[dropcap size=big]R[/dropcap]ishi Naleendra has a thing with misleading restaurant names. The former head chef of Maca at Tanglin Post, which served none of the Peruvian herb its name means, is now helming the kitchen of Cheek by Jowl, a modern Australia joint that will leave you sorely disappointed if you come expecting unusual cuts.

So do yourself a favour and don’t, because the food here is worth a trip down as it is. Menus take the form of an affordably-priced chef’s menu or a la carte sharing plate style. We do the latter on our visit, starting with wild venison dressed in fermented plum with soy and kombu. It’s gently caressed by an open flame, and then served as a tartare that is a heady combination of tart and smokiness.

Wild Venison Tartare, Wasabi, Zucchini and Fermented Plums
Under a fine layer of zucchini lies the lightly-smoked wild venison tartare.

The pumpkin dish that follows comes with a note from the chef: “Let me know if you like it first, and if you do, I’ll tell you what the secret ingredient I use is.” Bait, clearly, but we’re hooked anyway. The mystery ingredient, we discover, is Sri Lankan curry powder that Naleendra carted back from a recent home town visit. This, he adds to a milk-based cashew nut cream for some spice to contrast with the sweetness of the roast pumpkin. Roasted seeds and kale chips scorched in sesame oil add great texture, while preserved pumpkin (think Indian chutney) rounds it off with some acidity.  There’s also a tender and moist local barramundi that comes next, with a morerish black scallion sauce we can’t stop spooning over each forkful of fish.

Head chef Rishi Naleendra named the restaurant Cheek by Jowl, which means ‘side-by-side’, as a meaningful throwback to be able to work alongside his wife, Manuela Toniolo.

Be careful when ordering desserts though, because sweets here can make or break the meal depending on how adventurous your palate is. The menu description is fair warning enough – coconut, with laksa leaf ice cream, pomelo and green chilli.  It’s essentially Thai pomelo salad, in dessert form. The first spoonful is weird, but the daring mix of heat, sweet creaminess and crunch from the salty peanuts grows on you. Still, we think it’s an acquired taste. The black olive cake with a white chocolate crumb and fresh yogurt is a much safer bet in comparison.

Coconut mousse with laksa leaf ice cream, pomelo and green chili.

Decor-wise, the dark-panelled front window that belonged to former occupant Sorrel has been removed. In its place is an open counter top with bar seats that overlook the oft-bustling Boon Tat Street. Distressed walls, new artwork and warm lighting add to the brighter, more welcoming vibe here. Even if you’re not up for dinner, it’s a good spot to drop in for a drink – try the biodynamic Australian wines, or get one of their bottled cocktails done by spirits expert Proof & Co – and unwind to some blues, alternative/old school rock and grunge tunes.

Rating: 3.5/5. Shows promise like book 1 of The Hunger Games. 

Spotlight On: Wild Venison, Roast Pumpkin, Barramundi

Behind the Scenes: Unlisted Collection, head chef Rishi Naleendra and his wife Manuela Toniolo

 


Cheek by Jowl

21 Boon Tat Street
Tel: 6221-1911

www.cheekbyjowl.com.sg

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