In Singapore, the term ‘farm-to-table’ often comes with a raised eyebrow. With over 90% of the nation’s food imported, finding truly sustainable, seasonal cuisine can be a challenge for diners.
The newly opened Smolder steps into this space confidently, offering farm-fresh coastal cuisine. The brainchild of Wong Jing Kai (Kai) of Ah Hua Kelong, one of the three remaining kelongs (traditional fish farms) in Singapore, Smolder delivers on its promise of locally sourced, fresh seafood.
The menu is refreshingly uncomplicated, spotlighting seafood caught every day. The dishes are simple, grilled in the show kitchen, allowing the seafood to shine rather than being overshadowed by sauces and condiments. The result is a wholesome meal, with flavours that sing and a menu with something for everyone.
Smolder is located near Tiong Bahru Market, an area that was once buzzing with cafes before Covid and is now seeing a revival with the recent opening of many new concepts. Smart interiors decked in warm wood tones invite diners in, while the friendly staff ensures that you are well taken care of.
With a slew of cocktails to choose from and non-alcoholic options for others, the beverage program at Smoulder is not an afterthought. Five Rings Spritz with hints of rosemary and peach is wonderfully refreshing on a hot summer day, while Smokey ‘Joe’ Robinson, their take on an espresso martini with an undertone of Marmite, sets the tone for classy evenings.
The Zucchini and Parmesan Fritters make for great bar bites to accompany your beverages. Served with garlic mayo aioli, I couldn’t help but wish they had been paired with a spicy sambal instead to balance the creaminess of the cheese. Nevertheless, they are dangerously addictive, and you can rarely ever stop at one.
From the starters, I suggest you skip directly to the Big Plates, as that is where Smoulder sets the table on fire. The whole grilled fish, whether seabass, snapper, or pearl grouper, is fresh as they come and served simply with a wedge of lime. Sometimes, the simplest things are often the most difficult to perfect. But at Smolder, the freshness of the fish shines and gives credence to the farm-to-table concept. Harvested at Ah Hua Kelong at dawn, the seafood is delivered to Smoulder every single day, allowing every plate to sing.
Farming fish since 2014, Kai used to catch and grill fish alongside local fishermen at his floating fish farm, a memory that he wishes to recreate at Smolder, albeit in a more refined and elegant form. Savouring the fresh harvest, simply salted then grilled, he realised that great seafood doesn’t need fancy sides or frills to be exceptional. It is the quality that is the final frontier.
Surprisingly, one of my favourite dishes at Smolder is their humble Grilled Vegetable Salad. Served as a side alongside the fish, the medley of vegetables was grilled to the point of smoke, releasing their inherent sweetness, making the perfect accompaniment to the salt-grilled fish.
Another surprise, and a very pleasant one at that, was the dessert course. A seafood grill restaurant that does an excellent olive oil cake or the creamiest semi-fredo I have ever eaten - who would have thought? The Olive Oil Cake is a winner, with toasted sides, though I wish it were served with the semi-fredo that accompanies the Five Spice Apple Wonton instead of plain whipped cream. The wonton themselves - ingenious. Crispy and aromatic, they beat all the notoriously famous apple strudels I ate last month in Germany. Five Spice Apple Wonton – why has no one ever thought of that before?
All in all, a promising new entrant in Singapore’s food scene, fuelling the revival of Tiong Bahru as a smart dining hub. In a country where locally-sourced food is rare, Smolder offers you the opportunity to relish coastal freshness, delivered with elegance.
a. 271 Outram Rd, #269, Singapore 169062
w. smolder.sg
