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Zén Singapore Tripadvisor Reviews
Latest Reviews On Tripadvisor
27 Reviews
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Top Singapore pick
When dining at a 3-starred restaurant, we (rightfully) expect the food to be outstanding, full of sensory surprises. Zen does not disappoint in this regard with one dish after another that is visually stunning on top of being a taste sensation. Our favorites were the Kanpachi crudo, Chawanmushi with caviar, and the signature Onion, almond & liquorice soup. These dishes cause you to pause after each bite to decipher the variety of flavors, textures and aromas. My favorite desserts were the salted milk ice cream with banana that was topped with a generous shaving of frozen foie gras, followed by some of the most exquisite fruits I’ve experienced. In all honesty, we ate here after having already experienced Singapore’s two other 3-starred restaurants and weren’t expecting to be impressed. We weren’t even that excited to be going, but felt that, in all fairness, we ought to come to Zen in order to have experienced all three. Our conclusion, to our great surprise and delight, is that Zen topped the other two! The foods were inventive, delicious and beautifully prepared and presented at each table. Topping it off was the tremendous hospitality. Manager Zu was extraordinarily welcoming, attentive, and genuinely engaging. There was no stuffiness or pretentiousness from him or any of his team. Amber took impeccable care of us, firstly noticing that I was left handed and thus laying out my place settings accordingly (having seen me eat the amuse bouche bites with my left hand). For three hours, just about all of the staff at different points will interact with you because each plate is finalized, tweezers and all, on a workspace attached to your table. The Zen experience is enhanced by these warm personal encounters and by being able to witness the finesse that accompanies each item that passes your lips. When your schedule and budget allows, I would highly recommend Zen. This was not simply a meal, but an experience to remember.
Be the first to ReplyAt peace
We first came here when they first opened 5 years ago and now is our repeat visit. Overall our sense is that they have grown and got better with time On the first floor, there’s a bevy of amuse bouche, all very good. They also show you all the ingredients for dinner Most of the courses are on the second floor. The onion soup with liquorice, and banana/shaved foie gras dessert are out of this world. The rest very good to excellent Then we finished with petit fours on the third floor. Amazing waffles Excellent service throughout
Be the first to ReplyZen Again
In town for my 40th, sans kids, and had to go back to Zen. Waxed lyrical about it last time (“best restaurant we’ve ever been to, blah blah blah”) so were a little trepidatious it wouldn’t live up to the memory. To be completely honest, it didn’t quite. But it was still fantastic! Restaurant itself and food were as brilliant as last time (March 2023), with plenty of change, but some old favourites remaining. I said it last time, but this is one of the very few restaurants that actually make truffle work. Usually it’s just grated or sliced onto a standard dish and you get charged $30-40 for the “upgrade”. Zero thought given. Zen actually work with it so that it truly compliments, and is complimented by, the dish. I am of course talking about the “French Toast”, which is one of the group’s flagship courses. So I suppose it has to be good. But every course splendid, from the snacks on the ground floor to the waffles in the attic. We love the atmosphere and music, but being children of the 90s and students of the 00s I think the tunes are exactly to our tastes. Very much indie pop in the main dining room. Which is still trendsetting for Michelin starred restaurants. The only thing that was probably a little better on our last visit was the service. Lisa was phenomenal that time, but has been prompted to restaurant manager I think since (richly deserved, it seems to us) so was spread a little more thinly. Great for the restaurant, she still seems phenomenal, selfishly bad for us seeing less of her! There was also some sort of VIP couple who had a gravity all of their own. But overall service still excellent. It’s like synchronised swimming, plates and cutlery and glasses coming and going in unison. It really is a sight to behold. And Jarred continues to be an absolute joy to see, such a lovely man and brilliant at what he does. Didn’t realise at the time that it was head chef Tristin Farmer’s last service, so will be fascinating when next we return to see if much changes with a new kitchen lead. And we’ll definitely be returning. Can’t wait to try his next venue too. Zen, in our opinion, is the best restaurant in Singapore and up there with the best we’ve ever visited. Highly recommended.
