We may have mentioned that these much raved about diners are trending and we certainly don’t suppose they will be going out of style anytime soon. The following three restaurants have managed to craft a unique niche for themselves and in terms of appealing to the discerning taste buds of the folks here in Singapore, their efforts in dishing out quality and sustainable food have paid off handsomely. We dare say our attention on them is as mercilessly ensnared as our growling stomachs.
Open Door Policy
When you walk into Open Door Policy, the first thing you’d notice is the large glass panel separating the kitchen from the dining area. Patrons can watch the chefs in action, which is also symbolic of their transparency towards sustainable eating. Riding on the belief that growing your own food enables you to appreciate it more, the items offered across their a la carte and brunch menus are meticulously ensured to be gluten and dairy free. Whether ‘green food’ is or isn’t your thing, executive chef Ryan Clift has personally pledged there will be no shortage of flavours despite using the commonly believed ‘bland’ alternatives.
Besides, Open Door Policy has not forgotten about the thirsty folks; the wine menu contains a good collection of reds, whites and bubbly with varying heaviness, and the brunch menu has a ‘Countdown Proscecco’ option for you to stack $4 discounts for every glass you top up.
Open Farm Community
From open doors to open farms, Open Farm Community’s specialty is in the fresh harvesting of ingredients to be used in their cooking preparations. This garden-slash-farming maestro is brought to us by the same collaboration behind Open Door Policy: Spa Esprit Group and celebrity chef Ryan Clift. When it comes to food, from the Red Grouper Burger and pasta mains to Spiced Pumpkin Cake and cocktails, it is serious business for them to propagate self-sufficiency and ultimately, respect for what’s on your plate (and in your glass). There shouldn’t be any doubt that in their passion for fashioning an award-winning edible garden city, with Open Farm Community, you’d be sampling legit food with even more legit taste.
Ding Dong
Nestled among the shophouses at Amoy Street, Ding Dong has been described as ‘Andy Warhol meets Bangkok’ – certainly a very peculiar rep that opens doors to 70’s pop art décor within. The tapas bar serves eclectic Southeast Asian fares (the best of Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam) with a contemporary twist. But if decision-making proves to be so hard it gets your pants in a bunch, then just let the waiter know you’ll have the ‘Feed Me’ menu. You’ll effectively be leaving your dinner entirely in the hands of the kitchen, which will present you with two options: a sharing menu complete with Ding Dong favourites, or a tasting menu that sits you through six individually plated courses.
Alternatively, you can try one of our favourite, signature dishes – The Pork Collar Char Siew, Pineapple Mousse. Simply delicious …
Recipe Corner! And it’s Ding Dong’s turn …
Chef Miller Mai reveals how to make the popular ‘Ding Dong Vietnamese Scotch Eggs’.
You’ll Need:
- Quail Eggs
- White Vinegar-1tbsp
- Water-500ml
Seasoning:
- Minced Pork-500gm
- Chopped Coriander-20gm
- Chopped Thai Basil-20gm
- Chopped Laska Leaf-20gm
- Slice Chili Padi-10gm
- Minced Garlic-25gm
- Minced Ginger-20gm
- Light Soy Sauce-25ml
- Fish Sauce-10ml
- Oyster Sauce-20ml
- Sesame Oil-8ml
Breading:
- Fresh eggs
- All Purpose Flour-100gm
- Panko Breadcrumb-200gm
The Steps:
- Add a tablespoon of vinegar to the pot of water, bring it to a boil.
- Make Sure the quail eggs are in room temperature, boil it for 1min 20 sec and transfer the eggs into ice water.
- While waiting for the egg to cool down, Mix the Minced Pork with all the seasoning above.
- Portion the Season minced pork into 30gm each and roll into a ball. Make sure coat some oil on your hand will rolling the minced pork. So It won’t stick the hand. Wrap the quail egg with the portion minced pork.
- Set up the assembly line for breading. * All Purpose Flour, Fresh Egg (Beaten until smooth), Panko Breadcrumb
- Coat the wrapped egg in flour, Dip in egg mix and roll in the breadcrumb, repeat the process by dipping in the egg mix and breadcrumb again.
- Heat up the pot of oil to 170c and fry the scotch egg for 3min till golden brown.
- Place it into the oven at 180c for 1min to make sure the pork is fully cooked.
If the way to a person’s heart is through the stomach, then the ENTERTAINER app must be the expressway to overall happiness. Because when you download the app, you’ll discover a smorgasbord of dining deals and promotions that would make eating a way of life!
