New restaurant Fireside is gearing up to launch in Central this month, bringing an open-fire dining experience featuring distinctive, smokey flavours that can be only imparted by exotic firewood embers and the most traditional techniques. Set to open in H-Code on Pottinger Street, Fireside is helmed by acclaimed chef Miguel Gallo—formerly of the esteemed Aqua Restaurant Group and Smoke & Barrels—to present a menu that revolves around the primal appeal of roaring flames. 

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Despite residing within an upscale building, Fireside is a departure from modern haute cuisine. The establishment is more of chef Gallo’s tribute to old-fashioned wood-fired cooking methods, presenting grilled specialties made with authentic recipes and the freshest ingredients. 

Unlike many other restaurants furnished with modern smoking equipment, Fireside only makes use of an open-fire grill fuelled by select varieties of wood and binchotan charcoal. Gallo and his team researched recipes from Spanish, Japanese and Latin American cuisines to craft dishes solely through fire and smoke, allowing those natural flavours of ingredients to shine. From seasonal, locally-caught seafood that is delivered to the venue within hours, to fresh vegetables and rare meats hand-picked from reputed local farms and producers, each carefully composed plate with high-quality ingredients will delight with abundant flavours and simplicity. 

The a-la-carte menu highlights include the signature dish—confit duck with fire-cooked rice served on a sizzling square skillet; succulent hokkigai sourced from Hokkaido, as well as the fire-basted aged Mangalica pork prepared with a special flambadou grilling tool. Also on offer is an impressive range of smoked and cured meats and fish. The star of the show is the Ora king salmon, which is cured for three days, smoked over applewood and served raw to present its complex flavour profile. 

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