SINGAPORE: Location, location, location. The venue of a restaurant is — next to really good food — key to its success.

Unlike malls and stalls, though, high-traffic areas are not always a requisite. Dining out at well-placed restaurants is ultimately about an experience worth savouring. Whether it is a quality casual meal or an indulgent evening of haute cuisine, many of our island’s hottest eats offer just that and more, luring regulars back with the promise of fine food and an equally sumptuous setting to match.

Take Forlino on the second floor of One Fullerton for example. Boasting a prime panorama of the Marina Bay area, this award-winning destination dishes out an inspired ensemble of refined classic Italian dishes.

As an American Express cardmember, diners here enjoy a 1-for-1 offer on its a la carte main course. So there’s no need to squabble over who is going to have the restaurant’s signature Korobuta pork sampler.

This dish celebrates a variety of traditional cooking styles. Designed by new head chef, Giuliano Dacasto, it also features three different cuts of prized American black pork: A “vacuum cooked” then slow-roasted rib; a juicy pan-roasted tenderloin, finished in the oven; and a deep-fried breaded parcel of trotter shavings.

Just a lift ride and a few steps away from Forlino is Over Easy, which opened for business early this year. A contemporary dining concept that blurs the lines between drinking and dining, this new addition to the One Fullerton strip pays a decidedly chic homage to the American Diner concept.

Quality diner grub is its speciality. And, if you’re a cardmember having lunch here, any day from Monday to Friday, be sure to dig into a special 1-for-1 promotion on all desserts.

Its fluffy strawberry shortcake pancakes, topped with strawberry compote and a dusting of powdered sugar, is a popular choice. As is the hot double chocolate fudge brownie and a hybrid dessert creation, the cheesecake crème brûlée.

Tucked away just minutes from the bustling city centre, Uluru Aussie Bar & Steakhouse serves up a splendid dining experience that is, well, uniquely Australian. Nestled in the serene enclave that is Duxton Hill, the restaurant specialises in Prime Australian Angus and Wagyu steaks.

The chef recommends a 450g porterhouse steak for the big eater, or the Prime Angus tenderloin, grilled to perfection on a “special broiler”, and served with customary creamy mash and a side of vegetables.

Here, American Express Selects™ rewards its cardmembers with a 1-for-1 offer on the a la carte food menu (limited to one redemption per Card per table).

Named after one of Australia’s most renowned natural landmark (Uluru is the aboriginal name for Ayer’s Rock), the setting here is aptly rustic. Complete with timber walls, Jarra hardwood tables and scenes of the outback decorating the walls, diners can also opt to indulge in a hearty meal al fresco.

Friends@Jelita — an 80-seater restaurant located mere minutes from Holland Village — also serves Australian cuisine, alongside recognisable European favourites from France and the Mediterranean.

Famous for its value-for-money set menus, American Express cardmembers can look forward to enjoying even greater value with an exclusive 1-for-1 special on both its lunch and dinner menus. What’s more, if you’re pressed for time, the restaurant promises to serve your three-course lunch within 45 minutes from the time you place your order till dessert is served.

Also worth noting is the new Special Buffet Appetiser set dinner (only on Fridays and Saturdays), which includes free flow of freshly shucked Canadian jumbo oysters.

- TODAY/ yt