Kaarla Restaurant and Bar Ceremoniously Launches With A Cultural Evening

One Hatted Chef Thi Le Brings Laotian Cuisine to the Red Dot

KAARLA, a well-established dining destination known for its sustainability focus, may very well boast some of the best views of Singapore’s skyline. Sitting on the 51st level of CapitaSpring, it looks out towards Marina Bay, with Marina Bay Sands dwarfed under its elevated gaze, all the way to the sea beyond, dotted with perfectly matrixed ships. But its charm goes beyond the incredible views. Modern interiors add panache to the dining experience, and the produce is ethically sourced from urban farms, one of which grows right outside its doors, the world’s highest food forest, no less.

It is thus befitting that KAARLA invites Chef Thi Le, Chef-Owner of One Hat Jeow restaurant in Melbourne, to introduce Singapore to Laotian food. Often overshadowed by popular cuisines from neighbouring Vietnam, Thailand and Cambodia, Laotian food is nuanced and unique, bringing together the techniques of fermentation and fire cooking. It relies heavily on fresh herbs and aromatics, which for this pop-up, are sourced from the farm right outside.  

Chef Thi Le started cooking Laotian food during Covid when she needed to retreat into the comfort of familiar flavours. It is this comfort that she extends to you with a delightful menu that is as adventurous as it is delicious. We started with the small plates where roasted peanuts were served mixed with anchovies and galangal, a nice snack on the side if you’re here for a drink or two. Speaking of which, the menu comes with a wine pairing option where the very knowledgeable wine sommelier pairs some lesser-known biodynamic wines to complement the courses as they progress. 

Of the small plates, one of my favourites was Oua Si Khai, a thin parcel fried with a tempura-like coating, stuffed with calamari and snapper. The dish is easy on the palate, with the crunch from the leaves adding textural delight. The second standout dish in the small plates section was an innocuous-looking tiny bowl which packed quite a punch. Bouncy steamed rice cakes are topped with a Murray cod fat relish and garlic chive oil, an absolute winner. Each mouthful was full of umami, with the creamy rice cake contrasting wonderfully with the punchy chilli oil. I could easily have devoured another portion of that.   

We moved on to the main, which was the most theatrical element on the menu. Boston Lobster Miang came with a generous portion of lobster with a side of condiments such as peanuts, shallots, lime, and a jammy chilli paste called Jeow. The paste is essential to Laotian cuisine, thus the name of Chef Thi Le’s Melbourn restaurant. Chef admitted to the paste being painstakingly crafted over days before coming to Singapore and being finished off with the final touches once the team was here. We were asked to take a betel leaf and create our own parcels with a piece of the lobster and whatever condiments we liked, a sort of DIY communal dining experience. Super fun with incredible flavours to match. 

Next, we were served an array of sharing plates, some familiar such as a sticky pork rib (Moo Yang) and some novel. Laap Phet, a popular salad found in Thailand as Larb, heroes minced meat, in this case, wood-seared duck, topping it with toasted rice that added a lovely crunch to it. Meanwhile, the Mowk Pa, a steamed parcel of Murray Cod wrapped in banana leaf, reminded me of the Cambodian Fish Amok. Fragrant herbs added character and zing to the fish with lemongrass and fish sauce shining through. 

Laotian cuisine is not known for its deserts, but Chef Thi Le ended this gastronomic journey of exploration with a refreshing coconut sorbet that helped clean the palate. Served atop jelly, jackfruit and pomelo, the sorbet itself was craftily handmade and was a great way to end a delicious meal. 

A whiff of fresh air in a competitive dining city. Priced at $198++, the special menu is available on 24 and 26 May 2023 for dinner only. The wine pairing adds an additional $78 to the bill, an add-on that I highly recommend given the rare wines that their sommelier sniffs out. 

One Hatted Chef Thi Le Brings Laotian Cuisine to the Red Dot

KAARLA, a well-established dining destination known for its sustainability focus, may very well boast some of the best views of Singapore’s skyline. Sitting on the 51st level of CapitaSpring, it looks out towards Marina Bay, with Marina Bay Sands dwarfed under its elevated gaze, all the way to the sea beyond, dotted with perfectly matrixed ships. But its charm goes beyond the incredible views. Modern interiors add panache to the dining experience, and the produce is ethically sourced from urban farms, one of which grows right outside its doors, the world’s highest food forest, no less.

It is thus befitting that KAARLA invites Chef Thi Le, Chef-Owner of One Hat Jeow restaurant in Melbourne, to introduce Singapore to Laotian food. Often overshadowed by popular cuisines from neighbouring Vietnam, Thailand and Cambodia, Laotian food is nuanced and unique, bringing together the techniques of fermentation and fire cooking. It relies heavily on fresh herbs and aromatics, which for this pop-up, are sourced from the farm right outside.  

Chef Thi Le started cooking Laotian food during Covid when she needed to retreat into the comfort of familiar flavours. It is this comfort that she extends to you with a delightful menu that is as adventurous as it is delicious. We started with the small plates where roasted peanuts were served mixed with anchovies and galangal, a nice snack on the side if you’re here for a drink or two. Speaking of which, the menu comes with a wine pairing option where the very knowledgeable wine sommelier pairs some lesser-known biodynamic wines to complement the courses as they progress. 

Of the small plates, one of my favourites was Oua Si Khai, a thin parcel fried with a tempura-like coating, stuffed with calamari and snapper. The dish is easy on the palate, with the crunch from the leaves adding textural delight. The second standout dish in the small plates section was an innocuous-looking tiny bowl which packed quite a punch. Bouncy steamed rice cakes are topped with a Murray cod fat relish and garlic chive oil, an absolute winner. Each mouthful was full of umami, with the creamy rice cake contrasting wonderfully with the punchy chilli oil. I could easily have devoured another portion of that.   

We moved on to the main, which was the most theatrical element on the menu. Boston Lobster Miang came with a generous portion of lobster with a side of condiments such as peanuts, shallots, lime, and a jammy chilli paste called Jeow. The paste is essential to Laotian cuisine, thus the name of Chef Thi Le’s Melbourn restaurant. Chef admitted to the paste being painstakingly crafted over days before coming to Singapore and being finished off with the final touches once the team was here. We were asked to take a betel leaf and create our own parcels with a piece of the lobster and whatever condiments we liked, a sort of DIY communal dining experience. Super fun with incredible flavours to match. 

Next, we were served an array of sharing plates, some familiar such as a sticky pork rib (Moo Yang) and some novel. Laap Phet, a popular salad found in Thailand as Larb, heroes minced meat, in this case, wood-seared duck, topping it with toasted rice that added a lovely crunch to it. Meanwhile, the Mowk Pa, a steamed parcel of Murray Cod wrapped in banana leaf, reminded me of the Cambodian Fish Amok. Fragrant herbs added character and zing to the fish with lemongrass and fish sauce shining through. 

Laotian cuisine is not known for its deserts, but Chef Thi Le ended this gastronomic journey of exploration with a refreshing coconut sorbet that helped clean the palate. Served atop jelly, jackfruit and pomelo, the sorbet itself was craftily handmade and was a great way to end a delicious meal. 

A whiff of fresh air in a competitive dining city. Priced at $198++, the special menu is available on 24 and 26 May 2023 for dinner only. The wine pairing adds an additional $78 to the bill, an add-on that I highly recommend given the rare wines that their sommelier sniffs out.