Trip.com has the best recommendations in Hong Kong, including Luxury Hotels, Michelin-starred restaurants and attractions like Hong Kong Disneyland
Back in the 90s, my parents would plan holidays through travel agencies like Chan Brothers and buy an all-inclusive package that includes plane tickets and hotels; but with the proliferation of online travel platforms now, anyone can now be their own travel agent. In fact, many travellers today know what they want and how to book it themselves online.
There are tons of online travel platforms where you can book everything from flights, hotels and airport transfers, to activities and personal guides. A one-stop solution to all of this would be Trip.com; a platform that has established itself as a global online travel agency, providing users with flight bookings, hotel reservations, train tickets, attraction tickets and tours. It's by far the most comprehensive travel booking platform available, and simplifies the travel planning process. Booking the Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong on Trip.com.
More importantly, if you're looking for recommendations for the best places to stay at and visit, Trip.com has a feature called Trip.best; this part of the platform is designed to provide curated lists and recommendations for various travel experiences. It's essentially a 'best of' guide within Trip.com that's integrated into the Trip.com platform. You get curated lists of top-rated attractions, hotels, restaurants, and activities in various destinations, essentially saving you time and effort in your planning.
On Trip.com's mobile app, you can find the Trip.best feature under 'Top picks'. From the link, you can easily select your destination, and the app will instantly list out the popular best things to do in that city.
We travelled to Hong Kong to celebrate Hong Kong Disneyland's 20th anniversary, and to discover recommendations from Trip.best in the bustling city.
STAY: MANDARIN ORIENTAL, HONG KONG
On arrival at Hong Kong International Airport, a private airport transfer — booked through Trip.com — brought us to our first destination: the luxurious and iconic Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong. The Mandarin Presidential Suite.
Conveniently located in the centre of Hong Kong Island, the hotel is surrounded by key attractions and amenities that include high-end shopping at Prince's Building, nightlife and dining at Lan Kwai Fong; with each of the spacious rooms and suites offering magnificent views of Victoria Harbour and the city skyline. Inside the Mandarin Club. Inside the Mandarin Club. Inside the Mandarin Club. View from the Mandarin Club.
The Mandarin Club, situated on the building's 23rd floor, is an incredible all-day retreat that overlooks Statue Square Garden and the surrounding cityscape. Best of all, in the evening, the Club offers canapés, free-flowing cocktails, Champagne, wines and other drinks to guests who have exclusive access through their room booking. Inside the Mandarin Presidential Suite at Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong. View of buildings in Central from Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong.
DRINK — THE AUBREY
The Aubrey is a Japanese Izakaya-styled restaurant that's perched high within the Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong. The venue has a sophisticated design, reminiscent of a glamorous 1920s Ginza bar, and offers a refined yet convivial atmosphere. Interior of The Aubrey.
Here, beautifully crafted cocktails flow freely alongside a menu that elevates traditional Japanese flavours with innovative flair. We particularly recommend the sando, which was good enough for a third order to bring back to the room for supper.
VISIT — THE PEAK
Any trip to Hong Kong deserves a visit to The Peak; it is an essential Hong Kong experience where you ascend to the top of the mountain via the iconic Peak Tram, and upon reaching the summit, a breathtaking panorama unfolds. Taking photos at The Peak.
You'll see Victoria Harbour's shimmering expanse embraced by the verdant hills of Kowloon; it's a beautiful scene that shows the scale and captivating energy of Hong Kong from its most celebrated vantage point. View from The Peak. Tram tracks. View from The Peak.
A quick search in Trip.com for 'The Peak Hong Kong' will bring up several recommendations, including tickets for The Peak Tram, The Peak observation deck and even restaurants located at the lookout.
VISIT — TAI O
If you want a break from the glittering skyscrapers and city life, there's a tranquil corner of Hong Kong where time seems to drift with the tide. Journey to Tai O, a traditional fishing village clinging to the western edge of Lantau Island, and discover a captivating glimpse into the city's rich maritime heritage.
Here, stilt houses stand sentinel over the waterways, and narrow back lanes lead to locals selling dried seafood like squid and scallops just outside their own homes. The scenes are a testament to the village's enduring connection to its roots.
Tai O provides a peaceful and culturally enriching snapshot of Hong Kong, and private tours with guides are the best way to go about the village. You can book these directly on Trip.com.
EAT — TIN LUNG HEEN
This two-Michelin-starred Cantonese restaurant is located on the 102nd floor of The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong — located in the International Commerce Centre (ICC), the tallest building in Hong Kong — offering unparalleled views of Victoria Harbour. The interior of Tin Lung Heen. View from Tin Lung Heen.
Tin Lung Heen is famous for its refined Cantonese cuisine, including signature dishes like BBQ pork, steamed crab claw and baby coconut fish maw soup. The atmosphere is upscale, cozy, and romantic, and the dress code is smart casual. Patrons consistently praise the excellent food and service. This restaurant is featured within Trip.best as one of the best places to dine at while in Hong Kong.
