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Food trail: New dawn for Sunset Lane?

Everyone knows that Singapore’s west side often gets a bad rep when it comes to dining choices. Eastside foodies smugly proclaim the superiority of their territory when it comes to variety, novelty and, most intangibly of all, a relaxing, down-home vibe that allows you to kick your shoes off and have a beer. Westsiders have, uh, Jurong Point.

Everyone knows that Singapore’s west side often gets a bad rep when it comes to dining choices. Eastside foodies smugly proclaim the superiority of their territory when it comes to variety, novelty and, most intangibly of all, a relaxing, down-home vibe that allows you to kick your shoes off and have a beer. Westsiders have, uh, Jurong Point.

Okay, that’s not entirely true — there’s also Holland Village, Greenwood Avenue and Turf City. And further west, there’s Sunset Lane, which, after a recent revamp, is hoping to become the next hot spot for kicking back and chilling out. The area — Block 106 Clementi Street 12, off Sunset Way — has been home to an interesting little stretch of establishments since 2005, when the Housing and Development Board, working together with Sunset Way Trades Association, attempted to spruce up the neighbourhood. But after an initial buzz, activity died down and the restaurant turnover rate was high.

The area now has a new landlord, Aquilyne Capital, which took over earlier this year, and the company has rebranded the area Sunset Lane.

“Not many HDB estates offer such a varied line-up of restaurants in a casual, al fresco setting. And there is a growing trend towards opening up good-quality dining away from shopping malls and in residential neighbourhoods,” said Derrick Kuek, Aquilyne Capital’s director.

Alongside existing eateries Rocky’s Pizza, American rib joint Smokey’s BBQ (an outpost of the popular favourite at Joo Chiat Place), Megumi Japanese Restaurant and whimsical cafe Buttercake N Cream, are new additions to the stretch. These include Thai steamboat and barbecue place Happy Mookata and Brazilian churrascaria Carne & Caipirinha.

Carne & Caipirinha’s chief operating officer KK Ng deliberately chose the location for its al fresco atmosphere.

“I don’t want people to be sitting in some air-conditioned shopping mall or concrete jungle. I chose this slightly warm, natural setting with a lot of trees and no tall buildings. Most days, we see squirrels and hear the sounds of birds. This is a relaxing location to dine in,” he said.

To experience the new Sunset Lane, we spent an afternoon on a food trail, sampling dishes from all nine restaurants (yes, it’s a tough job, but somebody’s got to do it). Here are our picks.

> The Tiny Roaster (Block 106, Clementi Street 12, #01-62)

This very indie coffee-roasting studio moved from its West Coast location last month in search of a larger space (not so tiny after all, it seems). It now has a dedicated area for conducting coffee-appreciation and cupping classes. Serving only brewed coffee — no espressos — the cosy spot is not for a grab-and-go. It is a place to visit when you have a lot of time to chill. On a hot day, have the cold brew, which comes served with a giant coffee ice ball.

> Sticks & Wings (Block 106, Clementi Street 12, #01-44)

There is now a place in the West to get barbecued chicken wings, satay and seafood such as what you’d find at East Coast Lagoon Food Village or Newton Food Centre. The stingray, smothered in sambal, is served soft, steaming and tender.

> Carne & Caipirinha (Block 106, Clementi Street 12, #01-50)

This Brazilian meat-on-skewers joint prides itself on being the only charcoal-fired churrascaria in Singapore. Meats are imported from Brazil and slow-roasted over a fire. Its speciality is the beef hump, a rare and marbled cut found only in humped Brazilian cattle called zebu. And, needless to say, you don’t want to miss the chicken hearts or grilled pineapple.

> De’ Beer Seafood Restaurant (Block 106, Clementi Street 12, #01-38/40/42)

This Chinese seafood restaurant is run by the operators of D’Kranji Farmway Resort and serves up specialities including Sauna Prawns, steamed and served in a wooden bucket; Flaming Chicken, which was titillatingly set on fire before our eyes; and our personal favourite dish in the entire food trail, the La La Bee Hoon — vermicelli piled high with clams in a sweet, clear broth elevated with lashings of black pepper.

Click to eat

For more delish deals and news on what’s hot on the scene, download the 8 Days Eat App at

http://www16.mediacorp.sg/8days/8daysapp2.html.

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