Breathing life into the normally quiet Orchard Central is a new arrival by the name of Steamroom with The Pillar and Stones. It’s quite the mouthful, so let’s just go by its acronym, SRPS. Taking over a sprawling corner of the mall, the multi-concept space — designed by managing partner/local artist Wong Lip Chin — is home to a ‘kaffatea’ brewing area (Steamroom), a restaurant helmed by executive chef Stephan Zoisl (The Pillar), and a retail shop and art lab (Stones). In a nutshell, it brings together art, dining and shopping — pretty much what most Singaporeans love.
At Steamroom — which is where tea lovers should make a beeline for — it’s all about the art of ‘kaffatea’. With a focus on Chinese teas, and featuring over 10 single origin varieties, the tea pros will brew your blend with a fancy machine called the Steampunk, which automates the siphon brewing technique to precise temperature, time and volume. That way, each sip of your tea is optimally brewed to suit your taste.
Varieties on the menu include Qi Men Kung Fu Red Tea ($7.50) and Winter Peak Oolong ($7.50) — but if you’d rather perk up with coffee, try the house blend ($4.50) of three single origin beans from Kenya, Ethiopia and Costa Rica.
If you want more than just a drink, take a seat at The Pillar for creative dishes crafted with seasonal produce. Start from appetizers like Angus beef tartare with sourdough crisps ($16), spanner crab salad made zesty with wasabi mayo ($15) or the creamy burrata cheese salad sprinkled with crispy bits of quinoa ($15).
Slowly work your way up to mains like red snapper ($28), braised beef cheek ($32) and lobster fregola sarda pasta ($28), or try the pumpkin risotto ($22) if you’re going vegetarian.
End off with desserts like coconut sorbet with roasted pineapple ($12), chocolate gateau with mandarin orange sorbet ($15) or Inspired by Red ($14), a plate of strawberries and raspberries in different forms.
Now that you’re all satisfied and happy, stroll around Stones to browse through a selection of lifestyle brands, from Portuguese men’s grooming label Musgo Real to Brooklyn-based ceramic studio Group Partner to American footwear brand Aurora Shoe Company. The store also displays its in-house labels, Ultramarine Studio and In Real Life, both from Emporium of Modern Man.
At the corner of the retail space, you’ll find an art lab set aside for regular masterclasses, workshops and art jamming sessions. In June, when the Klimsch Lithographic Press arrives, you’ll be able to try out the lithography process yourself.
But if you prefer to simply roam around the store to admire the little details, feel free to check out its edible wall garden by the glass windows (these ingredients also make an appearance in your dishes), a paludarium inspired by the Amazon, and a green wall covered in lush hanging plants.
Steamroom with The Pillar and Stones is at #03-08 Orchard Central. Daily 10am-10pm.