PLAY — HONG KONG DISNEYLAND
If there's anytime to pay a visit to Hong Kong Disneyland, it's now, while the park is celebrating their 20th anniversary. This beloved destination has planned a grand celebration filled with new surprises (including exclusive food, drinks and merchandise), nostalgic nods to the past, and more parades than ever before.
Especially for Hong Kong Disneyland's 20th Anniversary, there will be a wide range of time-limited 20th Anniversary-themed merchandise for everyone to collect, including a special 20th Anniversary Mini Party Hat that you'll receive as a free gift upon purchasing a 1-Day ticket before July 26, 2025. This hat is available in a large variety of beloved Disney characters. At the celebratory announcement of Hong Kong Disneyland's 20th Anniversary campaign.
The park will also showcase an all-new 'Friendtastic' Parade, which is the largest-ever parade at Hong Kong Disneyland, featuring a whopping 11 party floats. We had a sneak peek at three parade floats from Mickey and Friends, Encanto, and Turning Red. All our favourite characters were there, including Mickey who was performing live drumming during the parade. The all-new 'Friendtastic' Parade is the largest-ever parade at Hong Kong Disneyland. The all-new 'Friendtastic' Parade is the largest-ever parade at Hong Kong Disneyland. Celebratory scenes from the announcement of Hong Kong Disneyland's 20th Anniversary campaign. The World of Frozen at Hong Kong Disneyland.
At the famous Pavilion, Hong Kong Disneyland will present, Momentous: Party in the Night Sky, a light and drone show that's upgraded with additional stories, projections, and drone choreography. This immersive experience extends with mapped projections from the castle down the entire length of Main Street U.S.A. At the famous Pavilion, Hong Kong Disneyland will present, Momentous: Party in the Night Sky.
The official celebration will kick-off on 28 June 2025, and the best deals for tickets can be found on Trip.com. Just search 'Hong Kong Disneyland' on Trip.com, or look at Trip.Best recommendations for this and other popular activities in Hong Kong.
Book your best trip ever on Trip.com and discover an incredible curation of luxury hotels, attractions, dining and more with Trip.best.
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Straits Times
2 days ago
- Straits Times
Chinese man defies demolition orders to build madcap rural home
The higher floors where Mr Chen sleeps sway in the wind and gets the sense of being a nomad. PHOTO: AFP Mr Chen Tianming standing in front of his house labelled China's strangest "nail house" in Xingyi, in southwest Guizhou province, on May 25. PHOTO: AFP Xingyi, China - Surrounded by the rubble of demolished homes, Mr Chen Tianming's ramshackle tower of faded plyboards and contorted beams juts into the sky in southwestern China, a teetering monument to one man's stubbornness. Authorities razed most of Mr Chen's village in Guizhou province in 2018 to build a lucrative tourist resort in a region known for its spectacular rice paddies and otherworldly mountain landscapes. Mr Chen, 42, refused to leave, and after the project faltered, defied a flurry of demolition notices to build his family's humble stone bungalow higher and higher. He now presides over a bewildering 10-storey, pyramid-shaped warren of rickety staircases, balconies and other add-ons, drawing comparisons in Chinese media to the fantastical creations of legendary Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki. 'I started building out of practicality, trying to renovate and expand our home,' Mr Chen told AFP on a sweltering May afternoon as he climbed ladders and ducked wooden beams in his labyrinthine construction. 'But then it became more of an interest and hobby that I enjoyed,' he said. His obsessive tinkering and lack of building permits continue to draw ire from the local government. The higher floors where he sleeps sway in the wind, and dozens of ropes and cables tether the house to the ground as if the whole thing might one day float away. 'When I'm up here... I get the sense of being a nomad,' Mr Chen said, gazing out at apartment blocks, an airport and distant mountains. 'People often say it's unsafe and should be demolished... but I'll definitely never let anyone tear it down.' 'Nail house' Mr Chen was now master of a 'nail house' – a Chinese term for those whose owners dig in and refuse to relocate despite official compensation offers. PHOTO: AFP Local authorities once had big plans to build an 800-acre tourist resort – including a theatre and artificial lake – on Mr Chen's native soil. They promised to compensate villagers, but Mr Chen's parents refused, and he vowed to help them protect the home his grandfather had built in the 1980s. Even as neighbours moved out and their houses were bulldozed, Mr Chen stayed put, even sleeping alone in the house for two months 'in case (developers) came to knock it down in the night'. Six months later, like many ill-considered development projects in highly indebted Guizhou, the resort was cancelled. Virtually alone among the ruined village, Mr Chen was now master of a 'nail house' – a Chinese term for those whose owners dig in and refuse to relocate despite official compensation offers. Mr Chen spent seven years and over 100,000 yuan defying authorities' demolition notices. PHOTO: AFP A quirk of China's rampant development and partial private property laws, nail houses sometimes make headlines for delaying money-spinning construction projects or forcing developers to divert roads or build around shabby older homes. Even as Mr Chen forged ahead, completing the fifth floor in 2019, the sixth in 2022 and the seventh in 2023, he continued to receive threats of demolition. Last August, his home was designated an illegal construction, and he was ordered to destroy everything except the original bungalow within five days. This picture taken on May 20 shows the top of Mr Chen's house. PHOTO: AFP He says he has spent tens of thousands of yuan fighting the notices in court, despite losing several preliminary hearings. But he continues to appeal, and the next hearing has been delayed. 