In the January 2026 edition of Fatback Food Stories, I share about notable sushi and kaiseki omakases (Sushi Muni, Ki-Sho), new food and bar establishments in The St. Regis Singapore (Sophia, The St. Regis Bar), innovative takes on local cuisine (Qin Restaurant & Bar), glorious Spanish concepts (Carlitos Casa de Comidas), elevated local fares (Hup Lok, Lucky Her Kiao), new introductions to the drinking scene (Flamingo Coffee and Wine, Horatio) as well as the Omote group’s new concept in town (Nolita). Let’s go.
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SUSHI MUNI
The S$198 Muni Omakase course at Sushi Muni (無二), an intimate 10-seater Japanese omakase restaurant set within the second level of International Plaza in Tanjong Pagar.
The omakase course menu comprises multiple amuse bouche, seasonal appetisers and sashimi; a Muni-style toro dish; a seasonal cooked dish; Wagyu sukishabu; kuzu somen; 5 type of sushi; a Muni house roll; and a closing soup and seasonal dessert. Yep, it’s a universe of experiences in one seating.
It was a joyful, exhilarating ride, with different and often unexpected flavours, textures, ingredients, temperatures and surprises at every other turn – sweetness came in the forms of sweetcorn tofu, fig tempura and a combination of top shell, tomato, cucumber and persimmon; sultry smokiness was personified (fishified?) by the kama (barracuda) with yuzu kosho salt; a dry fish roe ootoro (fattiest part of a bluefin tuna belly) did not look at all how it it tastes due to its concealed underside; a milt tempura gave McNugget-esque oral pleasures; the A4 wagyu sukishabu was almost pixellation-worthy, R-rated levels of luscious; and I had my first ever sujiko (sac or skem of fish eggs) sushi, which possessed a soft fattiness with chewy connecting tissue and just shy of the spurt-astic wetness of roe.
The setting was intimate yet very cosy and comfortable, with my seating almost fully comprising couples celebrating special occasions. The team was friendly, conversational and very knowledgeable, with one chef masterfully navigating a female guest’s very specific preferences/aversions with eventually successful decisions. I recommended the restaurant to my colleague, who went to lunch with her husband and came back with glowing reviews.
Probably the omakase restaurant I’ve been to in recent times which best marries comfort, quality and value.
Sushi Muni
10 Anson Road, International Plaza
#02-28
Singapore 079903
KI-SHO
The Chef Kappou Omakase menu at Ki-Sho, the kappo restaurant along Scotts Road. The restaurant is now helmed by Chef Taro Takayama, who previously led the acclaimed Takayama at OUE Downtown Gallery.
Chef Taro’s signature peanut-shaped Monaka (foie gras, watermelon) and Fish Cake (snow crab, Japanese ginko) commenced the proceedings on a modern and aesthetically arresting note. The King Crab course brought together dashi jelly, Hokkaido uni and a particularly virtuous yuba, while the Seasonal Sashimi (Japanese flounder, kinmedai) and Zen Garden Platter courses showcased smoky and crispy textures alongside flashes of thick savoury. The headlining Tottori Wagyu (Kyoto eggplant) unveils facets of sweet, lean, fatty and tender with each bite, while the Sanma Donabe was suitably moist and scrumptious.
Other courses include the Black Abalone (abalone liver, kinome), Momo bas well as the delectable Matcha and Hojicha Financiers which concluded the meal.
Ki-Sho
28 Scotts Road
Singapore 228224
SOPHIA
Sophia, the new glasshouse-inspired modern Italian concept at The St. Regis Singapore which celebrates the hallmarks of authentic Italian cuisine from 11 different regions in Italy. The a la carte menu comprises a variety of pizzas, focaccia, antipasti, primi piatti, secondi and dessert selections. The Carpaccio Di Gamberi (mazara prawn, raspberry gel, celery, plankton oil, avruga pearls) was slickly-dressed, cool and berry-sweet, while the Polpo Grigliato (grilled octopus, fava beans, red onion, mint, semi-dried tomato) offered a firm, tender chew.
