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Akashi
Sandwiched midway between the basement and the footpath, Akashi's blonde wood and purple suede interior sets the scene for elegant Japanese dining. Firm sushi, crunchy tempura, sticky teriyaki - reliably delicious.
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Andhra Curry
This no-frills, no-ceremony restaurant specialises in fiery recipes from the South Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Attentive staff dish up Hyderabadi biryani (traditionally cooked in a dough-sealed pot), a very hot dry mutton curry and large vegetarian thalis. Packed on Sundays.
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Baccarat
There are so many windows enveloping this fish-bowl restaurant it's had to erect bamboo screens to provide some intimacy. Tall-hatted chefs waltz around the central kitchen, keeping the buffet overflowing.
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Banana Leaf Apolo
A popular stop on the tourist trail, but the uncompromisingly fiery food here has legions of fans both local and foreign, though the service can be poor. Offers wide range of Indian food, all served up on banana leaves, but most famous for its blistering fish-head curry, which will have you pouring with sweat and wondering why you ever thought such a dish would be disgusting.
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Bon Gout
This eccentric place (not to be misread as 'Bong Out') is weird enough to be straight out of Tokyo. It's a second-hand bookshop/CD store/restaurant hybrid full of students and literati, reading, laughing and slurping ramen soups, Japanese curries and Tiger beer (sometimes all at once).
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Chatterbox
The aesthetic is uncompromisingly 'hotel lobby', but Chatterbox's chicken rice is legendary. Boiled chicken is plunged into ice then served cold with warm broth, fragrant rice, rich soy, chilli and freshly ground ginger.
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Coriander Leaf
An exercise in fusing the tiny morsels and artistic sauce (or should we say jus?) dribbles of nouvelle cuisine with traditional Asian flavours. Largely, it works, though the menu can be a little disorientating (hmm...Scottish salmon, miso cod or Thai barramundi?). Also runs highly regarded cooking courses.
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Din Tai Fung
Taiwanese restaurant acknowledged even by hype-resistant luminaries such as Anthony Bourdain as producing the best dumplings on Earth (though some insist that only applies to the Taiwanese original). The signature dumplings ( xiao long bao ) are nevertheless sublime, the beef noodle soup rich and hearty, and the shrimp-pork wanton soup delectable. Be prepared to queue, especially at weekends, but the wait is worth it. A must.
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Five Star Hainanese Chicken Rice & Porridge
'You want chicken rice?' is the stock greeting here. Say 'Yes, indeed I do!'. Two minutes later you'll be tucking into fast food that's actually worth waiting for. The mee goreng (fried noodles) is a steal at around S$4 .
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Ganges
The Ganges' cool granite floors and calm sensibilities are a departure from the grimy streets downstairs. Once you've chilled-out, flow like a river towards the burgeoning buffet and load-up your plate.
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Gayatri
Another popular restaurant specialising in fish-head curry and other South Indian specialties, but its relative lack of fame has ensured the service here is friendly and swift - far, far better than its Banana Leaf Apolo rival. Its fish-head curry is on par with the Banana Leaf and there are far fewer tourists.
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Gorkha Grill
Recommended by readers, this affordable, all-comers curry house serves up a peak of the Himalayas in Chinatown. Try the Kashmiri chicken curry, or the jheenge papita (prawns marinated in wine and mountain herbs, served in a papaya boat).
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Grand Shanghai
The concept here - deco Chicago-meets-Shanghai surrounds and traditional dishes with contemporary zing - is a winner. The minced chicken stuffed pastry pockets are awesome. Jazz lilts from the stage nightly.
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Halia
With a location like this, nestled among the ginger plants in the Botanic Gardens, who needs good food? Fortunately, Halia provides that as well. Book a table on the veranda for a perfect romantic dinner, or come for their English tea and cakes ( to , Mondau to Saturday).
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Holland Village Market & Food Centre
Despite the signboard outside telling foreigners how to navigate hawker centres and describing the different dishes, very few seem to venture from the pricier restaurants across the road. All the classics are here, from BBQ seafood to Katong laksa to fried kway teow.
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Jiang-Nan Chun
Discreet Jiang-Nan Chun is the place to bring someone you want to impress. The diverse menu is bolstered by a fabulous wine list and impeccable service. The marinated crab claws are show-stoppers.
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Joo Chiat Place Fried Kway Teow
Home of renowned fried kway teow (flat rice noodles), the recipe for which dates back to the prewar era. The sibling owners have undergone a few location shifts, but this seems to be a permanent home. Closed on alternate Tuesdays.
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Kinara
Take a riverside table or eat inside the renovated shophouse, decked-out like a haveli (ornately decorated Indian residence) with copper, iron, teak and sandstone. Try the tandoori hari machli aftab (boneless fish tikka marinated and cooked in the oven).
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Korean Hot Stone BBQ
An alternative to the area's ubiquitous Middle Eastern fare, this is always packed with Singaporean diners at night, feasting on kim chi (pickled cabbage), hotpot and other Korean classics.
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Lau Pa Sat Festival Market
Vying for the title of Most Famous Hawker Centre, this circular iron structure dating back to 1894 even receives tour parties, who clamber from coaches and stand around looking uncomfortable. Singapore's 'upgrading' mania has bled some of the atmosphere from this venerable institution, but wandering its aisles and picking out your dinner is still a pleasure.
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Lei Garden
Firm favourite for fancy Chinese dinners, the seafood at Lei is particularly well done (try the cod), but the roast pork also attracts a loyal following. Service can be patchy, so avoid when extremely crowded.
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Madras New Woodlands
This enduring family favourite is nothing flash to look at, but sometimes you need a break from all that Bolly schmaltz. The banana-leaf thalis are more than generous; the service is gracious and unintrusive.
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Mango Tree
Tiny, elegant, cosy beachfront restaurant specialising in food from Kerala and Goa. The best spot is outside on the small deck, where you can catch the breeze, though the atmosphere is mildly spoiled by the bars sandwiching it either side.
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Maxwell Road Food Centre
Generally esteemed as one of Singapore's best hawker centres, this is in an open-sided food barn. Don't miss the ham chin pang (long pieces of deep-fried dough) and the chicken rice from Tian Tian (stall 10).
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Ocean Curry Fish Head
Specialising in a Chinese version of the infamous South Indian dish, this street-corner eatery spills out onto the pavement at lunchtimes, when the plastic tables are full of office workers crowding around claypots and mopping their foreheads. If the fish head doesn't appeal, try the prawn-paste chicken, fried squid or chilli kang kong (water spinach).
