Singapore Off The Menu

Skip the movies and wine bar. Here are some unexpected craft workshops and a hidden dining indulgence to get you spirited away for an hour or more.

- Words: Weixian Low

Indulge in a seven-course Mediterranean private dining experience in a Joo Chiat shophouse

Tucked inside a restored Peranakan shophouse, this seven-course Mediterranean experience by Med@59JCT serves sunshine on platters—Moroccan, Turkish, Spanish, and Levantine flavours passed family-style so you can taste widely and linger longer.

Chef-host Alban Salord cooks with the warmth of a home kitchen and the precision of a professional, weaving in stories of heritage, neighbourhood lore and recipes handed down the line. Between courses, co-host Natalie, who is Salord's wife, leads a mini tour of the house's art and architectural quirks; if the weather plays nice, take sunset drinks on the Moroccan-themed rooftop before dessert. Vegetarian menus are happily accommodated and there's an optional wine pairing that tracks the menu's arc with aplomb. Cosy, characterful and gloriously convivial; like dining with old friends who just happen to cook brilliantly.

For reservations, visit www.59jct.com

Craft your own moss jukebox