Ah Nya’s Fish Curry Came across the new Hathaway at Dempsey Hill through social media fairly recently — a new casual dining concept which had opened its doors at Blk 13 Dempsey Road situated right at the corner of the building, aimed to “serve modern local and Asian cuisine influenced by Singapore’s local heritage and culture”.
Serving up two different menus for lunch and dinner service respectively, the Ah Nya’s Fish Curry is an item that appears on both their Daytime and Dinner menu. Using elements such as barramundi and fondant potatoes, it is also prepared using a heirloom recipe which is well loved by the founder’s Ah Ma — the dish being added to the menu to “preserve the deliciousness of the unique and delicate recipe”. The Ah Nya’s Fish Curry stands up well to the theme of Hathaway — a rendition of a dish that is familiar with locals and is pretty much one that is also deeply-tied with our nation’s culture and heritage. What we really enjoyed here was the curry — often at times curry tends to veer heavily on either the flavours of the spices, or towards a heavier texture which emphasises more on the creaminess from coconut milk; the version here feels like a good balance of the two which was immensely fragrant, but came with sufficient thickness as certain rendition of curries from other establishments can tend to feel watered down and lack the punchy notes of the spices. The curry itself was a great vehicle for the bread stick served on the side; a crisp toast with a somewhat chewy interior that one could use to mop up all that gravy — an absolutely joy to have considering the lack of rice for the variant served here. Otherwise, we also enjoyed how the barramundi came pretty plump, flaky and with its moisture locked in; a joy to have without being too dry nor mushy, whilst not carrying an undesirable muddy odour as well. The fondant potatoes adds a modern touch to the dish; shaped in cylinders, we loved how the potatoes came grilled slightly over the top for a nice bite, whilst being sufficiently soft and easy to eat.
Must say that Hathaway is a spot that seems to have quite a bit of potential despite the stiff competition of F&B establishments that are already in the Dempsey neighbourhood. The serene setting feels close to nature; very soothing and calming — all that with food that is close to the heart yet with a playful touch for a slight twist of modernity; somewhat of a surprise element. Hathaway is a spot that embraces heritage, yet celebrates that by polishing all of that in an approach that is both refreshing, and refined. A spot that is definitely worth giving a go for those who enjoys modern approaches to local cuisine — somewhere to consider for the occasional splurge, be it for dates, or just a simple gathering with few friends; a location which I would be most excited to revisit some day!
