Singapore may not enjoy the cool weather and the scenery of leaves turning amber during the autumn season now, but the seasonal flavours have here and these restaurants are embracing the richness of this season’s harvest in their latest menu.
Iru Den
27 Scotts Road, Singapore 228222
After a couple trips to Taiwan, chef Javier Low discovered the beauty of Taiwanese food ingredients – from seafood to spices and pickled vegetables – making him shift his focus from serving only premium Japanese ingredients in Iru Den to now Taiwanese sourced ones.
With his new Taiwanese suppliers, chef Low began to explore new culinary directions. Convinced of the potential of Taiwanese produce, he revamped his menu, incorporating more Taiwanese ingredients without any compromise to standards. He celebrated Taiwanese flavour; inspired by Taiwanese classics brought to life with Japanese and European approaches. That defines the Iru Den of today.
Before getting into the food, the interior at Iru Den evokes a sensitivity to nature, as I walked through an outdoor stone pathway with greenery on each side to reach the restaurant’s entrance. Inside, a contemporary aesthetic of unencumbered lines and geometric forms is made intimate by the expansive use of wood and stone as principal materials. Personal touches from chef Low can and his wife can also be seen throughout with their large collection of fortune cats and earthen ware decorating the restaurant.
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The eight-course Chef’s Experience Menu ($258++) starts off with the Trio Snacks, a trio of starters featuring a prawn toast inspired by Taiwanese Moonlight cakes, a snow crab cake and a five-spice duck croquette with bold flavours reminiscing of Taiwanese street food.
Cai pu brown butter
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A fluffy ciabatta is served next along with a unique Cai Pu Brown Butter, which essentially is browned butter with preserved radish. This slightly tangy and strongly umami butter was one of the highlights of the night. In this butter, chef Low uses mother-in-law’s Taiwanese Cai Pu.
Next up was the Plum dish. Here, Kampachi or Great Amberjack sourced from Taiwan is charred and served with marinated Taiwanese plums. The Carabineros dish that came after gives spotlight to Spanish Red Shrimps sourced from Taiwan. It is beautifully cooked in a prawn XO and a provence sauce made from a stock of prawn trimmings, tomatoes, carrots, onions and celery.
Plum
An Amadai (Tilefish) graces the table, accompanied by a rich Katsuo dashi stock made from fish bones and generous amounts of butter, with pickled Taiwanese green chillies served on the side. A dish that is inspired bu the popular suan cai yu or fish with pickled mustard greens.
Not to be missed is the seasonal Donabe (main image). For the autumn menu, it is served with Pacific saury fish and a base of Yumepirika rice from Hokkaido. This sizzling, smoky and hearty dish was just the thing end the savoury course. And if you’re too full, chef Low can turn the leftovers into an onigiri or rice ball for you to take home.
And finally, the dessert celebrates a timeless Taiwanese sweet snack – Muah Chee. The soft and sticky mochi is served with a black sesame ice cream and topped with caramalised cashew nuts.
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With both chef Low and his wife sharing a passion for wine, Iru Den offers beverage pairings with their courses, starting from three glasses at $60. The selection includes classic Old World wines, bottles from emerging wine regions, experimental low-intervention sake, and even vintage wines dating back to the 1980s.
Peach Blossoms
PARKROYAL COLLECTION Marina Bay, Singapore (Level 5)
Peach Blossoms’ executive chef Edward Chong is no stranger to the local culinary scene. The Malaysian chef is famed for his creative and modern take on Chinese cuisine. And this autumn, he is unveiling a new menu ‘Same Story, New Journey’ that breathes new life into the restaurant
The eight
The experience starts off with Bloom, an amuse bouche dish meticulously crafted from
Forbidden
Making a strong entrance is Forbidden. Get your cameras ready for this dramatic dish that comes served in a book, where the top page is burned to reveal the dish plated to seem like a scroll. Echoing a
The Memory dish was a favourite of mine, where Hydrangea Coral Trout is served with Sakura Ebi and a tangy, spicy pineapple sauce. As its namesake, chef Chong is evoking a nostalgic memory from his time
Memory
Another star in the menu was the Bao. It may sound unassuming, but this is easily one of the most indulgent dishes in the menu. Here, chef Chong has reimagined the common Char Siew Bao by featuring his signature caramelised smoked Jamón ibérico pork belly, which has been tenderised and marinated overnight, then slow-roasted over binchotan charcoal. This is then put into a soft, pillowy bun and accompanied by a piece of crispy Peking duck skin to offer an oily crispy texture.