'I'm not worried. Now that there's no one developing the land, there's no need for them to knock the place down', he said. Tourist attraction In recent years, ironically, Mr Chen's house has begun to lure a steady trickle of tourists itself. On Chinese social media, users describe it as China's strangest nail house, likening it to the madcap buildings in Miyazaki's Studio Ghibli masterpieces 'Howl's Moving Castle' and 'Spirited Away'. Visitors taking photos near Mr Chen's house, labelled as China's strangest 'nail house'. PHOTO: AFP As dusk falls, Mr Chen illuminates his home with decorative lanterns, and people gather on the nearby dirt road to admire the scene. 'It's beautiful,' local resident He Diezhen told AFP as she snapped photos. 'If there are no safety issues, it could become an (official) local landmark,' she said. Mr Chen said the house makes many visitors remember their whimsical childhood fantasies. '(People) dream of building a house for themselves with their own hands... but most can't make it happen,' he said. 'I not only thought of it, I made it a reality.' AFP Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
New Paper
2 days ago
- New Paper
Why restaurants like Scarpetta do not take reservations
Dining out is a fairly straightforward process in Singapore, swathed, for the most part, in the certainty of a guaranteed seat. You pick a place, punch in your details and rock up at the prearranged hour. Recognition glints in the host's eyes as your name surfaces in the system. The food arrives after a while. You pay, you leave. In some cases, a special reservation link is sent to your e-mail, and the cycle begins anew. But what happens when a restaurant eschews convention for the unpredictability of a walk-in system? Suddenly, it is anyone's game. The question becomes not just what to order, but also what time to show? How long to wait? When to throw in the towel and leave? Restaurants that do not take reservations argue that there is a method to the madness. At Scarpetta, a viral pasta bar in Amoy Street, queues start an hour before doors opens. Once, the line stretched 10 units down to the food centre at the mouth of the street. The situation is a lot neater now that the restaurant has introduced a new system. The first 28 guests are seated when doors open and everyone else is given a time to return, their names scribbled down on a tiny blackboard. "It's much better than what we had before, with just a straight queue. Some people would wait 2½ hours in the hot and humid weather, so they would be really grumpy and hangry (hungry and angry) by the time they got in," says owner Aaron Yeunh, 32. Service moves fast. Each seating lasts about an hour, and Scarpetta can accommodate three or four rounds of guests every night. This, Mr Yeunh says, is the only way he can sell handmade pasta in the middle of town for $17 to $26. "The only way to charge these prices is with high volume. And if I need volume, I can't take reservations because that would limit my dinner seatings to two a night." Queues at Scarpetta tend to snake along Amoy Street, once even reaching Amoy Street Food Centre. ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO For restaurants like Mensho Tokyo Singapore at Raffles City, doing away with bookings helps to democratise the dining experience. No number of bots or connections will make the line move any faster. "This ensures that every guest has an equal opportunity to enjoy our ramen, creating a welcoming and fair experience for all," says a spokesperson for the Japanese chain. Likewise, Mr Lim Kian Chun, 33, chief executive of Ebb & Flow Group, which runs popular Italian restaurant Casa Vostra at Raffles City, adds: "Physical queues keep things simple and accessible to customers of all ages, especially our segment of older customers who are less familiar or comfortable with digital reservation systems." Cancelling cancel culture It is a type of survival tactic too. With cancellations rising across the board - Mr Yeunh says that a 20 to 30 per cent cancellation rate, which some restaurants are experiencing, is enough to kill a business - it is sometimes easier not to section off seats in advance. Mr Lim says: "Implementing reservations introduces the element of unpredictability with no-shows, late arrivals and variable dining durations, which can disrupt the dining experience for others." By eliminating the logistical scramble, staff can focus on the parts that count the most: food and service. And that extra bandwidth comes in especially handy when walk-in traffic continues unabated throughout the night. The first 28 guests are seated when doors open and everyone else is given a time to return, their names scribbled down on a tiny blackboard. ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO Mr Yeunh recalls: "We were really grateful that response was so overwhelming when we opened in February, but part of the issue was that we were running out of food. So, people would wait two hours, only to find that we've sold out half the menu. I imagine that would be incredibly frustrating." The seven-person team, now fortified with two extra chefs, has since fine-tuned operations to guarantee that all guests who wait in line will be able to order whichever dishes they came to try. They try to estimate based on the capacity of the restaurant, but as a general rule, "we make as much as we can". Casa Vostra's team also had to adjust to the daunting task of keeping up with demand while maintaining a consistent quality of food and service. Over a year in, Mr Lim says they have got the hang of things. "We've worked very hard to improve our daily operations and food and service standards, and have managed to reduce waiting times while continuing to serve the same volume of customers." Great expectations The longer the queue, the higher the expectation. "It best be worth the wait," quips chef consultant Fiona Tang, 35, who eventually snagged a seat at Scarpetta 2½ hours after arriving. Her sentiment is echoed by fellow diner Kelly Pohan, a 17-year-old student who visited Scarpetta in May. "The food does not just have to be good, but also good enough to justify wasting two hours." However, she also relished the anticipation of waiting to try very in-demand restaurants, which "creates more excitement". Service at Scarpetta moves fast, with most diners finishing their meal within an hour. ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO For 20-year-old undergraduate Raen Tan, a snaking queue - like the one she joined outside Casa Vostra - is a worthwhile gamble. "It suggests that the food is either good or new. As someone who's adventurous, I'd be willing to queue to try new things that are popular or raved about." Besides, as Ms Joey Chua, 29, a liquefied natural gas market analyst, points out: "I can do many other things, such as read, look through e-mails, reply texts or daydream while queueing. To me, it doesn't really count as a waste of time." In Singapore, where queueing has all but been gazetted as a national pastime, hers is far from an atypical view. Dr Hannah H. Chang, associate professor of marketing at SMU, says it is an example of social proofing - a phenomenon in which people make decisions by following the actions of those around them - that has found special resonance here. "Queue culture is sometimes discussed as a demonstration of kiasuism, that if you don't queue, you may miss out on a good deal, experience or product." Mr Sai Ming Liew, a senior adviser at global research and innovation consultancy Behavioural Insights Team, adds that while the tipping point may come when customers feel that a queue is not moving fast enough, the sunk cost fallacy sometimes keeps them in place longer than intended. "The longer people spend in a queue, the more they start to feel a sense of psychological ownership over the object or experience they're waiting for. Because people are naturally averse to losses, this can make them reluctant to walk away, even if it might no longer be worthwhile," he notes. Though this fear of missing out has proved something of a boon to Scarpetta, Mr Yeunh laughs off accusations that he is creating a queue for the sake of it. "I always tell the team that we have to deliver. Don't skimp on the hospitality. Don't skimp on the food. Be super focused. Take our food really, really seriously." In the past, before the blackboard system freed customers from having to stand in line outside the restaurant, staff would try to sweeten the wait by handing out free drinks. Refreshments are also distributed outside at restaurants such as Gyukatsu Kyoto Katsugyu at Raffles City. Nonetheless, some restaurants have caved and done away with their no-reservations policy. Spanish restaurant Esquina opened in 2012 and started accepting bookings in 2014, after it added a dining room on the second floor. Though walk-ins are more efficient for a busy restaurant like his, chef-owner Carlos Montobbio, 38, concedes that bookings made a big difference to the guest experience. "We care a lot about service, and having people wait outside - especially if it's a business dinner, a date or regulars coming back - just didn't feel right. Letting people book a table gave them a much more comfortable and reliable experience," he says. Others, like local cuisine chain Great Nanyang, which gets multiple queries a week about whether it takes reservations, have found a compromise of sorts. Since April, groups of at least 10 diners can secure their seats at any of its outlets in advance. "As our customers have different dining time periods, it is difficult to get available empty tables side-by-side to combine for larger groups. To cater to groups of this size, we need to plan and set aside tables in advance," says founder Keith Kang, 42. Though he is wary that the sight of empty tables may provoke some unhappiness among walk-in guests, no complaints have been made so far. Casa Vostra's Mr Lim is also grateful that most customers understand the reasons for the restaurant's policy, and vows to go the extra mile to maintain that trust. He says: "Our team makes every effort to offer attentive service and maintain relationships with our regulars - from remembering their favourite dishes and preferences to connecting with them each time they dine." Worth the wait? The next time you find yourself staring down the barrel of a weekend with no prearranged plans, try your luck at one of these no-reservations restaurants - the final bastions, some might say, of dinnertime democracy. Scarpetta Cacio e Pepe pasta with Crispy Guanciale from Scarpetta. ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO Where: 47 Amoy Street Open: 11.30am to 2.30pm (Tuesdays to Saturdays), 6 to 10.30pm (Tuesdays and Wednesdays), 6 to 11pm (Thursdays), 6 to 11.30pm (Fridays and Saturdays) Info: @ on Instagram This chic 28-seater was modelled after the pasta bars of London - think Padella, the perennially popular Borough Market institution, and the like. So, it was that ethos of casual excellence that Mr Aaron Yeunh, who lived in the English capital for over a decade, sought to recreate here: great food at fair prices, without so much as a whiff of pretentiousness. Scarpetta's menu is lean and disciplined. It is split into four modest sections, with most prices hovering around the $10 to $20 range. The most expensive thing on sale is al granchio e limone ($26), a dish of taglioni with blue swimmer crab and confit garlic that would, in most other centrally located restaurants, have retailed for upwards of $30. There is undeniable finesse in the way pasta here is twirled - continuously and right before the eyes of hungry, restless diners too. The cacio e pepe ($20) is really a pasta alla gricia, with a black pepper-pecorino romano base and crispy guanciale topping. Whatever its name, it is a textural delight, perfect for anyone who prefers his or her pasta al dente and salted with pockets of fried fat. All'assassina from Scarpetta. ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO The all'assassina ($18) with pomodoro tomatoes and chilli is more divisive, says Mr Yeunh. Diners might be forgiven for mistaking the messy nest of slightly burnt strands for a kitchen accident that snuck onto the table. But the char is intentional, and elevates the springy, spicy noodles in the same way wok hei breathes fragrance into a plate of bee hoon. Cut the heaviness with a radicchio salad dressed with a truffle vinaigrette and showered in parmigiano cheese ($14), before diving into the sweet embrace of dessert - milk gelato draped in extra virgin olive oil and flaky salt ($6). Tip: Visit during off-peak hours, such as 1.35pm on a weekday or after 8.45pm for dinner. Mensho Tokyo Mensho Tokyo Singapore is famous for its chicken soup ramen. ST PHOTO: CHERIE LOK Where: 03-43 Raffles City, 252 North Bridge Road Open: 11am to 9pm daily Info: @ on Instagram Mensho Tokyo, a Japanese ramen chain whose San Francisco outlet is currently listed in California's Michelin Guide, arrived in Singapore in July, trailed by hordes of curious diners eager for a sip of its umami-rich soup. Its signature toripaitan ($28++) layers A5 wagyu chashu, smoked pork chasu, duck chasu, chicken chashu, king oyster mushroom strips and ajitama eggs on wavy wheat noodles. All this is steeped in a creamy chicken broth that does not immediately knock you out in the way that pork, with its stronger flavour, sometimes does. A dry alternative exists in the form of the A5 wagyu aburasoba ($41++), which blankets its chewy wheat noodles in two types of Miyazaki beef. A sauce made of barrel-aged shoyu adds savoury depth to this oily, indulgent bowl of noodles. Other more unconventional options include the duck matcha ($25++) and chilli crab ramen ($28++) - a Singapore-exclusive tribute to a local classic - which have yielded mixed reactions from diners. The restaurant also serves up a bevy of sides, like fried chicken ($12.80++) perfumed with Japanese black vinegar, crispy enoki chips ($8.80++) and torched corn with tare sauce ($8.80). Tip: Go on a Tuesday or Wednesday evening, when the restaurant tends to be quieter - you might even be able to enter without queueing. As wait times can reach up to 30 minutes on weekends, guests are encouraged to arrive early. Tonshou Hire katsu set from Tonshou. ST PHOTO: CHERIE LOK Where: 51 Tras Street Open: 11am to 9pm daily Info: @tonshou_sg on Instagram Tonshou is a Korean pork cutlet chain more than capable of going toe to toe with the top Japanese tonkatsu restaurants in Singapore. Its not-so-secret weapon? A charcoal-grilled pork cutlet that redefines what tonkatsu should look and taste like. Instead of rectangular blocks trimmed with fat - though it has those too - Tonshou's Instagram-famous hire katsu set ($28++) rolls in on blushing pork loin medallions. A meticulous four-stage cooking process packs the juices into the meat, ensuring the cutlet remains crispy yet succulent. The rosu katsu set ($28++), on the other hand, more closely resembles the version of this dish typically found at Japanese eateries, and offers much of the same textural duality, plus an added burst of fat. These breaded slabs of gold can also be stuffed between bread. A pork cutlet sandwich costs $21++, while a shrimp tempura sandwich goes for $24++. Because this is a Korean chain, all sets come with a small saucer of kimchi. The usual accoutrements follow too: miso soup, shredded cabbage and rice. Tip: The restaurant uses a QR-based remote queueing system, so join the waitlist before travelling to the restaurant to minimise waiting time. It is also in the process of setting up a reservation system. Casa Vostra Italian restaurant Casa Vostra has updated its menu with new dishes. PHOTO: CASA VOSTRA Where: 01-49/50/51 Raffles City, 252 North Bridge Road Open: 11.30am to 10pm daily Info: After a year at Raffles City, casual Italian joint Casa Vostra is still commanding formidable queues, even on weekday evenings. To keep up with the hype, the restaurant refreshed its menu in April, unveiling homely fare such as the aglio e olio ($15) inspired by the recipe of chef-owner Antonio Miscellaneo's mother. It tosses in sun-dried tomatoes for some summery pizzazz. The beef cheek parpadelle ($25) is another new entrant worth waiting for. Silky pasta sheets act as the perfect vehicle to sop up a rich and meaty ragu stewed with tomatoes and smoked speck. A smattering of new sides have wound their way onto the menu too. For example, the baked scamorza ($6), a dangerously gooey puddle of melted cheese drizzled with honey. Last but not least, no trip to Casa Vostra is complete without a slice of its trademark Newpolitan pizza, dressed up this time with the sweet-savoury melange of Parma ham, fig puree, rocket, Parmigiano Reggiano, candied walnuts and Fior di latte mozzarella ($26). As always, the crust - whipped into shape by a long process of fermentation and baking - is perfectly airy and crisp. If its sweet undertones do not suit your palate, there is a steady selection of traditional flavours to pick from, all affordably priced and well under the $30 mark. Tip: Drop by from 2 to 5pm, the restaurant's off-peak hours.
