The Refinery Singapore (Closed)

Located in the midst of engineering workshops and auto parts wholesalers, The Refinery Singapore is the perfect escape from the ordinary. The Refinery Singapore is a casual dining restaurant serving Japanese dishes, a mixology bar as well as a designer workspace. It has a stylish interior and exudes a sophistication and an unrivalled atmosphere quite distinct from the rather dowdy neighbourhood it is in.

The Refinery Singapore is located in a three storey building at King Georges’s Avenue near the Lavender MRT Station. The name of the restaurant is on the glass doors but is not obvious. Look our for the huge 115|KG on the wall and the black steel drums at the entrance.

The trendy restaurant has bar tables outdoor. The interior is dominated by a well stocked bar. The dining space is not big but feels expansive because of the triple height ceiling. Dried flowers, exposed bulbs and industrial tackles hanging from the ceiling create an edgy juxtaposition.

Dinner at The Refinery Singapore

We went to The Refinery at King George’s Avenue for dinner and ordered a Miso Aubergine ($4) to start. It was an interesting yakitori stick of Eggplant topped with miso and butter. It had a nice creamy texture and was tasty.

We ordered the Tempura Party ($12) and Oyako Don ($15) to share. The Tempura Party was a platter of tempura battered sweet potatoes, enoki, shiitake, eggplant and peppers. The batter was crisp and light. Each piece of tempura had a different texture and flavour but all were enjoyable.

The Oyako Don was Japanese rice topped with marinated chicken and onsen egg with some tempura bits mixed in. There was an array of texture. The sweet savoury bowl of rice was more than palatable.

Drinks & Cake

We also had a piece of carrot cake, which was the daily special for $3, and hot green tea ($5) and ice black coffee ($5) to round off our meal. The cake was nice and the long black was well balanced and had a nice range of aroma – a glass of coffee which I could sip slowly and enjoy.

The Refinery Singapore seems to be very popular and it is easy to understand why. The dining space is not that big so it is advisable to make a reservation if you want to go there, especially for dinner or the weekend brunch. We enjoyed our dining experience at The Refinery Singapore. The staff were welcoming and we really appreciated the simple gesture of serving ice water without request. The menu was not extensive but there was sufficient variety. The food and drinks were well prepared and nicely presented. They were more than palatable. The Refinery has great atmosphere – a nice place to recharge the body as well as the spirit.