The Tagliata Di Manzo (Robbin Island Wagyu MB9+, grilled striploin, arugula, parmigiano reggiano, balsamic vinegar) was sexily smoky and fatty, with most bites featuring a pleasurable saline burst at the end, while the Spaghetti All’astice (Boston lobster, cherry tomato, lobster jus, basil) was drenched in bisque-esque richness, with every strand of pasta being steadfastly firm.
Sophia
The St. Regis Singapore
29 Tanglin Road
Singapore 247911
HUP LOK
Hup Lok, the prawn noodle restaurant along Havelock Road. The restaurant prides itself on the use of the saline-sweet “Kami no Ebi” (god of prawns) in their dishes, best appreciated via their peppery signature Prawn Mee (both soup and dry versions provide access to the lip-coatingly thick broth).
The Kami Prawn Toast was a riotously crispy affair, while the Tempura Prawns likely suffered much prolonged Swiftian heartache previously given the thickness of their batter walls, with your prize being the sweetness of prawn flesh post-batter battle. The wet-type Claypot Hokkien Mee – paired with a smoky sweet chilli – was topped with a slab of fried egg, and due rationing of the egg throughout is advised, as the egg-less portion fared considerably less well than the egg-companied segment. I do wonder how the dish would fare if the egg was directly fried with the noodles instead of served separately.
Elsewhere, the sweet King Scallop writhed in a spicy, peppery gravy, while Grandpa’s Pomfret Soup provided comforting, familial feels.
Hup Lok
725 Havelock Road
Singapore 169647
THE ST. REGIS BAR SINGAPORE
The St. Regis Bar Singapore, the new concept at the recently transformed The St. Regis Singapore which replaces the former Astor Bar. The bar takes its inspirations from both early 20th-century Manhattan and the legacy of the legendary The St. Regis New York. The mixology programme is led by Kelvin Saquilayan, formerly from Manhattan Bar and Republic Bar.
The new “Time After Time” menu takes you on a journey through defining decades of American cocktail trends while simultaneously weaving in local flavours and cultural references. Highlights including the surprisingly ginger-spicy Merlion Sling, the Manhattan-esque and Granny Smith-fresh Midnight Orchard and the floral martini-style Roar & Bloom which played like a lychee martini with reduced sugar. Adventure seekers can go for the New York Or Nowhere, a smoky clarified tequila-mezcal punch which takes very literal inspiration from its namesake city’s classic pastrami sandwich.
My personal favourite was the Club Kid Espresso, which was redolent with coconut notes and reminded me of a particularly ah beng reincarnation of Old Tea Hut gula melaka milk coffee.
The St. Regis Bar
The St. Regis Singapore
29 Tanglin Road
Singapore 247911
CARLITOS CASA DE COMIDAS AND GAUDI ROOM
Carlitos Casa de Comidas, the tapas bar along Joo Chiat Road. The menu comprises an extensive variety of tapas such as the uber-savoury Gilda Pintxo (anchovies, pickled onion, green olives), the moreish Txipirones Bilbao (grilled squid, crispy baby squid, squid & shallot orzo), the seductively aromatic and oil-slick Gambas al Ajillo (Atlantic prawns, garlic & chilli oil, sourdough) as well as the Suckling Pig which boasted a formidable crackling crunch of skin.
Other dishes included the juicy Ensalada de Tomate (Momotaro tomato, confit tuna, capers, onion), the hearty Rabo de Toro (Braised beef oxtail, red wine, manchego potato mash) and the feel-good Churros con Chocolate (Homemade churros, Valrhona chocolate).
