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Fancy having dinner and drinks with a touch of whimsy? You are in for an immersive culinary experience at these restaurants with a difference
When it comes to dining in Singapore, the options are limitless. From casual eateries to fine dining restaurants, there is something for everyone. However, if you find yourself bored of the same dining routine, why not try out something unique instead? Rather than sitting at a table waiting to be served, these unique dining concepts will make you work for food—from dining in the dark to crawling to your next course, you will never fully know what to expect at these restaurants until you get there. So, if you are looking to shake up your dining experience, here are some fun dining restaurants to look out for.
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1. Le Petit Chef
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Le Petit Chef, the world’s smallest chef created by Belgian artist collective Skullmapping in 2015, has travelled the world over to offer gourmands immersive dining experiences with interactive storytelling through overhead projectors and 3D projection mapping. In Singapore, the 58 mm‐tall virtual chef has made Grand Hyatt Singapore his home since 2019 and has shared his sojourn from France to China to learn more about the spices and ingredients traded along the Silk Road. While that journey has ended, a new one began last month with the theme, “How to Become the World’s Best Chef”.
Without giving away the surprise, the hotel’s food and beverage director Sebastian Kern shares that this new chapter follows Le Petit Chef from Europe to South America to discover the history of food within these regions, which is showcased in the mesmerising animation that culminates in the tiny chef preparing the digital versions of his dishes, such as the fork‐tender braised Wagyu brisket served with broccoli, glazed heirloom carrots, aromatic roasted onion jus and puffed grains. Diners will savour the real‐life versions in a five‐course menu prepared by executive sous chef Steffan Heerdt.
2. Andsoforth
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Andsoforth founders Stuart Wee and Emily Png, who are also behind Restaurant Absurdities, first discovered immersive theatrical dining on a trip to London in 2013. This sparked the idea of recreating a similar experience in Singapore—and Andsoforth was born a year later to “make Singapore fun again for adults”.
Its latest and longest running show is Around the World in 80 Days, inspired by the eponymous classic novel by Jules Verne, where the eccentric Phileas Fogg attempts to travel around the world in 80 days to win a bet. Diners “travel” across various countries—staged in five rooms—and partake in activities such as food and drinks appreciation. They will also meet and interact with various characters from the book while digging into mouth-watering fare such as French seafood stew (aboard a ship) and a softshell crab donburi (in a Japanese mine).
3. Nox
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Nox—Dine in the Dark may have a new two-storey home on Club Street, but founder Jesper Gustafsson says its concept remains the same; the restaurant continues to offer food lovers an experiential dining experience that makes use of the other four senses: touch, hearing, smell and taste. Diners will be welcomed at the lounge with an amuse-bouche and a cocktail crafted by online cocktail bar Ah Sam Cold Drink Stall's owner-bartender Sam Wong, before their visually impaired host leads them into the pitch-black dining room for the meal proper.
Without their sight, diners will savour a three-course modern European menu crafted by head chef Mohammad Shahrom. While Gustafsson prefers to keep the food menu a secret, the reveals that the dishes change seasonally, and have bold textures and flavours. After the meal, guests will be led back to the lounger for a post-dinner drink and given the full menu with descriptions of the dishes.
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4. Restaurant Absurdities
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“Absurd times call for an absurd restaurant,” quips Stuart Wee, the co‐founder of Restaurant Absurdities. The tight Covid‐19 social curbs, including dine‐in restrictions, inspired the founding of the anti‐fine dining, fun‐dining restaurant last year. Diners are in for a wacky adventure, which starts from the moment the restaurant’s secret location is revealed to them 24 hours before their dining session.
Upon arrival at the restaurant, which is designed like a movie set, they will go on a literal gastronomic journey that involves walking, climbing and crawling their way through six differently themed rooms. Once through the infinity mirror tunnel, they will be transported to places such as a mystical jungle, a Moroccan tent in the middle of a desert and even a cabin on a luxurious jet. At each stop, they will savour a dish from head chef Jason Ang's six-course omakase menu, with the option to pair with alcoholic or non-alcoholic drinks. Wee says: "The menu is omakase, which means we can leave it up to the chef to decide what diners eat... [the dishes] are meant to shock, surprise and invoke a sense of amusement, all while being savoury and delicious."
5. Sushi Airways
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While we wait for Japan to fully open up, why not head to Sushi Airways and reimagine ourselves travelling there? Inspired by an 80-year-old aircraft, this airplane-themed restaurant marries in-flight ambience with skilfully prepared Japanese fare. Step into the restaurant and get transported into an aircraft—the restaurant is complete with a boarding staircase, aircraft galley meal carts and a retro chrome-plated interior. Get to indulge in a range of hearty Japanese fare, including the negitoro hand roll and shake mentai kabayaki. The latter is a crowd favourite comprising flakey salmon gorgeously grilled with a umami-filled mentai sauce.
Amanda Goh was the former senior writer for Tatler Singapore.
