There’s no shortage of grain bowls and vegan cafes around the Telok Ayer area. But in our elusive quest for healthy eating, we’re still falling hook, line, and sinker for every new plant-based joint that promises sustainable but tasty food. It’s like clockwork: we see vegan options, we presume we’re well on our way to a healthier lifestyle.
While far from the truth, newly-opened Bamboo Bowls in Far East Square is admittedly bringing something new to the table. For one, their lineup of renowned chefs has us impressed. It’s running on culinary powerhouses, familiar household names like Bjorn Shen of Artichoke and Justin Hammond of Neon Pigeon. It's even got Mano Thevar on the crew – and his modern Indian restaurant Thevar was recently listed as #92 on Asia’s Top Restaurants.
But name-dropping aside, these Asian bowls are also right up our alley for a quick lunch – intended as wholesome fuel to get you through the workday. It's a menu of eight bowls, representing the flavours of Singapore, Sichuan, Saigon, Bangkok, Bali, Tokyo, Mumbai, and Seoul. Our easy favourite? Thevar’s Bombay Bowl, hands down. This plant-based, organic bowl draws inspiration from Indian street snacks like chana dal and pumpkin vada. Add on spiced lamb kofta ($5), and you’ve got a nutritious meal without an impending food coma.
Other bowls that are definite crowd-pleasers are Chef Jowett Yu’s Sichuan bowl for its hand-pulled la mian noodles and plant-based mince, as well as Chef Bjorn Shen’s Saigon bowl which came with zesty rice noodles and fresh herbs. All bowls are priced at $10, but you can choose to add on protein for an additional $5.
These bowls are meant to be equally good for you as they are for the environment. As the founders claim, their bowls are “over 50 percent organic, 100 percent sugar-free, and 100 percent unprocessed”. Even those avoiding carbs can choose to have shirataki noodles and cauliflower rice for a keto-friendly option.
In any case, we’re loving how the entire restaurant is run using new-age tech – they’ve got seemingly futuristic collection pods. There’s also a mobile app (Bamboo Bowls, iOS | Android) you can easily download for either delivery or pick-up options. They’ll also be offering everyone who downloads the app one free bowl, valid for one month from the date of download.
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