After dinner, it was off to the back of the restaurant for the hidden speakeasy, Gaudi Room. Inspired by Antoni Gaudí, the legendary Catalan architect and designer, the cosy space serves a selection of tipples such as the playfully savoury La Sagrada Paloma (tequila, gin, Aperol, lime, grapefruit, togarashi, Kimuchi no Moto) and Gaudoni Negroni (gin, dry vermouth, campari, casis, cacao).
Carlitos Casa De Comidas/Gaudi Room
350 Joo Chiat Room
Singapore 427598
QIN RESTAURANT & BAR
Qin Restaurant & Bar, the modern dining restaurant set on Level 4 of The Clan Hotel. The restaurant is helmed by Marvas Ng, who previously headed modern Asian restaurant Path, and he brings along his signature brand of refined French techniques crossed with bold East Asian flavours. His debut a la carte menu at the restaurant will please those seeking inventive, playful and elevated interpretations of familiar regional flavours – think chrysanthemum, bak kut teh, Teochew braised meat, chicken rice, black pepper, prawn paste and gula melaka. Very accessible pricing too, given the quality of the offerings.
Highlights include the chilled and savoury Shanghainese Hairy Crab Roe “Dou Hua”; the peppery and juicy Wagyu Beef “Hei Hu Jiao”; the moist, silky and deeply flavourful (and limited quantity – please reserve in advance) 5-days Dry Aged Local Kampong Chicken with arrestingly crispy skin; the feel-good Sesame Su made using Okinawa brown sugar and filo pastry; and the Cameron Highland “Nai Cha” dessert that should be experienced spoiler-free.
Other dishes include Local Marinated Cherries Tomato, Straits Wild Caught Sea Bream “Hai Diao”, Sarawak Pork Ear Terrine “Qian Cheng”, Hokkaido Pork Belly (Yume No Daichi) “Har Cheong”, and the very moreish Cameron Highland Cauliflower “Gan Guo”.
From their tipples selection, the Monk 罗汉 was a daringly luo han guo-bitter take on a Negroni, while the rum-based Orh Nee 芋泥 was frothy, coconut-kissed pleasure.
Qin Restaurant & Bar
10 Cross Street
The Clan Hotel Level 4
Singapore 048417
FLAMINGO COFFEE AND WINE
Flamingo Coffee and Wine, the new wine-focused expansion of the “Flamingo” coffee concept at dual coffee/cocktail space Stay Gold Flamingo. The new wine programme is designed for guests to be able to easily navigate their way to their eventual wine choice, first by type (sparkling, skin contact, white, red) followed by style (e.g. for white wines, the “In Bloom” wines have taste notes of guava, geranium and peaches; “Ocean Eyes” wines evoke sensations of sea breeze, apples and almonds; and “Aiscream” options are creamy, toasty and vanilla in profile).
It was an evening of interesting and international wines, ranging from apple strudel-esque bubbles (N.V. Bereche et Fils Brut Reserve 2014) and jammy Georgian selections (Ilia Estate Taoba Saperavi) to lychee-fresh Taiwanese wines (N.V. Weightstone, WE White No.6). Wine prices are pretty woahfordable too.
Those seeking to line their stomachs for the evening can pick from nosh selections such as Pickles, Fried Oysters, Monte Cristo Sandwich, Pulled Pork Pizza and Steak Cubes.
Flamingo Coffee and Wine
68 Amoy Street
Singapore 069887
NOLITA
Nolita, the new casual Japanese-Italian concept from the folks behind Omoté which opens its doors at Lentor Modern. The menu offers a variety of fusion Japanese-influenced spaghetti pastas – think Tokyo Carbonara, Uni Tartufo (with poached lobster and katsuo nori), Nori Pesto (with Okinawa seaweed) and Naporitan (with arabiuki sausage) alongside a selection of flatbreads such as Caprese Milano, Black Truffle, Forest Basilico and Dolce & Noci.