Straits Times
3 days ago
- Straits Times
Why restaurants like Scarpetta do not take reservations
Mr Theeviyan Raja (left), a front-of-house staff member at Scarpetta, welcomes diners as the restaurant opens for dinner. By 6pm, around 80 customers had joined the queue. ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO Why restaurants like Scarpetta do not take reservations SINGAPORE – Dining out is a fairly straightforward process in Singapore, swathed, for the most part, in the certainty of a guaranteed seat. You pick a place, punch in your details and rock up at the prearranged hour. Recognition glints in the host's eyes as your name surfaces in the system. The food arrives after a while. You pay, you leave. In some cases, a special reservation link is sent to your e-mail, and the cycle begins anew. But what happens when a restaurant eschews convention for the unpredictability of a walk-in system? Suddenly, it is anyone's game. The question becomes not just what to order, but also what time to show? How long to wait? When to throw in the towel and leave? Restaurants that do not take reservations argue that there is a method to the madness. At Scarpetta, a viral pasta bar in Amoy Street, queues start an hour before doors opens. Once, the line stretched 10 units down to the food centre at the mouth of the street. The situation is a lot neater now that the restaurant has introduced a new system. The first 28 guests are seated when doors open and everyone else is given a time to return, their names scribbled down on a tiny blackboard. 'It's much better than what we had before, with just a straight queue. Some people would wait 2½ hours in the hot and humid weather, so they would be really grumpy and hangry (hungry and angry) by the time they got in,' says owner Aaron Yeunh , 32. Service moves fas t. Ea ch seating lasts about an hou r, a nd Scarpetta can accommodate three or four rounds of guests every night. This, Mr Yeunh says, is the only way he can sell handmade pasta in the middle of town for $17 to $26. 'The only way to charge these prices is with high volume. And if I need volume, I can't take reservations because that would limit my dinner seatings to two a night.' Queues at Scarpetta tend to snake along Amoy Street, once even reaching Amoy Street Food Centre. ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO For restaurants like Mensho Tokyo Singapore at Raffles City, doing away with bookings helps to democratise the dining experience. No number of bots or connections will make the line move any faster. 'This ensures that every guest has an equal opportunity to enjoy our ramen, creating a welcoming and fair experience for all,' says a spokesperson for the Japanese chain. Likewise, Mr Lim Kian Chun, 33, chief executive of Ebb & Flow Gro up, which runs popular Italian restaurant Casa Vostra at Raffles City, adds: 'Physical queues keep things simple and accessible to customers of all ages, especially our segment of older customers who are less familiar or comfortable with digital reservation systems.' Cancelling cancel culture It is a type of survival tactic too. With cancellations rising across the board – Mr Yeunh says that a 20 to 30 per cent cancellation rate, which some restaurants are experiencing, is enough to kill a business – it is sometimes easier not to section off seats in advance. Mr Lim says: 'Implementing reservations introduces the element of unpredictability with no-shows, late arrivals and variable dining durations, which can disrupt the dining experience for other s.' By eliminating the logistical scramble, staff can focus on the parts that count the most: food and service. And that extra bandwidth comes in especially handy when walk-in traffic continues unabated throughout the night. The first 28 guests are seated when doors open and everyone else is given a time to return, their names scribbled down on a tiny blackboard. ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO Mr Yeunh recalls: 'We were really grateful that response was so overwhelming when w e opened in February, but part of the issue was that we were running out of food. So, people would wait two hours, only to find that we've sold out half the men u. I imagine that would be incredibly frustrating. ' The seven-person team, now fortified with two extra chefs, has since fine-tuned operations to guarantee that all guests who wait in line will be able to order whichever dishes they came to try. They try to estimate based on the capacity of the restaurant, but as a general rule, 'we make as much as we can'. Casa Vostra's team also had to adjust to the daunting task of keeping up with demand while maintaining a consistent quality of food and service. Over a year in, Mr Lim says they have got the hang of things. 'We've worked very hard to improve our daily operations and food and service standards, and hav e managed to reduce waiting times while continuing to serve the same volume of customers.' Great expectations The longer the queue, the higher the expectation. 'It best be worth the wait,' quips chef consultant Fiona Tang, 35, who eventually snagged a seat at Scarpetta 2½ hours after arriving. Her sentiment is echoed by fellow diner Kelly Pohan, a 17-year-old student who visited Scarpetta in May. 'The food does not just have to be good, but also good enough to justify wasting two hour s. ' However, she also relished the anticipation of waiting to try very in-demand restaurants, whi ch ' creates more excitement'. Service at Scarpetta moves fast, with most diners finishing their meal within an hour. ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO For 20-year-old undergraduate Raen Tan, a snaking queue – like the one she joined outside Casa Vostra – is a worthwhile gamble. 'It suggests that the food is either good or new. As someone who's adventurous, I'd be willing to queue to try new things that are popular or raved about.' Besides, as Ms Joey Chua, 29, a liquefied natural gas market analyst, points out: 'I can do many other things, such as read, look through e-mails, reply texts or daydream while queueing. To me, it doesn't really count as a waste of time.' In Singapore, where queueing has all but been gazetted as a national pastime, hers is far from an atypical view. Dr Hannah H. Chang, associate professor of marketing at SMU, says it is an example of social proofing – a phenomenon in which people make decisions by following the actions of those around them – that has found special resonance here. 'Queue culture is sometimes discussed as a demonstration of kiasuism, that if you don't queue, you may miss out on a good deal, experience or produc t.' Mr Sai Ming Liew, a senior adviser at global research and innovation consultancy Behavioural Insights Team, adds that while the tipping point may come when customers feel that a queue is not moving fast enough, the sunk cost fallacy sometimes keeps them in place longer tha n intended. 'The longer people spend in a queue, the more they start to feel a sense of psychological ownership over the object or experience they're waiting for. Because people are naturally averse to losses, this can make them reluctant to walk away, even if it might no longer be worthwhile,' he notes. Though this fear of missing out has proved something of a boon to Scarpetta, Mr Yeunh laughs off accusations that he is creating a queue for the sake of it. 'I always tell the team that we have to deliver. Don't skimp on the hospitality. Don't skimp on the food. Be super focused. Take our food really, really seriously.' In the past, before the blackboard system freed customers from having t o sta nd in line outside the restaurant , staff would try to sweeten the wait by handing out free drinks. Refreshments are also distributed outside at restaurants such as Gyukatsu Kyoto Katsugyu at Raffles City. Nonetheless, some restaurants have caved and done away with their no-reservations policy. Spanish restaurant Esquina opened in 2012 and started accepting bookings in 2014, after it added a dining room on the second floor. Though walk-ins are more efficient for a busy restaurant like his, chef-owner Carlos Montobbio, 38, concedes that bookings made a big difference to the guest experience. 'We care a lot about service, and having people wait outside – especially if it's a business dinner, a date or regulars coming back – just didn't feel right. Letting people book a table gave them a much more comfortable and reliable experience,' he says. Others, like local cuisine chain Great Nanyang, which gets multiple queries a week about whether it takes reservations, have found a compromise of sorts. Since April, groups of at least 10 diners can secure their seats at any of its outlets in advance. 'As our customers have different dining time periods, it i s di fficult to get available empty tables side-by-side to combine for larger groups. To cater to groups of this size, we need to plan and set aside tables in advance,' says founder Keith Kang, 42. Though he is wary that the sight of empty tables may provoke some unhappiness among walk-in guests, no complaints have been made so far. Casa Vostra's Mr Lim is also grateful that most customers understand the reasons for the restaurant's policy, and vows to go the extra mile to maintain that trust. He says: 'Our team makes every effort to offer attentive service and maintain relationships with our regulars – from remembering their favourite dishes and preferences to connecting with them each time they dine.' Worth the wait? The next time you find yourself staring down the barrel of a weekend with no prearranged plans, try your luck at one of these no-reservations restaurants – the final bastions, some might say, of dinnertime democracy. Scarpetta Cacio e Pepe pasta with Crispy Guanciale from Scarpetta. ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO Where: 47 Amoy Street Open: 11.30am to 2.30pm (Tuesdays to Saturdays), 6 to 10.30pm (Tuesdays and Wednesdays), 6 to 11pm ( Thursdays ), 6 to 11.30pm (Fridays and Saturdays) Info: @ on Instagram This chic 28-seater was modelled after the pasta bars of London – think Padella, the perennially popular Borough Market institution, and the like. So, it was that ethos of casual excellence that Mr Aaron Yeunh, who lived in the English capital for over a decade, sought to recreate here: great food at fair prices, without so much as a whiff of pretentiousness. Scarpetta's menu is lean and disciplined. It is split into four modest sections, with most prices hovering around the $10 to $20 range. The most expensive thing on sale is al granchio e limone ($26), a dish of taglioni with blue swimmer crab and confit garlic that would, in most other centrally located restaurants, have retailed for upwards of $30. There is undeniable finesse in the way pasta here is twirled – continuously and right before the eyes of hungry, restless diners too. The cacio e pepe ($20) is really a pasta alla gricia, with a black pepper-pecorino