Rempapa – Chef Damian D’Silva Opens New All-Day Restaurant Serving Singapore New Heritage Cuisine

MasterChef Singapore judge Chef Damian D’Silva has opened a new all-day restaurant “Rempapa” serving flavours of the Chinese, Peranakan, Eurasian, Indian and Malay cuisine. I have travelled with Chef Damian and followed him through the years. He is really passionate about what he does and is dedicated to keep Singapore heritage food alive. Hence I was so excited to visit Rempapa and it certainly didn’t disappoint.

Start your meal with the vegetarian-friendly Chickpea Curry with Roti ($16/$18) during breakfast or brunch. Combining Indian and Eurasian curry flavours, the chickpea is cooked with blistered red bell peppers, fresh red tomatoes, Kashmiri chilli powder, and turmeric powder. The chickpea is cooked till soft without being mushy, and it absorbs the flavours well.

The recipe for Stir-Fried Chee Cheong Fun ($13) came from a young chef at Rempapa – Ah Seng — who hails from Penang. The chee cheong fun is wok-fried with prawns, eggs and yellow chives. Ah Seng is also serving another heritage Hokkien dish — Slow-cooked Belly Pork with Ah Seng Sauce ($23).

Using ‘old’ jasmine rice that is soaked overnight, Chef Damian’s Nasi Lemak rice is cooked in a laborious 3-hour process with fresh coconut milk. The accompanying sambal is made with a base of classic rempah titek and finished with sugar, salt, and finally a dash of lime. Instead of ikan bilis, the rice is paired with Japanese silver fish for a delicate crisp, and instead of a sunny side up or omelette, this dish promises a 7-minute egg.

For lunch and brunch, a choice of either chicken or selar fish is offered. I would go for the kampong chicken because it was so juicy with a pleasant hint of spices. I thought this combination tasted somewhat similar to what The Coconut Club offers, but Rempapa’s version is definitely more pocket friendly.

If you are not in the mood for nasi lemak, go for their Fried Chicken Curry Rice ($16). Plated like a Japanese curry with karaage, the chicken is seasoned with a 12-spice house-blended masala for at least 48 hours before it is deep-fried till golden brown. Drizzled with their homemade curry sauce which is made using their classic Peranakan rempah, this dish will appeal to the young and old alike.

Whenever I travel to Penang, I must have a bowl of curry mee. Even in the hot weather, it’s a joy to slurp the noodles with pig blood curd, blood cockles and pork skin. Unfortunately, we can’t have pig blood curd in Singapore anymore. But Rempapa’s Seafood Curry Mee is just as good as what’s served on the streets of Penang. The sweetness of fresh sua lor (sand prawns) and dried shrimps – Chef Damian’s own addition – are extracted into a stock used in the pot of curry. Chef Damian uses his own blend of curry powder which packs a punch.

My favourite dish of the night is the Kedondong Salad ($15). Sliced wing beans, fresh ambarella (kedondong), julienned kaffir lime leaf, and ginger flower are mixed together with diced pickled tomatoes and finely sliced onions. I love the crunchy texture of the wing beans and the bright zesty dressing made this salad so appetising. To give the dish added crunch and umami, peanut brittle and shrimp floss are added as toppings.

Baca Assam ($38) is a “lost” Eurasian heritage dish that has a mix of Peranakan and Indian flavours. As this dish takes long hours to prepare, it is only cooked on special occasions in the past. The beef brisket is lightly browned and cooked in beef stock and tamarind water till the meat is tender. You get a slightly sour taste from the tamarind, and hints of sweetness, saltiness and fragrance from the fried garnishes of lemongrass, garlic, chillies, and shallots.

In the D’ Silva household, when Grandad was around, rendang was always cooked with lamb. The Lamb Leg Rendang ($38) is another hot favourite on the table. The tender meat is covered in a luxuriously thick sauce that goes exceptionally well with a bowl of rice. Some other classic Peranakan favourites include Sambal Udang ($38), Babi Pongteh ($36), Debal Chicken with Roasted Pork ($36) and Hakka Fried Pork ($18).

For those seeking a truly immersive heritage cuisine adventure, there’s the ‘Chef’s Menu’ that changes according to produce and seasonal catch available in our local waters throughout the year. Chef Damian will personally present a heritage feast with an evolving menu, to be enjoyed in the Rempapa’s private room (for up to 10 guests).

Heritage desserts are served in the afternoon as a Kueh Platter ($6/$10/$15 – 4/8/12 pcs). The selection will be drawn from the dessert menu which includes favourites such as Kueh Kosui and Kueh Ku, Kueh Bingka, Pulut Bingka, Talam Keladi, Sago Ubi, Lapis Pulot, Rempah Udang and others available on the day. I was looking forward to Chef Damian’s kueh kosui but there was something better — Durian Bingka. This well-loved baked tapioca cake has a distinct durian fragrance which everyone enjoyed.

Note: this is an invited tasting.