Da Bao Diaries: locally inspired meals, hearty Japanese and Mediterranean feast, and more

Island Kitchen Collective is probably the only place you can indulge in thick-cut sashimi and a savoury charcuterie platter in one sitting. This new digital restaurant offers two different concepts: Wabi Sabi, which focuses on classic Japanese plates; and the Mediterranean-inspired Mercato Gatto. By doing away a brick-and-mortar space, Island Kitchen Collective’s general manager, Alan Low, hopes to translate the cost-savings to the diners. He adds: “Taking the business online allows us to streamline our costs and focus on what’s crucial – providing freshness, variety and value through consistently high-quality food to our customers wherever they are.”

Choose from over 80 options when putting together your own elective meal – start with slivers of swordfish ($13) and tuna ($13), or have some pita bread with dips of beetroot hummus ($9) and baba ganoush ($9). For mains, there’s the bara chirashi ($24) and teriyaki salmon ($24), available alongside pan-seared prawns with mixed lentils ($20) and linguine vongole ($18). Serving sizes are also generous, with almost equal amounts of protein and carbs to make a filling square meal. And to fully savour what Island Kitchen Collective has to offer, opt for the Best of Both Worlds set ($75 for two, $165 for four) which offers a sampling of everything – from the waters of Japan to Mediterranean seas.

Minimum order $30
Delivery fee From $5, free for orders above $100
Order here islandkitchencollective.sg

Remember Thank-Goodness-It’s (TGI)? The virtual eatery is the brainchild of Gastrogig, a local food-based events company. It started with a seasonal menu of nasi lemak – and now, the team is back with a brand new line-up of seafood dishes. And like its previous concept, sustainability remains as a core ingredient in its sophomore menu. Herbs and vegetables, harvested from the eatery’s 350 square metre garden, continues to be featured prominently in many dishes. In particular, the nasi ulam ($12) is made with over 20 herbs, blended down to make a pesto, the tossed to create an aromatic base.

Seafood, sourced from local farms of Ah Hua Kelong and the likes, are also favoured to yield creations of salted egg-cured barramundi ($22), and the bizarre durian tempoyak mussels ($29), cooked in a sauce of lacto-fermented durian that helps lend a unique savoury-sweet profile. Another highlight: handmade oyster sourdough pasta, made using fresh Japanese oyster puree and sourdough discard. It makes for a slightly briny, al dente pasta – and is served either dry with chilli, lard, and vinegar ($18); or with a soothing broth ($22) boiled for over four hours with crabs, scallops, prawns, and pork bones. TGI Seafood is available from now till November 1.  

Minimum order None
Delivery fee $8
Order here thankgoodnessits.com

At this digital-only eatery, opened by the team behind mod-Asian restaurant Slake, regional flavours – from Japan to the Philippines – have been distilled to create novel tacos. “We wanted to bring flavours from around Asia, and turn them into handy wraps that people can enjoy with just one hand,” shares chef-owner Jeremy Cheok. The result: soft tortilla shells with unique fillings of pork belly sisig ($6.90) and Thai basil pork ($6.90).

And to celebrate World Taco Day, Kiap has teamed up with Bjorn Shen (of Artichoke fame) to create a quirky, limited-edition taco box ($75) filled with flavours inspired by various meals of the day. Jeremy shares: “We decided to go even more local and put together four unique flavours based on familiar meals everyone has enjoyed through the different meals of a day in Singapore.” The result: a breakfast taco filled with Taiwanese sausage and egg floss; a lunch staple of Hainanese curry rice with chicken chop, braised beancurd puff, and curry mayo; a dinner creation of Vietnamese caramelised fish; and a supper-inspired number with grilled beef, green chilli scrambled eggs, and fries. 

Minimum order None
Delivery fee Varies according to location
Order here order.slake.sg