Places to Dine near Downtown (2022 Edition)

Downtown may seems to be an area filled with office buildings, but it is also a discovery place for food. I always found new places to dine whenever I visit the area, I can never finish trying everything. 

I have came up with a second compilation for places to dine near Downtown (2022 edition). The last sharing was a combination of places to dine in Places to Dine near Raffles Place and Downtown, so this time round, I focus on more food areas near Downtown. 

1. Starbucks

Starbucks is a Seattle-based coffeehouse chain known for its signature roasts and light bites. I stopped by Starbucks for a cup frappuccino after finish serving HRN, my last visit to Starbucks was during pre-covid time.

I had Chocolate Chip Crème Frappuccino, consisting of a creamy blend of rich mocha-flavored sauce, chocolate chips, milk and ice. The chocolate chips added a choco fragrance to the mocha. A refreshing drink to cool myself down from the hot weather.

8A Marina Boulevard #B2-38-36, Marina Bay Link Mall, Singapore 018984

Operating hours: 7am to 8pm daily

2. Peace Japanese Cuisine

Just 5 mins from Downtown MRT Station is Peace Japanese Cuisine, serving delicious Japanese meal.

I like the relaxed atmosphere of the restaurant and the distance between the tables were spaced out. Being secluded at a corner in level 3, it wasn't too crowded on the day I went, a quiet environment from the other busy restaurants.

I had Aburi Salmon Mentai Don which the Flame Seared Salmon are torched to a medium rare perfection topped with Cod Fish Roe on Hokkaido Sushi Rice. It was accompanied with a bowl of miso soup. 

We also had Green Tea, a plate of deep fried Tori Karaage and ended off with Sea Salt Vanilla Ice Cream. The saltiness from sea salt was not overpowering and contrasted well with the sweet vanilla flavour.

6A Shenton Way, #03-20 OUE Downtown Gallery, Singapore 068815

Operating hours: 11.30am to 3pm and 5.30pm to 9pm from Mon to Sat

3. PAUL

PAUL is known for being artisanal French bakers, they offer a balanced wellness menu that’s brimming with fresh fruits, quinoa, vegetables and whole grains, so you can keep things nicely balanced.

Satisfied my cravings for all day breakfast with Breakfast Waffle which consists of waffle, scrambled egg, fried chicken, bacon, cherry tomato and salad. I like how they use waffle instead of bread which gave a light crunch while maintaining the fluffiness of the waffle. The fried chicken was coated with batter and drizzled with cheese sauce to bring out the richness taste. I appreciate the salad that helped to balance out the greasiness.

Not much choices for dessert available, so we picked Rhubarb Tart but it wasn't to my liking.

8A Marina Boulevard B2-07 Marina Bay Link Mall, 018984

Operating hours: 7.30am to 8pm from Mon to Fri, 8am to 3pm on Sat

4. Chen's Mapo Tofu

Chen’s Mapo Tofu is a fast-casual restaurant serving classic Szechwan favourites. The restaurant can be easily spotted from far with their bright red wallpaper. Order your food from the counter before entering the restaurant.

I had Mapo Don and topped up $5 for set meal which includes a drink of drink and side dish. 

For side dish, I opt for Szechwan Popcorn Chicken which is the number one side in Chen's Mapo.The popcorn chicken was marinated with mild spice seasonings and created a flavourful taste that made the chicken very juicy, crispy and addictive. It also added texture to contrast with the soft tofu.

The Mapo Don consists of Chen's signature mapo tofu and savoury minced meat over the rice. The rice was coated with the spicy sauce from the mapo tofu, it immediately ignite my senses with the heat. It was delightful and after finishing one third of the portion, I started feeling the burning sensation in my mouth. 

Thankfully I had the home-made Calamansi Juice for a refreshing sip, the sourness of the calamansi  helped to ease the fire from the mapo don, providing a nice balance of taste. An ideal drink to go with the meal.

The Mala Fried Gyoza was filled with chives and minced meat, the crispy exterior provided a crunchy bite. The mala sauce was then sprinkled on top of the gyoza.

6A Shenton Way, #02-29 Downtown Gallery, Singapore 068815

Operating hours: 11am to 8pm daily

5. Ichiban Boshi

Ichiban Boshi is an unique Japanese restaurant as no two Ichiban Boshi restaurants are the same, each offering their specialty menus. 

Ichiban Boshi has a soft seating and wide table, creating a cozy and relaxing ambience for a meal. They also have counter seat if you want to watch the chef prepare the food up close.

I had Genmaicha Latte ($5.90++) which has a aromatic flavour of green tea and brown rice, the amount of milk added was adequate to add some sweetness without overpowering the aroma of the tea.

I had Curry Chicken with Cheese and Tempura set ($22.90++) which came with rice, miso soup, chawanmushi and watermelon. The different variety of food made this a delightful lunch. The tempura was a classic with the crispy batter and soft interior, dipped it with the soy sauce for more robust flavour. The spicy level of the curry was moderate with the addition of cheese, the chicken slices soaked in the pot of hot curry was succulent. The watermelon helped to ease the greasiness from the meal.

I tried the seasonal dessert from Okinawa special, Sweet Potato Ice Cream ($5.50++). The distinctive taste of sweet potato was brought out well. I needed the sweetness to balance the spicy aftertaste from the main course.

8A Marina Blvd, Marina Bay Link Mall, #B2 - 14, Singapore 018984

Operating hours: 11.30am to 10pm from Mon to Fri, 12pm to 9pm on Sat and Sun

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