Be the first to ReplyAmazing experience!
Wow! This was such a good experience. The food was amazing and the service was the best! Friendly staff with a lot of humor. The setting was fantastic!
Be the first to ReplyExcellent inventive dining
Top grade ingredients (in generous portions), inventive cooking techniques and presentation and an innovative "dining journey" format where you are taken through different floors of the restaurant as the course progress. Lots of reviews in the press describing the dining experience so I wont repeat here save to say its reputation is well deserved. It is pricy but you fully get your money's worth.
Be the first to ReplyThanks Pollyana
I've read several detailed reviews of this wonderful establishment and need not repeat. My experience was that this was the most expensive lunch I have eaten, I probably liked the French Les Amis the day prior a bit more but this experience was far more creative in presentation and varied in flavors. I may not prefer Scandinavian twists, but it was still great and I am happy to have had the experience. I was traveling alone and the 3 hour event was substantially elevated by my clever server, Pollyana. Thank you for the enjoyable conversation!
Be the first to ReplyKnowledgeable staff, great menu and drinks pairing
Great, consistent experiences from 2x visits to Zen. Loving the experiential side of this place, the service and great knowledge of the staff, delicious delicious food, unpretentious ambience, great non alcohol/ wine/ mix non alcohol & wine pairing.
Be the first to ReplyFalls short of the Frantzén Stockholm standard
I write my review of Zén in Singapore as a three-time visitor to Frantzén, the original operation in Stockholm and the Mother Ship of the Frantzén empire. I am a well traveled foodie, and I can confidently say that my meals at Frantzén in Stockholm are among the best I have ever had. Expensive, yes, but the food and experience were worth it. Zén in Singapore fell short of the standards of Frantzén in Stockholm in several respects. On the surface, Zén is meant to emulate the Frantzén experience. Both restaurants are multi-story, with each level of the restaurant playing a role. You start with champagne to accompany many delectable snacks, before moving to the display of today’s ingredients and the explanation that accompanies them. You then move to the main dining level to have your savory courses, followed by desserts and digestifs at the final level. The food was absolutely delicious. No doubt about it. But I would say the quality of the food was the only attribute where Zén met the Frantzén standards. The experience is meant to be fun and informal, balancing out the seriousness of the food and drink. At Frantzén the staff was gregarious and lots of fun. They really enjoyed showing you the amazing space and talking to you about all the ingredients and all the experimental things going on. The experience of moving around the amazing building on different levels really makes the meal. The Singapore experience paled by comparison. The tour I received was very perfunctory and low energy. For example, as we walked by the dozens of jars of pickled vegetables in Stockholm my guide gave me a fun and detailed rundown on some of the coolest new ingredients and concepts being tried out. In Singapore, my guide walked right by and just said that Swedes really like to pickle food. No one at any point told me anything about the historic building the restaurant was located in. I found out about its significance after the fact. There was also no comparison between the personnel I interacted with at each location. Except for a Swedish staff member, who was very engaging, I found the Zen staffers to be basically going through the motions with far less engagement than their Stockholm colleagues. Most importantly, the value of the experience in Singapore was very poor. My check came to almost twice what I paid in Frantzén. And for that, I actually got less food and wine instead of more. At Frantzén when you get the champagne during the initial snack introduction they will refill your glass. At Zén, for US$50 you get one small glass of champagne and that’s it. Expecting the Stockholm experience, I made the mistake of drinking the champagne with the first three snacks, leaving none for the last two. In Stockholm, the snacks continue as you’re getting an explanation of the ingredients you’re about to try. While I did not count the number of courses, it seems I had at least two fewer than I had in Stockholm. One of the signature courses, the truffle toast, was smaller in size and the truffles were pre-sliced instead of prepared table-side. Much less fun than it could have been, and much less generous. I found the wines to be unremarkable and much less memorable. Finally, the dessert chef seemed much less imaginative. Instead of the amazing creations I was used to in Stockholm. I had a couple of basic dishes, including Japanese fruit. I understand how remarkable this fruit can be. I also understand the best way to pay tribute to it is to serve it by itself with no enhancements. But I could have done this myself at home. I understand that prices at high-end restaurants in Singapore are much higher than elsewhere as this is an extremely rich place and people can afford to pay almost anything. However, if you are going to charge prices like these then, at a minimum, should you not strive to provide the same experience as you do at your mother ship?
