The Naked Chef Jamie Oliver (and his mentor Gennaro Contaldo) is now on our shores with their successful joint venture opened two weeks ago. With 35 branches worldwide, the five-year-old UK restaurant chain is committed to using only free-range, sustainably sourced produce. And the Singapore branch, in collaboration with Singapore's Hotel Properties Limited, is Jamie Oliver's first foray into Asia and the fourth outside UK after Dublin, Perth and Saint Petersburg. Upcoming locations include Canberra, Dubai and Turkey. Serving family-friendly and relatively affordable Italian fare, the casual eatery on the 1st floor of VivoCity opposite Poulet caters mainly to walk-ins with a small percentage of tables reserved for those who book online via its website. Though the 6,500 sq ft restaurant has more than 200 seats, customers were not seated outdoor when my dining companions and I visited yesterday and a few indoor tables were left empty.
