Rempapa: Return of Chef Damian D'Silva, the OG of Singapore Heritage Cuisine
Extremely glad Chef Damian is back! This might not bring him recognition in the form of stars (since Rempapa is not the usual bougie type food judges/inspectors seem to flock to), but really hoping his new, more accessible menu helps broaden the minds and palates of ‘young people’.
My first thoughts when I perused the tasting menu: Has Chef Damian gone commercial? Will his repertoire of almost forgotten, soulful recipes be truly forgotten?
Thankfully, these fears remain unfounded. Fans of chef’s masterful plates from now-defunct Folklore and Restaurant Kin will find relief in the re-entrance of his Peranakan and Eurasian signatures on Rempapa’s dinner menu.
Photo: Rempapa; Dinner menu group shot
Opened in collaboration with OUE Restaurants, Rempapa is an all-day dining spot. There are currently 20-odd dishes to choose from across breakfast, brunch, lunch, tea and dinner, and with specially concocted tipples and bites in between. And plans are already in motion to expand the menu to a whopping 50-odd dishes come Jan 2022.
Photo: Rempapa; Breakfast menu group shot
One thing pertaining to the menu has changed and it’s the rise of “Singapore New Heritage cuisine”, alongside a showcase of recipes contributed by younger chefs on the team. The New Heritage dishes are an amalgamation of heritage and tradition that’s been reimagined to entice the tastebuds of the younger generation, so these flavours can continued to be loved, remembered and carried through the years.
Rempapa's Pork Chop Curry Rice ($18; available for brunch & lunch) is a superb, and delicious, example. This Curry Katsu Don lookalike is in fact a reimagined Hainanese Curry Rice. The pork is crumbed with hand-pounded Hup Seng cream crackers, Hainanese style, and enjoyed with a rich, intense traditional curry of Eurasian, Indian and Malay influences—slightly toned down but still packing that spice oomph—tempered with sweet, red tomatoes. An element of scrambled eggs, cooked with the curry, lends a comforting creaminess and it’s topped with refreshing radish pickles.
A notable heritage recipe shared by young chefs is the wok hei-packed Stir-Fried Chee Cheong Fun ($13; breakfast & brunch). Adapted from a hometown recipe by Penang-born chef Ah Seng, fat and silky rolls of rice noodle rolls are infused with smokiness of the wok and enjoyed with perfectly done prawns and egg.
There’s also a Slow-Cooked Belly Pork with Ah Seng Sauce ($23; dinner) of tender, slow-cooked pork belly with QQ skin. Not a terrible dish at all, though just too similar to the traditional Korean Suyuk dish of boiled pork belly, and a rendition that Mum serves up at home, so lacked wow for me.
Dinner will probably be the busiest period for them (we hear they’re already booked out through 22 Dec) especially since crowd-favourites such as the Kedondong Salad ($15; dinner)—crisp, fresh, a vibrant play of textures and flavours, and rounded with the sweet crunch of peanut brittle bits—and other D’Silva signatures are available.
Head down with some friends because it’s going to be tough choice choosing between the meltingly tender Lamb Leg Rendang ($38; dinner), a time-tested family recipe from Chef Damian’s grandfather, and "lost" Eurasian heritage dish Baca Assam ($38; dinner). Both are just chockfull with spices and flavour. The rendang checks all the boxes and the savoury beef brisket dish is made even delicious with a slight tamarind tanginess.
The Fried Nyonya Fish Cake ($18; dinner & bar snack) is another instant favourite. Chunky lovechildren of otah and fish cake with slightly charred edges are matched with spicy dark sauce for a slow fiery burn.
The Breakfast, Lunch and Brunch menus might divide the Chef Damian groupies. It is decidedly less Peranakan/his usual, but puts a tender spotlight on other heritage dishes from our melting pot of ethnicities. That said, still plenty of return-worthy dishes here—plus the daytime dishes are perfectly suited for 1- or 2-pax type dining so you don’t need to round up the homies to enjoy.
Definite must-tries include the New Heritage dish of Braised Beef with Raita & Roti ($25; brunch), a deep stew with rich earthy spices served with ghee-fried roti, and the Chickpea Curry ($18, choice of roti or string hoppers; breakfast & brunch). Loved the textures and depth from various spices, including mustard seeds, fresh red tomatoes for a mellow tang, and smokiness of blistered red bell peppers. Thin chilli slices add a fresh heat to the mix.
Nasi Lemak is another divisive dish and Chef Damian has a version ($17, choice of fried Kampong chicken thigh or big, meaty Selar fish; brunch & lunch) on the menu. Steamed thrice with fresh young coconut milk, the nasi here is beautifully light and fragrant, and matched with a spicy sambal that’s bright, fresh and almost fruity. I also really enjoyed crisp fried silver fish, a contrast to the pedestrian ikan bills that can sometimes be muddy.
You can almost taste the history in the thick broth of Rempapa’s Seafood Curry Mee ($18; brunch & lunch). Evolved from a Hokkien hawker dish served during the 1920s-1930s, this update features chef’s own fish curry powder blend, fresh sua lor (sand prawn), an abundance of dried shrimp and coconut milk. The result is a rich flavoursome seafood curry served with yellow noodles and bee hoon, pig skin, boiled prawns, fish cake, fresh cockles, long tau pok and beansprouts.
An assortment of kuehs will be served as part of the affordably priced Kueh Platter ($6 for 4pcs, $10 for 8, $15 for 12), but Chef Damian’s wobbly Kueh Kosui and perfectly done Kueh Bengkah (baked tapioca) are must-orders. Other treats to try include the purple fried, mung bean Ang Ku Kueh and the eggy, silky Coconut Custard ($14) that comes with an indulgent, earthy gula melaka drizzle.
This was an invited media tasting session, though all views expressed are my own.
Rempapa
Address: 2 Paya Lebar Road, #01-01/02/03, Park Place Residences at PLQ, Singapore 409053
Contact: +65 9459 1603, papa@rempapa.sg
Reservations recommended: sevenrooms.com/reservations/rempapa
Opening hours: Weekdays 10.30am-10.30pm, weekends & PH 9.30am-10.30pm
