Cover The transformation is clear as Zén reopens its doors, debuting an exclusive 16-seat chef’s counter on the first floor (Photo: Zén)
The transformation is clear as Zén reopens its doors, debuting an exclusive 16-seat chef’s counter on the first floor (Photo: Zén)
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After a three-month refurbishment, Zén returns with a warmer, more intimate setting while retaining its signature three-act dining experience, polished service and meticulous Nordic-inspired cuisine
It has been a few years since we last dined at Zén, and after returning to the Nordic restaurant following a three-month makeover, the ritual is just as familiar: ring the doorbell on Bukit Pasoh, wait for it to swing open onto the 1920s shophouse and let the team take it from there.
The evening is split into three acts: welcome champagne and snacks on the first floor, main courses upstairs and dessert in the attic lounge. After a three-month refurbishment, there might be an expectation that the rhythm has changed. It hasn’t. The most noticeable change is downstairs, where the former tables have made way for an expanded 16-seat chef’s counter, now set lower to bring diners closer to the action. The result feels more intimate and informal, offering a direct view into the kitchen while retaining the sense of occasion that defines Zén.
Stepping into the shophouse in Chinatown, the care that goes into the smallest details is immediately apparent. Even before the door opens, there is the gentle trickle of water at the entrance; a gentle nod to feng shui, where flowing water is said to draw good fortune. Inside, the soundtrack catches diners off guard in a good way, drifting between classic rock, hip-hop and contemporary artists.
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Above Zén’s 16-counter table on the first floor, where the dining experience begins
Above The dining experience at Zén continues in the main dining room
Zén’s 16-counter table on the first floor, where the dining experience begins
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The new counter table changes the dynamic of the first act. Seated closer to the kitchen, diners can watch the team at work as the opening bites arrive, making for an unpretentious start to an otherwise highly choreographed experience. “We wanted the experience to align with our sister restaurants in Dubai and Sweden,” general manager Rachel Ezekiel says.
Alongside Singaporean head chef Kelvin Ng and beverage director Warren Estrop, Ezekiel leads a team delivering the polished three-star hospitality for which Zén is known, building on the Gin Mare Art of Hospitality Award it received at Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants in 2023.
Seven snacks follow, from the råraka, an elevated riff on the classic Swedish potato dish, to Zén’s signature French toast, a fixture since 2008 that never seems to get old. Fried sourdough, cheese custard and a generous shower of black truffle make it a dish diners could happily eat as a course in itself.
Above Marron, vin jaune, Frantzén selection caviar, walnut & brown butter
Marron, vin jaune, Frantzén selection caviar, walnut & brown butter
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Upstairs they go, as diners here always have. Before sitting down, the team walks them through the day’s raw ingredients; it’s a nice touch that offers a sense of what is to come before it lands on the table. The room itself has undergone a more noticeable transformation: the white tablecloths are gone, replaced by bare tables lit by candlelight, while rich timber tones and deeper browns make the space feel warmer than before.
The meal proper opens with a crisp crudo of shima-aji, artichoke, barigoule and nasturtium, as good to look at as it is to eat. Bright, pleasantly acerbic and exactly the kind of first bite that wakes up the palate. Fresh marron follows with vin jaune, caviar, brown butter and walnut, its richness offset by a satisfying crunch.
Then comes scallop, draped in miso sabayon, chicken dashi, roasted garlic and matsutake. Ng’s cooking feels more restrained this time, particularly with the acidity and a little heavy-handed, though there is no mistaking the Frantzén lineage running through it.
Above Zén head chef Kelvin Ng
Above Zén beverage director Warren Estrop
Zén head chef Kelvin Ng
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Estrop takes care of what is in the glasses, mixing wines with non-alcoholic ferments he has clearly spent months perfecting. A Mandarin orange expression with sumac and ginger delivers a welcome lift, while an Envy apple brewed with dried mango and kokuto black sugar goes in the opposite direction with a deeper, rounder and more contemplative profile.
The evening ends, as always, in the attic lounge, which remains the favourite part of the experience. Crisp waffles arrive with ice cream and mikan honey, followed by seasonal fruit and petit fours, encouraging diners to take their time over the final act.
Zén has been one of Singapore’s leading fine-dining addresses since it opened in 2018, and nothing about this refurbishment changes why. The food remains meticulous, the service just as warm and the journey through the shophouse as considered as ever. The lowered chef’s counter is the most meaningful change, bringing diners closer to the kitchen and giving the opening act a more intimate, convivial energy.
Credits
Images: Zén
Dudi Aureus is the senior dining and travel editor at Tatler Singapore, covering the city’s most exciting restaurants, global travel trends, and the personalities shaping the culinary and lifestyle scenes. She also serves as co-jury chair for the Tatler Best awards in Singapore, celebrating the very best in hospitality. When she’s off duty, she can often be found at a favourite hole-in-the-wall Thai spot, savouring a perfectly balanced pad thai.
