We all love a local feel-good success story and the name Renée Tang definitely comes to mind. Her darling, Jelebu Dry Laksa, has since shot to fame in the short span of three years. Now it is that same dry laksa that headlines her brand-new brick-and-mortar restaurant in Vivocity. But that won’t be all. The menu also showcases a comprehensive range of local delights that are both a touch of creative and contemporary.
First, the fan favourite dry laksa. There are three ways to enjoy it; plain and simple with crispy ebi ($13), enhanced with a pair of beautifully charred tiger prawns ($18) or luxed up with an entire butter-poached lobster ($56). While it isn’t quite the umami explosion we anticipated, we enjoyed the seafood-forward flavours that came through elegantly with springy rice noodles.
If you’re looking for fireworks, you’re better off starting with the larb moo on perilla leaf ($18). The dry peppery combination of Thai-spiced minced pork, pickled cherry and crunchy pork cracklings left a lasting – and fiery warm – impression. The scallop and otah pillows ($18) were also a winning starter. It is a re-imagination of the humble Peranakan snack that used crispy nori as a base and crowned it with velvety otah mousse, a meaty scallop, and pops of brine from Avruga caviar.
Other mains included the duck confit Teochew risotto ($26), a rather interesting take on her grandmother’s cooking heritage. For one, the sweet and savoury gravy was brilliantly enhanced with a vibrant vinegar chilli and silky sous vide egg. It did well to remind us of the pure bliss of having traditional braised duck rice. Though it was unfortunate that the duck confit arrived a tad overcooked albeit achieving the desired crispy skin.
All’s not lost though. The ginger-flower spiked Assam barramundi ($32) turned up a strong showing with nice contrasting textures from eggplant, lady’s finger and crisp tau pok. Dessert was a sweet ending of kaya-filled cones with coconut ice cream which coupled with the old-world charm-inspired interiors, evokes a certain sense of nostalgia that is both comforting and convivial.