More than just a fad in today’s dining scene, F&B joints around the world are increasingly moving towards sustainable cuisine. With its significant emphasis placed on the protection and preservation of Mother Earth, food lovers will be heartened to know that they can indulge in a good meal with minimal impact on the ecosystem. A large part of the carbon-mitigation solution in sustainable cuisine lies in the use of locally sourced ingredients, essentially “farm-to-table”, thereby eliminating cross-border shipping of produce that might do more harm to the environment than most of us can imagine. This can prove to be an uphill battle in land-scarce Singapore, but the following four establishments have taken up the gauntlet, demonstrating that they can dish out hearty and healthy fare while being environmentally conscious.
YELLOW POT
Taking centre stage in Six Senses Duxton, a luxury heritage boutique hotel, Yellow Pot is a modern Chinese restaurant that supports local fisheries and farms extensively while educating diners on sustainability. Using ingredients from viable sources, Yellow Pot is taking a large step towards reducing carbon footprint caused by “food miles”. That said, the restaurant does not compromise when it comes to the flavour of its dishes. For instance, go on an umami binge with its Wok-Seared Organic Grass-Fed Beef Tenderloin. Flavoured with Szechuan peppercorns, honey, and Himalayan salt, the beef cubes are seared to medium-rare perfection before being topped with crispy garlic.
Acknowledging that overfishing is a threat to the biodiversity of our oceans, Yellow Pot features only sustainable fish species on its menu, and the majority of its supply comes from local fisheries that practice sustainable fish farming methods. Despite its down-to-earth approach to gastronomy, the restaurant is also a feast for the eyes, with its lavish décor decked out in black, gold, and yellow.
OPEN FARM COMMUNITY
Arguably one of the pioneers of the “farm-to-table” concept in Singapore, Open Farm Community is nestled in the luscious terrains of Dempsey Hill. It stands out with its vision of spearheading urban farming in Singapore and strengthening the deep respect for food and its origins. Characterised by an expansive garden of herbs, vegetables, and fruits, Open Farm Community has its produce going directly to its kitchen to be prepared into dishes. Fall in love with the earthy and comforting Black Bean Strozzapreti, made of roasted mushrooms, house-smoked tofu, garden herbs, and sesame oil. While the curls of the pasta pick up the perfect amount of sauce, its harmony with the symphony of local mushrooms and organic tofu deserves a standing ovation.
RESTAURANT LABYRINTH
Recently refreshed to cater to locavores (people who eat mainly locally grown or produced food), Restaurant Labyrinth is the only F&B establishment in Singapore to use 100 per cent locally sourced natural ingredients. At its helm, chef Han explained that being locavore-focused means less convenience and that he has to put more thought into the planning and preparation of the dishes. Nonetheless, he decided to adopt this divergent track when he was reflecting on the essence of Singapore cuisine. This involves utilising ingredients used by our forefathers to produce truly local cuisine. Restaurant Labyrinth’s signature dish, Grandma’s Fish Maw Soup – made primarily with yellow tail snapper fish cake, two types of fish maw, and tofu puree – is an upgrade like no other. Barramundi fish maw is layered meticulously within the 12 petals of the rose-shaped fish cake while catfish fish maw is blended in the black chicken soup. Not wasting any ingredient, the resourceful chef dehydrates and deep fries the leftover fish maw trimmings to make fish maw crackling, adding a layered texture to the dish.
SUBROSA PRIVATE DINING
Among a row of heritage shophouses lies a nondescript two-floor restaurant big on flavours. Helmed by executive chef Steven Snowden, who served the Royal Family of England, Subrosa Private Dining prides itself in creating the most of its food in-house, from homemade truffle butter and freshly baked bread to live lobsters from local farms. Natural flavours manifest in its signature salad. Aptly named Fresh is Best, it features sweet scallops, fermented melon, pickled cucumber, dill oil, and caviar. Take your taste buds on a journey from land to sea as you start with the vegetables on the top and work your way to the succulent scallops and caviar below. Supplementing the dish with a vibrant flavour, the in-house pickled cucumber has a pleasant crunch. At the end of the meal, one can be sure that the only guilt involved here is one of indulgence from Subrosa Private Dining’s opulent dishes.
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