TAKING ROOT

Award-winning local chef Nicolas Tam, alumnus of Singapore’s most esteemed fine-dining restaurants including Esora, Robuchon and Zen, has taken the helm of new establishment Willow, located at 39 Hong Kong Street. Contemporary pan-asian flavours are the name of the game here, coaxed out using simple, gentle cooking methods to preserve the properties of the ingredients. Open for lunch and dinner, Willow offers prix fixe menus that commence with a few snacks, including caviar on a crispy nest. The seafood courses that follow include a five-day aged Shima Aji fillet dressed with aged soy, preserved Japanese peel vinaigrette and a micro cress salad. A highlight of the menu is the A4 Japanese Wagyu Zabuton, served with mushrooms and a dab of black vinegar. Rounding off the meal are tropical desserts by pastry chef Soh Hui Shan, formerly of Restaurant André and Restaurant Zen.