This restaurant has been deemed worthy of not one but two Michelin stars. Set inside Palmengarten, one of Frankfurt’s botanical gardens, Lafleur offers multi-course Mediterranean-influenced feasts, as well as a vegan tasting menu.
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Having achieved cult status in the US, where the likes of Kendall Jenner, Hailey Bieber and Gigi Hadid are all fans of its jeans, the much-vaunted clothier Re/Done recently opened its first international outpost in the Paris, on 22 Rue de Grenelle. The French capital is not short of smart boutiques – in fact, it’s arguably the world’s foremost retail hotspot – but this new opening in Paris brings something quite unique to the city with its focus on vintage and sustainable apparel – perfect for any visitor looking to come home with a unique, and fashion-forward reminder of their stay.
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The latest addition to Bulgari’s growing global portfolio of luxury hotels is proof that style and substance can co-exist in glorious harmony. The Italian fashion house is famed for its meticulous attention to detail and that laser-guided eye has been extended to all parts of the 76-room property, from the subterranean spa and top-notch gym to the ground-floor public spaces, which include a cocktail bar and wonderful Italian restaurant, helmed by Niko Romito, the Michelin star-winning chef. Of course it’s opulent. Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel, the Milanese architecture firm behind all of Bulgari’s hotels, has created a eye-catching vision of Italianate high living in the heart of Paris’s 8th arrondissement, within striking distance of the Champs-Elysées and the Eifel Tower. But what makes the Bulgari Paris so special are the staff: kind, courteous and ready to whir into action at a moment’s notice, they elevate an already elevated stay.
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In many ways, Tasmania is the perfect post-pandemic destination: if stunning landscapes, endless beaches, incredible night skies and world-class food and drink aren’t enough, it’s also remote enough to scratch that ‘once in a lifetime’ itch. While it’s no secret to locals, Australia’s smallest state (and 26th largest island in the world) flies under the radar for most of the rest of us. Locals may implore you not to spoil the secret, but honestly it’s simply too good not to. So while it’s not like you need an excuse to go, structuring a trip around one of the many unique festivals in Tasmania will give your visit even more purpose.
And with many of these events returning after Covid-19, we’ve helped parse some of the best of them, spread across both the year and the island’s two biggest cities, Hobart in the south and Launceston in the north.
Launceston’s City Park is frequently ranked among the country’s best, and 2023 sees the longstanding celebration of food, drink and music return to this iconic venue. Having run for over 30 years, Festivale takes place across three days in the height of the summer and attracts close to 30,000 visitors. As well as comedy shows and over 60 food stalls featuring top-notch Tasmanian produce, music is a highlight, with this edition’s lineup featuring the likes of Sneaky Soundsystem, folk-rock from the Waifs and Aussie rock act The Living End. It’s also a family-friendly event, with a special day for kids on the Sunday.
Opens from 3 to 5 February 2023
If you’re looking for festivals in Tasmania centred around food, Taste of Summer brings together more than 80 of the island’s top food and drink vendors along Hobart’s Princess Wharf waterfront. Recently renewed for a further five years, expect the very best in local seafood, farm produce and more. It’s a ticketed event, other than Family Day on 31 December when there’s free entry until 4pm, ahead of a big New Year’s Eve celebration featuring Aussie musical icon Daryl Braithwaite.
Opens from 27 December 2022 to 2 January 2023
The summer edition of Dark Mofo (see below), Mona Foma goes big on music (and the Faux Mo afterparties are the stuff of legend). This time round, Pavement, Peaches, Bon Iver and Angel Olsen are on their way to the Mona lawns in Hobart, while the Chills, Kae Tempest and Pertubator will be appearing in the ‘reunion district’ of Launceston. Keep an eye out for additions to the lineup in November.
Opens from 17 to 19 February 2023 (Launceston), 24 to 26 February 2023 (Hobart)
This biennial, statewide festival of creativity returns next year showcasing work from Tasmania’s finest artists and arts companies. After growing in scope over its 20-year history, the team behind Ten Days on the Island has in recent years renewed their focus on promoting local talent. The event has a real grassroots feel to it, with art and events popping up across the island everywhere from museums and theatres to barns, sheds and even stately homes.