The Trio ends the savoury portion of the menu, where crab is served three ways – crab meat stuffed in a crispy pork lard case, s
Trio
Two desserts are served to end the experience. The first dessert, Harmony, celebrates traditional and modern flavours where a traditional luo han guo rock jelly is served with a scoop of modern melon ice cream. And the last dish in the menu, Origin, brings diners back to where it all started – a simple and decadent treat of fried mochi, peanuts and toasted sesame.
Na Oh
Level 3, 2 Bulim Avenue, HMGICS,
649674 Singapore
While there is no autumn in Singapore, I had the pleasure of tasting some of the best flavours a Korean autumn has to offer in Na Oh’s new seasonal menu. Na Oh is a culinary gem nestled within the Hyundai Motor Group Innovation Centre Singapore (HMGICS) and has recently introduced its autumn menu.
The restaurant, a collaboration between the acclaimed three-Michelin-star chef Corey Lee and Hyundai, resonates with a philosophy of sustainability and freshness, leveraging Smart Farm technology to bring the freshest ingredients to the table.
This is my second experience in Na Oh and I was excited, knowing that my previous experience was a great one.
The autumn menu is a thoughtfully curated four-course prix fixe, priced at $78 per person. It's designed to offer a taste of Korea's rich autumn harvest through a variety of dishes that reflect both the tradition and innovation of Korean cuisine. For starters, the menu featured dishes like Homemade Tofu with Aged Soy Sauce and Buckwheat and Mugunji Jeon, each serving as a prelude to the richness and complexity of flavours that were to follow.
Charcoal Grilled Pork Bulgogi
The main course offered a choice between Hwe-dupbap (assorted raw seafood and vegetables over rice), Seolleongtang (long-simmered beef soup with fresh noodles), and the highly recommended Charcoal Grilled Pork Bulgogi. Opting for the latter, I was eager to see if it lived up to the hype — and it certainly did. The dish was a beautifully composed plate featuring two distinct cuts of pork — belly and cheek. The meat was impeccably grilled over charcoal, which imparted a smoky richness that perfectly complemented the sweetness of the bulgogi marinade.
The pork was accompanied by a side of Golden Queen’s Rice and a traditional Gangdoenjang (fermented soybean and tofu stew). The stew was hearty and flavourful, a perfect match for the tender, juicy pork. The addition of a clam soup with spicy garlic scapes added another layer of depth to the meal.
But Na Oh’s menu isn’t just about the food; it’s about the story each dish tells. The Charcoal Grilled Pork Bulgogi, for instance, isn't just a dish; it's an experience. The pork, sourced from local farms, speaks to Na Oh's commitment to quality and sustainability, while the cooking method reflects the traditional Korean technique of grilling, bringing out the meat's natural flavours.
Gotgam and Walnut Tartlet with Goguma Sikhye
Dessert was another highlight of the meal. The Gotgam and Walnut Tartlet with Goguma Sikhye concluded the meal on a sweet note, featuring ingredients that symbolise autumn in Korea. The tartlet, filled with walnuts and preserved persimmon, paired wonderfully with the malted rice punch infused with roasted sweet potatoes.
I’m no stranger to Korean food but somehow, I experience something totally new every time I step into Na Oh. The autumn menu, with its emphasis on seasonal ingredients and traditional flavours, offers a unique opportunity to experience the richness of Korean cuisine in a modern setting.
This menu is available until mid-December. Na Oh operates from Wednesday to Sunday for lunch and dinner. Guests are encouraged to make reservations early to secure a spot for this unique dining experience.
