Singaporeans are very acquainted with Orchard Road. And as walking directories, weâre able to instinctively navigate the crowds to the street corner where the ice cream uncle peddles his creamy desserts. But even those who know Orchard inside out wouldnât have heard of this new gem â Claymore Connect.
It might be built on the very ground Orchard Hotel Shopping Arcade once stood, but youâll see no trace of its former days as âsketchvilleâ. Risen from the ashes, here are 10 reasons why the newly-revamped Claymore Connect will steal that ânew mallâ space in your heart.
P.s. Keep your eyes peeled for some wild special promotions
Youâll sincerely mean it when you call this cafe âMon Bijouâ, after you dine on their tres affordable French mains and pastries!
Baked with French finesse are the financiers, palmiers, madeleines and caneles. Assemble your own pastry platter with dainty desserts crafted by Orchard Hotelâs dedicated pastry team.
If youâre into savories, have yourself a slice of Mon Bijouâs freshly-baked quiches. Truffle Shuffle Quiche is cheesy custard mushroom mosaic infused with truffle oil. And the black base is not chao tah-ed, itâs made with squid ink.
Truly a diamond thatâs sprung out from the rough, a must-try off Mon Bijouâs menu is the MB Brioche French Toast  â a purported favorite of Hong Kong actor Francis Ng!Â
Mon Bijou
Address:Â #01-19/20 Mezzanine level, Claymore Connect, 442 Orchard Road, Singapore 238879
Opening Hours:Â
Weekdays | 10AM â 9PM (last order 8.30PM)
Weekend | 9AM â 9PM (last order 8.30PM)
Contact:Â 67396738
Quote â The Smart Localâ for complimentary coffee/tea with any purchase of All Day Breakfast, Mains, or Pasta and 15% off a la carte food items. Valid from 15th Oct till 30th Nov 2016.
Most of us know Hua Ting for its delightful crispy roast duck and dim sum, but Hua Ting Steamboat brings a whole new spread to the table â a premium steamboat experience.
Expect fresh garoupa, Kurobuta pork, Japanese fresh scallops, and homemade ingredients served ala carte and taste their intriguing soup flavors like Five Grain Porridge, Superior Fish Soup with Winter Melon and Conpoy or Tomato Soup With Century Egg & Coriander ($20++ and up).
Kurobuta Pork Belly Casserole ($28++) â Hua Ting Steamboatâs specialty has to be their casseroles, which is basically a dry hot-pot that you can transform into a regular soupy one should you feel the need to.
With a total of 26 different sauces and toppings â from belachan, sesame oil to Thai green chilli â itâs safe to say Hua Ting Steamboat has the complete condiment catalogue (free flow at $3++/pax). Â
Booths can seat up to 8 and more if youâre down for a squeeze, so Hua Ting Steamboat is one place to consider for your family gatherings.
Note: You can even dine solo with Hua Tingâs mini hotpots going for $13.90++ and up
Hua Ting Steamboat
Address:Â #01-08 Mezzanine Level, Claymore Connect, 442 Orchard Road
Opening Hours:Â 11AM to 10PM daily
Contact:Â 67396628
Quote âThe Smart Localâ for 15% off Ă la carte orders and get receive a complimentary appetiser of the day for every order of the âHealthy Five Grain Rice Porridgeâ soup base. Thereâs also 2-hour complimentary parking with a minimum spend of $50 per receipt. Valid till 15th Dec 2016.
The Peranakan brings to you Straits Chinese sophistication with an interior bearing tiffin carriers, porcelain crockery and bedazzling chandeliers.
At $24++/pax on weekdays and $28++/pax on weekends, tuck into their Peranakan High Tea set of traditional delights from mee siam, kueh kosui to pulut inti with durian â available from 11AM-5:30PM daily.
The Peranakan also offers Tok Panjang Feasts ($45++ or $65++/pax), a massive spread of dishes served in tasting portions, where you can sample classic dishes like Nonya Chap Chye, Ayam Buah Keluak and Kaki Babi Pong Teh.
This would also be the one and only Peranakan place offering Omakase ($288++/pax), where the chef surprises you with a customised one-of-a-kind menu that comes with wine and sake pairings.
The Peranakan
Address:Â #02-01/17, Claymore Connect, 442 Orchard Road, Singapore 238879
Opening Hours:Â 11AM to 10PM daily
Contact:Â 62624428
Quote âThe Smart Localâ for 1-for-1 coffee or tea set (11am â 5.30pm daily). Valid till 30th October 2016.
One of the originals from Orchard Hotel Shopping Arcade, Muddy Murphyâs made its mighty homecoming back at Claymore Connect. Even with an upgrade, itâs still the place to get your dose of good olâ Irish âcraicâ â lively conversations, good booze, and bar food with the best of company!