Opens from 8 to 19 March 2023
Although they still account for only 1% of Australia’s national production, Tassie wines have quickly acquired an outsized reputation. From 20 producers in the early ’90s to something like 250 today, the world has cottoned on to the magic of the cool terroir here. To take just one example, the Financial Times recently highlighted Tolpuddle, from the island’s Coal River Valley in the south, as one of the world’s best new wines of the last decade. The winter edition of Tasmanian Wine Festival takes place in Hobart’s Goods Shed, embracing big bold Tasmanian reds, alongside live entertainment and open firepits to save off that southerly cold. There are also Masterclasses from the likes of Joseph Burton, the island’s first certified Sommelier.
Opens from 20 to 21 August 2023
Held in unusual and unexpected venues all across Launceston in the first week of spring, Junction is a celebration of Tasmanian art, music and performance. It feels refreshingly homegrown too, with a marked absence of PR gloss. With a focus on interactive, participatory work and site-specific installations – everywhere from a deconsecrated church to a hotel room – it’s a powerfully evocative event that taps into the unique (and often unpleasant and challenging) history and remoteness of this part of the world.
Opens September 2023
Although the next edition of the biennial Antarctic Festival event doesn’t take place until winter 2024, there’s nothing quite like it for bringing home the close connection between Hobart and the Icy Continent. As far back as the 1770s and James Cook’s voyages, Hobart has acted as a gateway for Antarctic exploration and later played a pivotal role in the historic voyages of Douglas Mawson, Roald Amundsen and many others. The Festival shines a light on the challenges faced by those early pioneers, while also delving into the work of modern-day scientists, conservationists and others working in such a unique environment through photo exhibitions, film shows and lectures.
Dates TBA
Where to Stay
It’s the waterfront that has defined Hobart throughout its history and today it’s a great base from which to experience festivals in Tasmania. Singaporean brand Ascott’s city property here has an unbeatable location, right over the water. Housed in a converted 1930s harbour building, Somerset on the Pier’s duplex serviced apartments (one-bedroom or family-sized) are just steps away from the ferries to Mona and the outlying suburbs, as well as the historic Salamanca Place. Wake up early for incredible sunrise views across the harbour.
How to Get There
Singapore Airlines flies 3-4 times daily to Melbourne, with onward flights to Tasmania operated by codeshare partner Virgin Australia.
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Peranakan cuisine – which marries primarily Chinese, Malaysian and Indonesian culinary influences – offers a veritable feast of rich flavours, aromatic spices and fresh herbs that make for a thoroughly satisfying meal. Also known as Nyonya food, it originates from the descendants of migrants from China who settled around the Malay Peninsula and Indonesian Archipelago – Singapore, Penang and Malacca in particular – between the 15th and 17th centuries. Whether you’re in the mood for no-nonsense, homestyle fare or want to experience a contemporary take on traditional dishes, we’ve got you covered with our list of top-notch establishments to indulge in sumptuous Peranakan food in Singapore.
Rempapa, opened in August 2021, is a Singapore heritage restaurant that presents a multi-ethnic menu of Peranakan, Chinese, Indian, Malay and Eurasian dishes. Helmed by chef Damian D’Silva, who’s known as the “grandfather of Singapore heritage cuisine”, the restaurant’s must-try Peranakan dishes include nostalgic classics like baca Assam and babi pongteh. Other standouts include singgang, a classic Eurasian dish that comprises of painstakingly deboned fish that’s been cooked in a paste of fresh chillies, turmeric, galangal, lemongrass, shallots and candlenuts. Alongside these requisites, you’ll also find contemporary creations with heritage flavours like the buah keluak fried rice, made with a fresh sambal paste, minced pork and the rich savoury “meat” of the buah keluak nut.
2 Paya Lebar Road, #01-01/02/03, Park Place Residences at PLQ. Nearest MRT: Paya Lebar
Boasting the title of the world’s first Michelin-starred Peranakan culinary establishment, Candlenut is your go-to for a contemporary take on the centuries-old cuisine. Treat yourself by splurging on chef Malcolm Lee’s “Taste of Candlenut” seasonal tasting menu – available during both lunch and dinner services – through which he explores the myriad flavours of his heritage. The current dinner option for November 2022 features offerings such as beef cheek rendang (braised till tender in a rich gravy with 15 herbs and spices); slow-cooked pork belly with Ah Seng sauce (a heritage Hokkien dish that hails from Penang); and a baked tapioca cake with palm sugar syrup to finish.
