Clarke Quay & Riverside Pt

Housed in a cluster of old godowns at the base of Fort Canning Park, Clarke Quay has just undergone a refurbishment, making it one of the city’s best nightlife options. Its here where you’ll find Singapore’s only fulltime comedy club (One Nite Stand) as well as cuisines ranging from Chinese, Indian, Western, Indonesian and Seafood. Clarke Quay also has a range of bars, pubs, and live music venues to make it a great place to spend your evening. Also, check across the river at Riverside Point where you’ll find a nice bunch of restaurants and bars. Getting there: Clarke Quay MRT, exit C. Bus – 2, 12, 32, 33, 51, 62, 63, 80, 130, 133, 145, 197, 520, 851, 960, 980. IVORY - The Indian Kitchen IVORY - The Indian Kitchen is the first restaurant out of Kolkata under the award-winning PDK Shenaz Hotels group which has garnered rave reviews and a loyal fan base both in India and internationally. At IVORY, the menu is strongly flavored by the Coastal region which encompasses the most diverse styles of food in India. Distinct in the manner in which ingredients and spices are used and prepared, internationally acclaimed Celebrity Chef Wali Ahmad was specially chosen to head the restaurant’s kitchen. With delectable vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes on the menu, there is something for everyone at Ivory from appetizers to desserts. Two of the restaurant’s signature dishes by Chef Wali are the Malabari Trio – an irresistible combination platter of succulent spicy tiger prawns, chilli fried chicken with red pepper lamb that offers different flavours, tastes, and textures all in one dish; and Matki Dum Murgh – chicken that has been lovingly prepared over a slow fire with a hint of saffron and green cardamom. For the vege-lovers, the palate-pleasing Methi Sag Reshmi Paneer is a dish not to be missed – mouth melting fenugreek flavoured fried chopped spinach and cottage cheese topped with a silky cashew, onion-based sauce. Address: 3A River Valley Road, Clarke Quay #02-04, S(179020). Operating hours: 12.00pm to 2.30pm (Lunch), 6.00pm – 11.30pm (Dinner) Tel: (65) 6333 4664   Quayside Seafood If there is one type of cuisine that Singapore is famous for, it has to be the seafood. For Singaporeans, a seafood meal is one of the most popular choices for important occasions, and if you have the chance to mention black pepper crab or chilli crab to a local, stand back and watch them drool with anticipation. So it will come as no surprise when you pull up at Quayside Seafood on Clarke Quay that most nights of the week this place is packed. Of course, just serving up seafood in Singapore isn’t enough to pull in the crowd – it also has to be good – which is what Quayside Seafood is. This casual riverside restaurant sits on giant lily pads at Clarke Quay and sports tanks of live seafood waiting to be served to your table, as well as an open theatre-kitchen so you can also watch the food being cooked. Address: Clarke Quay, 3A River Valley Road Singapore 179020 Tel: (65) 6338 2853 or (65) 6338 0138 Dining hours: 6pm-12am Sun-Thu; 6pm-1am Fri-Sat & PH.   Ras - The Essence of India Along Clarke Quay’s river front walk, every night of the week diners spill out from restaurants, eating inside plush interiors or al fresco beside the Singapore River. One of the busiest, without fail, is Ras – The Essence of India The reason for this popularity is two-fold. Firstly, Singapore is a great place to sample some of the best Indian cuisine from outside the sub-continent. And secondly, Ras is one of the best at doing just that in Singapore. Because of Singapore’s colonial history, under which it was for a long time governed from India, there has always been a fine tradition in great Indian cuisine in the Lion City. Now, as Singapore has transformed itself into a real international city of class, restaurants like Ras are pushing the bar continually upwards to satisfy the sophisticated tastes of Singaporeans. As the name suggests, Ras is aimed at bringing the essence of India to Singapore. The cuisine here is a range of traditional and contemporary Indian dishes, all served up in a modern and stylish atmosphere. Especially look out for the Tandoori Prawn – Flambe (fresh tiger prawns marinated with hung curd and spices), the Lamb Chops (tender lamb chops marinated with spices and herbs) and the Chicken Nawabi Korma from Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh (tender pieces of boneless chicken cooked with rich gravy, with a hint of cardamom). Of course, Indian cuisine has always been famous also for its vegetarian delights and at Ras, it’s no different. Especially good here is the Subzi Jalfrezi (a mélange of vegetables cooked to perfection and garnished with coriander) and the Punjab delicacy, the