The Snack Culture Company: 9 Course Omakase @ $49 (I Kid You Not!)

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Unintimidated by the strong restaurant F&B concepts spotting the vicinity, out sprouts The Snack Culture Company which suffers from more than just a bi-polar disorder. It's concept comes across as a tad confusing as I first pulled into the restaurant. The white walls and customised grid like system showcasing a whole array of edibles and snacks (hence the name) which can be selected and crafted into gift boxes. In the day, the shop converts itself into a sandwich type tuckshop, offering tasty snacks suitable for office workers on-the-go and as the light dims down in the early evenings, that's when the magic happens.

The $49 dollars 9 course omakase. I kid you not. It's real and I'm smitten.



The menu is refreshing, provocative even and keeps the diners guessing throughout the meal. Doing flavour gymnastics with Singaporean, Thai, Peranakan, Vietnamese and Italian cuisines united by Western execution; The Snack Culture Company pulls out all the stops with its deftly executed dishes. Small in size but each one packing a mean punch.

The journey begins with Japanese Edamame with Thai tom yum Espuma. Pop those beans straight into the receptacle of ambrosial tom yum foam and lap it up. Trust me, you wouldn't want to let a single drop go to waste - it was that good.

That set the platform for the next dish, the Chilled Korean Mandu in Singapore Bak Kut Teh Consomme. Just bare in mind that this dish is served chilled, in contrast to the usual piping hot versions we have, the broth, completely strained of sediments carrying the pungency of a peppery bak kut teh soup. It's serving temperature accentuating its flavor profile. I adored the unconventional pairing with the Korean dumplings, these succulent little meat packages bursting with flavor.


The dish to steal the limelight for me was the Chilled Black Fungus & Mushroom Salad in Nonya Belachan Mayo Dressing. 

I'll let you in on a dirty secret. Mixing copious amounts of belachan chili with mayonnaise out of a jar was my jam whenever tucking into a home cooked meal of fish and chips. To me, it was a guilty pleasure. Something that raked weird stares from the family whenever I plated up. I digress. That being said, with the offering of this dish, a match made in heaven finally sees the light. The nodding of heads and pleasured sighs echoing against the softly lit walls reaffirming my love for the outlandish pairing. I knew, I wasn't alone.


Ter Kar Chor Scotch was the chaser dish that led to a little confusion around the table. Basically a play on the traditional Chinese post natal confinement dish enveloping a molten cored quail egg. This was one dish to marvel at, including the twists and turns of the fried shredded ginger nest the scotch egg was nestled in.



5th course and I was starting to feel the tug of my waistband against my inflated tummy. Still, the urge to tuck into this dainty Asian Trio dissolved those negative feelings instantaneously. The result of a EUREKA moment, the Laksa Crostini is spark of brilliance that will leave you pining for more. Prawn laksa on a vessel of their freshly baked Haebe Hiam Cookie, spicy with a tinge of acidity to water the tastebuds. I thoroughly enjoyed the Beef Bulgogi in Vietnamese Rice Paper Roll as well, the finesse and complexity of flavors, compressed in this small bite, an impressive feat to master.



The 'Pen Cai' Parcel was our 6th course in the journey around the world. Cabbage rolls don't exactly make the most glamorous plates, but that broth enlivened by dried shrimps and then further enlightened by the magical touch of a very peculiar secret ingredient (*wink*) certainly made for great memories.


The weakest dish in the lineup today came in the form of the Kaffir Tomato Capellini Pasta with Cantonese 'Har Jeong' Soft Shell Crab. The daunting predicament of overcooked pasta haunting the group; I also wished the har jeong spice to be a bit more dominant in the soft shell crab. 


All grievances were thrown out the window with the next surprise package. Seafood En Papillote caused a stir of excitement in the dining room. After a speedy photography session, the huddling of warm bodies around the double pleated packages, the urgent suckling noises amidst the silence and smiles at the table were a dead giveaway to the ambrosial effects of this dish. Plump succulent Cajun garlic prawns and clams offered a treat for the seafood lovers, whilst those infatuated with garlic revel in the delight of  seafood juice soaked panini pressed breads. 


We tied the knot with Chendol Panna Cotta, a simple dish that delivered a punch of flavors with its silky smooth innards underscored by the smoky sweetness from the warm gula melaka syrup that dribbled down with every eager spoonful. 

A festival of various cultures, the degustation at The Snack Culture Company appeals to those with intrepid taste buds. Come with an open mind and be blown away.


The Snack Culture Company 
#02-17
CT HUB
2 Kallang Avenue
S (339407)
t: 6443 2006

Opening Hours:
Mon - Sat: 9am - 7pm
Thurs - Sat: 7pm -10pm (Degustation Menu only)

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