met up with some friends here last month, it’s my first time visiting the restaurant though i have heard good things about the place. i ordered the bento, which has a little of everything, so i can try many different things.
the sashimi was very fresh and the cut is thick and really yummy. unagi is quite nice as well, not overly flavored. sushi was pretty good as well as other side dishes. the bento is quite filling with miso soup and fruits. good thing there’s no rice, that would be too much.
overall, the dining experience was great, staff service is friendly and efficient, the restaurant ambiance is nice and quiet for a good conversation with friends. i think it is worth coming for special occasions since it is a pricey restaurant.
Stepping into the historic Jinrikisha Station for a meal felt really different. In case you are wondering, this building was once a busy rickshaw depot in Tanjong Pagar but it now serves as a high-end dining space.
Chef Zor Tan leads the kitchen with a reputation built at famous spots like RAW in Taipei and the two-MICHELIN-starred Sichuan Moon in Macau. Since opening, Restaurant Born has quickly earned its own MICHELIN star and a consistent ranking on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants (ranked No. 23 in 2026).
This project is a very personal journey for Chef Zor, and he describes his style as contemporary cuisine that blends French techniques with Chinese influences.
The design of the space is elegant. The interior is bright and modern with original arches that have been lined with blackened steel and subtle cove lighting. A massive paper sculpture by Dutch artist Peter Gentenaar hangs from the high glass ceiling, which to me was the centre of focus. Like a swirling cloud.
I chose to dine here during lunch as I wanted to feel the natural light from the glass roof, which made the room feel open and airy. There is only one lunch service during the week though, and that’s Friday. The lunch set is a five-course menu at $228++.
My meal began with two distinct snacks. First was a yellow cocoa butter sphere filled with pineapple juice infused with chilli and liquorice. Eat it in one bite and savour the bright and spicy liquid within.
Next was a deep-fried pork pastry topped with otoro tartare, smoked aioli and caviar. This bite was rich and salty with a light crunch from the pork jowl. The first proper course focused on Kampachi which is also known as greater yellowtail.
The fish was made into a tartare tossed with pickle juice. It came served with a type of radish that was coloured pink and topped with ikura. The dish was finished with a drizzle of pesto and more chilli pickle juice.
Next was a fried bao, which is one of the more famous and also one of my favourite items here. This version featured Maine lobster with a distinct mala flavour inside the golden bun, which gave a small tingle to the palate. It sat on a creamy oyster emulsion and was further topped with house-made Parma ham.
Before the main I was served a signature dish of monkfish with roasted capsicum and chicken fat. This is an original dish for the chef. Inspired by a classic Sichuan fish head dish, it featured capsicum puree at the bottom with chopped monkfish and Yunnan chicken. The server poured over a rich chicken fat emulsion which was very delicate and savoury.
Following this was a rice course made with Koshihikari rice. It was cooked like a risotto with Alaskan king crab and blue swimmer crab then garnished with Scottish razor clam. I found this to be very comforting and full of seafood flavour.
The main course arrived as A4 Zabuton wagyu beef. It was served with a mix of mushrooms, fermented black beans and onion confit, completed with a savoury beef jus.
The meal ended with a dessert based on sweet potatoes. The chef took inspiration from the cartoon Doraemon for this course. The sweet potato appeared in different forms such as a smooth puree and thin crisps with a burnt butter glaze on top. It was paired with sea salt ice cream and an oolong chantilly at the bottom.
This shorter lunch menu is a good way to try the chef’s style without committing to a long dinner. The experience at Restaurant Born felt polished and complete, and the food was complex but remained easy to enjoy.
Restaurant Born: 1 Neil Road, #01-01, Singapore 088804 (Jinrikisha Station) Opening Hours: 6pm – 11pm (Tues – Sat), 12pm – 3pm, 6pm – 11pm (Fri), Closed Sun, Mon * Follow @DanielFoodDiary on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Telegram for more food news, food videos and travel highlights. DFD paid for food reviewed unless otherwise stated.
From left to right, #BayScallops, #toro #salmon & #kampachi 🍣. . Dinner is served. #latergram (at SUGARFISH: Pasadena) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cb8bVqXPTNa/?utm_medium=tumblr
Thank goodness the rain stopped. Weekends were made for barbecuing. #kampachi (at Pearl City, Hawaii) https://www.instagram.com/p/CMtSOoAjphK/?igshid=gra1te714czi
#lunch #sashimilunch #orakingsalmon #kampachi and a #whitetuna so amazingly fresh it was literally #flaking as my beloved best on earth husband was cutting it. Soooooo goooooood!!!!! @fourstarseafood ROCKS! #lafetedegabette #diariesofafoodlovercoupleinquarantine #sashimitasting (at Carmel, California) https://www.instagram.com/p/CBWcTrSg5Y0FHBY3co-9ro-j5MfUEfy41LdQ0I0/?igshid=cql92lot5hg5
Kampachi crudo with yuzu, purple daikon, dill oil. San Francisco CA📍 @sprucerestaurantsf 📱 ••• We had gone to Spruce right before SF’s shelter in place, and had a wonderful with a couple of friends. The food was fantastic, and our favorite was their Spanish octopus - a must try!!! 🐠 • • • #kampachi #crudo #fish #seafood #appetizer #laurelheights #dinner #food #foodie #foodporn #foodstagram #foodphotography #vittlemonster #feedme #nofilter #instafood #eater #nomnom #foodgasm #yummy #tasty #eatersf #sfeats #sffood #sffoodie #bayareafoodie (at Spruce) https://www.instagram.com/p/CBV1i05lIx3/?igshid=159g07vx01nlt
