Okay, we admit. We’ve always been skeptical of gluten- and dairy-free foods. Yeah, the health benefits are obvious; no one’s denying that. But frankly, all we care about is taste, and gluten- and dairy-free stuff didn’t exactly appeal to our foodie senses, till we tried Open Door Policy.
The industrial-chic restaurant located in the heart of hipster enclave Tiong Bahru recently revamped its a la carte menu, with 15 new dishes that are surprise, surprise, completely gluten- and dairy- free.
Expectations for the worst and a growling stomach later, we started our meal with an Avocado Jumbo Lump Crab Salad ($23), which sounded like a recipe for disaster to be honest. Thankfully, it was far from that. The avocado’s tart flavours meshed well with the sweet crab flesh, while the gluten-free bread was a delightfully crispy accompaniment.
So far, so good.
Our next starter was a Watercress Soup ($18), not the Chinese double-boiled one, mind you, although this tasted pretty similar, except that it came in a thick, viscous form. This time, the gluten-free bread at the side failed to shine – it was too doughy and not crisp enough, but the soup more than made up for things.
There was no disappointment however with the Warm Wasabi Greenpea Soup ($23). Its broth had a slightly floral flavour that was thick and sweet without being overwhelmingly cloying, while there was the tiniest hint of wasabi that teased the tongue, but not quite enough to send smoke through our nostrils.
The first real downer came with the Vitel Tone ($25) – sous vide veal loin served on gluten- and dairy-free bread, and slathered with tuna mayo, purple cabbage, and kale. First of all, the veal was dry and mushy, while portion-wise; it didn’t justify the price tag.
Thankfully, we had much better luck with the Roasted Pork Rack ($38). Each bite of this dish gave off a magnificent burst of flavour that left us wanting to come back for more. The pork was juicy, tender, and very well prepared. Its accoutrement of pineapple sauce was also a neat touch, as it balanced out the savoury flavours of the meat with a dash of sweetness.
Another great dish to try here is the Sous-vide Salmon ($32). Doused with miso, the silky smooth salmon was a joy to eat from first bite to last, and even its side of chilli daikon was extremely tasty, flowing with sweet juices from the get-go.
Other decent dishes from Open Door Policy’s new gluten- and dairy-free a la carte menu include the Vegetable Tempura Risotto ($25); which features rice flour battered okra, baby carrots, oyster mushroom, and broccoli served on risotto rice, as well as the Braised Veal Ossobuco ($32); tender veal on green pea risotto rice.
We suggest giving the Spaghetti Alle Vongole ($28) a miss though. There was nothing special about this dish at all, and it felt like a hastily put-together pasta that you could find pretty much anywhere else in Singapore.
As for desserts, do yourself a favour and go for both the Calamansi Chocolate Tart ($16) and the Dairy Free Apple Crumble ($16), both delicious menu items worth a try. The latter was especially impressive, not to mention, generous. The bowl it was served in was filled to the brim with chunks of sous-vide apple marinated in eight different spices – truly every apple lover’s dream.
Overall, we were pleasantly surprised with what Open Door Policy put out, and despite a few hiccups, we could tell that there was a lot of hard work and thought put behind the dishes. That said; the food was a little too pricey for our liking, and we’re still not converted to gluten- and dairy-free lovers. If you’re looking for a alternative (and healthy) lunch spot however, you probably won’t go wrong over here.
Rating: 3.5/5
Expected Damage: 4/5
Open Door Policy, 19 Yong Siak Street, Singapore 168650. Opening Hours: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, 12pm to 11pm; Saturday and Sunday, 11am to 11pm. Closed on Tuesday.
For more information, visit www.odpsingapore.com.
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