Telok Ayer's popular smokehouse Meatsmith has ventured into Little India with its second outlet, and head chef Andrew Baldus presents a menu of American barbecue accented with Indian spices, rubs and sauces. In short, expect seriously delicious American-Indian fusion food. Take Burppler Veronica Phua's cue and start with the Picklebacks ($5), which sees India's Amrut single malt whisky chased down with housemade jalapeno pickle juice, and then work your way through stellar snacks like Pulled Pork Samosas, Currywurst Sausages and Butter Chicken Hot Pockets ($7-$8 each). That should prime you well for their Stuffed Suckling Pig ($48), stuffed with a nasi biryani stuffing that mixes together lots of dried fruit and nuts to elevate the sweetness of the pork, as well as their flawless Tandoori Chicken ($18), which will impress with its flavourful marinade and incredibly moist meat. Pair the meats with an order of Gunpowder Potatoes ($6), where spot-on seasoning, crisp edges and curry leaves come together in addictive harmony. Wash everything down with tall glasses of Nimbu Pani ($4, free flow), a cumin-kissed Indian lemonade that's super refreshing and palate-cleansing.
Avg price: $40
Photo by Burppler Veronica Phua
I N V I T E D T A S T I N G
21 Campbell Lane is where 🇺🇸 meets 🇮🇳 and that frisson of fusion food done right now lights up the night sky over Singapore’s Little India.
At last night’s hosted tasting, Head Chef Andrew Baldus got Rueann and I rolling with Picklebacks - a double trouble of #Amrut single malt whisky chased by a housemade jalapeño pickle juice ($5). To say we loved it is an understatement.
Then it was on to the delightful American-BBQ-meets-taste-of-India creations that this place specialises in.
Our snacks of crispy Pulled Pork Samosas, chewy Currywurst Sausages, ridiculously tender Butter Chicken Hot Pockets and melt-the-mouth Madras Pork Cheeks (all priced between $7 and $8) captivated from the first chomp. Served piping hot, flavours were unabashedly full-on, which meant they’re equally enjoyable with or without the accompanying dips. By the way, what also impressed me was how the dips differed for each.
After this came the mains which were just as bold in concept and as successfully executed as the snacks.
Besides the awe-inspiring Briyani Stuffed Suckling Pig and stunningly done Tandoori Chicken (please see my other posts about them), we had Coconut Chutney Ribs (the recipe for the chutney came courtesy of Chef Mano’s grandmother) and Lamb Chops in Chimi Chutney. They were every bit as good as you can imagine. Even the three sides of vegetables were so delish I’d have them on their own.
Clearly, having a tandoor oven to play with has proven most inspiring for Chef Andrew. I can’t wait to see what else he and Chef Mano comes up with when they decide to expand the menu.
