Fermentation renaissance: Restaurants and bars experimenting with fermentation

A melting pot of culture, when it comes to the culinary scene, its almost hard to find a flavour that Singapore does not offer. From, Mediterranean, to Italian and even Peruvian, our gastronomic scene has got it all. But the search for ‘something new and fresh’ never stops.

Now, we’re keeping our eyes peeled as a quiet food revolution is underway in the city-state. Restaurants and bars are now embracing the art of fermentation, beyond the usual kombucha and kefir affair. Ready to get a taste? Let us introduce you to restaurants and bars where chefs and mixologists delve into the intriguing world microbial magic.

Native Bar

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A nod to its name, the menu at Native bar is carefully curated using only products sourced from within the region. The cosy bar, which has also secured at a spot as No. 83 in World’s 50 Best Bars, is known for its exciting experimenting and the seasonal fermentation menu. Exploring ingredients, techniques as well as the transformations that food and drink can undergo in a period of time, the bar plays around with the likes of turmeric, yogurt, Kvass and brined cabbage.

Previous contenders include the Salted Lassi made with lacto-fermented mango, black cardamom-infused whiskey, turmeric and yoghurt whey, as well as the Tumeric Bug with tumeric, yellow ginger and gula melaka left to ferment over a week, before being strained and blended with fresh coconut water.

Native Bar is located at 52A Amoy Street, Singapore 069878, p. +65 8869 6520. Open Mon-Sat 6pm-12am. Closed on Sun.

FURA

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The new kid on the block — FURA, led by power couple Christina Rasmussen and Sasha Wijidessa, is a trailblazing new bar making sustainable dining more approachable. Beyond using ingredients soured from Asia that have a low carbon footprint, the restaurant-bar also works its fermentation magic on dishes like What Would Mirko Do? ($24), a hearty plate of gemelli pasta, paired with lacto-fermented romesco tomato sauce, smoked almonds and yeast garum cream as well as the Funk Flex cocktail with 70 days fermented Red Capsicum, Physalis, Pineapple, Raspberry.

Taking this a tad further, they also feature a dedicated lifestyle wall with take-home products like house-made vermouth and ferments made using ugly produce from freshveggies.sg.

Fura is located at 74A Amoy Street, Singapore 069893, p.+65 8406 8899. Open Tue-Sat 5pm -11:30pm. Closed on Sun & Mon. 

Analogue Initiative

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One of the pioneers of sustainable practises amongst bars in Singapore, Analogue, currently sits as No. 73 in the World’s 50 Best Bars 2023. From their 3D-printed bar made out of recycled plastic bottles, to mycelium tabletops and recycled coasters, the bar stands as the future of dining and imbibing in Singapore.

But they are not just forward thinking when it comes to the ambiance, but also in their menu. Amongst some fermented-items include their addictive cashew cream cheese whi is fermented for almost a week, as well as the pineapple skewer in thier Piña Clavo also features fermented and dehydrated chill for an umami depth.

On the bar, drinks like Blue Magic also sees the additions of ingredients like slow-fermented jasmine kombucha to achieve its naturally vibrant hue.

Analogue Initiative is located at 30 Victoria Street #01-31 Chijmes, Singapore 187996, p. +65 8518 1882. Open daily 5pm-12am.

Marguerite Restaurant

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Set in the lush settings of the Flower Dome at Gardens by the Bay, Marguerite is a dining spot thats hard to beat. To make things even more exciting, their menu revolves around the best of the seasons, celebrating craft, provenance and produce through contemporary cuisine.

Here you can find the craftsmen, Wan Kar researching, clarifying, fermenting and infusing a complex beverage list. One crowd-pleaser is the Rhubarb and Raspberry Jun Tea, served in the place of pre-dessert, that combines green tea and honey fermented for two weeks before being blended with fresh raspberry and rhubarb and left to ferment for a further five days.

Another worthy mention is the Pithivier from the Vegetarian Herbivore Menu, finished with fermented shallot puree. Read our review here.

Marguerite is located at 18 Marina Gardens Dr, #01-09 Flower Dome, Singapore 018953, p. +65 6604 9988. Open Tue-Sun 6pm-10.30pm, Sat-Sun 12pm-3pm. Closed on Mon.

Anthology by Compendium Spirits

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The new home of Compendium Spirits, Anthology serves up dishes inspired by familiar Southeast Asian flavours, as well as a cocktail programme by Brand & Beverage Director Dannon Har.

The horizontal themed tasting flights delve into production processes like Fermentation (S$15), allowing you to sample sparkling fermented liquids on tap like Coconut Toddy and Apricot Tea Mead. Also available a la carte at S$12 per glass. On the other hand, you can also distilled and aged spirits here.

Anthology is located at 10 Circular Road, Singapore 049366, p. +65 8451 5389. Open Mon-Sat 4pm to 11.59pm. Closed on Sun. 

Morsels Dempsey

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In an industry dominated by men, Chef Petrina Loh is raising standards with her hidden gem of a restaurant called Morsels in Dempsey Hill. Here she dishes out creative ingredient-driven Asian fusion plates, working through a zero waste philosophy. The chef is also known for seamlessly weaving in medicinal and nourishing ingredients into her cooking with a strong penchant for fermentation and artisanal cooking techniques. 

Currently, in their 10th year of operation, the restaurant puts up a new ala carte gastro wine bar menu, every two-three weeks, featuring house fermented ingredients and sauces. Read our interview with Chef Petrina Loh here.

Morsels is located at 25 Dempsey Road, #01-04, Singapore 249670, +65 6266 3822. Open Tue-Thu 12pm-3pm, 6pm-10pm, Fri-Sat 12pm-3pm, 6pm-10.30pm, Sun 11.30am-3pm. Closed on Mon.

People Table Tales

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A private dining experience in Tiong Bahru, People Table Tales brings new perspective to local food through carefully-sourced and meticulously-prepared dishes. A quick scroll on their Instagram page will also reveal that they are indeed the masters of the fermentation game.

Expect house-made Lacto Mango with Green Chillies, Mushroom Garum, and even Lacto Sambal Ijo. To complete the dining experience, guests can also indulge in drink-pairings boasting home-brewed drinks like makgeolli, cheongju, dangyangju, samyangju, and various kombuchas.

People Table Tales is located at 79 Chay Yan Street Singapore 160079. For more information and booking, please click here.

ALSO READ: Beyond spaghetti: Discovering unconventional pasta varieties

This article was first published in City Nomads.