Boruto (O)

From the moment you walk in the door, Boruto – found in the Golden Castle Building on Boat Quay’s South Bridge Road – creates an atmosphere that feels just as if you’ve just set foot in Japan. Beautifully decorated and incredibly modish, Boruto’s modern Japanese design will have you feeling as though you’re in a whole different world without ever having to leave Singapore. Head upstairs to the chic bar for superlative cocktails such as the Flaminx-go with egg white, raspberry lemon juice, sake and gin, or the signature Boruto 80, a mix of gin, sake, fresh lemon, grapes and cucumber.

After having a drink or two upstairs, it’s a good idea to head downstairs to see what Japanese tapas are all about. Try out small plates like the gobo karaage (deep-fried burdock roots with herbs and spices), shake kawa senbei (deep-fried salmon skin with sea salt and chilli powder), or the innovative crispy rice cracker tacos filled with guacamole, chilli salsa and pulled pork. Hot tapas here include the kamo + foie burger with pulled duck, seared foie gras and apple kimchi, and the Kurobata sio bak, roasted Japanese pork belly with vegetables. The menu also includes an array of small bites, cold tapas, salads and desserts – book ahead to see what’s going on over at Boruto in Singapore’s Boat Quay.