Dumplings.ru @ Maxwell Chamber - You Can Find Authentic Russian Cuisine In Singapore Too

Dumplings.ru at Maxwell Chamber is the brainchild of Russian owners, Vadim Zoubovski and his wife, Alena Zubovska, conceived based on their yearning comforting taste of their grandmothers' home-cooked Russian dishes. Dumplings.ru uses family-owned recipes passed down from over 100 years ago. Diners will get to taste traditional Russian dishes from handmade dumplings, hearty soups, street food to classic homemade desserts found in every Russian household.

Salad Sampler 3.8/5, Shuba 3.5/5

The Salad Sampler ($10) is an excellent way to start dinner. A platter featuring Beetroot Salad, Eggplant Salad, Spicy Carrot, Potato Salad and Handmade Pickles, what stood out for me was the Eggplant Salad. I love its super soft texture, almost like a spread, and it is also deliciously flavoured. If you are familiar with nordic pickled herring, you may also try the Shuba - Salted Herring Salad ($9.90), made of beetroot, egg, carrot, herring layering over one another.

Ukrainian Borscht Soup 4/5

Do try their soups here. We had a hearty Ukrainian Borscht Soup ($9.50), richly flavoured with herbs and tomatoes, sweet with vegetables and meaty with tender potatoes and pork.

Dumplings 3.8/5

The star of Dumplings.ru is of course, the Dumplings. Pelmeni is considered Russia's national dish. What is offered here is divided into three main categories - Classic, Fusion and Wholesome. Our 12pcs Combo Platter ($19.90) consists of a mixture of 3. Classic features single meat flavour - salmon, pork, ram, beef and chicken. Fusion dumplings are made with a combination of 2 types of meat, and Wholesome dumplings are either potato-based or cheese. Much to my surprise, instead of the meat variants, those with potato such as Potato + Sauerkruat, Potato + Bacon, and the one with Paneer Cheese, is the one that I find most yummy.

Chebureki 2.8/5

While we grew up with curry puffs, Russians have their very own Chebureki (cheese/pork $12/2 pcs). The filling is flattened inside the pastry like a spread. While the fried pastry was quite tasty with the mayonnaise, they were a tad too greasy for my liking.

Stuffed Bell Pepper 4.5/5

The Stuffed Bell Pepper ($14.50) was the highlight. The perfectly roasted bell pepper was soft with fruity sweetness. The stuffing, made with minced beef, rice and vegetables, was warm and comforting. The homemade sour cream was milky with a slight tang, bringing all together with an added deliciousness.

Medovik 4.8/5

Their Medovik - Honey Cake ($7.90) was marvellous! I feel so blessed to taste this again, and it is way more delicious than the one I had back in Prague. A popular dessert in countries of the former Soviet Union, this multi-layered honey cake is prepared by hand using a traditional recipe. The layers of sponge cakes were extraordinarily light and airy. The caramelised honey and dulce de leche layering in between were mellow sweet with a tang, which binds the layers of sponge cakes together in harmony.

Dumpling.ru also serves up a very good Kvass ($5.90), almost like a non-alcoholic lager. There's a selection of Georgian wines, including ‘Joseph Stalin’s favourite Georgian red wine’, Khvanchkara Red Wine ($17/glass).

Photos and words by Si An. A girl who is allured by travelling, loves the feel of freedom, smell of the rain and the aroma of fine coffee and food. Note: This is an invited tasting.


Dumplings.ru
Maxwell Chambers
32 Maxwell Road
#01-05
Singapore 069115
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Website
Nearest MRT Station: Tanjong Pagar (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon: 530pm - 1030pm
Tues-Sun: 12pm - 230pm, 530pm - 1030pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Tanjong Pagar MRT station. Take Exit B. Turn left and walk to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]

The Nomads @ Telok Ayer Street - A Re-Imagination Of Central Asian Cuisine

The Nomads is a new contemporary Central Asian dining concept located along Telok Ayer Street. It features a chic dining area complete with a custom-built grill pit, a speakeasy-style private dining room and thoughtfully crafted menus that bring diners to a gastronomic trail along the Silk Road. Besides the a la carte menu, there are 3 tasting menus and an exclusive private dining room communal menu.

Smoked Herring 4.2/5

For my visit, I had The Odyssey of Fire Tasting Menus ($148) which comprises of 17 courses that highlight a wide range of signatures and seasonal items. The gastronomic journey started with the Smoked Herring. The smoked herring sits inside a delicate filo pastry filled with horseradish mash.

