Whitegrass - A nature-inspired restaurant at Chijmes designed to look like a home

All images: Whitegrass

If you fancy fine dining, but not necessarily the stuffy atmosphere it usually comes with, check out Whitegrass. It offers modern Australian cuisine in a relaxed and intimate setting more like a person’s home, rather than a commercial space.

Designed by Singapore-based design studio Takenouchi Webb, the restaurant’s interiors consists of three adjoining dining rooms centred around a nature-inspired theme. It features a colour palette of pinks, greens and blues in both pale, dusty shades and vibrant hues, for subtle contrast.

Whitegrass’ design also references the old-world charm of the building it is housed in — Caldwell House in Chijmes — but with a trendy, contemporary touch.

Timber flooring, ornate plaster ceiling moulding and gold trimmings are combined with marble-topped tables, upholstered chairs in muted colours and customised patterned rugs. Wall murals that give the restaurant a fresh and fun look were created by local artist Messymsxi, while the crockery and vases were made by local ceramist Studio Asobi.

The restaurant is helmed by chef-owner Sam Aisbett, who combines native Australian ingredients with local Asian produce and Japanese influences. Signature dishes include Hokkaido scallops, butter-poached quail and slow-cooked Mangalica pork. And for a sweet ending, Black Gold is a minimalist-looking Valrhona chocolate dessert topped with gold leaf. The restaurant is currently open for dinner only, and menus change every three to five months.

Whitegrass is at #01-26/27 Chijmes, tel: 6837-0402