Palak Paneer (home made cottage-cheese cubes in spinach delicately flavored with herbs). Also look out for the range of Dals – especially the Dal Makhni for a real blast of traditional Indian cooking, and Dal Tadka, an Indian all-time favourite. Going with these are the excellent range of Naan breads as well, including the traditional Kashmiri Naan and another all-time favourite – the Garlic Naan. One area that Ras particularly excels itself is in its preparation, which reduces the belief of Indian cuisine being heavy on the stomach to a mere myth. This is one Indian restaurant where you won’t be leaving feeling especially bloated. In fact, you’ll be feeling so good after your mains that you won’t be able to resist the range of traditional Indian desserts on offer. For these, look out for the Malai Kulfi (Indian ice-cream made from Ras’s own secret recipe) the Gajjar Halwa (carrots simmered with sugar and infused with a dash of pure ghee, served warm) and the Phirnee (Pounded rice gently cooked in saffron flavored milk). And one more thing… if you’re enjoying your evening so much at Ras, they even stay open after dining hours as a late night bar so you can keep enjoying their hospitality! Address: #01-05A, Block 3D, Clarke Quay, River Valley Road Singapore 179023 Tel: (65) 6837 2800 Lunch: 12pm-2.30pm Mon-Fri; 11.30am-2.30pm Sat-Sun. Dinner: 6.30pm-11.30pm daily. Late night bar: 11.30pm-2am Wed-Sat and Eve of PH.   Clarke Quay IndoChine AN OPULENT CHARM... Capturing the spirit of old-world China with a touch of modern sophistication, IndoChine has arrived at Clarke Quay IndoChine’s name has spread like wildfire since its first restaurant opened on Club Street. Today IndoChine restaurants and bars can be found at Empress Place, Orchard Road, Holland Village and now Clarke Quay as well as Club Street. The latest addition to IndoChine’s family is its temple to China’s former emperors – Restaurant Madame Butterfly and Bar Cocoon at Clarke Quay. Housed in Clarke Quay’s oldest Chinese building, you’ll be welcomed by terracotta warriors flanking the entrance before moving inside where the interior blends old-world oriental charm with modern sophistication. Both Restaurant Madame Butterfly on the top floor and Bar Cocoon on the ground floor offer a unique gallery-cum-wining and dining concept. At Restaurant Madame Butterfly you can enjoy a modern Chinese cuisine mixing taste and art. Here one can find dishes standard on any menu from premier Chinese restaurants, but with a style one would expect from Western restaurants. Downstairs, you’ll find Bar Cocoon – a venue for lounging, socializing and clubbing with massive opium beds enveloped by silk lanterns and drapery providing a sensuous charm to its relaxing ambience. Address: 3A Merchant’s Court, River Valley Road, #01-02, Singapore 179020. Tel: +65 6557 6266 (Restaurant Madame Butterfly) and +65 6557 6268 (Bar Cocoon).   Ministry of Sound – Dance Club Opened in December 2005, Ministry of Sound Singapore (MoS) has seen capacity crowds since day one. The Singapore club is currently the biggest Ministry of Sound club worldwide at approximately 40,000 square feet with a capacity of over 3000 spread over two annexes. Address: Block C The Cannery, Clarke Quay, River Valley Road, Singapore 179022. Tel: (65) 6235 2292 or (65) 6333 4168 Opening hours: 9pm-4am Wed-Sat.   Shisha Lounge Bar A wildly popular nightspot in Kolkata famous for its celebrity sightings, Shisha Lounge Bar has now also opened its doors in Singapore. Housed within IVORY-The Indian Kitchen on Clarke Quay, Shisha boasts the nocturnal delights of the sub-continent with its endless supply of unique cocktails and Indian-style Tapas. With a fully stocked bar, the drink menu boasts a comprehensive selection of red and white wine, even from exotic locales like India and Chile, and includes unusual cocktails like Five Wise Men and Fallen Angel. Probably the first in Singapore, the bar offers a delectable selection of Indian Tapas with menu offerings like the lip smacking Crispy Lamb Rolls - grilled baby lamb stuffed with brown onion and spices served on a bed of mint sauce, and Crispy Cheese Tikki Patties created with grated Indian cottage cheese patties and potatoes topped with tamarind and mint chutney guaranteed to whet appetites and keep hunger pangs at bay. With a perfect blend of warm tones, textures, and furnishings, the bar’s interior exudes a lush and inviting feel. The use of deep reds hint at the Indian influence but Shisha stays truly contemporary with its modern décor and state-of-the-art sound system and plasma television. Address: 3A River Valley Road, Clarke Quay #02-04, S(179020) Operating hours: 5.00pm till late, Mondays to Sundays Tel: (65) 6333 4664   The 1NiteStand Bar & Comedy Club At Clarke Quay, The 1NiteStand Bar & Comedy Club is famed for flying in international comedians for monthly shows (last Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat of the month). At other times, the band, “Six in the City”, and “VJ the DJ” keep the dance floor filled, while outside there’s dining next to the river. Address: 3 River Valley Road, Clarke Quay, #01-04, Block A, Singapore 179020. Tel: (65) 6334 1954. Opening hours: 12pm-2am Sun-Thu; 12pm-3am Fri-Sat.   