshaw depot circa 1903, Born boasts a modern dining room adorned by glowing double arches, high glass ceiling and an ethereal paper sculpture. Chef Tan cooks up a 9-course tasting menu inspired by the circle of life and his personal journey, melding French gastronomy with Chinese cooking. Dishes are creative and crafted with globally sourced ingredients, delivering contrasts in textures and flavours.

Championing a concept of “crossroads” cooking, the chef explores how cultures, ingredients, and geographical locations intersect with a menu that unfolds like a narrative. Motifs such as vanilla and turmeric are repeated throughout and lighter flavours build up to a tour-de-force climax. The marble table and conjoining chef’s counter are the preferred front row seats to interact with and watch the chefs work.

The bright room is furnished in a cream and birch colour scheme, imparting calmness and warmth. The Korean chef Louis Han named his restaurant Nae:um, meaning a fragrance that evokes memories. Food culture and recollections of his home country are at the core of his episodic menu that changes with seasons. Innovative courses are precisely executed and presented in an ethereal, refreshing manner, but have inklings of their Korean roots.

Sourcing the finest ingredients is something of an obsession for Kyoto-born Kazuhiro Hamamoto. It's not just his nigiri, whether nodoguro or chutoro, that show his careful craftsmanship – the preceding dishes, such as the uni or smoked tuna course, prove just as memorable. Fish is paired with sushi rice dressed in either red or rice vinegar to accentuate its natural flavours. There is just one sitting at lunch and one at dinner, so book well ahead.

Where better to find a priceless jewel of the Singapore dining scene than in The National Gallery? Chef Julien Royer and his highly accomplished kitchen make wonderful use of luxury ingredients of unimpeachable quality. Creative combinations, impeccable techniques and exquisite plating result in dishes that are as elegant as they are memorable. The understated and graceful room, overseen by a highly polished service team, provides the perfect backdrop.

Chilean chefs Araya and Guerrero worked at the same restaurant in China. Their ingenious creations – deeply influenced by Araya's time in Spain and Japan – use an eclectic mix of Chilean and Japanese produce, with a South Pacific theme. Japanese favourites such as kinki and cod milt are jazzed up by aji amarillo and merkén from Chile, served alongside French pigeon and caviar. They even ferment and roast their own cacao to use in sauces.