Be the first to ReplyBest restaurant ever?
It’s up there. The experience was phenomenal. Ticked every box…venue, service, and food. I hate name checking restaurants, and usually only see it on negative reviews (“I’ve been to this, this, and this restaurant so trust me when I say this one is rubbish…”), but I figure if you’re checking out this place you are as into your food as are. The only place we’ve been to that rivals is Extebarri, in Spain. They’re very different. It’s actually hard to put a finger on why we rate Extebarri so high. We prefer the more informal and contemporary, and Extebarri is certainly more what you think of when you think of a Michelin fine diner. White tablecloths, low volume, inoffensive music, more formal service. Stunning food. Zen, though, is different and just stunning. Objectively I think it’s the best for our tastes. The venue is spread across three floors. Ground floor is the kitchen and a few tables for “snacks”. You get to meet the kitchen team and one of the chefs runs through all the ingredients you’ll be eating. Then it’s up to the first floor for dinner proper. We loved the space. Fun, comfortable, and informal. Looked beautiful and we took a few pictures of furniture and decorations we’d like to have in our home. Music is right up our street, “indie”. It was like they’d put my Spotify playlist on. Food was incredible. They even made the sea urchin taste fabulous! I’ve only had sea urchin once or twice (once ant Noma) and, had thought, I don’t like it, but miracles were worked. There was also a truffle dish that was wonderful. A pet hate of ours is when restaurants do truffle degustation or plates and it seems the limit of the thought is to just slice truffle onto the same dish as is usually served…not here though. It was woven very cleverly into the course and really, really worked. I honestly can’t speak highly enough of the food. It was clever and a huge amount of work clearly went into each course, but also delicious. The only thing maybe better than the food was the service. I don’t think I’ve ever had better. It was like synchronised swimming. And very personable and informal too. Had a few laughs with several different members of staff. You finish the night in the second/top floor in a dark bar type area. Very comfortable. Coffee and dessert. This is definitely a restaurant we will return to, which isn’t often the case. Quite simply stunning.
Be the first to ReplyFantastic in every sense
Zen is fantastic, in every sense. The food, the staff, the concept, the wine. Extremely delicious, there were absolutely nothing not to like ( except for this terrible music, but it seems to be everywhere in Singapore, absolutely not understandable). So, the restaurant is without doubt 3 star Michelin, in fact one of the best three star I have ever visited, and I have visited many. We also liked the menu presentation at the end of the meal, so nice, with all the signatures. The only negative issue we can mention, is the price. But well, we are in Singapore, and Zen can afford to be so expensive. We didn't regret to pay so much, it was once in a lifetime experience.
Be the first to ReplyThe ups (and down) of Zén. A Brief review
When you need a perfect place to splurge, Zén did not disappoint. A one of a kind experience in Singapore that’s worth the name of Frantzén (and the hype) The experience starts from the moment you step foot in the building. It’s housed in the place where restaurant Andre used to be. The dining take place in three different level of the house (similar to Albert Adria’s Enigma in Barcelona). Small bites and uniques canapés on the first floor living room. A quick review on all the fresh ingredients used also in this room before we were escorted to the main dining room in the 2nd floor. A lot of the dishes are finished table side for show and finally you have the 3rd floor for chocolates and waffles. The concept of japan Scandinavian in cooking is quite unique (similar to japandi in interior that’s gaining hype lately) fresh ingredients with scandinavian sharp acidity. All the dishes are well prepared, well presented and well thought of. But if we have to pick one highlight, is has to be the onion almond and licorice (soup?) - simplicity at is best. What a burst of flavor that comes from such a humble looking dish. The staff were all so helpful and friendly. They’re all so knowledgeable about the food they’re serving and take pride in it. Kudos to chef Tristin and team! All being said the downside of the experience are: 1. the price that’s probably right now is the most expensive dining in Singapore (but this is justified by the quality and experience). 2. The wait time between the dishes in the main dining room is too long. It’s usual for a fine dining michellin experience to span 3-4 hours but, somehow Zén’s felt too long
Be the first to ReplyWell deserved 3 Michelin starred restaurant
Absolutely one of the best restaurants in Singapore. The food, service and ambience at this place were top notch. Truly deserving of its 3 Michelin star rating.
