Mod-Sin Madness

Lifestyle Writer Foo Rong En checks out two food places dishing out experimental flavours in dishes infused with a distinct Singaporean flavour.

By Foo Rong En

Mod-Sin, short for Modern-Singaporean, cuisine has existed in Singapore’s culinary scene for many years . The term ‘Mod-Sin’ was coined by chef Willin Low of popular restaurant Wild Rocket in 2006. In Low’s words, it can be used to describe dishes “inspired by Singaporean flavours, hawker dishes or food (that he) grew up with as a child”.

The reinvention of the culinary scene in Singapore by infusing local flavours into Western dishes has enjoyed a revival recently, with two cafés offering their own interpretations of modern Singaporean cuisine.

Meat and Green

84 Circular Road
S049436
Opening hours:
Daily: 11am – 9pm
Tel: 6557 0457

Opened in December last year, the café offers quick and healthy meals like sandwiches and salads that incorporate strong Singaporean flavours. These local flavours, including Beef Curry ($11), Lamb Vindaloo ($12), Chilli Crab and Fish ($11) and the iconic Chicken Rice ($10), can be sandwiched between German malted bread, a 12-inch wholemeal tortilla wrap, or incorporated into a salad.

Owner and chef Mr Akhil Prahbu, 34, said: “I wanted to make sandwiches and salads that were close to Singapore, rather than (run) some generic salad place flogging the same formula stuff.

“Instead, I wanted to make healthy and flavourful food where local food is done in a different way.”

The fragrant German malted bread is a departure from pretzel bread, which was previously used by the café. It is described by Mr Akhil as “more neutral and goes well with most ingredients”.

The salad alternatives consist of a mix of torn romaine, spinach leaves, organic quinoa, and nuts. They include a rotational selection of seasonal vegetables, including broccoli and pumpkin, and shiitake mushrooms are offered occasionally too.

The ingredients are then tossed in a homemade dressing. There are two choices, either Basil and Lime or Ginger and Carrot.

The Pulled Pork Bak Kut Teh Salad ($10) recommended by the owner is a refreshing medley of flavours. Traditionally, bak kut teh is a Teochew dish comprising pork ribs simmered in soup flavoured by herbs and spices.

PHOTO: TAN XIUQI

This version is a well-marinated dry version, where the meat is sealed in airtight plastic bags with a marinade made with garlic, salt, pepper and sugar. The meat is then cooked for 24 hours in a temperature-controlled environment, making the pork less oily but more flavourful. This method of cooking is also known as sous vide.

Evenly tossed in the Ginger and Carrot dressing, the salad includes a liberal amount of tender pulled pork that melts in your mouth. The mild herbal and peppery tang to the meat almost made it seem like I was eating an authentic bowl of bak kut teh rather than a salad.

Not forgetting the greens, the romaine lettuce is refreshingly crisp while the baby tomatoes add an additional element of tanginess to the salad. The large variety of vegetables, including broccoli and beetroot, provide a nice crunch with nuances in flavours.

The Quarters

16 Enggor Street
#01-09
S079717
Opening hours:
Mon to Thurs: 8am – 10pm
Fri: 8am – 11pm
Sat: 10am – 11pm
Sun: 10am – 10pm
Tel: 6834 4174

With its industrial chic furnishings, The Quarters, a newly-established eatery that opened in October, could easily be written off as yet another café that typically serves coffee and all day breakfast. However, their Mod-Sin selection of food and drinks is a pleasant surprise, and it is entirely in line with their tagline: “Asian Flavours, Local Perspective”.

However, when asked about his inspiration for serving Mod-Sin cuisine, owner and chef Mr Chung Deming, 33, said: “Mod-Sin cuisine — it sounds very atas (high class). I wanted to serve good, honest food that reflects a modern perspective.”

Thus, prices are affordable, with no GST and service charge.

Appetizers at The Quarters come in gratifyingly substantial portions and are almost the size of mains, but at half the price.

Chic Chick ($8.50), their version of the hawker favourite prawn paste chicken or har cheong gai, is immensely addictive. The dish consists of a generous serving of juicy chicken chunks wrapped in light and fragrant prawn paste batter, which is freshly made in-house . Homemade chilli belacan, spicy enough to make one reach for a glass of iced water, is served on the side for those looking for that extra kick.

PHOTO: CLIFFORD LEE

The Salted Egg Fries ($7.60) come with an indulgent salted egg aioli dip, instead of being fried with it, ensuring the shoestring fries stay crisp for longer. The thick and creamy dip gives a full-bodied salted egg flavour to the light and fluffy shoestring fries.

PHOTO: CLIFFORD LEE

The Umami Babi ($8.50) – slow-pulled pork sandwiched between mini mantou buns, is a hit-and-miss. The well-marinated and tender pulled pork is unfortunately let down by the stiff and dry mantou buns and cloyingly salty soy-based sauce.

PHOTO: CLIFFORD LEE

The mains include Asian-inspired renditions of dishes ranging from the French baguette to Italian pasta. The Asian Truffle ($14.80) is a Peranakan-inspired dish, with a bed of capellini (angel hair pasta) tossed in smoky homemade buah keluak sauce and topped with fried chicken, instead of the usual stewed chicken chunks characteristic of the traditional Peranakan dish. The fried chicken chunks retain their juiciness without being too oily. Though the sauce made from the fragrant keluak nuts gives the dish a pleasantly roasted taste, the sauce is minimal, causing the pasta to clump up and lose its texture.

PHOTO: CLIFFORD LEE

The Ma Jie’s Indulgence ($18) impresses with its combination of capellini and homemade chilli crab sauce, topped with a generous mound of fresh crabmeat. Evenly tossed with the mildly spicy and savoury sauce , the abundance of crab meat provides great texture to the otherwise simple dish featuring the iconic chilli crab.

PHOTO: CLIFFORD LEE

The restaurant’s signature dessert — Durian Can Boleh ($7) — is a local spin on crème brûlée.

On the dessert’s name, a playful almost-homonym of crème brûlée, Mr Chung said: “Crème brûlée is most commonly known as a French dessert. For those who do not know how good it tastes, I feel that ‘boleh’ (Malay slang for “good”) sums its taste up, and is more relatable to the local crowd here.”

With the rich taste of Mao Shan Wang durians in every silky mouthful, and a smoky crisp caramelised top, the dessert is creamy without being overly sweet. The spiky king of fruits, famous for its creamy bittersweet flesh, is neatly incorporated into the petite dessert without its pungent smell.

PHOTO: CLIFFORD LEE

With their signature locally-inspired dishes, cleverly condensed into squares of colours (chilli crab is closely represented by an orange square!) on a striking Pantone Colour Chart-inspired art piece at the back of the café, The Quarters’ uniquely-Singapore take on Asian and Western dishes packs a delicious punch.