RAISING THE STEAKS

Singapore is having a sizzling steakhouse boom, and these are the three newest arrivals.

- WORDS JULIA SAM

There is nothing quite like a massive slab of beef that has been dry-aged and cooked perfectly medium rare — complete with all the trimmings, from hearty potatoes to creamed vegetables. In Singapore, three new steakhouses are making a case for a more expansive approach. From outposts of international favourites to new concepts by familiar faces, these spots are taking the classic steakhouse format and giving it a fresh spin. Gone are the days of dark wood, heavy drapes, and overstuffed menus — in their place is a new breed of dining rooms where craftsmanship, quality, and personality take centre stage.

PRECISION AND PEDIGREE

Nikuya Tanaka (1 Teck Lim Road) hardly needs an introduction. Its flagship in Ginza, Tokyo is ranked No. 27 on the World’s 101 Best Steak Restaurants list and No. 1 in Japan. The restaurant's claim to fame is its use of Kobe beef — meltingly tender, decadent, and hard to come by even in Japan. Only a few thousand cows are certified as Kobe beef each year, and at Nikuya Tanaka it is all that fills the countertop. The restaurant uses only handpicked female cattle, prized for their higher marbling score and deeper flavour profile.