Celebrating local produce

LeVeL33, MBFC Tower 1

What’s in a name? By christening a seafood dish after the fish farm where ingredients are sourced, LeVel33 hopes the colloquial title will highlight the profile of one kelong (a fish farm out at sea that is built on wooden stilts) in Singapore. The Ah Hua Kelong Seafood Bouillabaisse ($28) features local mussels, prawns, clams and fish delivered fresh every single day from its namesake fisheries in Pasir Ris and Sembawang.

Post-circuit breaker, a new menu at LeVel33 replaces the former offerings in favour of a focus on health and sustainability. Besides popular favourites like the Wagyu Tri-tip steak ($48, 250g), dishes such as the Mushroom Risotto ($28) and Corn-Fed AnXin Chicken ($32) carry clear symbols, marking them as suitable for vegetarian or gluten-free diets. Diners can also opt for plant-based or glutenfree versions of some dishes.

Since opening in 2010, all of LeVeL33’s beer remains brewed in small batches with modern equipment, giving rise to LeVel33’s “contembrewery” name. For $78, keep your mini fridge stocked with LeVel33’s 12-pack beer subscription. Choose your favourite brews and have them delivered to your door every month — sign up for a six-month subscription and enjoy a special price of $70 per 12-pack. Making up for lost time from the “circuit breaker” doesn’t get easier than this.

What does intimacy mean in a time of quarantine and safe distancing? Presented in a digital format for the first time, the 23rd edition of the Singapore Writers Festival (SWF) returns with a line-up of programmes inspired by the theme of “Intimacy”.

Organised by the National Arts Council (NAC), this year’s festival invites authors and audiences to discuss and reflect on the impact of the pandemic, and how people are able to engage digitally and connect with one another despite being apart.

This year’s international headliners include Pulitzer Prize-winners — comic artist Art Spiegelman ( Maus), poets Sharon Olds ( Stag’s Leap) and Tracy K Smith ( Life on Mars). Also featured are fantasy fiction writer Cassandra Clare ( City of Bones), Chinese science fiction writer Liu Cixin ( ThreeBody Problem /“”) and English author Zadie Smith ( White Teeth).

The digital direction marks a turning point for the festival, says returning festival director Pooja Nansi. This is the local