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Singapore, February 28, 2010 Singaporeans are becoming increasingly well-travelled and dining at the best restaurants overseas ranks high on their to-do list. A common problem faced by many foodie holiday makers though, is that there never seems to be enough time to try all the best restaurants. So LifeStyle asked 10 chefs based here to help narrow down the list of gastronomic places. Each chef picked three overseas eateries which they would happily hop on a plane any time for good food. The list runs the gamut from a small no-frills eatery in Lucknow, India, to Michelin-starred restaurants in Japan, Italy and France. Good food was the top criteria behind the chefs’ picks, although the memorable experiences they had at these restaurants, whether it is because they celebrated their wedding anniversary there or that they used to hang out at these eateries, also contributed to their choice. So, bon voyage and bon appetite. See pictures » HERE MILIND SOVANI, 46 Director of cuisine of fine-dining Indian restaurant, The Song Of India in Scotts Road 1. Daniel I dined here last year and I had an eight-course dinner that was specially prepared by the restaurant owner, chef Daniel Boulud. His food is poetry and it is hard for me to name a few standout dishes because they were all extraordinary. 2. Valley View Grand This lovely resort serves some of the best lamb dishes I have ever eaten. The lamb stew, pandhara rassa, has a creamy colour and I expected it to be mild, but looks are deceiving and it was hot and spicy. The mutton pickle is another speciality that goes well with the fresh bread. 3. Haji Inayat Lucknow is famous for its Lucknowi cuisine, which is best enjoyed not in fine-dining restaurants, but on the streets. This is a popular small no-frills eatery and the gilafi kulcha, a soft, flaky bread, is so well made, I do not think cooks elsewhere can replicate it. Enjoy the bread with nalli nihari, which is lamb trotter curry. See pictures » HERE CHAN CHEN HEI, 55 Chef-owner of fine-dining Chinese restaurant Chef Chan’s at the National Museum of Singapore 1. Fook Lam Moon It has the best shark’s fin soup in Hong Kong, made with a truly superior stock. It is rich with the flavour of Chinese Jin Hua ham, and unlike other shark’s fin soup, it is clear, not cloudy, which makes the dish more attractive. 2. Plum Garden The restaurant is famous for its salted duck, which is steeped in brine, then air-dried and boiled. It requires great skill to be able to cook the duck so that the skin is white but the meat is red and tender. 3. Dragon Phoenix Restaurant I was introduced to this restaurant by an antique dealer in Shanghai. I love a dish here called hong shao yuan quan, which is braised grass carp eyes. The large fish eyes are very soft and the delicious sauce embodies the characteristic flavour of Shanghainese cuisine – rich, oily and sweet. See pictures » HERE MERVIN GOH, 38 Chef-owner of the Akashi group of 11 restaurants, including Japanese restaurant chain Akashi and Straits Chinese eatery Grandma’s 1. Izuei Honten I love unagi. The shop has more than 200 years of history and its experience shows in the meltin-the-mouth unagi broiled using high-grade charcoal. I always order the tonojyu set, which has four alternating layers of rice and unagi. 2. Robuchon a Galera As a sushi chef, I prefer food that focuses on the natural taste of ingredients so I seldom eat at Western restaurants. But my wife wanted to dine here for our wedding anniversary in 2005, and the food did not disappoint. The desserts also made me feel hungry again at the end of the meal. 3. Steak House Satou This homely restaurant offers the prized Japanese Matsusaka beef for a fraction of what you would pay at a fine-dining restaurant. The meat is beautifully marbled. See pictures » HERE KUNIO AOKI, 43 Executive chef of Japanese restaurant, Aoki at Shaw Centre 1. Chez Inno French cooking in Singapore and Tokyo tendstowards modern French food but I prefer refined classical French cooking, which is what this restaurant serves, such as foie gras mousse and steamed truffled custard. 2. Sushi Mizutani My tuna supplier at the Tsukiji Market introduced this restaurant to me in 2004. This three Michelin-star restaurant serves only sushi. I enjoy dining there because the chef shares my culinary philosophy, which is to use the best ingredients and showcase the produce. 