Candlenut Dempsey

I had held off coming here for awhile. I remained skeptical at the Michelin inspectors' ability to discern what is to a Singaporean, good local food - especially with so many misses thus far. Unfortunately, I was again proven right. My experience here was far from Michelin starred standards. 

After the first seating by the "Maître D'", we were straight away disappointed by the inflexibility of food preferences. We even had a light "Peranakan" argument about how authentic Buah Keluak is without the "Ayam" where they had improvised and used soft bone Pork instead. 

Afterwhich, we were left unattended, twiddling our thumbs for the next 30mins before our food arrived and the place was barely full on a weekday lunch. And another "discussion" ensued over how rice served in a bowl was meant to be had with chopsticks, whilst the table was laid with forks and spoons. 
 The food we ordered was enjoyable but I cannot see how this will sustain its Michelin Star at this pace. Here is a view of some of the dishes: 

Chef’s Mum’s Chicken Curry (26)

(My mum’s signature, a must have at every family special occasion, Toh Thye San Chicken cooked with potato, kaffir lime leaf) 

The curry was very creamy and tasty, but it was quite difficult to share two drumsticks amongst a table of 5.

Westholme Wagyu Beef Rib Rendang (38)

(Dry caramalised coconut curry with spices and turmeric leaf garnished with serunding)

This was perhaps our favourite dish. The beef was really tender and had fully infused the flavours of the Rendang Rempah. 

Aunt Caroline’s Babi Buah Keluak (32)

(Slow cooked Free- range Borrowdale Pork soft bone with an aromatic and intense “poisonous” black nut gravy)

Everything was indeed rich and flavourful. However, most of the dishes came across quite salty. Great when eaten with rice, but on its own its overpowering.

Chincalok Omelette (24)

(Fermented tiny shrimp, also known as grago, Frenz organic egg, spring onion, crab meat)

This was perhaps the biggest let down. It was a $24 omelette, we could barely detect as crab nor shrimp in this thinly laid omelette. If there were more eggs or more ingredients, it would have been on point. 

Chap Chye (22)

Cabbage, shiitake mushroom, pork belly, lily buds, black fungus, vermicelli braised in rich prawn and pork stock (contains pork)

Udang Sambal Petai (32)

(Wok tossed tiger prawns with ikan bilis sambal, petai beans and chillis)

Candlenut 
17a Dempsey Road