The Snack Culture Company (Closed)

Returning to the roots of delicious and nutritious eating. What do you eat everyday? You might find it a hassle to take note of every meal to ensure you've got all the proteins, carbohydrates and fibre covered. I know that feeling, especially when the stomach starts growling, I pretty much settle for whatever that's most convenient. Health problems resulting from unrestrained eating will only surface only when your body is protesting aka. too late! La-di-da. Aren't I such a nag?!The Bento People @ The Snack Culture makes it easier - they'll take care of the nutrition and focus on making it tasty... you just have to eat. They provide an international menu of 15 selections, from which you choose 3 dishes for your customized bento.Building a community of good eating habitsThe boss of The Bento People @ The Snack Culture, Tat Hon (or more affectionately known as Doc), is passionate in developing a conscious routine in his customers to choose a healthier lifestyle in terms of what they eat everyday. The beverages right there are all sugar-free, such as the raspberry soda. Other interesting drinks include bitter gourd teas, iced mint lemon green teas and the Virgin Mary (alcohol-free). There is a 'sugar bar' for those who needs to slowly wean off artificially sweetened drinks. I must admit, it is a little hard to accept entirely sugar-free drinks because I am already so reliant on that particular sensory kick! But surely, one step at a time... I'm heartened by the initiative to go against what's popular and how they take care of their customers like their friends.For the food menu, Tat Hon emphasizes, "Eating healthy doesn't mean it has to bland, and can't be delicious," and sure enough, we tried a lot of the selections he offered and they were definitely up to standard. Most of the mouthwatering flavours came from the ingredients itself instead of seasoning.What impressed me... the world in a bento! My top three picks:The Bento People @ The Snack Culture has such an impressive array of whole grains, proteins, vegetables and fruits to choose from. Their Weekday Lunch Menu involves the Make Your Own Healthy Bento in which you choose three to put in your customized bento. To rescue you from a dilemma on choosing what to eat, let me pick out some dishes that I'd recommend.The most memorable pick has got to be the velvety salmon confit with its texture-rich combination with the clever addition of Mexican pico de gallo - salad made from diced tomatoes and onions. I already love eating salmon, but I know it ain't easy to be on the other end to cook it well. Double thumbs up from me!An unexpected attractive dish was the quinoa salad with mixed nuts, beans, grapes, drizzled over by yuzu balsamic vinegar dressing. I have to say this was a very creative and refreshing blend that is not easily found in the Singapore food scene. This Spanish grain is often misconstrued to be not as tasty as the rice we are accustomed to... but not if you do it right, as I've tried in here! I went in for seconds, and then thirds for this particular dish! To put it in local terms... it feels like a party of Chinese New Year treats.You can also find the nonya chap chye here, which included black fungus (also: cloud ear fungus) which I have a fond liking towards. There were also lily buds and beancurd skin that added a lot of flavour and jest that excite the tastebuds. It might not be the most photogenic dish, but I've gotta say... who cares about that when it's going to disappear straight into my stomach within seconds?! Especially with that belachan mayo... just ingenious. This success of this self-created dish had led it to become one of the signatures.Ma Sit Sso Yo: Korean cuisine fans, this one's for you.The other customers' hot picks include the ones from the Korean range: Jjigae with sous vide chicken breast and tofu and the bulgogi beef with tofu. I don't particularly like Korean food, but I still have to admit that these dishes are well-handled by the team. Both sauces are on the lighter side and less oily than the usual ones out there, a welcomed difference for me. Tofu provides a powerful alternative source of protein as well.A lot more for the adventurous you! Popular choices are potentially still too mainstream for the hipster in you! I was very surprised to see something as exotic as the Greek Tzatziki Cucumber Salad to appear on the menu, I have tried something similar before and it is arguably very different from the typical Singaporean palate. This is quite a good initiation point to try something different.The Bento People @ The Snack Culture stay true to cultural roots with in-house cookies - with different flavours like hae bee hiam and laksa, but gotta say... the hae bee hiam ones are really unique and taste like the real deal itself! If you want to grab this interesting present for someone, you know where to go! continue reading

An ordinary looking bistro serving extraordinary dishes. The Snack Culture Company has adopted a white and clean concept for their bistro outlook filled with a mixture of high and low white wooden furniture. Serving bakery goodies and lunch menu by the day and transforming to a cozy tasting affair in the night. Being mainstream is definitely not their forte, fusion is the only existence you’ll see in this bistro.When you’re there, do not just settle down with their ambiance and sink yourself into the seats. You got to check out their amazing galore of cookies and nuts, otherwise it’s definitely your loss. I’m instantly attracted by their creative pairing of ingredients and flavors together. For example, where can you find Laksa cookie or Hei Bi Hiam cookies? If you find the flavors too strong for you, there’s other lighter flavors like the Earl Grey Cookies or Lavender cookies. There’s bound to be something for everyone.