3. Sushi Kizushi This may not be a Michelin-starred restaurant, but the food is just as good. It has cooked food, but sushi is the highlight. I was introduced to the restaurant by a customer in 2002 and I am now friends with the chef. See pictures » HERE OSVALDO FORLINO, 55 Chef-owner of Italian restaurant Osvaldo in Maxwell Road 1. Da Domenico It has the feel of an old trattoria and the service is very personable. The chef receives supplies of the freshest produce from Italy daily, which he uses in his cooking. Its red prawn and scampi pasta is the best pasta I have ever had. 2. Don Alfonso 1890 I went to this two Michelin-star family-run restaurant for my wedding anniversary in 2000. It has an amazing view of the sea and the air smells of fresh herbs and wild lemon growing in the garden, from which it also harvests vegetables to use in the food. Do not miss the marjoram and fresh caciotta cheese ravioli with basil and cherry tomatoes. 3. Da Vittorio The seafood here is so fresh, it goes straight from the sea to the pan, and then onto the table. I recommend the pasta with sea urchin, sea dates and scampi, or whatever else is the day’s fresh catch. See pictures » HERE SAM LEONG, 44 Corporate chef and director of kitchens of the Tung Lok Restaurant group, including Tung Lok Signatures at VivoCity 1. Jingui Xiaoshancheng This is my first and last stop whenever I am in Beijing. The ma la (piquant and numbing) steamboat here is unforgettable because of its spicy and robust flavour. Its mini hairy crabs, packed with roe and fried with salt, pepper and other Sichuan seasoning, are also good. It serves the crabs all year round and I once ate two dozen of it at one go. 2. Spago I first ate here in 1997 and I had the chef’s tasting menu, which had 18 courses paired with wine. It was an eye-opener for me because I had never had that many courses for a meal. Dining here is about enjoying the whole experience, from having a pre-dinner drink at the bar to slowly savouring the food with paired wines. 3. MBK Food Centre This foodcourt offers a wide variety of Thai food at reasonable prices and it is my first stop whenever I am in Bangkok. I particularly like the braised pork shank, which is served with braised egg, braised pig’s intestines, preserved vegetables and rice. The pork shank here is so tender, it melts in your mouth. The Thai dessert of glutinous rice with mango is another must-have. See pictures » HERE JUSMAN SO, 32 European restaurant Sage in Mohamed Sultan Road 1. Vue du monde 430 Little Collins Street, This is one of my favourite restaurants. Expect excellent service and very well executed modern French food from the talented chef Shannon Bennett. One of the dishes that impressed me most was the chocolate cigar dessert, which looked like a burning cigar. It was served on a cigar ashtray with edible ashes. 2. Joel Robuchon L’atelier One of the items I had was deep-fried egg with dried fruit salsa. The yolk of the breaded egg was still runny and it was good. The dinner was good, but as a franchise restaurant with outlets worldwide, it was a pity the chef, Joel Robuchon, was not there. 3. Mozaic It has a very nice garden setting and the service is attentive. The food is also good and it has a touch of Indonesian flavours. I did not think the sauteed foie gras with Indonesian spiced broth would go well together but it turned out very good and tasted almost like a fruitier version of soto ayam (chicken soup) broth. See pictures » HERE MATTHEW BAKER, 23 Executive chef of contemporary European restaurant Krish in Rochester Park 1. Spago This restaurant offers good service, amazing food and great atmosphere. I always go for the chef’s tasting menu, where every dish is handled with care and creativity. The chef-owner, Wolfgang Puck, actually came by to chat with me when I dined at the restaurant last year and he was very approachable and down-to earth. 2. Prime One Twelve This steakhouse has really good food. Order a steak for the table and get a few other sides such as truffle mac and cheese and deep fried Oreos, which are musthaves. The restaurant is also popular with celebrities. 