It may come as a surprise to some, but albeit their hectic work schedules, there has been an increasing trend of celebrities venturing in the F&B industry, where they take time off-screen to open their own bars and restaurants. From seafood goodness to sweet treats, here’s our list of 5 local eateries you never knew are owned by our celebrities!
1. Wholly Crab by Felicia Chin
Started by MediaCorp actress Felicia Chin in May 2015, Wholly Crab is a seafood eatery specialising in American/Louisiana seafood. This casual seafood joint serves their seafood by the bucket where portions are usually catered for sharing. Instead of the traditional chilli and black pepper crabs, you’ll be able to find unique sauces like Kung Pao, Marmite, Creamy Cheese, Laksa and more.
Wholly Crab has affordable combo buckets to choose from. These include the Love Buckets ($60), good to share among 2-3 dinners or their Wholly Bucket ($120) for a larger group of 5-6. One of their must-try is their signature Nori Tempura Soft Shell Crab ($12), a crispy and succulent dish. For those who aren’t exactly fans of crabs, Wholly Crab has other food options such as mussels, prawns and even pasta.
So if you’re craving for a casual dinner, try Wholly Crab for your seafood fix.
Wholly Crab (Satay by the Bay)
Address: 18 Marina Gardens Drive, #01-17 Satay By The Bay, S018953
Opening hours: Sun to Thu 2pm-10pm, Fri-Sat 2pm-11pm
Wholly Crab (Bedok Market Place)
Address: 348 Bedok Road, #02-10 Simpang Bedok Market Place, S469560
Opening hours: Tue to Sun 4pm-10pm, Closed on Mon
2. Mischief by Cynthia Koh, Michelle Chong & Daniel Ong
Helmed by Daniel Ong, Cynthia Koh and Michelle Chong, Mischief is an eatery that focuses on American street food. With its lively ambience, this establishment is a great place for gatherings of any kind. Sink your teeth into delicious American cuisines such as the Sloppy Joes, Philly Cheesesteak or Chicken Waffle before washing them down with a pint of cold beer. For the health-conscious, there’s always the Heirloom Tomato Salad, a dish comprising of juicy tomatoes, basil pesto, cheese and olive crumb.
Not a fan of beer? Mischief also offers a selection of alcoholic drinks such as cocktails, spirits and wines. Did we also mention that there’s neither service charge nor GST?
Mischief
Address: 8 Raffles Avenue, Esplanade Mall #01-12, S039802
Contact: 6532 0106
Opening hours: Mon-Thu 5pm-1am, Fri-Sat 5pm-3am, Sun 5pm-11pm
3. Dulce and Sucre by Jaime Teo & Daniel Ong
They may be known as the founders of Twelve Cupcakes, but did you know that duo Jamie Teo and Daniel Ong are also behind the concept of Dulce and Sucre? An extension of Twelve Cupcakes, this establishment sells a variety of puddings, crunchies, whoopies, and tarts with prices ranging from S$3.30 – S$6.00.
If you happen to be in the Orchard area, do head down to the basement of Orchard Gateway to try their tarts, cake pops and loaves that are baked using top ingredients such as French butter and top notch chocolate. Also, expect great service here at this little quaint cafe!
Dulce and Sucre
Address: 277 Orchard Road, B1-01 Orchard Gateway, Singapore 238858
Tel: +65 6509 1255
Opening hours: Daily 10am-10pm
4. PARK at Holland Village by Adam Chen
Located in bustling Holland Village, PARK is a one of a kind Gastro Bar opened by actor Adam Chen, whose passion for the creation of spaces paved the way for his introduction to the F&B industry. Reconstructed out of an old shipping container and powered by solar energy, PARK is a stand-alone restaurant that is pretty hard to miss.
PARK operates as a cafe by day and bistro by night. The must-try items include its Spam Chips ($8.50) and Truffle Mac and Cheese ($13.50). Do arrive early as seating is limited and establishment tends to fill up pretty fast during peak hours.
PARK at Holland Village
Address: 281 Holland Avenue, #01-01, S278996
Contact: 6532 0106
Opening hours: Fri-Sun 10am-2am, Tue-Thu 10am-12am, Closed on Mon
5. Dancing Crab by Dick Lee
Other than Slappy Cake, the renowned songwriter is also the owner of Dancing Crab. This country-style Cajun seafood restaurant serves a distinctive Creole cuisine, something that sets it apart from the traditional seafood restaurants. Backed by one of Singapore’s oldest seafood restaurant leaders Tung Lok, Dancing crab uses Shellfish from the same vendors as those under the umbrella group.
Start your meal with some Crab Cakes ($13) or you know, dive straight into the Boston Lobsters ($9.50/100g) or Dungeness crabs ($8.50/100g). Other must-try dishes include classics such as the Po’boy Sandwiches ($15) and Seafood Gumbo ($11). That said, do be prepared to get your hands dirty at Dancing Crab!
Check out all the four outlets location here.
Dancing Crab (The Grandstand)
Address: The Grandstand 200 Turf Club Road
Contact: 65 6566 3303
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 5pm-10.30m, Sat-Sun/PH 11.30am-3pm; 5pm-10.30pm
Sure, the combination of fame and food may sound like a winning formula, but we’ll leave it to you to decide if the celebrities should venture further into their second careers. However, we do salute their passion for food and they are indeed, inspiring people to look up to. If you do decide to drop by their restaurants, do let us know how they fare by dropping a comment below!
(Header image by todayonline, danielfooddiary and The Straits Times, edited by writer)
Also read: A Teppanyaki Dinner That Hits All The Right Spots – Teppan Bar Q