Traditional Roast Beef ($19 nett) â Slow-roasted prime beef with a side of roasted veggies, creamy mash, Yorkshire pudding and very tasty gravy. Now you can enjoy this comforting Sunday Roast every day of the week!
Beef & Guinness Pie ($18 nett) â Concealed under the puff pastry topper are chunks of tender beef and carrots simmered in homemade Guinness Gravy. Trust the Irish to put Guinness in everything. Throw in another $2 for parmesan mash and french beans on the side.
Muddy Murphyâs Law states: too many choices can be too confusing â so theyâve streamlined their drinks menu to a concise selection of seven beers on tap! Go with their ales  â Old Speckled Hen or Kilkenny â or if youâre one for stout, get a frothy pint of Guinness draught ($15.50 nett/pint)!Â
With a live band playing Fridays 9.30PM and Sundays 4.30PM, a Sunday Roast promo ($24 nett/2 courses and $29 nett/3 courses) and Happy Hour prices running from 11AM â 7.30PM. Every Sundayâs an excuse to come down for some jolly merrymaking! Â
Muddy Murphyâs
Address:Â #01-02/03/04/05, Claymore Connect, 442 Orchard Road, Singapore 238879
Opening Hours:
Mon â Wed | 11AM to 12AM
Thurs & Sun | 11AM to 1AM
Fri & Sat | 11AM to 2AM
Contact:Â 67350400
Jewel Coffee stands out as a single origin bean cafe, so caffeine-junkies can get the pure taste of coffee from El Salvador to Ethiopiaâs Yirgacheffe Misty Valley. And all their espresso-based drinks come with a double-shot, so youâll be getting none of that watered down coffee nonsense.
If youâre into brewed coffee that doesnât come from an espresso machine, the friendly staff will be more than happy to explain the flavour differences between brews prepared with the Chemex ($6), Aeropress ($6) and Syphon ($16).Â
Take home exotic coffee variants like the La Esperanza (Honduras) and Simalungun (Sumatra) and remember to stock-up on your favorite bags, because Jewel Coffee does ever so often switch up their line of packaged coffees.
Jewel Coffeeâs efforts to go-green really shine through as theyâre giving up to 3 free drinks with every purchase of their customised Klean Kanteens and Keepcups. Youâll also save $0.20 when you use them for your subsequent orders. Â
Jewel Coffee
Address:Â #01-01, Claymore Connect, 442 Orchard Road, Singapore 238879
Opening Hours:
Sun â Thurs | 7AM â 10PMÂ
Fri & Sat | 7AM â 11PM
Contact:Â 62353945
Quote âThe Smart Localâ to enjoy selected 1-for-1 promotions on their weekday breakfast, lunch, and coffee; and additional discounts on cakes. Find out more when you visit Jewel Coffee at Claymore Connect!
With freelance gigs climbing in popularity, coworking spaces have been springing up like daisies. But if youâre an entrepreneur with a child in tow, youâll know the struggles of finding a child-friendly working environment that wonât eat into your profit margins.Â
Trehaus is your solution. A unique family-oriented concept sets it apart from other coworking spaces allowing parents the option of taking their kids to work.Â
A bright and clean workspace complete with an adjoining Kids Atelier â a special playspace for kids to dabble in activities like craft and storytelling under the special guidance of a facilitator â you can now work in peace, knowing your little ones are just next door.
And if youâre more of a control freak, youâll be glad to know that you can take charge of all other aspects of baby care from the feeding to diaper-changing, and check in on your child at any time.
You wonât also just be guaranteed the standard coworking space amenities like WiFi, printing & photocopying and complimentary meeting room privileges â Trehaus also aims to build a community, with member-exclusive events like yoga practice and networking with other working parents over breakfast gatherings.
Trehaus
Address:Â #03-01/02/17, Claymore Connect, 442 Orchard Road, Singapore 238879
Opening Hours:Â Mon â Fri | 9AM â 6PM
Contact:Â 98438077
Quote âThe Smart Localâ for a 1 day FREE work+Play pass* worth S$100. Valid till 24th October 2016.
Like Muddy Murphyâs, Maharajas Custom Tailors has also made its return to familiar homeground. This family-run business is one of the oldest tailors in Singapore and has been dressing gentlemen in fine suits made from cashmere, silk and wool ($400 â $700 for full suit) for the past 60 years.
Their impressive line-up of prestigious clientele even includes foreign dignitaries, so weâre thoroughly convinced us that Maharajas makes suits befitting royalties.
But this doesnât mean youâll have to pay skyrocket prices â theyâve got special deals on their bespoke dress shirts (6 shirts for $680), and youâll only have to wait 3 days for your brand new bespoke suit.
