Best Hidden Spots By 4 Singapore Based Founders

Favourite Food Haunts

My home, really. My partner and I love to cook and it’s also healthier. We get to decide what really goes into our bodies and what suits our mood for the day/evening. But if you’re talking about great, affordable steak frites in an authentic French ambience, I highly recommend Les Bouchons!

Best Kept Secrets in Singapore

The Projector for indie films, Mustafa for a night of bargain shopping, Lazarus Island for a secluded beach getaway, Burger Joint for burgers in a hidden location and Binomio for Spanish tapas.

What Activities Do You Do / Spots Do You Go To When You Need Some Down Time

I really love beaches, so a quiet Sunday evening on Palawan Beach in Sentosa (it’s easier to get to than Lazarus Island) to watch the sunset is perfect. I’ve recently gotten to like Ultimate as well, so we do some throws on the sand in between beer, hors d’oeuvre and my home-made aglio olio.

Best Annual Events Happening On The Island

In March, we always make it a point to dine at one of the restaurants participating in the Singapore Restaurant Week. The light installations on the facades of our museums during the Singapore Night Festival is also such a treat every August. If you are in town, check out some of the outdoor cinema events during the year – it’s better than watching the same films indoors.

Favourite Food Haunts

Our favourite hawker eats are oyster omelette at 435A Hougang Ave 8 and muah chee at Toa Payoh HDB Hub. The oysters in the oyster omelette are huge and of a generous serving, and the dish has the right amount of juice and crisp! The muah chee at Toa Payoh is reminiscent of our childhood days, and the texture is soft yet chewy, with fragrant peanut.

We usually pick Naked Finn and Wild Rocket for a scrumptious dinner with friends or guests! As a local business, we are proud to support these beautiful local restaurants with impeccable service! Naked Finn takes pride in using the freshest ingredients, and their dishes are cooked very simply. We are also impressed with Wild Rocket’s creative take on local cuisine.

Best Kept Secrets in Singapore

Hock Siong’s for secondhand vintage and designer furniture. We follow their social media so as not to miss out on fantastic deals! Open Farm Community’s monthly Social Market is great for high quality local produce. Bincho@ Hua Bee, tucked away behind Hua Bee’s ba chor mee, is a gem for Japanese food and drinks.

What Activities Do You Do / Spots Do You Go To When You Need Some Down Time

Diana does ballet and hot yoga regularly. Geraldine visits Creamier for awesome ice-cream waffles or the flower markets at Caldecott. For relaxed nights with friends, Timbre’s great for local music and pizzas!

Best Annual Events Happening On The Island

Singapore Coffee Festival and Beer Festival! We like how these festivals showcase emerging food and beverage vendors, and pushes the vendors to be creative in their offerings. We can also eat and drink to our hearts’ content at these festivals with our friends!

Favourite Food Haunts

Bedok 85 Food Market for local fare! I honestly think the offering here trumps Newton Circus any day in terms of quality, variety and price. The only downside is that it’s in the East (where all the best food is), but I’m an East-sider so I’m probably biased.

If I’m feeling a little more fancy, Cha Shu Don at Horse’s Mouth is one of the best i’ve tasted at that price point, in Singapore. Also, another hidden gem is Tamashi, the Japanese restaurant/bar beneath The Mad Men Attic Bar, the Truffle Gyu-don and Truffle Chawanmushi dishes there are to die for. Pricey though, at around 100/head for a decent portion of food (no alcohol).

Best Kept Secrets in Singapore

I’ve always been intrigued at finding new haunts within Singapore’s vibrant F&B/lifestyle landscape. There are always cool new eateries and bars popping up at happening places like Chinatown, Amoy Street, Club Street area (recalling the first time I discovered Operation Dagger, a small underground speakeasy.), as well as Tanjong Pagar area for a more Japanese/Korean inspired vibe. Given the fast-paced nature of the nightlife/F&B scene in the country, each of these areas go through changes every 6 months or so, making it always fun to find the next hipster hideout. I hear Native Bar is getting a lot of attention right now for the quirky ingredients they use in their cocktails (weaver ants anyone?).

What Activities Do You Do / Spots Do You Go To When You Need Some Down Time

Trying to curb my night-time activities nowadays but when I do need a fix, you’ll find me at The Mad Men Attic Bar. Good crowd, great vibes and some of the best live music in town. But more often, I’ll be in in the gym or engaging in some light banter with some pals, casually bouncing off business ideas and discussing new ways of doing things at work (sounds boring, I know.). Once a year, I disappear overseas for a two week break that serves as a “mental reset” of sorts.

Best Annual Events Happening On The Island

I’m not really one to head out for events with large-crowds (would very much rather a cozier setting) but The National Day Parade last year is actually very well done. Moving away from the traditional format, this year’s display actual boasts decent production value, with (spoiler-alert) explosions and a high-intensity military display akin to something you’d see at USS. Pretty far-cry from what I remember seeing in previous years. The Golden Duck was a key partner last year, with our products in all the fun-packs, so I’ve attended both NDP previews already.

Another big one happening is Beerfest. Festival goers can expect an overhaul of the popular annual event, relevant new food offerings and an entertainment format that involves both live music and DJs.

Favourite Food Haunts

That’s is a hard one, as there are sooo many nice places in Singapore and new restaurants popping up every month. My still-to-go-to list only keeps getting longer. There are some places however, that I love to come back to, such as Chop Suey at Dempsey Hill, l’Atteria and Kilo Kallang. Oh, and for the best red velvet cupcake ever, Plain Vanilla Bakery.

Best Kept Secrets in Singapore

I love Friday nights at Haji Lane. At Cafe Ohm they have live music, the crowd is sitting on the street at little tables and at some point, everybody will get up and start dancing. Such a relaxed, laid-back and good atmosphere! And for an excellent cocktail, the ‘secret’ bar 28 Hong Kong street is my favourite.

What Activities Do You Do / Spots Do You Go To When You Need Some Down Time

For my work for Bamboo Lane I travel quite often to Bali, which is perfect for combining business and pleasure. I love to go to the beach, get a massage or have a coffee in the middle of the rice paddies whilst reading a book.

Best Annual Events Happening On The Island

Last National Day I wasn’t around and the upcoming one will be my first time, so I can’t judge that one yet! I love Films at the Fort (held at Fort Canning Park in August) and the occasional music events that are organised in the Botanical Gardens.

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