Curious Palette’s New Menu by Chef Desmond Shen amazes with Ingenious Asian Flavours

Following the stream of customers with reservations, it dawned on me that ninety percent of Curious Palette’s customers for the night could be returning customers, with the other ten percent first timers trying their luck.

It was a Wednesday night when I visited and while most of us would be out for drinks or lazing at home, a good portion choose to dine at Curious Palette even as last as 8 to 9pm. The cafe-restaurant is often full-house by then, which explains the need for early bookings. Something I didn’t know until last Wednesday.

While Curious Palette has been around for many years. I always assumed it was just another cafe and thus never once dined there, although I have made visits to its sister cafe, Strangers’ Reunion. On the contrary, Curious Palette brands itself as a cafe-restaurant.

There must be reasons why people still flock to this long-standing establishment. And here’s my take.

Curious Palette is situated in a bustling neighbourhood, surrounded by several bars and game corners diners can seek post-meal drinks and entertainment. Furthermore, it is good for larger gatherings while the food here is worth the buck.

 

I started with an Insomnia $6.50 (served ice upon request). Made with four ristrettos and topped with a layer of milk, it lives up to its name as a potent brew. Smooth on the tongue yet devoid of traces of bitterness.

We had the Tomato, Tamarind Ponzu $10.9, which we were recommended to simply pop the entire confit tomato in our mouths. Each is accompanied by slices of belimbing and pickled lemon, a refreshing combination.

In contrast, the Fried Cauliflower, Fish Sauce Caramel $11.90, is an explosion of flavours – spicy, tangy, and sweet.

Vegetables have never tasted this fabulous.

While many of us at the table enjoyed the Sugarloaf Cabbage, Seaweed Butter $12.90, I found it too nutty for my taste.

Nevertheless, I have to say that it is a very creative dish that gives life and texture to the soft-looking sugarloaf cabbage. First, it is plated golden-brown side up and speckled with a mix of toasted nuts, seeds, buckwheat, crisp fried curry leaves and spice. There, they throw in a perfectly poached egg into a pool of creamy emulsion of butter and seaweed.

Just when I thought the appetizers were so mind-blowing they would outshine the mains, the Slow Cooked Shortrib, Burnt Soy $29.90 came along to lovingly remind me how succulent meats can be.

The ingredients are complex. The glaze is made using a blend of soy sauce, mirin, burnt onions and apple juice, finished with treacly burnt soy and brown butter. The glaze is not cloyingly sweet, with a savoury-buttery taste to it.

Up for pasta? The Prawn, Mentaiko Belachan Pasta $18.90 boasts al dente angel hair pasta topped with three charcoal-grilled prawns. The inviting orange hue of the pasta is the result of the heady sauce, made using prawns, shallot oil, butter, and belacan. Each strand of pasta is slick with powdery chilli, giving the dish an amazing, extra oomph.

Sometime back I ate a $40 lobster roll and I wasn’t as crazy about it as I am about this Cray Roll $19.90. For half the price, the Cray Roll yields twice the gastronomic satisfaction as its more famous counterpart.

Chunks of crayfish are grilled and stuffed between a brioche bun that is topped with fried capers, reminiscent of the Chinese Suan Cai (preserved vegetables). Smeared with a memorably briny and umami prawn mayonnaise, the brioche steals the spotlight.

The fries, lightly seasoned, are strangely addictive.

Dessert is the Kaya, Coffee Butter $9.50, a local twist on our Singaporean breakfast staple.

White bread slices are toasted and pressed with thick chilled coffee butter and gula melaka-infused kaya jam. A saucer of sous vide egg and espresso shoyu (soy sauce) sums up this experience.

After this experience, I can see why Curious Palette continues to draw diners by the dozens. Its menu presents a deliberate contrast to the relentless influx of other establishments that are so often mass productions of food fads.

 

Curious Palette

64 Prinsep Street, Singapore 188667

Tel: +65 6238 1068

 

Mon to Sun: 9AM – 10PM

Closed on Tue

Ambience: Spacious and relaxing

Recommended Dishes: Fried Cauliflower, Slow cooked Short Ribs and Cray Roll

Drinks: Coffee is recommended

Price: Average