Private Affairs: Easy to miss, impossible to forget

Regular travel and lifestyle readers will understand why we hate the term "hidden gem." It's overused, clichéd and is generally the last refuge of the tired writer who can't summon the imaginative energy to describe a venue better. But, then again, clichés become clichés because they pithily sum up a concept. 

So here's our hidden gem of the day. We were tempted to keep this to ourselves, but then restaurants like the newly opened Private Affairs should be celebrated, not hoarded. 

It nestles in a beautifully restored shophouse in eastern Joo Chiat, far from the clustered restaurants in town. To be fair, it's difficult to get to since Joo Chiat isn't easy to navigate by car or public transport. If you're not looking you're liable to miss Private Affairs, but the flip side is there won't be coach loads of camera-toting tourists fighting for the last bun. 

Chef Paul Ng spent the better part of his career honing his modern European cooking skills in Dubai and is particularly good at working Chinese and Thailand touches into his dishes. There are only two menus on the table, The Private Affair, a four-course menu at S$98 and A Luscious Affair, a seven-course menu at S$168. They change every month according to what chef Ng would like to present and the produce he wishes to highlight. When in doubt, we highly recommend sticking to the menus unless for dietary reasons.

 

The White Lobster Bisque is highly recommended.

The chatty chef

Chef Ng loves to chat with his diners though, so don't hesitate to ask for him and don't be fooled by his baby-face youthful looks -- the man whips up some of the most innovative fusion dishes we've seen in quite a while and he's genuinely interested in knowing what you prefer as well as receiving input on his menus. Where possible, request in advance for one of his signature dishes, the white lobster bisque. It's not some Campbell pureed mishmash of seafood but a lightly seasoned bisque that's poured into your soup bowl at the table so that the temperature's just right. Soak it up with the tri-coloured Cannelloni of squid ink that's wrapped around a mix of lobster and salmon pieces. It's bliss in a bowl.

We asked Sharon Chow, the ex-investment banker-turned-resturateur who opened Private Affairs, why she picked the Joo Chiat district for the location instead of a more conventional dining area like Dempsey Hill or One Rochester. The simple answer was that Joo Chiat was an up-and-coming place with a lot of upmarket potential and proximity to many of the private housing estates. "Besides, I wanted to be different and stand out from the rest of the F&B outlets, and the rent's not so ridiculous here," she says.

The private lounge on level two

Private Affairs recently opened up the second floor of its building, a reservations-only lounge decked out in plush sofas and comfortable armchairs which seats about 30 in the main area. Edibles are limited to finger foods but there's a good variety to pick from -- ask for the Kurobuta pork in cocoa sauce. It's great for pre-dinner drinks or just hanging around after a good meal, and doubles as a venue for corporate or private events.

Friday evenings are called Oysters & Sparkling Nites (6.30pm to 9pm), where for S$38, you'll be served two glasses of Cava sparking wine from Spain and free flow of oysters of the day. Chef Ng concocted five different sauces to go with the oysters, but our favorite is the smoked miso powder & yuzu jelly.

To guarantee a place make your reservations for both restaurant and lounge a week in advance, and ask for the week’s menu to be forwarded if you want a peek at what's in store.

getting there

Private Affairs
45 Joo Chiat Place, Singapore
tel +65 6440 0601
Open Tuesday to Saturday, 11.30am to 2.30pm for lunch and 6pm to late for dinner
www.privateaffairs.com.sg