What would you say is Singapore’s signature dessert? Ice kacang? Kueh? Tau huay? It’s a tough choice.
Chung Deming, however, created what he believes is the definitive modern Singaporean sweet course – the durian crème brûlée. Stylised as the Duriancanboleh, Chung spent long hours fine-tuning the recipe, eventually finding perfection with a rich, Mao Shan Wang durian custard which literally melts in your mouth. Following the success of the Duriancanboleh at pop-up events, Chung opened The Quarters, a bistro that applies the same dedication and principles to a wider array of local flavours. Drawing inspiration from the island’s old ethnic quarters, they’re all about making everything from scratch and adapting the cuisines we love.
Flipping through the menu at The Quarters, one might be surprised with its brevity – just three pages and 15 permanent dishes. But then you realise how much thought goes into each item. Take the Bibik en Vogue ($8.50), rempah with minced pork stuffed into kueh pie tie cups, and the umami babi ($8.50), slow-braised pulled pork collar in mini man tous. They’re true Singaporean small plates. Another popular appetiser is the salted egg fries ($7.60), born of a desire to make that addictive sauce more accessible, and an irreverent jab at the stereotypical truffle fries associated with cafés and bistros.
Ma Jie’s Indulgence ($18) has been a best-seller when it comes to mains. Named to honour the amahs or domestic helpers from a bygone era, Chung envisioned it to be the kind of meal the humble ladies would enjoy on a day off. It’s a chilli crab capellini with an overload of crab meat. The Asian Truffle ($14.80) is built around an ingredient that has started to regain its popularity in recent years – it’s a chicken pasta dish in a creamy buah keluak sauce. Famous as an “acquired taste” for its strong earthiness, the buah keluak’s more agreeable nutty and chocolatey notes are enhanced by the cream base. Providing a more conventional but still intriguing take on fusion cuisine, The Great Escape ($18.80) is a fried halibut fillet with rustic vegetables and lemongrass and ginger flower cream.
Familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. The Quarterade ($5) and its alcohol-infused kin The Quarters ($12) – concoctions made with lemon, mint, dill and soda – are ideal palate cleansers and all-round satisfying beverages to complement your dining experience here.
For dessert, the Duriancanboleh ($7) expectedly takes centre stage, but it’s joined by two more delightful treats. The Kueh Baulu Gone Rogue ($8.50) is a luscious tiramisu which replaces sometimes boring sponge fingers with eggy kueh baulu, while the Wonderffle ($9.50) is a waffle with lemongrass and pandan ice cream drizzled with gula melaka.
Whether you’ve known these flavours all your life or you’re discovering them for the first time – or if you’re just stopping by for coffee and cake between walls adorned with corrugated metal and burlap sacks – The Quarters is a place for unpretentious food with a story to tell.
The Quarters is at #01-09 Icon Village, 16 Enggor St. Open Mon — Thu 8am — 10pm, Fri 8am — 11pm, Sat 10am — 11pm and Sun 10am —10pm.
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