What to eat, where to shop at New Bahru, the latest food and lifestyle destination at Kim Yam Road

New lifestyle destination New Bahru had its sneak peek weekend on Jun 22 and 23, with curious crowds descending upon the premises for a first look.

The 20,156 sq m development spearheaded by The Lo & Behold Group currently has a total of 40 concepts locked down on the five-storey premises of the former Nan Chiau High School at Kim Yam Road in the River Valley area.

About half of these concepts are now open, with the rest opening progressively between now and the end of the year. 90 per cent of the available space has been tenanted.

The name New Bahru – “bahru” means “new” in Malay – is inspired by the Singaporean penchant for repeating words for emphasis (e.g. “die-die”), a Lo & Behold spokesperson shared.

The creative cluster is a place to experience a collection of Singapore brands, from F&B to designers and makers of all kinds, under one roof. There are also entertainment, arts and culture, and education establishments, as well as a serviced apartments concept named Alma House, and a supermarket in the form of CS Fresh.

The official opening is slated for September.

Some of the highly anticipated dining concepts that will open soon are San Shu Gong Chao Yue, a spin-off of the popular Teochew restaurant; a bar by Le Bon Funk’s Keirin Buck; and a restaurant by Italian chef Mirko Febbrile of Fico.

New Bahru is pet friendly and has open-air on-site parking.

In addition to dining, shopping, workshops and more, a visit to New Bahru also provides an interesting opportunity to appreciate the nostalgic aspect of the building’s brutalist architecture.

Elements like the classroom, corridor and stairway layouts have been preserved, and also the school hall, with its rows of original wooden fold-down seats, a large stage, and even badminton court markings on the floors left intact. Breeze blocks, barrelled roofs and other architectural elements will take visitors back to 1969, the year the building was completed.

What can you expect from an outing to New Bahru? Here’s a look at the concepts that are currently open.

DINING

1. ARTICHOKE

Singapore celebrity chef Bjorn Shen’s “new school” Middle Eastern-inspired restaurant has moved here from its Middle Road location, continuing to serve up longstanding favourites like the Green Harissa Prawns, hot honey fried chicken, mezze and falafel.

The design inspiration for the restaurant, Shen shared, came from the Swensen’s and Pizza Huts of the 1990s. Don’t worry – the giant poster of George Costanza in tighty-whities and the framed pictures of Borat are still there.

Small’s, Shen’s experimental chef’s table, is also here in the form of a counter behind a curtain, but now has a whopping eight seats compared to the previous four. It currently hosts a return of the popular pizza-focused menu.

Reservations are essential as Artichoke’s popularity hasn’t waned in the 14 years it’s been around – a real testament to the restaurant’s staying power.

2. THE COCONUT CLUB

The popular restaurant known for its nasi lemak made with premium ingredients now has three outlets. Menu exclusives at New Bahru are a Quail Goreng Berempah and a Wagyu Beef Roti John.

Here, you’ll also find a selection of merchandise in collaboration with OM by designer Ong Shunmugam. The capsule gift collection includes limited edition shirts, jams and glassware.

3. DEARBORN

Granola-focused brand Dearborn’s second outlet is where you can get your all-day breakfast, fresh bakes and coffee fix – and of course load up on your favourite granola flavours.

Look out for interesting menu items like a steel-cut oat congee with seafood; a mentaiko, horseradish and pea English muffin; and duck confit with hash browns.

4. KOTUWA

Sri Lankan restaurant Kotuwa by chef Rishi Naleendra has also moved over to New Bahru, where it has increased seating from the old Dickson Road location, thanks to a new bar area and outdoor lounge area.

The space is vibey, laid-back and colourful with furniture, sculptures and art by Sri Lankan craftsmen and artists.

Enjoy classic Kotuwa favourites like crab curry, lychee achcharu, kottu rotti and the simple but supremely satisfying hoppers, hot and fresh off the pan; paired with cocktails featuring Sri Lankan arrack.

5. ODEM

This new makgeolli bar and restaurant by the people behind Ajumma’s is for lovers of Korean rice wine.

Odem boasts a curated list of over 30 rare makgeollis, including an exclusive house brew of Lychee Rose Takju made in partnership with a brewery in Seoul.

Get a makgeolli tasting flight and pair it with signature dishes like barbecued kalbi, chive and oyster pancake, and brioche with gamtae seaweed butter.

There’s also craft beer as well as barrel-aged and infused specialty soju.

6. HUEVOS RIVER VALLEY

A sister outlet to the Mexican restaurant at North Bridge Road, Huevos at New Bahru promises new dishes that are grilled and smoked, in addition to its popular tacos, margaritas and churros.

RETAIL

1. SOJAO

One of Singapore’s favourite homegrown bedding and lifestyle stores, Sojao products, including sheets, duvet covers, pillowcases, T-shirts and loungewear, are made with GOTS-certified organic cotton from India.  

This is the brand’s second outlet, spinning off from their flagship store in Joo Chiat Road.

2. SOILBOY

More than a plant shop, Soilboy offers lifestyle inspiration in its very aesthetic store that spans two former classrooms.

Find exotic plants in specially designed, handcrafted ceramic planters; get help with your plant issues; or attend a workshop in a dedicated space.

3. CURIOUS CREATURES

Jewellery brand Curious Creatures has moved their Kreta Ayer store over to New Bahru, in addition to stores at ION Orchard and Great World City.

Here, you can browse the collection of fine jewellery or have a permanent bracelet welded onto your wrist.

4. MAKE BY GINLEE

Known for its pleated clothing and accessories, Ginlee has moved its National Design Centre workshop space over to New Bahru in order to accommodate bigger groups for its popular workshops.

Make your own pleated bag by choosing a pleat design, wrapping your chosen fabric in a paper mould and setting the pleats in a steamer, then picking out your own strap and eyelet colours. Or, turn your old T-shirts into totes or laptop bags.

5. MORNING

Morning has their own capsule coffee brewing machines that can be calibrated, via an app, to the exact needs of the capsules produced by different brands and blends from all over the world. Varied water temperatures, water pressure and brewing time all serve to bring out the best flavour in each coffee.

Here at their first physical store, you can shop their curated collection of cult favourite specialty capsule coffees from around the globe, including their house brand; as well as get hands-on with the machines.

6. THE SEA APPLE CREATE STORE

Popular for its children’s clothing with whimsical designs, Sea Apple has opened a second store here in addition to its United Square outlet.

What’s special here is that kids (and grown-ups, too) can customise their T-shirts, backpacks and more with iron-on patches and letters at the special Create station, unleashing their inner designer.

7. CRAFUNE

Leather crafting workshop Crafune offers a new space for crafty people who want to get hands-on with leather and learn the traditional basics of working with the material.

You can make your own card holder, coin pouch, pet collar and more, with personalised embossing services and hot stamping, too; or even upcycle your old leather goods into something new.

New Bahru is at 46 Kim Yam Road. For a full list of concepts that are open or opening soon, visit https://www.newbahru.com/directory.