Foodies hungry for a pick-me-up meal at a new restaurant amid the financial gloom are spoilt for choice, as eateries continue to mushroom despite the economic crunch.

No fewer than nine dining outlets, which run the gamut from foodcourts to fancy restaurants, have sprung up since the start of this month, and at least another eight are due to debut by the end of this year.

This rash of openings comes hot on the heels of at least 17 restaurants that began operating in the last two months.

More surprising is that most of these food and beverage (F&B) outlets were planned for just a few months ago when the economy was already slowing down.

Restaurateurs taking the plunge say they are lured by the availability of prime locations and lower rents, adding that they suspect Singaporeans will continue to want to spend on food.

Mr Victor Tan, 45, managing director of the Firestation Hillside Gastrobar, which opened earlier this month in Upper Bukit Timah Road, ploughed $500,000 into setting up the 80-seat restaurant in August because of its unique location.

He says: “The forest and train tracks nearby lend the building, a former fire station, a nostalgic vibe. You can’t find another place like it in Singapore, not in Dempsey Hill or Rochester Park, so I was determined to give it a shot.”

Mr Mervin Goh, 36, owner of the week-old home-style restaurant Grandma’s in Orchard Parade Hotel, adds: “When times are bad, there are fewer restaurants vying for the same space in prime locations such as busy shopping malls, so it is wise to secure these places before the good times come.”

He has signed the lease for a second Grandma’s in United Square, due to open next February, and is in talks for a third outlet that is likely to open in Orchard Road.

Another perk for these gutsy restaurateurs is lower rents.

Mr Kelvin Ong, 31, director of the Suki group of restaurants, which includes the Japanese chain restaurant Suki Sushi and the recently opened Japanese-themed food court Ishi Mura in Yishun’s Northpoint Shopping Centre, says: “A year ago when the economy was doing well, some landlords were demanding extremely high rents.

“The rental rates, however, have since fallen by some 5 per cent, with room for further negotiation.”

Hence, the group is seizing the opportunity to open another Ishi Mura food court next month in Paradiz Centre, and a third one at City Square Mall in Kitchener Road next June.

Other owners of F&B outlets, such as Mr Flip Corpus, 30, of Hotshots Flame-Grilled Burgers in the Lau Pa Sat food centre, have hedged their bets against the economy because of their buoyant business.

He says: “We decided to open a branch in The Cathay by the end of this month because our business at Lau Pa Sat has been increasing every month since it started in April.

“Also, customers have been asking us to open in a more accessible location. If we don’t reach out to them now, we might lose them.”

He adds: “No matter how bad the economy is, people still have to eat, and for convenience, some will continue to eat out.”

Indeed, casual eatery Casa Verde in the Singapore Botanic Gardens, which was converted from Cafe Les Amis and re-opened as a 110-seat restaurant last month, has been packed on weekends with hungry diners tucking into its $22 pizzas and $18 homemade pastas.

Similarly, contemporary restaurant Tippling Club in Dempsey Hill, which pairs its food with cocktails and wines, has seen enthusiastic response to its lunch menu launched three weeks ago, where two courses and a glass of wine cost $29.

That said, some new and soon-to-be- open restaurants have made adjustments to their operations to ensure that they ride out these rough times.

Mr Tan of the Firestation Hillside Gastrobar aborted his initial plan to open a fine-dining restaurant and opted instead for a more casual eatery with a mid-price range, where pizzas sell from $18 and mains between $20 and $30.

Chef-owner Michael Han of modern European restaurant FiftyThree, which will open by the end of the month in Armenian Street, also scaled down the prices on his menu by some 5 per cent. A three-course lunch now costs $42 and a four-course dinner costs $150.

To maintain these prices without stinting on the quality of the ingredients, he is looking to other avenues such as using fewer fresh flowers for table display at the restaurant to cut down operating costs.

Eateries are also introducing attractive dining promotions to draw in customers.

Australian bistro Boomarang in Robertson Quay, which opened last month, recently launched its Boys’ Night on Wednesdays, where male customers get to enjoy a pint of beer for $5, half the usual price.

Similarly, Japanese teppanyaki restaurant Waraku de Gohan, which opened at the StarHub Centre earlier this month, rolled out a Ladies’ Night promotion.

The promotion, where four or more female diners get to enjoy 50 per cent off the total bill on Mondays, has been well received.

For consumers such as sales manager Danette Elliot, 35, who has dined at Boomarang, the onslaught of new eateries could not have come at a better time.

She says: “My family eats in more than we used to because of the economy, but we don’t cut back on spending time with friends and it’s more convenient to gather for a meal outside.
“So new restaurants such as Boomarang, where the price is reasonable and the service friendly, give us more value-for-money dining options.”

Restaurateurs are also hopeful that the holiday season round the corner will boost takings.
Mr Henry Tan, spokesman for the Bachmann Japanese Restaurants group, which runs the Ajisen Ramen chain of eateries here, as well as the new okonomiyaki (savoury Japanese pancake) restaurant, Botejyu, in Liang Court, says: “With Christmas coming up, people are likely to be in a spending mood even if they are more careful with their wallets.

“And being a newly opened restaurant, diners looking for a different gastronomic experience are likely to try us out.”

Housewife Lee Wai Cheng, 47, who dined at the new Ishi Mura in Northpoint last Thursday with her 10-year-old daughter, says: “I like this new foodcourt as it feels like a restaurant, but the prices are reasonable.

“It’s definitely one more dining option for my family when we dine out these school holidays.”

Read also>> Restaurants opening in November
Read also>> Restaurants opening in December

This article was first published in The Sunday Times on November 16, 2008.