The signature Number 1 A.O.P. aglio olio-style spaghetti (smoked bacon and prawns, chilli pepperoncino, garlic EVOO) boasts not so much kisses of bacon as it does full-on porcine horizontal passion, while the creamy and unexpectedly spicy Lobster Rosé (Korean chilli mascapone, crustacean jus, satsumaimo crisps) tasted like if heavily BBQ-powdered potato chips had a tempestuous, bed-rolling affair with gochujang. The pastas were perfectly al dente, remaining hard amidst all the moist, creamy proceedings. (That all sounded (un?)intentionally racy – Editor.)
Elsewhere, the luscious Wagyu Tataki Italiano (Kagoshima sirloin, balsamic truffle, pecorino romano) basked in its truffly aromatics and a honeyed sweetness, while the Sweet and Spicy Chilli Honey Wings had a certain touch of char siew.
Nolita
1 Lentor Central
01-44, Lentor Modern
Singapore 788887
HORATIO
Horatio, the whisky-focused speakeasy set within Resorts World Sentosa. The cocktail menu takes you around the world as seen through the eyes of the eponymous fictional character Horatio Fairchild, from Japan’s Falling Petals (Japanese gin, shochu, plum shrub, brown rice, sakura bitters, cloud) and China’s Dragon’s Breath (cognac, dry sherry, black dates, light soya sauce, aromatic bitters) to the Caribbean Pirate Radio (aged rum, palo cortado, banana, lime, tamarind, absinthe, encrypted message) and India’s The Lost Caravan (dry gin, turmeric, green mango, vinegar, pepper, curry leaf jaggery).
The stiff drinks mean business, the team can prepare great classic cocktails, and several cocktails are served with intriguing presentations in keeping with their respective menu narrative. This may well be one of the best proper cocktail bars in Sentosa.
Elsewhere, the food menu delivered, with moreish nosh like Handcut French Fries (truffle oil, sea salt, cracked pepper, parmesan), Crispy Sicily Sardines (crispy pan-seared sardines, tartare sauce, manzanilla olives), Togarashi Spiced Calamari (fried calamari, tartare sauce, lime zest), Organic Chicken Karaage (chives, spicy aioli, fresh lime) and Wagyu Beef Skewer (char-grilled beef, chipotle mayo, whisky mustard, spring onion).
Horatio
26 Sentosa Gateway
Singapore 098140
LUCKY HER KIAO
Lucky Her Kiao, the new minced meat noodle and fish dumpling concept along Horne Road near Lavender MRT Station. The restaurant is by James Chua, fish dumpling artisan and third generation of the family which operates the different Song Kee fish ball noodle stalls famed for their fish dumplings (her kiao 魚餃). The launch menu is decidedly modest, with only four sets available: Handmade Fish Dumpling Soup, Handmade Minced Meat Noodle, Handmade Young Tofu Soup, and Handmade Fish Noodle.
During my visit, I tried the Handmade Fish Noodle and Handmade Fish Dumpling Soup. Imagine if someone used that gooey, gloopy skin of Song Kee’s iconic fish dumplings and made them into strips of noodles – yep, that’s the Handmade Fish Noodle. The uncommon creation is nothing short of monumental, with the spongy fish noodles soaking up the feisty chilli sauce like a busty influencer soaks up views with a showing of half-moons on an Instagram post. That being said, like said influencer’s partial lunar eclipses, the noodles can be a bit too much a portion for just one person, with the savoury strips being tremendously filling, so do bring along a friend to share and it will be Goldilockean perfect.
The Handmade Fish Noodle set also comes with a bowl of yong tau foo soup, with one fish dumpling amidst an array of fish balls, firm tofu and other delights. Truth be told, I always preferred my Song Kee fish dumplings on dry land with chilli rather than in soup, and I would always recommend dousing the ultra-umami dumplings with chilli to cut through the oceanic intensity for optimal enjoyment.
The restaurant also retails takeaway fish dumplings and other yong tau foo-esque specialties.
Lucky Her Kiao
88 Horne Road
Singapore 209083
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