The results of the Singapore Michelin stars are in… but are they what you expected? We give our two cents, and propose which top local restaurants deserve the starry-eyed accolade
After much fanfare and pomp and (trust us) the world’s most vanilla awards night, the Michelin Guide arrived in Singapore with this groundbreaking news: that the only place you absolutely must eat at (if you’re ready to burn up a hefty chunk of your paycheck) in Singapore, is owned by a chef who doesn’t live here – who has loads of stars at other places anyway.
Also making news: if you can’t afford the three-star joint, the next best place is said chef’s slightly less fancy – read cheaper, and barstools – “Atelier”.
Way to phone it in, Michelin.
Wait – corrigendum: There are two hawker stalls among the one-star gratefuls. That’s modernity for you.
But seriously, is Robuchon’s petit four chariot really what it takes to get three stars?
Meanwhile, where are the establishments that showcase true Singapore gastronomy? Violet Oon is a national treasure, and neither of her Peranakan restaurants is on the list. And what about other trend-plugging ambassadors of the mod-Sin movement? Nope… no signs of Willin Low’s Wild Rocket or LG Han’s Restaurant Labyrinth either.
While Jason Tan and Sam Leong did the red dot proud with Corner House and Forest respectively, we were kinda hoping to see more local chefs have a piece of the pie. Bjorn Shen’s Artichoke should’ve snagged a spot, and also Nixon Low who now heads Portico’s homely outpost along Alexandra Road. Not to mention our shock when Sky On 57’s Justin Quek was nowhere to be seen. Blasphemy!
We personally would’ve loved to see more regional-cuisine restos; Singapore is the melting pot of Asian cultures after all. Indochine has yet to disappoint us with its Cambodian-Laotian flair, and if we were to pick a sushi specialist, Hashida Sushi would’ve been there in a heartbeat. David Thompson’s Thai crown jewel, Long Chim, is missing too, which is surprising considering he was the recipient of The Diners Club Lifetime Achievement Award Asia this year.
And speaking of such exalted achievements, we were expecting Burnt Ends to bag a star or two, especially since it’s one of the two restaurants (aside from Restaurant André) that made the World’s 100 Best Restaurants list. Sure, argue away that it’s a different award; different set of high-brow expectations. But we’ll vouch for its quality any day.
What are your thoughts? Do you feel miffed that neither Tippling Club nor Iggy’s was given a nod? And surely, most would agree that if Odette can score in its nascent stages, Whitegrass can too?
But as of now, with a handful of usual suspects enjoying their moment of fame, this year’s round-up is a Google list at best (with a couple of Google ads).
At its worst, it implies that with some ostrich-skin tabletops, a sous-vide molecular foraged aesthetic, 30 different types of putrescent cheese and a price tag as eye-watering as the ammonia, you might just climb into the starry echelons… But should that always be the case?
Let’s hope not.