Brewerkz Restaurant & Microbrewery Brewerkz Restaurant & Microbrewery, is a full service restaurant with an attached microbrewery. Founded in 1997, Brewerkz features high quality American-style food and a full range of premium beers handcrafted on-site, served in a fun and informal setting next to the River at Riverside Point. Address: 30 Merchant Road, #01-05 Riverside Point, Singapore 058282 Tel: (65) 6438 7438. Opening hours: 12pm-12am Mon-Thur & PH; 12pm-1am Fri-sat & Eve of PH; 11am-12am Sun.   The Tent, Mongolian Fresh Grill If there is a star in the making on Singapore’s wine and dine scene, the The Tent is it. In a city like Singapore, where the consumption of food is a national obsession, it’s no wonder that a restaurant like this has sprung up. The restaurant business is more competitive than ever, especially at Clarke Quay, where The Tent, situated next to the fountain court at the centre of the Quay, competes with an amazing range of gastronomic delights. So how can one Mongolian Grill restaurant stand out against all this competition? It’s simple really – for once, when the sign outside heralds a “unique” concept, the restaurant really does deliver just that. The name itself says it first – The Tent’s concept is in rekindling a time when Genghis Khan’s armies would set up camp, light a bonfire and grill their meals on their huge iron shields. Step inside The Tent and you’ll find this ancient tradition continuing, albeit in the comforts of a modern setting. The only difference from Khan’s armies here is that you won’t have to hunt for the food yourself. Instead, as you sit down, a waiter comes over, hands you a token with your seat number on it and explains how your evening will unfold. Here, he says, you go to the food area and fill one large bowl with food, and a smaller one with sauces and give them to the chef to grill for you. In the meantime fill another plate with salad and the food will be delivered to you. The fun here really is in the food selection and the ultimate tasting of your concoction. You’ll find the base for your meal in the range of rice, noodles and vegetables. Then, moving on, you can choose from a range of chicken, beef and seafood to enhance your dish with. Finally, you really begin to play God with your stomach by selecting your sauces – and here it seems like there’s any sauce you can dream of. There’s Bulgogi sauce from Korea, Red and Green Curry sauces from India, Chilli sauce from the Philippines, Teriyaki sauce from Japan, Satay sauce from Indonesia, Tom Yam sauce from Thailand and The Tent’s own signature sauce amongst many, many others. And don’t forget the little extras like chopped peanuts and garlic, sesame seeds, brown sugar and chilli powder that turn your dish from good to great. Mix a few of these babies up together and then hand it all over with your food to the chef. What comes back is a meal designed by you, for you. Vegetarian? No worries, just avoid the meat and focus on the vegetarian sauces. Fussy about ingredients? Just don’t choose the ones you dislike. Love or hate spicy food? Here you decide what’s mild and what’s not! It really is uncanny how all the foods and sauces just seem to mix into something special every time. And even better, everyone pays a set price so you can go back as many times as you like to try more combinations. Ultimately, the whole dining experience at The Tent can be described in one word – fun. It’s fun to choose your food, it’s fun to mix your sauces and it’s especially fun to subject your concoction to the taste test amongst your group. Address: #01-02, Block 3D, Clarke Quay, River Valley Road, Singapore 179023 Tel: (65) 6339 0200 Dining hours: 6.30pm-11pm daily.   Renn Thai Restaurant This 90-seat restaurant conveniently located at Clarke Quay offers a feast of traditional Thai dishes. Whether at the al fresco waterfront or in the cool dining interior area, enjoy favourites such as tom yum seafood soup, deep fried garoupa with mango sauce, seafood otak in young coconut and green curry. All dishes are served the same way they are in Thailand flavoured with familiar Asian spices such as temuric and lemongrass Address: #01-05 Clarke Quay, 3D River Valley Rd, Singapore 179024. Tel: (65) 6338 7200 Lunch: 11.30am-2.30pm daily. Dinner: 6pm-9.30pm daily.