Love Handle collaborates with Japanese plant-based meat brand NIKUVEGE™️ to dole out a taste of Japan.
Singaporeans are not unfamiliar with the concept of fusion dining. In local cuisine, a melting pot of influences has shaped the current landscape of dining, where the hybridisation of multi-cultural ingredients, methods and tastes have yielded cuisine hallmarks. Beyond traditional Singaporean cuisine in the likes of satay bee hoon and laksa, gentrification and mass appeal have welcomed other modernised takes on fusion food onto the scene a la mala potato chips to eggs benedict roti prata.
Love Handle’s Japanese foray might thus seem unsurprisingly routine. As a cuisine beloved by locals, and frequently adapted to the local palate, the idea of hamburg-patty burgers may initially appear to lack a novelty factor — how many times can this formula be explored and marketed to the masses? Yet, ardent fans of the plant-based brand will understand the fusion quality to be a well-conceived execution, as per the Ann Siang joint’s ethos.
The casual concept, known for its burgers and better yet, for its dedication to plant-based menus, has earned merit among those with flexitarians, vegetarians and vegans alike. Catering to the growing market of plant-based eaters locally, the establishment’s expansion into Japanese dining bears the weight of intentionality. Marking the first international collaboration with Japanese plant-based meat brand NIKUVEGE™️ , the limited menu run holds significance, in bringing an authentic take on Japanese flavours to our shores.
The menu run is made authentic with NIKUVEGE™️ products, which boast a distinct umami profile and that have been esteemed in adoption by chain restaurants, hotels and cafes in Japan. For instance, the classic menu’s Menchi Katsu burger sees an elevation in the form of a panko-encrusted NIKUVEGE™️ hamburg patty and a burst of soy milk cream, while a new feature Dan Dan Udon is made with ginger soy mince, formulated with NIKUVEGE™️ Flakes.
Of course, no modern-day collaboration would be complete without some iteration of a party, especially when your grounds are located on the buzzy Ann Siang Street. To dish out a true taste of Japan, the plant-based butchers are transforming its grounds into a izakaya, adding a partnership with Japanese alcohol brand Suntory for highballs to pair.
And as per Love Handle’s commitment to offering accessible plant-based cuisine, the brand will be rolling out its Japanese menu and a new assortment of butcher meats across its brick-and-mortar, online and via delivery platforms like Grab and Deliveroo.
Love Handle’s collaboration with NIKUVEGE™️ is slated to launch 25 August. From 26 August to 30 September 2023, guests can look forward to complimentary Suntory Highballs with every purchase of a NIKUVEGE™️ creation. Once you’re done with this story, click here to catch up with our August 2023 issue!
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