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Against the grain

SINGAPORE — For those with celiac disease, eating gluten causes all sorts of uncomfortable symptoms and could damage their small intestines. Yet for others, eating gluten — the protein found in barley, wheat and rye — is simply something they avoid in order to eat healthier. Whatever the reasons, one thing’s for sure: It’s tough to maintain a gluten-free diet without sacrificing comfort foods such as pasta and bread.

SINGAPORE — For those with celiac disease, eating gluten causes all sorts of uncomfortable symptoms and could damage their small intestines. Yet for others, eating gluten — the protein found in barley, wheat and rye — is simply something they avoid in order to eat healthier. Whatever the reasons, one thing’s for sure: It’s tough to maintain a gluten-free diet without sacrificing comfort foods such as pasta and bread.

Tapping into this mindset, hipster restaurant Open Door Policy recently introduced a new menu that provides plenty of opportunities to enjoy pasta and other hearty dishes while staying away from gluten and dairy.

THE VIBE

Little has changed since the restaurant opened its doors in 2011. The only difference in this barnyard-chic space are the shelves of edible plants that line one side of the dining room. The leaves from these plants are used in the restaurant’s menu as part of parent company Spa Espirit Group’s green initiative, which aims to encourage Singapore’s urbanites to grow their own food.

WHAT TO ORDER

If anyone has any notions about gluten-free being less tasty than gluten-full, they should order the fresh spaghetti tossed in a simple mix of artichoke hearts, mountain asparagus and smoked mackerel (S$28). That first mouthful practically punched our taste buds with the mackerel’s intense fishiness. “It sure is an acquired taste,” said my dining companion, her eyes scrunched so hard they practically disappeared into her face.

Ever the trooper, she carried on eating to find that the flavours softened pleasantly as the dish cooled. Which led us to conclude that this dish, like caviar and revenge, would be better served cold. The pasta itself, made of arrowroot, rice flour and corn flour, had excellent texture and bite.

The cool weather compelled us to choose heartier options like a celery and almond soup (S$24) and braised veal ossobucco (S$32) with carrot risotto. The deeply flavoured soup harboured slivers of raw cauliflower and baby radish, which lent a refreshing crunch, while a pair of fat, perfectly cooked scallops brought briny sweetness.

The reduced jus from the ossobucco veered on the cusp of too salty, but when eaten with the carrot-sweetened risotto, worked out to a nice, balanced roundedness.

WHAT NEEDS IMPROVING

While the combination of non-gluten flours produced excellent pasta here, they did not translate quite as well in the bread. Our flatbread, made with corn, tapioca flours and arrowroot, and served warm with a fantastic chorizo and octopus salad (S$25) was drab. Though not unpleasant, it lacked the airiness and fluff of its wheat-enriched cousins.

VERDICT

Happily, we didn’t miss the gluten or dairy dining here. What we ate put a warm glow in our bellies, just like any comforting meal in any good restaurant. And that’s good news, whether or not you are on a special diet. ANNETTE TAN

Open Door Policy

Where:

19 Yong Siak Street

Telephone:

6221 9307

Opening hours:

Monday to Friday noon to 3.30pm, 6pm to 11pm

Saturday and Sunday 11am to 3pm, 6pm to 11pm

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