Whilst COVID-19 may have been quite the thing that had impacted a lot of F&B establishments in a bad way, it is also pretty inspiring to hear how the pandemic has created opportunities for some in a way — Jelebu Dry Laksa ie one of those home-based businesses that had started out during the pandemic which has since become a fairly established brand name on its own. Gaining popularity through their signature Dry Laksa, Jelebu Dry Laksa have had tie-ups with other establishments and made its appearance during events such as that of the Singapore Food Festival — all of which helped to raise awareness of the home-based business that led to their newly-opened permanent space at VivoCity in collaboration with The Tipsy Collective; The Tipsy Collective being the group behind establishments such as Tipsy Penguin, Tipsy Bird, Tipsy Panda, Tipsy Bunny and Tipsy Flamingo; they are also behind brands such as Kubo Woodfired Kitchen, Lady Wu and O/T Bar as well. The entire space is decked in a really retro style that seems to have old-school local elements alongside colonial-style decor for a look that is nostalgic, relatable, yet classy. With the opening of their permanent space, Jelebu Dry Laksa’s signature Jelebu Dry Laksa still takes centrestage here, while the establishment also serves up quite a variety of small plates, mains, soups and sides and desserts as well. For beverages, Jelebu Dry Laksa does have quite a fair bit to offer — the highlights would be the Iced Homemade Drinks which are special concoctions of local beverages, while the two cocktails available are also heavily inspired by local elements; otherwise, Jelebu Dry Laksa also serves are canned drinks, juices and bottled water, as well as Nespresso Coffee / Tea and a decent variety of alcoholic beverage such as beer and hard liquor as well.

Having not tried Jelebu Dry Laksa’s signature item before our visit made to their VivoCity outlet, it is without a question that we would give the Jelebu Dry Laksa a go. The Jelebu Dry Laksa is available in four different variations here; the Kosong, the Grilled Tiger Prawn, the Butter Poached Lobster (Half) and Butter Poached Lobster (Whole) — we found ourselves going for the cheapest variation of the lot, which is the Kosong at $12++. Being the most basic variation of the lot, the Kosong rendition features crispy ebi, blood cockle, tau pok, fishcake, beansprout and sambal — the other variants would see the addition of grilled tiger prawn or the butter poached lobster on top of everything which was listed here; patrons would have the option to opt out of blood cockles if they do not wish to have them. Based on the introductory paragraph on the Jelebu Dry Laksa on the menu, the noodles of the Jelebu Dry Laksa “are first simmered in the thick broth of the laksa” before being wok-fried; it is also noted that unlike most other Laksa Goreng dishes that we have came across previously, the noodles used here seem to be of a thinner variation than thick bee hoon typically used in Laksa. As such, the Jelebu Dry Laksa seems to be especially flavoursome from the rempah spices with that slight hint of richness from the coconut that didn’t seem to be overbearing; the flavours seemingly all absorbed into the noodles, while the noodles are also especially slurpy and therefore not as jelak as other renditions that we have had. The blood cockles here are pretty fresh and provides a nice soft bite for a slight brininess, but it was the Crispy Ebi that added this umami note that seems to further add on to the flavour of the dish with a crisp texture as promised. Not sure how we would have felt of the Jelebu Dry Laksa if we were to order the slightly more pricier variants; this is especially so for the variants with Butter Poached Lobster at $38++ and $58++ for the half lobster and whole lobster variant respectively, but we were certainly satiated with this one at $12++.

Have heard quite a fair bit about Jelebu Dry Laksa even before they had established their permanent space at VivoCity — personally, we did find that the Kosong variant and the Grilled Tiger Prawn variants are probably the value-for-money variants of the Jelebu Dry Laksa to go for here; the Jelebu Dry Laksa also being one of the more unique variants of Laksa Goreng that we have come across so far. While the introduction of the other dishes on the menu may seem to have been included to provide patrons with a wider variety of options to share around the table, the Char Siew Cucumber Roll and the Soya Bean & Grass Jelly that we have opted for do seem pretty well-executed, while the elements featured in both dishes are also on-point to the theme that Jelebu Dry Laksa has adopted — one that features local fusion elements, whilst also coming with a nostalgic factor as well. With prices of the mains (disregarding the Jelebu Dry Laksa) ranging from $15++ to $42++ and small pages ranging from $10++ to $18++, prices of the food here are typically around the same range as what one would observe in the other establishments by The Tipsy Collective; a spot that would work better for larger groups to share the dishes across the table. For those whom have yet to give Jelebu Dry Laksa a go; this is probably the best time to do so — a permanent location great for those wanting to give it a go or craving for their Laksa specifically.