There was much anticipation surrounding Hawker Stories, Raffles Singapore’s latest concept held on the green grounds of Raffles Courtyard. But the question of the hour: are we willing to fork out that much money for what passes off as seemingly ordinary hawker fare? Apparently so. If not for the food, then at the very least for the experience of dining in one of Singapore's most renowned heritage hotels.
In any case, the very first feature in its Hawker Stories lineup is Luckmeow. Once a hawker stall in Maxwell Food Centre, known for its modern Indian cuisine, the stall were forced into closing its doors last September during the pandemic. Chef-owner Pasha Siraj describes the menu as a “mix of newly created and familiar favourites”. Take its famed Japanese cucumber frozen raita: it makes an appearance in the fusion pasta dish MasalAglio Olio ($22).
Since Chef Siraj leans towards traditional mamak cooking with modern influences, the pasta features a mee goreng flavour base – but it uses spaghetti instead of yellow noodles. Chargrilled tiger prawns were served alongside, with halved cherry tomatoes for freshness. It was the pan-seared butter chicken($18) though, where we could recognise the distinction between our downstairs takeaway stall and Luckmeow.
This, a clear winner. Maybe for its seared exterior or maybe for the rich butter masala gravy, but it was something that we plainly liked.
Unfortunately, anything buttery weighs heavy after a while and this is when you should make an attempt at cleansing your palate with the provided side of purple cabbage slaw – to cut through overwhelming flavours. This particular menu ends with a sweet dosa, featuring a carrot jam and pistachio chutney ($10).
You can opt to order the entire LuckMeow Bundle ($42) where you’ll get a chance to taste each dish: fusion pasta, butter chicken, and sweet dosa included. Choose to also add on a cocktail for just $13, from the likes of a Kamikaze, Whiskey Sour, or Margarita.
Hawker Stories at Raffles Courtyard runs from 5 to 9pm daily. Along with Luckmeow, there are three other instalments to look forward to:
- Luckmeow (Pasha Siraj) – March 16 to 27
- Mr Tersmell (Hady Jay) – March 30 to April 17
- Empress Place Teochew Beef Kway Teow (David Lim) – April 20 to May 8
- Seafood Pirate & Yap’s Noodles (Darren Teo & Henry Yap) – May 11 to 29
And for those looking for a deal, make sure to collect stamps via its stamp card by ordering a bundle deal – you’ll get a complimentary bottle of Domaine De Fontenille Rosé on your next visit.