eastern promises
Named after the friendly Singaporean hawker’s call for attention — their own version of our “Psst, pogi!” — Hey Handsome concocts a heady slew of flavors from across the Southeast Asian region
I’m partial to the laap phet. It sounds simple enough: minced duck, a deep fried egg, herbs, rice. But what comes out of the kitchen is a dramatic, organic, colorful sculpture.
Just days after Hey Handsome opened, an intense buzz started to build around this restaurant in one of the most attractive locations in Bonifacio Global City, the Net Park building. The building proudly shows off a row of some of the most well reviewed restaurants that have opened in the past year. But the newest, the baby of the bunch, is already being called by many of the most respected critics in the country as the best new restaurant of 2016. Though there are three months left, I’m inclined to agree. There’s always the possibility that another restaurant will open before the end of December that’ll rock our collective culinary world, but as of today, three quarters into the year, Hey Handsome is definitely the hottest.
restaurant should open for lunch very soon — monitor their social media accounts for updates — but at the time of this writing, it’s only open in the evenings: two seatings, at 6:00 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. I understand completely. The amount of work that goes into each dish is staggering. Each plate has multiple components and accents, and many of them are composed of many myriad ingredients. I had the opportunity to observe the kitchen team at work, and just watching them prep is impressive. Their work starts at noon, and goes on unabated until the staff meal, an hour or so before service. It’s a human beehive. Everyone’s still in their twenties, and yes, everyone’s good looking. These cooks are in perpetual motion, slicing, dicing, chopping, boiling, blending, sautéing, everything. Overseeing them like a queen bee is the head chef: Queenie Villar, constantly prodding, cajoling, joking, and teaching. And to complete the analogy, guiding them all, checking on everything, coolly and calmly keeping order, is the chef patron, Nicco Santos. Together, they’re producing food that’s impressing even the most jaded connoisseurs.
If this were a Filipino restaurant, it might be called “Psssst, Pogi” but “Hey Handsome” works the same way. It’s that friendly call heard in hawker centers all over Singapore, an invitation to try a stall’s specials. The cuisine in this restaurant is one of the most popular in the abovementioned city state: Peranakan, Southeast Asian with distinct Chinese influences.
There are only eight mains on the menu, but to describe them all in detail would fill up this magazine. Suffice to say, each one is distinct, but every one complements the others. It’s not uncommon to see a large group order all the items on the board, and dine family style. The servings are generous, and everything is absolutely amazing, extremely complicated, and deeply flavorful. Save for the nasi lemak, the names of the dishes may be unfamiliar, but the flavor profiles give a strong sense of déjà vu. We’ve tasted these flavors before, but never together. We may have encountered similar dishes, but never prepared and plated with technique and artistry this dazzling. I’m partial to the laap phet. It sounds simple enough: minced duck, a deep fried egg, herbs, rice. But what comes out of the kitchen is a dramatic, organic, colorful sculpture. A precisely crafted dish that demands to be savored slowly, as very mouthful elicits a soulful sigh.
Chef Nicco first gained fame when “Your Local” opened in 2013. Turns out, that was only his opening act. Hey Handsome is a stunning follow-up, but his story doesn’t end there. As a matter of fact, it’s only just beginning.