3. Goode Company Barbecue This affordable Texas barbecue restaurant is famous for its brisket and smoked sausages. The meats are slow smoked to the point that they melt in your mouth. See pictures» HERE JANICE WONG, 26 Chef-owner of 2am: dessertbar in Holland Village 1. Alinea I ate here twice in 2008 and last year and it was mind-blowing each time. The chef, Grant Achatz, never fails to amaze with his unusual pairing of flavours and unique presentation. The lobster and popcorn dish was especially memorable because of its different textures. 2. WD-50 I love the desserts here and I have ordered every single one on the menu. The pastry chef, Alex Stupak, is very inspiring. I love the dessert named Creamsicle because of its playful presentation of the familiar childhood treat, orange and vanilla popsicle. 3. Sushi-Zanmai Whenever I visit Japan, I indulge in tuna belly at this outlet of this sushi chain because the fish is extremely fresh and it offers great value for money. See pictures » HERE ANDRE CHIANG, 34 Chef de cuisine of French nouvelle restaurant, Jaan par Andre, at Swissotel The Stamford 1. El Celler de Can Roca I met the head chef, Joan Roca, at the recent Madrid Fusion culinary conference and he invited me to his three Michelin-star restaurant. He is the master of nouvelle cuisine in Spain. His cuisine is philosophical and everything from the food to the restaurant decor is ultra elegant. 2. Pierre Gagnaire Chef Gagnaire is my mentor. I ate, slept and worked here for almost four years so I have a lot of feeling for this place. His culinary philosophy combines nouvelle cuisine with a deep knowledge of molecular gastronomy, and his food is undoubtedly the best in France. When I worked in Paris, this was my favourite after-work hang-out. This bistro has a relaxed vibe. The service is friendly and so is the price, although top ingredients are used and the food is presented artistically. I like it so much here I can eat it three times a day, seven days a week.
60 East 65th Street, New York, United States, tel: 212-288-0033
Tabak Baug, Panhala, Kolhapur, Maharashtra, India, tel: 02328-235036
Hazratganj, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
53-59 Kimberley Road, Tsimshatsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong, tel: 2366-0286, and 35-45 Johnston Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong, tel: 2866-0663
Jinling Hotel, level 2, Xin Jie Kou Square, Nanjing, China, tel: 25-8471-1888
Fairmont Peace Hotel, level 8, 20 Nanjing Road East, Shanghai, China (reopening this year)
2-12-22 Ueno, Taito-ku, Tokyo, Japan, tel: 03-3831-0954
Hotel Lisboa, level 3, 2-4 Avenida de Lisboa, Lisboa Tower, Macau, tel: 8803-7878
1-1-8 Kichijoji-Honcho, level 2, Musashino-shi, Tokyo, Japan, tel: 04-2221-6464
Meiji Seika Honsha Building, level 1, 2-4-16 Kyobashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, Japan, tel:
03-3274-2020
Ginza Seiwa Silver Building, B1, 8-2-10 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, Japan, tel: 03-3573-5258
2-7-13 Nihonbashi Ningyo-cho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, Japan, tel: 03-3666-1682
Sunning Plaza, ground floor, 8 Hoi Ping Road, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong, tel: 2882-8013
Corso Sant’agata 11/13, Sant’agata Sui Due Golfi, Naples, Italy, tel: 081-878-0026
Via Fruili Venezia Giulia 9, Porto Palo Di Menfi (AG), Sicily, Italy, tel: 0925-78381
Four outlets including 253 Dongzhimennei Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing, China, tel: 10-8402-0856
176 North Canon Drive, Beverly Hills, California, United States, tel: 310-385-0880
MBK Centre, level 6, 444 Payathai Road, Wangmai, Patumwan, Bangkok, Thailand
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, tel: 3-9691-3888
13-15 West Street, London, UK, tel: 0207-010-8600
Jalan Raya Sanggingan, Ubud, Gianyar, Bali, Indonesia,
tel: 361-975768
176 North Canon Drive, Beverly Hills, California, United States, tel: 310-385-0880
112 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach, Florida, United States, tel: 305-532-8112
5109 Kirby Drive and 8911 Katy Freeway, Houston, Texas, United States, tel: 713-522-2530 and 713-464-1901
1723 North Halsted, Chicago, Illinois, United States, tel: 312-867-0110
50 Clinton Street, New York, United States, tel: 212-477-2900
10-2 Tsukiji 4-Chome, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, Japan, tel: 03-5550-8010
Can Sunyer, 48, Girona, Catalonia, Spain, tel: 972-222-157
Hotel Balzac, 6 rue Balzac, Paris, France, tel: 01-5836-1250
3. Le Chateaubriand
129 Avenue Parmentier, Paris, France, tel: 01-4357-4595
See pictures of top chefs' favourite restaurants abroad