With every imaginable fabric in their arsenal, theyâre prepared to take on all your requests. You can also bring a photograph something youâve been eyeing and the expert dressmakers here will a better deal for you!
Maharajas Custom Tailors
Address:Â #01-12 Mezzanine Level, Claymore Connect, 442 Orchard Road, Singapore 238879
Opening Hours:Â 10.30AM â 8.30PM daily
Contact:Â 67376474
Carl Douglas sang in his classic hit âEverybody loves kung fu fightingâ, and at Châi Life Studio â everybody CAN love kung fu fighting. Age is no matter here, as classes are universal and anyone from a feisty tot to a middle-aged man can learn true-blue wushu or kungfu from a real Beijing shifu.
Founded by local Mediacorp celebrity Robin Leong, Châi Life Studio also has a special Kung Fu Kids Program for children with trial classes starting at $48. Theyâ also offer 10-40 session packages or unlimited class packages over time periods ranging from 1 month â 1 year.Â
Ditch your usual spin class and give this workout alternative a go!
Quote âThe Smart Localâ to receive a 1-for-1 deal on their trial classes for kids and adults. Valid till 15th November 2016
Châi Life Studio
Address:Â #03-03, Claymore Connect, 442 Orchard Road, Singapore 238879
Opening Hours:Â 10AM to 8PM daily
Contact:Â 67358812 or email kris@chi-life.com
Website
Calling all parents! If youâre looking for a preschool in a convenient central locale, consider enrolling your kid in MapleBear Orchard! Helmed by the founder of Patâs Schoolhouse, Mrs Patricia Koh, parents can rest easy knowing an expert in early-learning is personally overseeing curriculum development and training of teachers to support their childâs learning.
MapleBear Orchard offers a conducive learning environment, with floor-to-ceiling windows that not only let in tons of natural light, but also give children a chance to connect with their outdoor surroundings by catching glimpses of the hustle and bustle of the streets below.
They also run range of services from infant care, playgroups to nursery and kindergarten enrolment, and take in children as young as as 2 months old â perfect for full-time parents working around town or in the CBD.
MapleBear Preschool
Address:Â #02-05, Claymore Connect, 442 Orchard Road, Singapore 238879
Opening Hours:Â Mon â Fri | 7AM â 7PM
Contact:Â 67342369
Take your salon experience up a notch with The Color Bar â a stylish unisex salon that prioritizes privacy and preens you in your own private room with a personal iPad to keep you entertained.Â
If you expect such class to be accompanied by a hefty price tag, youâre in for a surprise. With their treatments starting from $75, you might just find yourself ditching your go-to salon in Far East for this suite deal.
And they donât call themselves The Color Bar for nothing. Give yourself a full makeover with a brand new shade from just $125 or create some dimension with some highlights and lowlights from just $135.
Color Bar for Hair
Address:Â #02-13/16, Claymore Connect, 442 Orchard Road, Singapore 238879
Opening Hours:
Mon â Sat | 10AM Â â 7.30PM
Sun | 11.30AM â 6PM
Contact:Â 6474 3393
Should you fancy getting your hair styled by a professional Japanese hair-stylist, pop-by hair and nail salon And. A, where scissor-wielding Hiro Aoki will inject into your hair some Harajuku flair.
And . A Salon (Hair n Nails)
Address:Â #02-08, Claymore Connect, 442 Orchard Road, Singapore 238879
Opening Hours:Â 10.30AM Â â 7.30PM daily
Contact:Â 62351230
Quote âThe Smart Localâ for free Cuticle Trimming with all Colouring, Perming and Hair Treatment services (subject to availability of manicurist) and complimentary shoulder massage for all hair services. Valid till end November 2016.
Whether youâre looking for a place to grab some food and chill out with the kakis, or simply a convenient place to do your groceries, Claymore Connect will be your new haunt for all your errand running when youâre around the Orchard area.
Watch out for their upcoming Christmas highlights at the mall atrium which includes a Christmas market, and special workshops for the young ones with the cast of Lightwire Theatre. Itâs bound to get you in the festive mood!
Head down with the promo codes weâve given you and redeem score your discounts at the participating stores ASAP. Terms and conditions apply.
This post was brought to you by Claymore Connect. Â Â
There's even a free shuttle service from the cinema to Harbourfront MRT.
Accessible by car or ferry, Desaru is more than just a resort haven most of…
Pass by the iconic Jewel Bridge and fruit-themed floating wetland.
They're also situated near other activity spots, like laser tag arenas, board and console game…
While my mother wore the badge of a tiger parent, I knew her no-nonsense demeanour…
Travel overseas without your passport - to Pulau Ubin, and hike up the islandâs highest…