NOURI

72 Amoy Street, S(069891) TEL: 6221 4148

A meal at Nouri always starts with a breaking-of-bread ritual, where slices of homemade sourdough are served with silken tofu-cheese dips on the side and a cup of aromatic vegetable broth made of seven organic greens. The succeeding dishes follow the same ethos. The black pepper sauce served with a flaky local fish, tender octopus or Alaskan crab (depending on the season) is an elegant study of cultures. It juxtaposes kampot black pepper from Cambodia with Tahitian vanilla. Chef Ivan Brehm also showcases various cultures’ renditions of curry in an innovative way. He has taken an Afro-brazilian angle in his perennial favourite Acarajé and Vatapá dish—a homage to his Brazilian roots and the Southeast Asian flavours he has grown to love. In reality, it’s a beautifully disguised comfort food as well. The meat mains are judiciously portioned so as not to over-satiate the diner—a clever reminder to savour the eye-catching sauces and complementary textures of the sides that accompany them.