17A Dempsey Road. Buses: 7, 75, 77, 105, 106, 123, 174
With Golden Mile Food Centre recently reopening after a long renovation exercise, customers are once again able to tuck into Charlie’s Peranakan Food’s humble yet hearty fare. The cult-favourite basement hawker stall, which often draws long queues, plates up affordable Peranakan dishes that taste almost as good as your grandmother’s cooking. We recommend the nangka masak lemak (jackfruit curry), babi pongteh (stewed pork with mushrooms and bamboo shoots) and gulai tumis (tamarind fish curry) with a side of rice to mop up all of that delicious gravy.
505 Beach Road, #B1-30, Golden Mile Food Centre. Nearest MRT: Nicoll Highway
Stuck in the CBD and craving Peranakan food? Make your way to the centrally located Godmama. Occupying a fourth-floor space at shopping mall Funan, the outlet’s contemporary minimalist-chic interior mirrors the ubiquitous café aesthetic to a tee. Dine on casual and comforting renditions of Nyonya favourites, including chap chye (mixed braised vegetables); babi Assam (stewed Assam pork); ikan masak nanas (grilled barramundi cooked in a tamarind stew with pineapple) and ayam buah keluak (chicken and black nut stew). Godmama also offers a range of Peranakan-inspired cocktails to go along with your meal. Try the heady “Bunga Kantan Martini”: bourbon mixed with tamarind and lemon juice and shaken with egg white for a velvety texture.
107 North Bridge Road, #04-07, Funan. Nearest MRT: City Hall
Located in the colourful heritage area of Joo Chiat – arguably the city-state’s main enclave for Peranakan culture – Old Bibik’s Peranakan Kitchen is a casual, no-frills outlet that serves authentic Nyonya delights at prices that won’t break the bank. It’s Halal-certified and purports to use only the freshest ingredients to make its dishes. A must-try is the grilled sambal barramundi, in which the deep-sea fish is smothered in a mouth-watering sambal relish and topped with fresh herbs and thin slices of lime. Other moreish options include the signature beef rendang, which features succulent beef chunks braised in a myriad of spices until tender; and kang kong stir-fried in a classic garlic or sambal sauce.
328 Joo Chiat Road, #01-02. Buses: 33, 33B
The Blue Ginger has been a crowd favourite since first opening its doors in 1995. Today, the Michelin Bib Gourmand recipient boasts two outpost: one at Tanjong Pagar, which is situated in a gorgeous three-storey restored shophouse, and the other at the buzzy Great World shopping centre. At the cosy Tanjong Pagar location, which is perfect for an intimate date night, you can choose from a selection of well-executed Peranakan favourites: including pork ribs Assam (braised pork ribs in a tamarind sauce); hee peow soup (fish maw, fish and prawn balls and cabbage in a clear broth); and ngoh hiang (fried minced pork and prawn roll).
97 Tanjong Pagar Road. Nearest MRT: Tanjong Pagar
This restaurant derives its moniker from tingkats – layered containers that Peranakan mothers of yore would use to ferry home-cooked meals to a loved one at work or at school. Run by founder, chef and fourth-generation Nyonya Kathryn Ho, Tingkat PeraMakan applies a similar nurturing and homey ethos to its cooking. Diners can expect down-to-earth favourites redolent of nostalgic and familiar flavours. You can order a set option, which includes a main, two sides, a drink and a dessert. Our pick for a main is the signature ayam buak keluak, in which the chicken is braised until tender in a sauce of garam assam and Indonesian black nut pulp. And for dessert, durian fiends will delight in the durian pengat: a rich and velvety durian mousse.
Another Joo Chiat stalwart, Guan Hoe Soon Restaurant has been serving comforting Peranakan plates since 1953, making it one of Singapore’s oldest spots for Nyonya cuisine. To add to its claim to fame, it was also reportedly the Peranakan joint of choice for the late Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew. Feast on traditional dishes such as Ayam Buah Keluak (stewed chicken in gravy), babi pongteh (braised pork), Nyonya chap chye (braised vegetables) and sayor lodeh (vegetable stew). The decor may be nothing to write home about, but the Peranakan food here definitely hits the spot.
200 Joo Chiat Road. Buses: 33, 33B
Please check the establishments’ respective websites for opening hours before visiting and remember to adhere to safe-distancing measures while out and about.
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