Chef Stephan Zoisl returns with casual-cool at Chef’s Tavern at Craig Road

If you’re like us and have wondered where Chef’s Table at Tanjong Pagar had gone, good news, it’s back. 

Well, not in its original form, a “western omakase” concept by chef Stephan Zoisl that stood at nearby Tras Street for the past decade.

This time, it’s back as a more casual representation of classic European fare and refined Japanese culinary skills. 

Officially opened in April, the newly minted Chef’s Tavern, which sits along Craig Road, showcases chef Stephan’s experiences working across Europe and the United States, combined with the flair of Southeast Asian flavours — especially Japanese.

Chef’s Tavern is so named because chef Stephan was inspired by the Japanese concept of izakaya (which loosely translates to “tavern” in English), and its casual dining atmosphere that embraces the artistry of Japanese chefs while maintaining a relaxed and welcoming environment.

A welcoming space for all occasions

The space here is open and inviting, with decor that incorporates warm hues, soft lighting, and natural wood tones. There are also two private dining rooms available for special occasions, accommodating up to 16 diners.

What’s most striking about this place is the red-hued backdrop that highlights the bar area — an unmissable sight as you walk along Craig Road.

At the bar, you can revel in daily Happy Hour deals from 12pm to 7pm, with prices starting as low as S$9.90 for a pint of Japanese beer, a whisky highball, and other house pours.

First up, drinks

Speaking of tipples, Chef’s Tavern has introduced two cocktails to mark this new chapter of chef Stephan’s career: Umami Drift (S$24) and the Wasabi Whip (S$24). 

The Umami Drift is a gin-based drink with fat-washed miso butter, layered with ginger honey reduction and citrus. The result is a subtly salty concoction that leans on savoury notes, and will pair nicely with your meal here.

On the other hand, Wasabi Whip is a robust wasabi oil-infused vodka drink mixed with Cointreau, soya sauce, citrus, and ginger beer. 

The combination might sound confusing to one’s ears, but to our palates, it was a refreshing sip with a slight lemony tang. In fact, we preferred this between the two.

Trying Chef Tavern’s menu

The menu here offers quite a handful of smaller plates (or appetisers), ideal for snacking on or sharing among friends. However, it also includes a sufficient selection of mains that’ll keep everyone full if you plan to visit for a proper sit-down meal.

In which case, after your drinks have gotten you feeling a tad peckish, the anchovy puff pastry (S$12) is a creamy and rich bite that works great as a snack or an introduction to a bigger meal.

You get ricotta within light and airy puff pastry, as well as savoury and salty Spanish anchovies balance it all off. We especially love the touch of tart Gordal olives, which makes this unassuming appetiser a winner.

If you’re in the mood for more seafood, the Hokkaido scallop crudo (S$19) will do a fantastic job calming that craving. 

In this dish, Hokkaido scallops are stuffed with mint and shiso, wading in mango leche de tigre (a Peruvian ceviche marinade characterised by citrusy, spicy, and savoury notes).

To add complexity to this dish, pomelo sacs and calamansi juice are added, while trout roe and sawtooth coriander enhance it with subtle brininess and peppery notes. Lastly, it is topped with smooth avocado cream, providing just the right amount of fattiness.

Continuing on this trajectory of standout seafood dishes is its cold kombu angel hair pasta (S$22), a dish brought over from Chef’s Table — a classic that still hits the spot as it’s supposed to.

Delicate chilled angel hair pasta is tossed in a silky, umami-forward sauce made from tom kha coconut and lobster bisque. Coupled with crispy artichoke chips, kombu, chives, lemongrass, and chilli, it’s easy to see why this dish was a crowd favourite, and can see it continuing to charm even in its new location. 

If seafood isn’t quite your jam, there’s also a maple leaf duck breast (S$32) featuring confit duck leg drenched in its own jus. 

To amplify its flavour, it’s accompanied by caramelised onion cream, a crisp shallot crumble infused with juniper, smoky charred leek, pickled pearl onion, and finally, a drizzle of chive oil.

Its flavours and tender texture made it an instant crowd pleaser, with our table even unanimously crowning it one of the best duck dishes they’ve had recently.

But before you make a beeline and order duck when you swing by, here’s another competitor for the best dish of the afternoon — the schnitzel “Wiener Art” (S$28), a homage to chef Stephan’s Austrian roots and also a well-loved signature from Chef’s Table.

The dish name literally translates to “Vienna style” and is made with tender pork loin, though it was previously made of veal at Chef’s Table.

For this dish, the schnitzel is coated in kaisersemmel (a type of crusty Austrian bread roll) breadcrumbs from Austria and deep-fried to crispy perfection. 

Chef Stephan is so committed towards using this specific type of breadcrumb that he’s even proclaimed that he wouldn’t put this dish on the menu if he were unable to procure these specific breadcrumbs. 

What we enjoyed most about this iteration was how tender the pork loin was — unlike many other versions we’ve tried locally that tend to taste dull and dry. 

To enjoy it in all its glory, take a hearty bite of the schnitzel together with a dollop of tangy cranberry jam and anchovy brown butter.

As they say, there’s always room for dessert, and one you cannot miss out on at Chef’s Tavern is the Pina Colada (S$14), a playful twist on the classic tropical cocktail. Presented as a plated dessert, it comes with frozen coconut parfait, caramelised pineapple with rum, refreshing pineapple sorbet, and delicate layers of crisp filo pastry and gula melaka sauce.

It’s light, refreshing, and not too heavy on the sweetness, even if you feel you’ve ordered too much.

Lunch sets at Chef’s Tavern

In addition to the a la carte options, lunch at Chef’s Tavern at Craig Road is a breeze with its teishoku-style sets starting from just S$28, available at lunch (12pm to 2.30pm) from Monday to Saturday.

Each wholesome teishoku set is prepared with seasonal ingredients and the choice of protein will rotate, including anything from monkfish to pork. 

The set also includes sourdough or Japanese rice, and is complemented by vegetables, soup, salad, and fruit.

Whether you’re in for a leisurely lunch or a boozy night out, Chef’s Tavern will fill that need. 

Its new concept and location feels like the natural evolution of chef Stephan’s culinary journey — blending finesse with approachability, and serves as a thoughtful reminder that “casual” doesn’t mean cutting corners — not when the flavours are this well-executed.

This was an invited tasting.

For more ideas on what to eat, read our stories on our 10 best places in Singapore for free-flow booze, and The Coconut Club’s new sister restaurant, Belimbing.

You can book a table at Chef’s Tavern via Chope, then a ride to the restaurant at Craig Road.