Carry on screaming | Universal Studios Singapore
Everyone’s favourite spookfest is back for its 11th season. From Sept 29 to Nov 4, Universal Studios Singapore’s Halloween Horror Nights will have five terrifying haunted houses, three sinister scare zones, two live shows and a multi-sensory dining experience. That also includes a special haunted house dedicated to pop star The Weeknd, following the successful run of The Weeknd: After Hours Nightmare haunted house at Universal Orlando Resort in the US.
Over 18 event nights, fans can prepare to scream as the year’s most anticipated Halloween event in the region takes them to a new level of fear. Guests can enjoy the theme park’s thrilling rides and attractions during event nights.
See also: The story of America: Award-winning Broadway musical Hamilton comes to town
We also recommend booking a table at King Yama’s Feast in Die-ning in Hell at $148 per person. Experience three gruesome themes (fire, blade and blood) during a lavish three-course meal while entertained by eerie performances from King Yama’s dreadful demons. If you book the Halloween Horror Nights R.I.P. Tour, you can skip the queues at the haunted houses and rides and enjoy this exclusive dining experience.
Tickets are available at $89 for peak nights and $79 for non-peak nights. For more information about the tickets and add-on experiences, visit www.rwsentosa.com/hhn.
See also: Weekout (Dec 11): Janice Wong, Butcher’s Block, Cat Bite Club, 39+ Art Space
EAT | Affordable omakase | Ganko Sushi
If you are ever in the Dhoby Ghaut area and craving some quality sushi, head to the UBS Building on Penang Road, where you will find Ganko Sushi, a famed Japanese sushi chain with 101 outlets across Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore. It began as a small 15 sq m shop in Juso, Osaka in 1963, offering a complete menu of fresh sashimi, handcrafted sushi, rice bowls and innovative handrolls.
Ganko Singapore has expanded beyond its family-style restaurant roots in Japan, offering a diverse robatayaki menu and a 15-course sushi omakase experience for just $130.
The sushi omakase experience begins with a cold sesame pudding topped with sweet uni, followed by a soothing teapot soup featuring matsutake mushroom and seabream flavours. This sets the stage for the main event: 12 nigiri sushis and hand rolls, including skipjack, amaebi, otoro, and unique catches like grunt fish, black throat fish, gnome fish, sea eel, and pen shell. Each piece is delicately brushed with Marunaka Shoyu, crafted by one of Japan’s few remaining traditional breweries.
Aside from the fresh seafood flown in thrice weekly, what stood out for me was the warm shari. It has the perfect al dente bite with a flavour that lingers in the mouth thanks to the premium Chidori Vinegar folded into Niigata rice. This mellow and mild vinegar cuts out the sourness of ordinary white vinegar thanks to a two-hundred-year-old brewing recipe. Don’t be afraid to ask the chef for more (or less) rice in your nigiri sushi.
The omakase ends with a traditional prawn cake made with Japanese eggs, yam, scallops and prawns, followed by succulent musk melon and grapes. For a chain restaurant, the service here is quite stellar. Although a locally-trained sushi chef serves me, I still feel the same omotenashi hospitality I get from fine dining establishments. To book a table, call 8828 2280.
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Boozy ice-cream | High Bar Society
We did not think it was possible to freeze alcohol and blend it into ice cream, but chef Sharon Tay of Momolato fame managed it through multiple rounds of R&D spanning a year.
And with that, she unveiled High Bar Society, Singapore’s first alcoholic gelato café and bar.
The “High Bar” moniker isn’t just symbolic: It sets an exceptional standard for alcoholic gelato. Unlike the prevalent industry norm of 1% to 3% alcohol by volume content, Tay’s well-blended creations boast 6% alcohol by volume gelato. She incorporates premium spirits like The Macallan, Glenmorangie, Tanqueray, Bombay Sapphire, Jiang Xiao Bai, Patron, Veuve Clicquot and many more exquisite spirits into her artisanal ice cream creations.
A diverse assortment of over 20 flavours has been meticulously crafted, priced between $13 and $19. Among the stand out are the chocolate gelatos infused with whisky or bourbon like the Highlander Fling, Misty Scotsman, and That Shady Nutjob. I also found myself loving Ommm (an addictive white gelato infused with baijiu) and Grey Goose (a blend of Mao Shan Wang durian and Grey Goose). If you are adventurous, we dare you to try AA Campaign, an absinthe gelato!
If you are not keen on ice cream, there are numerous sorbets, a menu of sassy-sounding cocktails and healthy bar eats like pickled mushrooms, fresh figs on cheese, and homemade tofu.
High Bar Society is at 52 Tanjong Pagar Road. Operating hours are set from 5pm to midnight on weekdays and 5pm to 2am on weekends. For reservations and enquiries, email hello@highbarsg.com
