Located in the heart of vibrant Amoy Street, Avenue 87 is a Modern Asian restaurant that embodies and celebrates the two personal journeys – beginning with its name. Born in the same year, 1987, Glen and Alex both spent childhoods in Hougang: Glen at Avenue 8; Alex – you guessed it – at Avenue 7.
Housed within warm, sophisticated ambience of a 2-storey conservation shophouse, Chefs Glen and Alex bring to the table well-loved Asian favourites, given a creative twist using traditional and contemporary techniques.
Avenue 87 is the culmination of two remarkable personal journeys and the crucible of a friendship. It is a restaurant built on the passion for food, and the determination to see it propagated through the cultivation of local traditions and new talent. And it is the safe space where two friends push each other’s boundaries to bring an act of collaborative creation like no other to the diner.
Comments
Whether you are familiar with local cuisine or looking for a safe and satisfying way to enjoy all the many flavours that Singapore has to offer, Avenue 87 is easily a crowd-pleaser.
The 6-course Avenue 87 menu was both impressive in creativity and fulfilling in taste. You are taken through a journey that clearly represents the chef's passion for representing the unique local flavours to a dose of their travels in this inspired fusion meal.
The Kueh Pie Tee was done so well incorporating fish head curry flavours that meant if you are familiar with this Nonya Dish, you're still excited to try this new version in a restaurant.
When the fish soup came my belly was happy to be warmed by this comforting broth where every component of what makes an intricate soup had been looked after. My skin was also very happy to get the collagen hit!
Definitely, my favourite dish was the twist on Sambal Stingray.
Having spent a lot of time working with chefs trying to perfect our own Sambal it's not to be overlooked how good sambal can reignite a dish.
This version brings me back to my childhood memories of Spanish octopus which they served with a truly Peranakan delightful Sambal. So happy to see chefs roots brought into this creation.
I tried my best not to lick the delightful tender meat off the bone for the New Zealand lamb chops which was a good idea, since the 'Pisang No Goreng' contained some of the best flavours in a local dessert; fried custard, gula melaka, and banana ice cream.
The chefs here are really representing what's exciting about local cuisine getting confident in its own flavours and history. This is defiantly a lovely evening experience.
Glen and Alex first met at Shatec Culinary School. Both chefs embarked on their professional careers at Tippling Club, with opportunities to participate in culinary events across Asia and Europe. Glen staged at Attica in Melbourne, while Alex was at Viajante, London. Then, their journeys diverged.
Glen moved to Shanghai in 2016 to join the highly acclaimed UltraViolet by Paul Pairet (3-Michelin-Starred, No. 41 in Asia’s 50 Best 2020). Alex moved on to head the team that launched Open Door Policy in 2011, and led the kitchen and operations at restaurants such as Sorrel and Restaurant Ember. In 2018, Alex joined Park Hotel Clarke Quay as Executive Chef. In 2020, armed with the offer to lead a new restaurant, Glen immediately called Alex.
What sets the restaurant apart is their seamless synergy, and the unique brand of creativity and innovation they bring. Also special is the platform given to dynamic brands, producers, and talents of Singapore and the region. Dining at Avenue 87 is a deep dive into gastronomy in which two chefs at the top of their game push each other’s boundaries to produce magic.