& now back to the real business. I’m there on a weekday night for their highly raving ‘Around the World in 9 Small Plates’ Omakase Degustation Dinner. Creating exquisite bits of culture with inspiration from cuisines all around the world. A 9 course meal valued at $49+, it’s gonna worth every penny you have paid for. One for the experience, next for the gastronomical delights.We started off with their specialty Sparkling Sake with Berry Jelly ($10) that is only unique to themselves. Amazing texture, it feels as though you are drinking liquid jelly that is only 1/5 solidified. The sake is not too strong but instead it brings out a tinge of sweetness in the drink.One thing special about the dinner is that, food are not served to you once you reached, instead, they will serve you when almost all the customers have reached, or when it’s time to. They will serve you one dish at a time, and the owner of the bistro will go from table to table to briefly explain the gist of each dish and what’s in it for you. & they will clear your table before serving the next dish. It really make you take your time to enjoy and appreciate every inch of the food served and not rush into finishing it.The first fun starter is nothing less familiar to you but the common Japanese Edamame that you can easily find in any Japanese food place. But what makes it special is it being paired with Thai Tom Yum Espuma. Interestingly, instead of popping it directly into your mouth, you are suppose to pop it into the Tom Yum Espuma, and scoop it up & in it will go into your mouth. A special burst of flavors from the tangy zesty tom yum that brings about a combination of sourish spiciness that matches the light and green taste of Edamame. This particular dish has keep my curiosity level up and up, looking forward to the very next dish.Say what? Korean Mandu in Singapore Bak Kut Teh Consomme. Both items are well known and well loved traditional food by each of the locals. What do you think it will taste like CHILLED? I could taste the freshness of ingredients used in making the Korean Mandu. You could taste the crunchiness and sweetness from the fillings of the dumplings too. The skin is not too thick and the amount of fillings inside are just right. I wonder how it will be like if kimchi is used in the fillings! I’m sure it will be a more intriguing taste to expect! Even though the consomme is chilled, you could still taste the essence of Bak Kut Teh, a stronger peppery taste yet not choking.Here’s another highlight and my personal favorite dish! Inspired by the popular Nonya Chap Chye Dish – Chilled Black Fungus & Mushroom Salad. Choosing the main essentials from the Chap Chye and tossing it with Belachan Mayo brings about a tantalizing flavor to our taste bud. A very crunchy salad dish filled with aromatic crispy mini hei bi and tingling sensation from the Balachan Mayo. Totally in love with this dish!Another well infused cuisine of the day – Scotch Egg Ter Kar Chor. Scotch egg is basically a traditional British snack, boiled egg wrapped in sausage meat and covered with breadcrumbs before deep frying. And Ter Kar Chor (Vinegar Trotters), i’m sure need no more explanation. Cut the scotch egg into half, taste a bit of the original scotch egg and for the remaining, coupled it with the ginger ‘nest’, dip it into the Vinegar bowl and it feels as if you’re eating Ter Kar Chor. Amazing isnt it? With the taste of Ter Kar Chor but less the oilyness.This is what everyone like best, a bit of everything – The Asian Trio. I like the concept behind this dish – ‘my friend is hiding in the kitchen all along’, never overlook what are around us all the times. Taking a good look around their kitchen, the chefs have came out with these 3 special items – Korean Bulgogi Beef Shabu Shabu in Vietnamese Rice Paper Roll, Nonya Ayam Buah Keluak Wanton and Singapore Laksa Prawn Haebee Hiam Cookie ‘Crostini’. Flavors are stronger and intensified as you move from the left to the right of the dish. Korean Bulgogi Beef Shabu Shabu is quite a light refreshing dish, but i find the rice paper a little too chewy to my liking. I like how the wanton skin is deep fried yet not too greasy and paired with an acquired taste of Buah Keluak, makes it a unique creative snack on it own. This crostini is indeed exceptional with the best fusion of our very own local flavors – Laksa & Haebee Hiam. The Haebe hiam cookie is superb in short, from the flavor to the aroma to the texture of the cookie, there’s nothing to pick on.After something so exciting, it’s time to calm ourselves down a little. Enjoy a light yet flavorful Pen Cai Parcel which has incorporated the best ingredients, scallop, shitake mushroom and abalone wrapped in cabbage served together with a full bodied soup base that totally complements the natural sweetness of the quality ingredients in the parcel. The thick soup base is made from 2 important ingredients, one of them is the dried scallop and another is their special ingredient. I shall keep that a suspense too, it is really something that you least expect yet it’s kind of common and it enhances the overall taste of the soup stock.Now it time to get back on track to enjoy what’s in store for us. It’s time for another burst of international flavors you can find in this particular Har Jeong Crab meet Kaffir Capellini. Hong kong ‘Har Jeong’ (Shrimp paste in other words) coated on the soft shell crab and deep fried to resemble that of a japanese tempura served with tomato based capellini infused with the juices of Kaffier lime. The taste of Har Jeong is subtle and much more faint compared to the usual Har Jeong Chicken. On the other hand, the capellini is cooked well to al dente with a sourish note from the kaffir lime. For added spiciness, just have it with some chilli padi, and the taste is perfect.As the saying goes, save the best for the last. The last main before dessert is none other than the trending Louisiana Cajun Seafood en Papillote. Fresh juicy seafood are baked and cooked in a folded parchment parcel in its own aromatic moist heat retaining the natural sweetness of the seafood. The seafood are not overcooked and after cooking definitely has not lose its juiciness and crunchiness. The soup is sweet from the seafood and enhanced with the use of herbs and spices to bring out a stronger flavor. Dont forget to dip your bread in the soup!After all the 8 dishes, though the plates may look small, but its surprisingly filling. & it’s really a good time to end the meal with a dessert. Yet another fusion of italian with local flavor that has given birth to this Chendol Panna Cotta. Very strong gulu melaka that complements with the silky and milky panna cotta in the right consistency. I like how the texture of the panna cotta is but not a fan of chendol, i would definitely love it, if it’s fruit-based instead.Definitely worth a trip down for their ‘Around the World in 9 Small Plates’ Omakase Degustation Dinner. Not only is it a time to taste some unique creative food but also a chance to taste some of their specialty available in their bistro. The owners of the bistro are really friendly and humble, they make a point to create small talks with the customers before the start of the meal and during the meal. & you really can see the pride they have for their food creations. Kuddos to the people behind The Snack Culture Company!https://poohlovesfood.wordpress.com/2015/03/22/the-snack-culture-company/ for full review with pics. continue reading