The Disgruntled Chef @ Dempsey Road - Celebrating 6 Years Anniversary With A New Brunch Menu

Time flies and The Disgruntled Chef at Dempsey has been around for six years. Not only is it celebrating its six years anniversary, it has also opened a new outlet at Ann Siang Road offering a fine dining concept. In conjunction with the anniversary, The Disgruntled Chef at Dempsey has rolled out a new brunch menu.

Pear Tree and Bora-Bora 4.5/5

Kick starting the brunch at The Disgruntled Chef, we started with some freshly juice blend in the Pear Tree ($10) and Bora-Bora ($10). The Pear Tree is a concoction of pear, lime and mint which is light and refreshing. For a more tangy counterpart, the Bora-Bora made up of a mixture of pineapple, passionfruit and pomegranate will lift the day on a bright note.

Truffle Bikini 4.2/5

Time to ditch the kaya toast and go for the Truffle Bikini ($10) instead. The sandwich toast is layered with black truffle, iberico ham and brie. The combination gives it a richness that is very addictive to just stop at three.

BBQ Pork Belly Bao 4/5

The BBQ Pork Belly Bao ($10) comes in a pair. The pork belly is sandwiched in between fluffy steamed bao and paired with house made kimchi, dressed in a spicy mayonnaise. The modern interpretation of steamed bao is a delightful introduction to the brunch menu.

Truffle Macaroni & Cheese 4.5/5

Mac & Cheese is rather common on mot restaurants' menu but the Truffle Macaroni & Cheese ($18) will blown you away with its cheesy and depth in flavours. The macaroni also retained a delectable bite. This is definitely one of the better version I have eaten for a long while.

Crispy Lamb Shortribs 4.5/5

A surprised item on the menu that won my heart is the Crispy Lamb Shortribs ($21) paired with spiced pumpkin puree and mint yoghurt. I have never seen since execution of the lamb before. The exterior has a enjoyable crispiness to it, dusted with aromatic spices while the interior is succulent and fell off the bone with ease.

Saikyo Miso Hamachi Collar 4.2/5

I thought Saikyo Miso Hamachi Collar ($34) is a dish I would only see in Japanese restaurant. It shows the diverse culinary knowledge of Chef and owner Daniel Sia. The softness of the collar meat has a lovely hint of sweetness from the soy sauce base marinade, grilled to a nice smokey aroma.

Braised Veal Cheeks 4/5

The Braised Veal Cheeks ($34) is served on top of a yorkshire pudding and wilted spinach. I am not a big fan of yorkshire pudding but the braised veal cheeks were braised excellent to a melted in the mouth texture.

Crackling Suckling Pig 4.2/5

I am a sucker for suckling pig. I find it hard to resist the Crackling Suckling Pig ($68) paired with purple potatoe and apple puree. Actually I thought the condiments were not necessary as the meat was already so good on it own. The crackling skin and the tender meat, there is nothing more I can ask for.

Sticky Toffee Pudding 4/5

Wrapping up the brunch at The Disgruntled Chef, we tried the Sticky Toffee Pudding ($14) and Avo-gato ($12). I appreciate that the sticky toffee pudding was not too sweet, as I am not really a sweet tooth person.

Avo-gato 3/5

I like the little twist in using avocado ice cream and cotton candy for the Avo-gato, substituting the classic Affogato. While the fun element is there, the execution needed a bit more sweetness to balance the bitterness of the coffee.

Overall I have enjoyed the new brunch menu at The Disgruntled Chef, especially the Asian inspired or influenced flavours in the dishes. You can pick either two or three items from the menu for a reasonable pricing at $32 or $39. This is definitely a good change from your normal cafe brunch items such as pancakes and egg benedict.


The Disgruntled Chef
26B Dempsey Road
Singapore 247693
Tel: +65 64765305
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Website
Nearest MRT: Orchard (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Tue-Thu: 12pm - 230pm, 6pm - 12midnight
Fri-Sat: 12pm - 230pm, 6pm - 1am
Sun: 12pm - 5pm, 6pm - 12midnight
(Closed on Mon)

Direction:
1) Alight at Orchard MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to bus stop along Orchard Boulevard, opposite Orchard Parksuites (Stop ID B09022. Take bus number 7, 77, 106, 123 or 174. Alight 7 stops later. Walk to destination. Journey time about 25 minutes. [Map]

Chao Zhou Fishball Noodle @ Kim Keat Palm Food Centre - Old School Fishball Noodle

I used to go Kim Keat Palm Food Centre for my mutton soup fix until Ivy's Hainanese Herbal Mutton Soup pull down its shutter. Recently I went back to the food centre again and decided to give Chao Zhou Fishball Noodle a try since its one of the few stalls at the food centre that always have a long queue. Moreover, it opens only 4 times a week.

Fishball Noodle 

I ordered the Fishball Noodle Dry ($3) which comes with 5 huge golf size fishball. The bowl of mee pok noodle is also drenched in a mixture of ketchup and chilli sauce.

The noodle is cooked to a nice al dente bite. It shows the skill of the hawker behind the noodle ladle. The ketchup sauce gave the bowl of noodle a nostalgic flavour but I thought there was too much of it, throwing the balance off. The bowl of noodle was too sweet for me.

The highlight actually is not the noodle but the fishball. For a mere three dollars, customers get to enjoy these huge and bouncy, handmade fishballs. It is definitely value for money.

It was understand that the stall used to be run by an old couple but when I was there, a young man is helping out in the stall, cooking the noodle while the old uncle is in charge of the fishballs. Looks like the old couple has found someone that is willing to learn the trade and continue the legacy since 1968.


Chao Zhou Fishball Noodle
Kim Keat Palm Food Centre
Blk 22 Toa Payoh Lorong 7
#01-20
Singapore 310022
Nearest MRT: Braddell (NS Line), Toa Payoh (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Wed-Thu, Sat-Sun: 8am - 1pm
(Closed on Mon, Tue and Fri)

Direction:
1) Alight at Braddell MRT station. Take Exit C. Walk to bus stop opposite Braddell MRT station (Stop ID 52171). Take bus number 232. Alight 3 stops later. Walk to destination. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Toa Payoh MRT station. Take Exit A or B. Walk to Toa Payoh Bus Interchange (Stop ID 52009). Take bus number 238. Alight 4 stops later. Walk to destination. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]