Go Green

The menu descriptions of the 100% vegetarian small plates and desserts at this new cocktail bar in Amoy St certainly piqued my interest, as did @fura.sg ‘s overarching themes of sustainability and its vision of food in a resource-scarce future. Some of the stronger dishes deserving mention include the umami-laden Milk/Mylk/Melk, featuring meaty oyster mushrooms from local producer Bewilder, topped with crisp shallot and enriched with a smooth nut milk dashi.

Lotus Vegetarian is an upscale Chinese vegetarian restaurant serving elevated versions of tze char and local dishes such as nasi lemak. With a spacious interior, foor-to-ceiling glass windows, high ceilings, wooden furniture and finishings, and bare concrete floors, it very much channels a Muji vibe.

They have to be commended on their completely meat-free nasi lemak, which in keeping with the healthy theme, comes with low GI, high fibre, blue pea-coloured Alchemy fibre rice and a plethora of sides which roughly approximate what you might find in a conventional nasi lemak. As part of the lunch set, it also comes with a herbal soup. Pretty value for money if you ask me.

Taste: 3/5

Bright, acidic flavours are at the forefront of this refreshing grilled watermelon and pineapple salad. This would have been the perfect palate cleanser between courses if only they weren’t so heavy handed with the cloyingly sweet balsamic reduction.

Taste: 3/5

Soup Spoon's low-key terrible but I must say their new-ish salad bowl concept - Salad Fork - is both healthy and hearty.

My go-to when I can't decide is the warrior bowl, which has an extremely healthy combination of toothsome red rice, romaine, broccoli, charred miso baby corn, cucumber and cherry tomatoes dressed in a mild sweet chilli kaffir lime aioli. There's chopped peanuts and a bright and sweet pineapple kimchi for added crunch, and the protein of teriyaki chicken while by no means remarkable, is tender enough and will fill ya belly.

Taste: 3/5

No basic bitch avo on greens here, only one-of-a-kind masterful vegetal creations for those blessed with a sense of culinary adventure and impeccable taste. This glorious mess of garlicky quinoa atop crunchy lettuce, strewn with edamame, cherry tomato and glistening cubes of beetroot is not only good for you, but exceedingly tasty to boot. And we haven’t even talked about the sous vide pork belly – fatty, tender and graced with crispy crackling and a splash of dark soy sauce. Blissful.

Taste: 3.5/5

A beautiful starter I’ll never tire of, the beguilingly simple Fennel, Orange & Burrata has increasingly grown on me everytime I’ve had it. Charring the wedges of fennel mellows its overt aniseed flavour and teases out a subtle sweetness from the herb, that is complemented nicely by the orange sauce. What all everybody really wants to do though, is deep dive into that dreamy cloud of creamy burrata.

Taste: 4/5

The buttery and crumbly taro tart ring practically bursts with the goodness of springtime in bloom, blossoming with the natural sweetness of seasonal vegetables the likes of fresh peas and pea puree, grilled garlic chives, zucchini, pickled carrots, pea shoots and nasturtium flowers. There’s layers of complex flavour and depth here, a subtle nuttiness from shaved macadamia, hints of grassiness from splashes of olive oil, savoury garlic, and whiffs of citrus from lemon. This is a standout vegan dish that merits attention whatever your dietary proclivities.

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Taste: 4/5

Gluten-free goodness at the newly opened The Butcher’s Wife located at the space formerly occupied by Open Door Policy. The vegetarian “tartare” certainly doesn’t lack in bold flavour, brandishing a zesty and creamy ginger mayo mixed throughout the raw crunchiness of shredded carrot, quinoa and red onion. Break apart the cured egg yolk and mix thoroughly for even more depth of taste and texture.

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Taste: 3.5/5

Great produce treated simply but with respect leads to great food, as this plate of succulent and sweet grilled asparagus can attest to. So many individual tasty things on the plate that harmonise as a whole such as the mellow banana shallot, creamy and earthy mushroom cream, and a shower of smoked ricotta that practically dissolves in the mouth. Run each stalk of asparagus through the mushroom cream and that dreamy 63 degree egg for maximum flavour impact.

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Taste: 3.5/5

Next level deep-fried kale game absolutely smashing it outta the park. The crisp and brittle exterior is utterly delightful to crunch through, but what lies beneath is just as good – light-as-air bits of crispy kale permeated with the funky creaminess of gorgonzola.

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Taste: 4/5

Open Farm Community’s dedication to showcasing local as well as regional produce and celebrating seasonability has produced surprisingly delicious results. I didn’t think this salad was going to tickle my fancy, but it absolutely blew me away with its freshness and vibrancy of flavours. The organic asparagus from a farm cooperative in Thailand was sweetly succulent, complemented by the rich creaminess of brown butter emulsion and a ricotta-esque housemade cashew “cheese”, whilst the shards of crispy kale and hazelnut added a welcome crunch with each mouthful.

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Taste: 4/5

This is so good you won’t be missing the meat in these “wings”. Each crunchy cauliflower floret is encased in a thin and crisp batter slicked in a sweet and tangy miso togarashi glaze that absolutely detonated our hunger for the impending delights to come.

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Taste: 4/5