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Food review: Coriander Leaf

SINGAPORE — In a dining scene where restaurants sometimes have the lifespan of a gnat, one that stays the course for 14 years must be doing something right. So when Coriander Leaf shut its doors at Clarke Quay to reopen on the second floor of Chijmes in June, no one expected the sharp change in chef-owner Samia Ahad’s menu. If it ain’t broke, why fix it, right?

SINGAPORE — In a dining scene where restaurants sometimes have the lifespan of a gnat, one that stays the course for 14 years must be doing something right. So when Coriander Leaf shut its doors at Clarke Quay to reopen on the second floor of Chijmes in June, no one expected the sharp change in chef-owner Samia Ahad’s menu. If it ain’t broke, why fix it, right?

Where her food previously bore a strong Middle Eastern bent peppered with modern Asian touches, mark II of Coriander Leaf draws from a deeper regional well, with influences from countries as varied as Thailand, Vietnam, Pakistan, India, Japan, the Philippines and Nepal.

Perhaps this had something to do with her trying to take a step back from the day-to-day grind of the restaurant kitchen and its operations. With the latter-day Coriander Leaf, Ahad has handed the kitchen’s reins over to chef de cuisine Iskander Latiff, who made a name parlaying his early experience working at his mother’s nasi padang stall into impressive modern South-east Asian bistro fare at the now-defunct Tiffin Club.

Rather than categorise the menu by region, the food is sectioned according to flavour. Across headings such as Fresh, Familiar, Spicy, Umami and Sweet, there is everything from steamed Venus clams with tamarind, coconut water and calamansi (S$12), to Szechuan cold-poached chicken (S$15), and sea urchin with scrambled eggs in a prawn sauce (S$25).

Unsurprisingly, the standouts are dishes that have a personal connection to both Ahad and Latiff. The charcoal-grilled baby lamb chops (S$29) marinated in harissa, yoghurt and dried chilli paste, which made its way over from the previous menu, is consistently succulent, tender and flavoured with just enough heat, spice and acidity.

The kicap manis-rubbed Cape Grim Angus (S$35), oven-roasted to a perfect medium rare and served with a spicy dip, has lovely inflections of familiar Malay flavours with that perfect balance of lime, chillies and kicap manis to keep you diving in till the last slice.

Often, the dishes that delve away from the cuisines the chefs specialise in are the weak points. These include the Nepalese momo dumplings (S$12) wrapped in a thick, stodgy skin and stuffed with a mound of bland minced chicken or the thin, overly acidic khao soi (Thai egg noodles in a yellow curry broth) that is part of the S$17 lunch menu.

It’s a good thing, then, that the menu is extensive and one can have a very decent meal if you know what to pick. Items worth their salt include the beautifully nuanced Thai-style prawn salad with grated coconut (S$15) and the Malaysian-style charcoal-grilled chicken with a spicy peanut sauce, nasi ulam and achar (S$17, available at lunch). ANNETTE TAN

Coriander Leaf. Where: #02-01 CHIJMES, 30 Victoria Street. Telephone: 6837 0142. Opening hours: Monday to Thursday noon to 2.30pm (lunch); 6pm to midnight (dinner). Friday and Saturday 6pm to 1am.Closed on Sunday.

 

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