My fiancé and I were very lucky to be selected as one of the 6 couples for the food tasting session organised by Openrice and Between* at Supply & Demand on 17 November 2013.

Supply & Demand is a quaint and indie restaurant that was opened for a few months tucked in the touristy place at Esplanade. What’s most interesting about this modern Peruvian-Italian bistro? I would think it’s the décor. The décor is an interesting mix of industrial chic and cosy wooden cabin, with both wood and concrete/cement elements – it’s pretty obvious the owners put a lot of effort into designing the place to make the diners feel homely. The place was pretty quiet on a Sunday night (as compared to other bistros on a weekend)! I will definitely recommend this place to my friends for a hangout/chillout since the place is really cosy with the cushions on the benches. But not forgetting to try out the really cool chairs made of steel or aluminium. You will definitely love them!!! Outside the restaurant, there are two bigger tables with swings as seats to accommodate more people. Isn’t that cool to swing as you chit chat with friends?

Personally I love the stairway leading up to the bar on the second floor. The bar takes on a cooler approach overlooking the scenic view of Marina Bay. The sofas are peppered with green and grey cushions which further accentuate an atmosphere like in the “beach’. On the other side, the beer drums are used as table tops and it’s pretty nice to have a drink with your partner if you prefer twosome. I think the décor alone would be enough to attract you to visit the place. I will revisit the place again in the daytime to experience the different kind of atmosphere.

Let’s now turn to look at the food and drinks. Supply and Demand has an extensive range and spread of food and we were really spoilt for choices when we opened the menu. The menu is super wordy – the reason being the description of each dish is pegged to the name. I would suggest that some food photos will be good for a reference to the diners. As for the prices, it is quite reasonable – $15-$25 for pasta, $20-$40 for pizza, and $10-$20 for desserts.

This bistro, as mentioned earlier, serves food from tastes of Italy and Peru, somewhat fusion with Asian influences. My fiancé found them interesting since it was our first time trying Peruvian food. The menu was prepared in advance for our consideration:
Appetisers (To share):
-Shrimp and Avocado salad
-Fries with a Side of Guilt

Choice of Mains:

a)9” inch pizza from the menu selection (no extra toppings)
b)Pasta (spaghetti or penne) with choices:
•All’ Arrabbiata (Fiery Hot Tomato based, with minced pork/chicken)
•Ragu Di Maiale (Tomato Red Wine-infused, bacon & minced pork)
•Carbonara Classic (Cream based, with bacon)
•Maiale Orientale (Olive oil based, white wine, with minced pork, bacon & mushrooms)
c)Desserts (choice of 1):
-Italian Style Tiramisu
-Molten Chocolate Cake
-Textured Chocolate Cake with Salted Caramel

And Drinks from menu (coffee/tea/juice)

After some discussion, we decided to go with Truffle & egg pizza, All’ Arrabbiata Pasta and Tiramisu.

The All’ Arrabbiata Pasta has a spicy taste prepared in the Italian way with an Asian twist topped with minced pork. I had to mix the pasta thoroughly as it was a little dry on top but tangy and flavourful with the sauce. The Truffle & egg pizza reminded me of the one I had at Skinny Pizza and La Villa becuase of the runny egg. And needless to say, their pizza is incredibly delicious. The crust was thin yet chewy, with a good spread of tomato sauce and truffle oil to enhance the aroma and taste. The egg was perfectly cooked as its yolk was still soft, I love this kind of egg.The appetisers came after our pizza and pasta. I am a salad lover and the shrimp and avocado salad was fantastic because the shrimps and vegetables were fresh with added …. Personally, I was not a “potato” person except for truffle fries but the Fries with a Side of Guilt was not too bad. The fries were served in a metal tin and thick cut drenched in cheese and jalapeno to give its extra spiciness taste. I think the presentation in a metal tin has given the rustic and nostalgic feel. My hubby liked to dip it with the “Side of Guilt” which is the barbeque sauce and it makes it so heavenly that he could not stop eating (even though he was having a sore throat that day). The pasta and pizza were so filling (too much carbo) that we were unable to finish them because we wanted to leave the stomach for the dessert. Tiramisu is one my top favourites although I was procrastinating initially to choose between tiramisu and molten chocolate cake. I think we did not regret to order the tiramisu because it was perfect to end off the night with an Italian dessert.

The tiramisu came in a glass jar (reminded me of the similar one at Poulet) and it is good enough for two persons sharing. The Tiramisu was really to our liking since it’s not too sweet and yet we could taste the lady fingers soaked in the coffee in every mouthful. I even felt on cloud nine for every spoon of Tiramisu I took that my fiancé felt I was over exaggerating. Once again, thank you Openrice and Between* for hosting us at Supply & Demand for the great food and desserts. We are happy to have met and became friends over this session. Overall, the place is a great for unwind and food is marvellous. We will patronise again for more indulgence.