Read on if the thought of wonton noodles crowned with A5 Wagyu fats and crispy pork lard makes you lick your lips. Or Kurobuta Bossam, a Korean pork wrap augmented with bak kut teh condiments.
Because from now till early March, four-hand collaborations between Michelin Plate and Bib Gourmand establishments are about to remind us that creativity abounds even in humbler kitchens.
An initiative cooked up by Michelin Guide in partnership with the Singapore Tourism Board, the four one-off culinary marriages bring together hawker expertise and international fine cuisine.
Dubbed the Michelin Guide Kitchen Takeover, it kicks off this weekend with the pairing of modern Indian restaurant Thevar with zichar favourite Keng Eng Kee. The reins then pass to Yen Yakiniku and Chef Kang’s Noodle House, Keong Saik neighbours Cure and Man Man, and concludes with Akira Back and Song Fa Bak Kut Teh.
Nicolas Achard, managing director of Michelin Food & Beverage Asia, explains that the series is an opportunity to “not only bridge the gap between fine cuisine and hawker food, but also be a vessel in the promotion of creativity and food culture in Singapore”.
Each menu comprises a three-course meal for two, priced at an auspicious $88. But apologies to those who were hoping to soak in the ambience and conviviality of an eatery — you’ll have to dine in the comforts of your own home. The meals are only available for delivery on GrabFood, and since there’s limited quantity, you’d have to pre-order too.
Thevar × Keng Eng Kee
The marriage:
Indian-inspred cuisine with a modern gaze meets the wok skills of the Chinese stir-fry.
The 3-course menu:
– Spiced curry leaf and coconut chutney cereal prawns
– Coffee and caramelised tamarind pork belly
– Pepper fry claypot chicken rice
The details:
Capped at 100 sets. Pre-order from 18 to 21 January. Delivery on 24 January, 11am-2pm and 4-8pm only.
Yen Yakiniku × Chef Kang’s Noodle House
The marriage:
Japanese BBQ-centric restaurant and nondescript canteen stall known for charcoal-roasted char siew bond over their artistry of the grill.
The 3-course menu:
– Wafu seaweed salad with pulled abalone
– BBQ dream duo ‘Shuang Ping’
– Wagyu fat wanton noodles
The details:
Capped at 60 sets (20 sets a day). Reservations from 22 to 24 January. Delivery on 26 to 28 January, 6.30-8.30pm.
Cure × Man Man
The marriage:
One champions Nua Irish cuisine, the other is master of the Japanese unagi; both are passionate about the provenance of ingredients.
The 3-course menu:
– Silverhill Farm duck takoyaki
– BBQ unagi and Irish corned beef porridge
– Avonmore macha cheesecake
The details:
Capped at 70 sets (35 sets a day). Reservations from 17 to 20 February. Delivery on 22 to 23 February, 11am-3pm.
Akira Back × Song Fa Bak Kut Teh
The marriage:
Modern Japanese-Korean cuisine finds a bedfellow in the flavours of Teochew-style peppery pork rib soup.
The 3-course menu:
– Kurobuta bossam
– Ngoh hiang maki
– Bak kut teh hotteok
The details:
Capped at 80 sets (20 sets a day). Reservations from 24 to 26 February. Delivery on 28 February, 12-2.30pm; 1-2 March , 12-2.30pm and 6-9.30pm.