CHEEK BY JOWL
21 Boon Tat Street, S(069620) T 6221-1911
Lunch at Rishi Naleendra’s one-Michelin-star modern Australian joint is a boisterous affair. On workdays, the 40-seater fills up by half-past noon with primarily white collars indigenous to the Telok Ayer area, and the conversant crowd does not abate till well past 2pm.
And for good reason: Indulging in Cheek by Jowl’s inventive fare is to hop on a seesaw of comfort and adventure. Familiar textures and aromas go handin-hand with unconventional sauces and accompaniments, satiating the two minds of curious gourmands and making the prospect of return visits alluring. Take the fork-tender arctic char couched in buttermilk – standard issue freshwater fish executed deliciously. The spanner in the works is the dressing of fermented pear juice – a titillating and refreshing alternative to citrus, tweaked to the right intensity, and a defining foil that gives the pliant flesh a memorable edge.
That same dynamism extends to the booze offerings. You’ll get the usual Margaret Rivers and Saint-Emilions, and while the list is only inch-deep, it’s got representation that’s remarkable for such a small outfit, from South African Shiraz to Italian amarone. Adventurous, too, are the smatterings of organic and biodynamic wine.
It would be remiss to not mention the immense value of the sets. For under $100, two can have a quick two-course lunch. Want a protracted rendezvous with a bit of quiet at the tail end? Take the five-course for less than $150 (for two, after taxes). Never mind the serviceable seating or bistro-league proximity – Naleendra is plating up some highquality nosh, and passing on only his fastidious ethic to his diners.