Be the first to ReplyZén is a Masterpiece and easily worthy of 3 Michelin ⭐️
Zén was the highlight of our honeymoon food tour in Singapore. In the nights prior, we had visited Les Amis, Labyrinth (highly recommend!), and Shoukouwa. Zén blew them all out of the water for us. Easily the best dining experience of our lives and much worthy of the 3 Michelin stars ⭐️. Every dish we tasted was better than the last, starting from the first floor all the way to the top floor. Service was perfection as well. If you are in Singapore, I highly highly recommend you splurge for a special occasion and visit this restaurant!
Be the first to ReplyExperimental, tiring in a positive manner and not cheap at all
Was there for lunch and went for wine pairing. Let's be honest, it's not eating it's an experiment. Lots information, a lot of attention to be paid to chefs and staff which is a bit tiring. However, we go there for this obviously. Since I am not big fan of nordic food, for me it's a one time experience once a year which really requires a big chunk in your pocket if you want to go full experience with wine pairing.
Be the first to ReplyWonderful & Exquisite Experience
Dinner menu. Held over 3 levels with each level with their own meals. Food were definitely amazing, indeed worthy of 3 Michelin Stars ⭐️. But the amazing things were their staffs. Each & everyone were all friendly, eager to interact with diners. They almost knew what you wanted for example, when we were waiting for the lift to head down to level 1 after dinner, their staff actually brought up my car key at the exact moment without me saying. Atmosphere was very casual. Not a tinge of needing to be uptight with your etiquette. The only slight downside was the volume of their music. It might hamper when you are trying to listen to their staffs explaining the food to you. Other than that, definitely worth to dine at least once in your lifetime.
Be the first to ReplyFrom sweden
First time here and a luxury experience. You arrive on the ground floor where all the amuse bouche and apertifs are served. Then you move up to the 2nd floor for the degustation menu. Every dish was very good to excellent. Finally up the 3rd floor for dessert and petit fours. Service is very good Prices are on the eye watering side. Apart from the $580 food menu, the alcohol pairing was $300+ and non alcohol pairing $250. Single glasses anywhere from $35 to $125. Tea was $20. To be fair, they gifted another glass of wine to me just because
Be the first to ReplyImmaculate food presentation
Was invited by a friend for lunch at this place and the total bill was on average about $1000 per head with the drinks pairing. That’s should set the framework. The background music is something I would caution those who consider themselves as seniors (remove your hearing aid before stepping into restaurant). The chef choice of playlist include Funky Town, CCR - down on the corner etc. Overall, comparing this place with other restaurants in the same price category, this is awesome, immaculate and precision artwork at its finest. Love it. Every bite tells a different story. Also bear in mind, the chef uses quite a bit of fermentation technology in both the food and drinks preparation and those who do not like the taste of vinegar or apple cider, be warn too. Overall we enjoyed the vibe of the place, staff were super warm, friendly and knowledgeable. The feasting lasted about 4hrs and there was no rush to pack you home. I was told you could linger to dinner and skip dinner with the heavy lunch meal and go to bed straight (lol). Dress code, smart casual seems to work as the crowd tend to be much younger. Overall verdict, Will be back.
