Most people often do not think much about the plates they eat off. Said dishware might not draw out Internet deep-diving of any kind (or the plowing through of obscure Reddit threads for answers) and in fact, is often considered for what it is — a vessel to hold one’s food? Of course. Does an 18-piece set from the Ikea DINERA series suffice? Absolutely.
However at Moonbow (the restaurant’s name is an ode to the atmospheric phenomenon more commonly known as a lunar rainbow), what one dines off is a keen telegraphing of Chef Heman Tan’s taste for the now — spirited exuberance and a keen sense of proportion.
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While the restaurant’s aesthetics have drawn comparisons to London townhouse tea room Sketch (a similar achingly chic blend of pastel pinks, plush furniture and a selfie-enhancing soft golden glow) since it launched, Tan’s cuisine is decidedly simpler, more approachable in its Mod-European meets Asian influence roots and convivial in spirit. The latter is a reference to Tan’s attention to proportions.
The ceramics at Moonbow are not laughably small or overwhelmingly large, it directs one’s attention to who he is dining with to converse about what is on it.
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Upon dining at Moonbow one afternoon, I noticed what the restaurant has done to address the way modern customers like to dine now — a new wave of arenas where one looks to for status (judging by the designer bags toting crowd), for entertainment (one is served an amuse bouche of candy floss topped with furikake and edible flowers upon seating down) and of course, for originality.
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Originality is what Tan delivers, having cut his teeth for over 38 years in the industry. Cold-smoked Fine de Claire oysters (a popular dish amongst the French bon vivant in the 17th century) is served with a yuzu granita cucumber pearls and a roll of oyster leaf — so pleasingly briny but tempered with the zest of the Japanese citrus fruit. The Jerusalem Artichoke soup — a rich puréed cream of the nutty and sweet tuber warms one’s belly — served with a deliciously runny egg, salty lumpfish caviar and crunchy sunchoke chips. As for the Tomahawk de Swine that serves two, it is a mouthful like its moniker — a hefty untrimmed four-day aged young pork tomahawk chop that has lashings of a honeyed housemate barbecue glaze. A tart pineapple compote cuts through its meatiness with its acidity while caramelised lime and roasted garlic provides depth.
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For dessert, the vessel once again has been crafted by Tan — a wooden treasure box ferrying a selection of petite fours reminiscent of the traditional Eight Treasure Box. The riches that lie within is a treasury of seven elegantly portioned desserts like a mango passion mousse or a truffle cheese macaron.
While there is a lot to love about Moonbow, it can be said that service can sometimes be an exercise in patience. However, if one has found the time to journey to Dempsey Hill for a meal, these momentary minutes might not matter.
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