Tasteful interiors

The raw, industrial feel of The Vault bistro-lounge bar is complemented by a warm and cosy feel, thanks to the original brick walls and wooden shelving. -- ST PHOTOS: KUA CHEE SIONG

Great food might be the calling card for restaurants, but owners, and diners too, are sitting up and taking notice of their interiors.

And with numerous restaurants opening regularly, eateries are doing what they can to stand out from the crowd.

Newly opened restaurants have taken inspiration from the opulence of the Palace of Versailles in France or using elements left behind by previous tenants to enhance the decor.

Ms Tay Su-Lyn, 35, co-owner and designer of week-old restaurant Violet Oon's Kitchen, says that while it is paramount that the food remains the main focus, an interesting decor does bring people back.

Ms Tay, who did not use an interior designer for the kitchen-inspired shop in Bukit Timah Road, adds: 'Doing up the interiors in a particular way is an opportunity to create a brand or an image.

'Diners might not even notice anything in particular but if the interiors put them at ease, they'll come back.'

Customer service officer Celia Koh, 34, who regularly dines out, says that having nice interiors is a plus point when she is picking places to eat.

'Good food is important but having something nice to look at while you eat adds to the nice experience of dining out,' she says.

Life! checks out four new restaurants and what looks good on the inside.

natashaz@sph.com.sg

The raw, industrial feel of The Vault bistro-lounge bar is complemented by a warm and cosy feel, thanks to the original brick walls and wooden shelving. -- ST PHOTOS: KUA CHEE SIONG

A va-va vault

THE VAULT

Where: 237 South Bridge Road, open: 11am till late daily for bistro, 5pm till late, Wednesdays to Saturdays, for the bar

Cost: About $1 million

The 3-tonne metal vault door fronting this bistro-lounge bar might fool passers-by into thinking wads of cash lie behind it.

Door cutouts in the wall open up the space while bare, skinny frames make up the bar, unlike other drinking holes where bottles are crammed on shelves behind the counter.

After all, the premise was one of the first two OCBC banks that opened in Singapore, in the 1930s. The door was moved from the back to the front.

But forget about piles of hard cash. Nightlife veterans Godwin Pereira, 38, and Ross Glasscoe, 32, of Limited Edition Concepts have deconstructed the cold vault interior to house a cosy bistro on the first floor with a raw, industrial lounge-bar which spans four units on the second floor.

The duo, who have worked at well-known nightlife establishments here such as Ku De Ta and Harry's, have taken apart the interiors. Off came the plaster, exposing the original brick. The low plasterboard ceilings were removed to reveal a high, airy space, with just the skeletal beam structures of the roof left intact.

Dark brown oversized lounge sofas and buttoned stools, custom-made in Malaysia, give the bar a cool, Manhattan loft vibe.

The Vault's staff, who have an interest in art or media, have also been let loose on its walls, as can be seen from a giant Bob Marley portrait in its smoking area to framed photographs on the walls.

The owners wanted to stay away from the typical flashy lounge, says Mr Pereira. 'This is a really old building with great beauty. That's what we wanted to show and keep intact.'

Zafferano's wine dispenser lets diners choose the amount of wine they want. -- ST PHOTOS: AZIZ HUSSIN

Enjoy a taste, and feel, of Italy

ZAFFERANO

Where: Level 43, Ocean Financial Centre, 10 Collyer Quay, tel: 6509-1488, open: noon to midnight (Mondays to Wednesdays), noon to 2am (Thursdays), noon to 3am (Fridays), 5pm to 3am (Saturdays), and 11.30am to 11pm (Sundays)

At the bar, a hanging sculpture of saffron is part of the centrepiece.

Cost: $3 million

This upscale Italian eatery joins an exclusive list of places with the best view. But the glitzy Marina Bay area is not the only thing that will wow diners. Some of the decor pieces, such as lighting and the marble, have been brought in from Italy to give the restaurant an authentic look, says Mr Jacco Klip, the restaurant's executive vice-president. The owner is Russian businessman Mikhail Korob.

There are two open kitchens at the 200-seat eatery. Walk by the antipasti one and it is the wall that makes you stop: Sourced from Italy, the red marbled wall has hues that resemble the streaks on Parma ham.

Wine enthusiasts will also be excited by the state-of-the-art wine dispenser. Diners can have their pick of 40 bottles and select how much alcohol they want, from just a tasting amount to a full glass.

