Provisions, the new kid at the ever popular Dempsey, spans 1600 square feet and seats 69 in total. Diners can choose to dine in the comfort of air conditioning or catch some natural breeze in the alfresco setting, all while enjoying a hearty meal of Asian food delights and creative cocktail concoctions. Provisions rocks a industrial-chic look and promises to evoke nostalgia with ornaments and old school snacks that are familiar to us in our childhood days.
Food is served either in a robust earthen ware vessel or on a dainty stick, with both formats being a tribute to simpler times when communal dining and comfort food were the norm. A majority of the ingredients used here hail from the Southeast Asian region, and diners can rejoice in tasty fare that employs no use of MSG.
It's always a good idea to start your meal with a couple of cocktails. The Bantai Bandung($14) combines rose syrup, evaporated milk and aged rum, and is completed with a touch of sweetness from the addition of gula melaka. I went for the Passionately Dark & Stormy ($17) which sees aged rum and spiced rum make a faultless alliance with passionfruit and lime juice. I really enjoyed my cocktail! The cocktail selection is due to change every month, as with the food menu so diners can always look forward to something new and refreshing, literally.
Dining here is simple. Sharing is caring. Choose from an array of small plates, claypot rice, skewers, and a small selection of dessert to share. Small plates include Mackerel Fish Cakes($6), Oyster & Omelette($8), Scallops & Scallion ($12) and more. This is similar to my favourite sliced fish with lime and other garnish but it, sadly, did not quite deliver on the taste front. The whole project was too bitter, and quite severely lacking in the tangy flavour that I adore.
The KFC ($10) was a brilliant one. Everyone thought it was chicken, without even taking a glance at its description. When the dish came, it still fooled us with an appearance that resembles that of fried chicken pieces. Lo and behold, this is actually Korean Fried Cauliflower! The dish has to be savoured once it arrives, so get ready to dive into crunchy florets doused in a sticky sweet sauce. Note that this dish is surprisingly, filling.
Moving on to skewers. We picked and chose from 12 different skewers ($4 - $10) which boasted cuts of meat, and internal organs. The highlights would most definitely be the Beef Sirloin (a must-try), Pork Jowl and Pork Belly for me. Fans of innards might delight in the pork intestines, chicken gizzards and chicken hearts.
The Seafood Rice ($16), which comprises fresh prawns, clams and traditional liver sausage, and the Oyster Omelette Rice ($18) which sees claypot rice and hawker favourite oyster omelette melded together, are the bestsellers here. For a more luxurious option, go for the Oyster & Uni ($28) rendition. One o the most fun parts about eating claypot rice is scrapping the crispy and charred rice bits from the bottom and sides of the pot, so have fun doing that!
Pisang Sundae ($8) is like a local take on banana split. The fried banana was coated in a crisp and light batter that carried hints of papadum. I loved the clever incorporation of flavour, and as a goreng pisang fan, I highly recommend that you get this for dessert.
Cempedak is not really my thing but fans of this strong-smelling fruit will relish the grilled fruit, together with a generous scoop of coconut icecream covered with a sprinkle of desiccated coconut, and a small side of peanuts. Quite a few textures are put together in Provisions' Cempedak & Coconut ($8), and I'm pretty sure that it will win your heart, like it won many at our dinner table.
Dempsey is always changing, with new F&B establishments popping up all the time. If you're popping by for dinner, and craving something Asian or more local, Provisions might just be what you're looking for. Oh yes, prices are nett here!
Dempsey Road, #01-04
Singapore 249671
Tuesday - Thursday : 4pm - 1am
Friday - Saturday : 4pm - 2am
Sunday : 1030am - 3pm
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Love, K
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