Be the first to ReplyZen isn’t that zen
Food is wonderful and service warm, kind and impeccable.
So what is wrong with Zen? The music.
Music may be a question of taste (old standards from the 1980s… not necessarily the lind of misic we expect when one visit a Michelin-star) but it was definitely way too loud, to a point we could consider being in a bar for a late-night drink, covering the voice of the servers.
Just imagine you are served bad food: you don’t eat. But music… impossible to get away from it, it’s invading your ears, your brain and everything.
Management let us know that old music standards served loud is part of the “concept”… that comment left us dumb after the music made us deaf.
A concept we couldn’t swallow unfortunately.
First time i rate a restaurant with less stars than it actually bears from Michelin.
Spectacular
Wow. Absolutely spectacular. It combined luxury with homely. Definitely one of the best meals we have ever had in our lives. The food was subtle and delicious. The drinks pairing was daring and wonderful. The staff were incredible (thank you Chanel for your incredible service). 10/10. Best restaurant in Singapore. Hands down.
Be the first to ReplyOutstanding experience worthy of 3 Michelin stars!
The exquisite & fresh cuisine, warm and friendly service, cosy ambience and personalised experience make Zen a truly standout dining establishment worthy of 3 Michelin stars! Thanks to the team and kudos for exceeding all expectations! We have been to many Michelin restaurants and this is undoubtedly the best! We will definitely be back.
Be the first to ReplyCulinary artistry with exceptional service
Our second trip back to celebrate our daughter’s birthday and it was even better than our first!!
Each dish was impeccable and adapted to suit my family members dietary restrictions..
Chef Tristan and team are just brilliant
The staff are just amazing and that adds to the amazing experience
Undoubtedly one of the best dining experiences!!!
Culinary heaven
Just fabulous!! From freshness of ingredients to variety to presentation to the dishes themselves.. everything was just divine!
Staff extremely knowledgeable and fun!
Loved the playlist all through the evening !!
For food lovers a must do!
Exceptional dining experience ⭐️
Undeniably unforgettable dining experience that involves moving from one level of the restaurant (housed in a lovely conserved house) to the next, with exquisite food and wine pairing presented by different servers.
One will have to experience this at least once to appreciate all the efforts going into each dish, which is like the many theatrical acts of a play, and hence the cost for each meal. A behind-the-scenes kitchen tour is also included.
Best dining experience in Singapore so far
I had very high expectations of this restaurant because of the reputation the parent restaurant, Frantzen, holds. Initially, I was a bit skeptical of the restaurant's high price of $450 per head (without wine pairing), but was willing to give it a go. My experience at Zen turned out to be the best dining experience I've had in Singapore. Let's start with the foods. I loved the Nordic and Japanese combination. While the ingredients were top notch, what impressed me the most were the techniques and ability to mix the different ingredients together to deliver dishes that were unusually refreshing and tasty. For comparison, I recently dined at Epicure (3-star French restaurant in Paris) and found Zen to be superior in their usage of the same ingredients. I did the mix pairing (half wine, half juice) and while the wine and sake were not that memorable, the juices were out of this world. I highly recommend having the mix or juice pairing. Service by every staff we encountered was impeccable. They were very approachable, personal, and quite proactive in engaging in conversations. What impressed me was one staff's knowledge of the drink collection that they have on the top floor. She was able to explain the story behind each drink and how they ended up at Zen's shelf. And I could tell she explained it from the heart and enjoyed telling the story. Overall, I highly recommend Zen!
Be the first to ReplyHit and miss on some dishes
Lively staff, dishes were generally good. Love the fish and scallop, almond sizes could be crushed slightly finer, I get chunky but it doesn’t work for fine dining. The juice and wine selection needs an epicure or you may feel like you are in an upmarket hipster cafe. Granny’s flowery Narumi China were used for dessert, I am not quite sure what to make of that with the tacky heart shape waffles. Overall fun experience, but feels more gimmicky than real good food. I’ll imagine this as a good tourist attraction but not for revisits as locals.
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