A casual bistro with discreet charms, the second venture of the Bonta Group is already ringing in the crowds and foodies in Singapore
Barely two weeks into its opening in August 2009, District 10 Bar & Restaurant, Singapore, a casual bistro and second venture of the Bonta Group, is already bringing in the crowds and foodies in Singapore.
The location may not have Dempsey’s rustic allure but its quiet charm (the bistro almost blends into the narrow street off Bukit Timah and Monk’s Hill Road) is what makes this discreet watering hole the perfect place to unwind after a stressful workday. In case you’re wondering, the ’10’ in District 10 comes from its 10 Windstedt Road address
And the restaurant’s locale has a little history of its own. District 10 is part of the former Monk’s Hill Secondary School, which closed in November 2006 and the school has since been converted into offices for rental. The school took its name from the Chinese monastery that used to occupy the same plot of land, hence the moniker “Monk’s Hill”.
But the monks are long gone now, and the school bells have stopped chiming, though the restaurant still managed to preserve a relic that had witnessed the restaurant’s former days. A 50-year-old pong pong tree stands like a proud matriarch over the property, around which an octagonal water feature has been built. Rounded conical lamps in a myriad of colors dangle from the tree, like a dazzling diamond necklace loosely draped around a grand old dame.
If you have been to its upscale sister Bontá, you would be familiar with Chef Luca‘s masterpieces, although you won’t find any of them here.
“At District 10, we want to serve comfort food,” says Chef Luca, who created an extensive a la carte menu that includes pizza, French-style Crispy Duck Confit with onions and rosemary potatoes and American Oven-Baked Rosemary Baby Back Ribs.”
Assisting Chef Luca to make sure standards are upheld even in a casual setting like District 10, is London-native Chef Dean Fisher.
The no-nonsense open cellar concept, with wines arranged in columns according to their price points (displayed unabashedly in huge numerals), allows you to pick any bottle off the rack (that suits your taste and budget), instead of glossing over a long list of complicated names.
Despite having opened for only two weeks, the response has been so overwhelming that Bontá Group’s director and co-owner Serena Lim says the bistro had to turn away a few guests. We recommend you make a reservation before dropping by, and just in case you lose your way locating the D, look out for the “bejeweled” pong pong tree along Windstedt Road.
More photos of the restaurant’s ambience after the jump.