romano base and crispy guanciale topping. Whatever its name, it is a textural delight, perfect for anyone who prefers his or her pasta al dente and salted with pockets of fried fat. All'assassina from Scarpetta. ST PHOTO: BRIAN TEO The all'assassina ($18) with pomodoro tomatoes and chilli is more divisive, says Mr Yeunh. Diners might be forgiven for mistaking the messy nest of slightly burnt strands for a kitchen accident that snuck onto the table . But the char is intentional, and elevates the springy, spicy noodles in the same way wok hei breathes fragrance into a plate of bee hoon. Cut the heaviness with a radicchio salad dressed with a truffle vinaigrette and showered in parmigiano cheese ($14), before diving into the sweet embrace of dessert – milk gelato draped in extra virgin olive oil and flaky salt ($6). Tip: Visit during off-peak hours, such as 1.35pm on a weekday or after 8.45pm for dinner. Mensho Tokyo Mensho Tokyo Singapore is famous for its chicken soup ramen. ST PHOTO: CHERIE LOK Where: 03-43 Raffles City, 252 North Bridge Road Open: 11am to 9pm daily Info: @ on Instagram Mensho Tokyo, a Japanese ramen chain whose San Francisco outlet is currently listed in California's Michelin Guide, arrived in Singapore in July, trailed by hordes of curious diners eager for a sip of its umami-rich soup. Its signature toripaitan ($28++) la yers A5 wagyu chashu, smoked pork chasu, duck chasu, chicken chashu, king oyster mushroom strips and ajitama eggs on wavy wheat noodles. All this is steeped in a creamy chicken broth that does not immediately knock you out in the way that pork, with its stronge r fl avour, sometimes does. A dry alternative exists in the form of the A5 wagyu aburasoba ($41++), which blankets its chewy wheat noodles in two types of Miyazaki beef. A sauce made of barrel-aged shoyu adds savoury depth to this oily, indulgent bowl of noodles. Other more unconventional options include the duck matcha ($25++) and chilli crab ramen ($28++) – a Singapore-exclusive tribute to a local classic – which have yielded mixed reactions from diners. Th e restaurant also serves up a bevy of sides, like fried chicken ($12.80++) perfumed with Japanese black vinegar, crispy enoki chips ($8.80++) and torched corn with tare sauce ($8.80). Tip: Go on a Tuesday or Wednesday evening, when the restaurant tends to be quieter – you might even be able to enter without queueing. As wait times can reach up to 30 minutes on weekends, guests are encouraged to arrive early. Tonshou Hire katsu set from Tonshou. ST PHOTO: CHERIE LOK Where: 51 Tras Street Open: 11am to 9pm daily Info: @tonshou_sg on Instagram Tonshou is a Korean pork cutlet chain more than capable of going toe to toe with the top Japanese tonkatsu restaurants in Singapore. Its not-so-secret weapon? A charcoal-grilled pork cutlet that redefines what tonkatsu should look and taste like. Instead of rectangular blocks trimmed with fat – though it has those too – Tonshou's Instagram-famous hire katsu set ($28++) rolls in on blushing pork loin medallions. A meticulous four-stage cooking process packs the juices into the meat, ensuring the cutlet remains crispy yet succulent. The rosu katsu set ($28++), on the other hand, more closely resembles the version of this dish typically found at Japanese eateries, and offers much of the same textural duality, plus an added burst of fat. These breaded slabs of gold can also be stuffed between bread. A pork cutlet sandwich costs $21++, while a shrimp tempura sandwich goes for $24+ +. Because this is a Korean chain, all sets come with a small saucer of kimchi. The usual accoutrements follow too: miso soup, shredded cabbage and rice. Tip: The restaurant uses a QR-based remote queueing system, so join the waitlist before travelling to the restaurant to minimise waiting time. It is also in the process of setting up a reservation system. Casa Vostra Italian restaurant Casa Vostra has updated its menu with new dishes. PHOTO: CASA VOSTRA Where: 01-49/50/51 Raffles City, 252 North Bridge Road Open: 11.30am to 10pm daily Info: After a year at Raffles City, casual Italian joint Casa Vostra is still commanding formidable queues, even on weekday evenings. To keep up with the hype, the restaurant refreshed its menu in April, unveiling homely fare such as the aglio e olio ($15) inspired by the recipe of chef-owner Antonio Miscellaneo's moth er. It tosses in sun-dried tomatoes for some summery pizzazz. The beef cheek parpadelle ($25) is another new entrant worth waiting for. Silky pasta sheets act as the perfect vehicle to sop up a rich and meaty ragu stewed with tomatoes and smoked speck. A smattering of new sides have wound their way onto the menu too. For example, the baked scamorza ($6), a dangerously gooey puddle of melted cheese drizzled with honey. Last but not least, no trip to Casa Vostra is complete without a slice of its trademark Newpolitan pizza, dressed up this time with the sweet-savoury melange of Parma ham, fig puree, rocket, Parmigiano Reggiano, candied walnuts and Fior di latte mozzarella ($26). As always, the crust – whipped into shape by a long process of fermentation and baking – is perfectly airy and crisp. If its sweet undertones do not suit your palate, there is a steady selection of traditional flavours to pick from, all affordably priced and well under the $30 mark. Tip: Drop by from 2 to 5pm, the restaurant's off-peak hours. Check out ST's Food Guide for the latest foodie recommendations in Singapore.