Caviar & Kaya 4/5

A playfully take of the kueh pie tee is the Caviar & Kaya. Housed inside the crispy shell is poached Argentinean prawns and housemade kaya, crowned with glistening beads of Kristal caviar. Pop it inside the mouth to get that perfect burst of sweet and salty flavours.

Lamb Samsa Cones 4.2/5

The Lamb Samsa Cones is a modern take of the lamb samsa, traditionally served in Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan as a baked pastry filled with meat. The cone coated with coffee sugar is filled with lamb tartare of fresh Mottainai lamb short loin. A thoughtful creation allowing the sweetness of the coffee sugar to complement the light and naturally sweet meat, plus a little playful touch.

Nomads Nan with Hunter-Gatherers Butter 4.5/5

The Nomads Nan is a traditional Kazakhstan-style bread made using a secret family recipe whereby flour is fermented overnight with yoghurt to intensifies the flavour. This is best enjoyed with the seaweed butter and foie gras butter.

Maitake Mushrooms 3.5/5

You can smell the smokiness of the Maitake Mushrooms from a distance, seasoned with earthy Khmeli Suneli spices and grilled with tahini and sesame seeds.

Carrots in Soil 3.5/5

Bite into the different coloured Carrots in Soil that is sweet and crunchy. The charred heirloom carrots are coated with coffee crumble for a bittersweet finishing.

Salat 4.5/5

The Salat is an adaptation of the grilled fruit salad from Kazakhstan. It is light, crispy and fresh that comprises of juicy pears glazed with cherry vinaigrette, seasonal greens and crystallised walnuts, served with anchovy sauce and frozen raspberries.

Scallops 4/5

An interesting combination of koji cured Japanese Scallops, spiced burnt corn and crispy lentil crackers, is the Scallops dish. It is unusual to put the three ingredients together, and they complemented one another excellently.

Squid Laghman 4/5

The Squid Laghman is a native noodle dish from Xinjiang Uyghur. The squid noodles are lightly charcoal kissed to tender. It is paired with capsicum and pine nuts in the hearty bone marrow and Sichuan peppercorn sauce. Hence it is a little bit spicy.

Sturgeon 4/5

The lean and meaty Sturgeon which tasted like chicken breast is grilled with soy butter emulsion and dill oil and served with crunchy grains.

Beshbarmak 4.2/5

The Beshbarmak, a national dish of Kazakhstan, is literally translated to "five fingers" because it typically can be eaten with the hands. The modern version at The Nomads finds pieces of tender wagyu cheek in spiced broth, pickled shallots and garlic. On top of that, it replaces the noodles with dehydrated potato sheets.

Beef Tongue 4/5

The Beef Tongue is braised for 48 hours in a master broth until tender with a slight crunch, served on The Nomads Nan with a decadent burnt whole grain mustard cream, spiced beef jus and shaved almonds.

Pomegranate 4/5

Freshen up your palate in the Pomegranate which serves as a palate cleanser.

Foie in Ash 4.2/5

It is like having foie gras skewer in the Foie in Ash. The chunky foie gras is coated with charred breadcrumbs with a side of cherry gastrique.

Hunter's Plov 4.2/5

A staple along the Silk Road is the plov, a rice dish that is whipped up with whatever ingredients on-hand. The Hunter's Plov at The Nomads is inspired by the Uzbekistan version. It comes in a bowl of A4 wagyu striploin, bone marrow, pickled heirloom carrots, tea quail eggs, brandied raisins and Carnaroli risotto.

Almaty 4.2/5

Moving to the desserts, the Almaty comes in the form of a dainty tart of smoked apple ribbons with dollops of Gorgonzola cheese and cinnamon yoghurt and a scoop of celery sorbet.

Medovik 4/5

Last but not least, there was a second dessert to end the tasting menu on a sweet note. The soft and fluffy Honey Cake is paired with sour cream ganache, blood orange, rose crystals and refreshing yoghurt sorbet.

The 17-course tasting menu may sound a lot, but each serving is rather bit size portion. As for the gastronomic journey, the cuisine along the Silk Road is very foreign to me. While each individual dish is thoughtfully crafted, the diversity of the culinary influences may work either way. To some, it may be confusing without focus, for others, it may be an exploration adventure.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


The Nomads
70 Telok Ayer Street
Singapore 048458
Tel: +65 69777057
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Nearest MRT: Telok Ayer (DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 1130am - 230pm, 6pm - 930pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Telok Ayer MRT station. Take Exit B. Cross the road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]