Comfort first, smoke second. YARA opens its doors with a promise that’s simple yet surprisingly rare—modern Asian comfort food that nourishes before it dazzles.
Executive Chef Victor Loy puts it plainly: balance, warmth, and food you genuinely want to finish. The room echoes that philosophy—soft lighting, generous spacing, and an easy comfort that works whether you’re dining with parents or foodie friends.
Walk past the brass-and-stone hush of The Initial Sama and you notice it before you even see it: the clean perfume of charcoal, a whisper of ginger flower, and that bright, citrusy lift only freshly pounded sambal can give.
The Haricot Vert Kerabu (S$18++) is the tone-setter. It’s vegan and gluten-free by design, but that’s a footnote; what matters is the way the ginger flower and fermented chilli dressing snap everything into focus. Heat is present but polite—more conversation than confrontation—leaving a clean, tingling finish that invites another forkful.
A clever riff follows with the Soft Tofu Caprese (S$12++). Plum-marinated Cameron Highlands tomatoes bring gentle sweetness, silken tofu softens the edges, and a house-made ponzu vinaigrette ties it together with savoury brightness. It reads like a cross-cultural postcard: recognisable, but with a new stamp.
From the grill, the kitchen shows its restraint. Using only the freshest fish from the market, the Grilled Fish of the Day (Market Price) arrives flaky and lightly smoky, paired with two house-made sambals that tell different stories. Sambal Ijo brings herbaceous warmth and rounded heat, while Sambal Matah is zesty, aromatic, and just a little mischievous. Together, they let you tune each bite to your liking.
The Grilled Spiced Chicken (from S$26++ for half) carries a char-lined skin that crackles under the fork, with Sambal Belacan delivering a warm, familiar burn. If you came for beef, the Altair Grass-Fed Wagyu Picanha (from S$45++ for 220g) leans on its natural flavour—beefy, mineral, deeply satisfying—nudged along by an assertive Asian-style chimichurri that’s greener, punchier, and more herbal than its Latin namesake.
If the grill is about restraint, the mains are all about reassurance. The Yu-Tang Clam Bowl (S$24++)—one of our top picks—brings together wild-caught Balai threadfin (Ngor Her) and silky rice noodles in a broth that feels patiently built. Clean yet soulful, layered with quiet depth, it’s the kind of bowl you instinctively cradle close just to breathe it in. Comforting, confident, and quietly memorable. And best of all, you won’t feel thirsty afterward—the broth’s natural sweetness comes entirely from fresh ingredients, not heavy seasoning.
For something earthier, the Koshihikari Rice Porridge (S$14++) simmers in mushroom dashi with ginger and garlic. It’s a restorative, the culinary equivalent of a well-timed check-in text: unshowy, soothing, and exactly what you needed. And if you prefer your comfort with a bit more swagger, the 12-Hour Pork Jowl Rice Bowl (S$20++) offers lacquered slices finished over charcoal, crowned with a trembling onsen egg. Break the yolk, stir, and you’ll find depth layered on depth—smoke, sweetness, umami—without tipping into heaviness.
Desserts keep the throughline of familiarity refreshed. The Brûléed Chocolate Brusciato (S$12) pairs a crackly top with bergamot-poached pear for a lifted, citrus-spiked finish. The Chilled “Kueh Talam” Pudding (S$10++) turns a beloved kopitiam memory into something almost cloud-like, with a whisper of salt from fleur de sel to sharpen the edges.
YARA’s team moves with the ease of a group that’s done this before—because they have. There’s a casual fluency to the table-side guidance, the kind that doesn’t oversell or hide.
YARA is located at 26 Evans Road, Singapore 259367.
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