The eatery's centrepiece is its split-level bar, where a polished metallic sculpture of saffron - Zafferano is Italian for saffron - rise high into a reflective column.

The custom-made seating, which is Italian-inspired, are in intimate coves. Diners can also look forward to lounging high above when they head outside for a quick tipple at the bar-lounge area or dine there too.

Design director Joris Angevaare of interior design firm designphase dba says: 'We didn't want the view as the only thing that was good. We took care to make everything resemble those in an authentic Italian restaurant.'

The black-and-white palette is seen not only on the furnishings such as tables and chairs but also on the flooring at Violet Oon's Kitchen. -- ST PHOTOS: PANDORA WONG

Colonial ambience, homely food

VIOLET OON'S KITCHEN

Where: 881 Bukit Timah Road, tel: 6468-5430, open: 11.30am to 10pm (Sundays, Tuesdays to Thursdays), 11.30am to 11pm (Fridays and Saturdays), closed on Mondays

Cost: About $180,000

This restaurant might be run by a famous family of Peranakans but it was the colonial black-and-white homes that inspired the daughter of the well-known local chef.

The black-and-white palette is seen not only on the furnishings such as tables and chairs but also on the flooring at Violet Oon's Kitchen.

Ms Tay Su-Lyn, 35, was behind the concept which she says reflects a more homely feel and something that she could identify more with.

She runs the restaurant together with her brother Tay Yiming, 30, and their mother, Violet Oon, 63.

The Singapore-based fashion designer, whose business is in the United States, says: 'I didn't grow up with multi-coloured, loud decor Peranakan-type houses adorned with chinaware.'

Modelling the 1,500 sq ft space after a kitchen, she kept the interiors minimal with a black-and-white palette and no embellishments. And just like an open-concept kitchen, the bar area has food which is displayed on the shelves.

The black-and-white basketweave floor tiles, swirl marble table tops and curved-back chairs are a throwback to the old kopitiam days.

But in homage to her heritage, Ms Tay has put up a series of Peranakan wall tiles, which she found in an old junk shop. She has them framed on the walls.

She says of the restaurant, which took two months to renovate: 'Essentially, I wanted customers to be like our guests, stepping into our cosy home. It is traditional, with a fresher vibe.'

Aptly called the Garden, this area of Antoinette at the Palais Renaissance has a cream gazebo. -- PHOTOS: MARK CHEONG FOR THE STRAITS TIMES

Live it up like Marie Antoinette

LE JARDIN D'ANTOINETTE

Where: Palais Renaissance, 390 Orchard Road, B1-08/09/10C, tel: 6735-6392, open 11am to 10pm daily (last order 9.30pm)

Cost: About $1 million

The queen of grandeur, Marie Antoinette, would be proud of this one. Staying true to the opulence of the French royal, chef-owner Pang Kok Keong, 37, has decked out his fourth Antoinette restaurant much like her apartments in the Chateau de Versailles and its lush gardens.

The Le Salon l'Elysee is decorated with plush velvet chairs, lush red drapery and an oversized chandelier.

Just like the queen and her many apartments, this 3,100 sq ft restaurant, which seats 94, has four different areas.

Salivate over its yummy cakes and pick up cookies and confectionery to go at the La Boutique area.

An elevated platform with a cream- coloured gazebo, circled by lush greenery and trellises of vines, brings the Le Jardin indoors. Ornate vintage, custom-made furniture has been upholstered with floral-accented cloth for a girly vibe.

The tea room, Le Salon d'Antoinette, offers a more intimate setting. The arresting red-draped, floral-print daybed takes centre stage in this room, which has been decked out with an antique tin ceiling, finely carved gilded exterior wall panels and Antoinette's signature baby blue and white walls.

If, like the royals, you prefer to keep away from prying eyes, opt for the private dining room: Le Salon l'Elysee. With the plush velvet chairs, lush red drapery and an oversized chandelier, it is hard to imagine this room is housed under the stairs.

The attention to detail is thorough, from the furniture carvings to the upholstery. And it was all put together by chef Pang with just a click of his mouse. Most of the furniture and ornaments were bought from online stores overseas and shipped here.

On taking the risk for big pieces which he saw only on screen, he says: 'I couldn't quite find what I was looking for in stores here to create that Marie Antoinette look.

'Yes, it is a big gamble if the items don't look like what I want but luckily, it all turned out well.'