Curious Palette x Chef Desmond Shen – Selegie, Singapore

Curious Palette x Chef Desmond Shen collaborated to offer cafe-hoppers an a sophisticate experience. Moving away from offering the mainstreams like Avocado Toast, Egg Benedict and the likes but moving towards an inventive direction.

Chef Desmond Shen was previously from Odette and Magic Square.


A short introduction on Curious Palette for those who find them foreign. They are managed by Cherry Belt Private Limited, together with familiar name like Strangers’ Reunion, Strangers@Work and Wakey Wakey. Headed by Ryan Kieran Tan, 3-time Singapore National Barista Champion, 3-time Singapore Latte Art Chamion and World Siphon Coffee Champion 2015, cafe-hoppers surely are in for a treat for the best coffee served.

Curious Palette x Chef Desmond Shen Menu

In this special curated Curious Palette x Chef Desmond Shen Menu, cafe-hoppers are promised to an array of curation that are mind-blowing. Menu encompasses brunch, lunch and dinner items and a handful pick of all-day dishes. Here are some of the outstanding selections.

Brunch

Begin the day with brunch; available from 9am to 3pm. We love our local Kaya Toast and Coffee and Chef Desmond Shen has created the Kaya, Coffee, Butter ($9.50). Presented in exactly the way we enjoyed our Kaya Toast. Diner will get the toasted white bread with gula melaka kaya and a slab of coffee butter and by the side a half-boiled egg with coffee shoyu. The combination may sound wierd but I assure you that it is delicious.


Lunch

From 12pm till close, diners could order a Cray Roll ($19.90), perhaps for lunch. The combination of crayfish, ebikko, prawn mayonnaise and fried capers is tasty. Drizzle some lemon juice for extra zest. Served with fries by the side.

Prawn, Mentaiko Belacan Pasta ($18.90) is an extremely addictive pasta. Well balance mentaiko and belacan in the creamy sauce was the key to the delicious dish. Crowned with grilled prawn on the al dente pasta.

Dinner

6pm onwards, in addition to the lunch option, diners could opt for the dinner items.


30 hours Slow Cooked Shortrib, Burnt Soy ($29.90) was fork-tender with punchy flavours. To reduce the cloying feel, enjoy it with a tiny bit of yuzu kosho and in between with lettuce cup and pickled seaweed and onions.

Mouth Itchy

In this menu, there are a handful of outstanding sides and they are vegetable selections. First is the confit Tomato, Tamarind Ponzu ($10.90) preparing the palate.


Sugarloaf Cabbage, Seaweed Butter ($12.90) is extremely well-liked by the group. The nuttiness from the seed and nuts paired well with the seaweed emulsion. The poached egg provided a light creaminess texture to the dish.

Among the 3 starters, my favourite is the Fried Cauliflower, Fish Sauce Caramel ($11.90) with a lemon emulsion. I don’t feel like I am eating vegetables but some snack that is sweetish, sourish and savoury.

NAHMJ Verdict

Curious Palette x Chef Desmond Shen Menu offers a plethora of mouthwatering dishes mainly with bold intense and punchy flavours. Highly recommended especially for the strong palate.


Curious Palette

64 Prinsep Street, Singapore 188667
Tel: +65 6238 1068

Website: https://www.strangersreunion.com/curious-palette

Opening Hours

Wednesdays – Mondays 0900 to 2200 | Closed on Tuesdays

Getting There

By MRT:

  • Downtown line – Bencoolen
  • Circle line – Bras Basah
  • North-South line, North-East line and Circle line – Dhoby Ghaut station

By Bus:

  • NTUC Income Prinsep House along Selegie Road   64, 65, 131, 139, 147, 166, 857
  • Opp Prime Centre along Middle Road   56, 64, 65, 131, 139, 147, 166, 857
  • Rendezvous Hotel ong Bras Basah Road   7, 14, 14e, 16, 36, 77, 106, 111, 124, 162, 162M, 167, 171, 174e, 175, 190, 502, 502A, 518, 518A
  • Manualife Centre along Bras Basah Road   131, 147, 166, 857

Rating: 8/10


*Disclaimer: This was a media invite.