It took us long enough but we now know the Impossible Meat wave, isn’t merely just a wave. It’s heavily embedded in our conversations, restaurants are constantly promoting it on social media and we’re itching to try them out.
With food sustainability and the plant-based meat concept becoming hot button issues in recent years, the consumer demand for meat-free practices has brought about a revolution — brands have begun to address this matter by creating an Impossible meat dish where possible. Consider us impressed.
Honestly, it does sound a little strange going the extra mile to make an Impossible dish yet have it served with a fried egg or non-vegan cheese — but at the end of the day, it is all about the meat… and every meat conscious step is the right step in that direction. But are folks that crazed to fork up $24 for meatballs packed with mock meat? The jury is still out on that.
Below, we give you the 411 on these Impossible meat dishes.
Violet Oon Singapore Satay Bar & Grill x Impossible Satay
To be perfectly honest, I haven’t had satay for more than two years because I was always dealt a hand of fatty, gamy meat. But still, I caved at the mention of Impossible satay — and boy did it pay off.
Served charred to your heart’s desire, the skewers are spiced up with lemongrass, chilli, shallots, coriander and cumin powder. While the soft texture can’t be fully escaped, the trick and beauty of this dish come in the finesse of its caramelised glaze and signature peanut sauce. I scooped up everything, I swear. Pair with their glass of honey and ketsuri soda and you’re all set.
Score: 4.5/5
Website: Violetoon.com
Address: 3B River Valley Rd, #01-18, Clarke Quay, Singapore 179021
Botany x Impossible Mapo Tofu Bowl
As one that fully enjoys the simple pleasures of home-cooked food, my interest was piqued when this Mapo Tofu Bowl was presented unbeknownst to me as an Impossible dish. It might be an Asian classic but their “health-conscious” take on it proved to be rather substandard. The dish is well dressed with Impossible meat, adorned with silken tofu cooked in Szechuan spices and topped with a sous vide egg. A pretty dish, indeed.
While it lacked the same punch (we’re mainly talking spice) of that of a typical kopitiam mapo tofu dish, I could immediately distinguish that it was Impossible meat due to the meat’s soft and mushy texture. While the spiciness kick was absent for me, if your curious palate desires a milder spice, this is for you.
Score: 3/5
Website: Botany.com.sg
Address: 86 Robertson Quay, #01-03, Singapore 238245
PS.Cafe x Impossible Burger
It’s tough to find a decent Impossible burger in Singapore — and one that’s actually well done. I’ve tried many promising that it’s impossible (har-har) to tell the difference. Having heard good things about this particular burger from an actual vegan, I made PS.Cafe my next burger pitstop.
Expect to be fooled at first bite — the slightly charred, meatier texture (as compared to their counterparts) made me pause and immediately take another bite. Their Impossible Burger served a hearty bite with deep-fried crispy onions, sauteed mushrooms, and revealing a surprising slab of melted vintage cheddar. The patty was surprisingly thick yet not as juicy as I had hoped; but to be honest, the cheese added the bulk of the flavour. The rest of the components? Well, the wilted spinach left a bitter aftertaste.
Score: 4/5
Website: Pscafe.com
Address: 390 Orchard Road, #02-09A, Singapore 238871
Kinki Restaurant + Bar x Impossible Katsu Sando
Japanese food is one cuisine I eat every single week, so I’d like to think I know a decent Katsu Sando when it reaches my palate. Kinki tried to make a convincing case for Impossible meat. Harboured by a hearty crust of Japanese breadcrumbs and white bread, the deep-fried dish was also served with a side of apple curry sauce.
A note of caution: not all Impossible meats are made equal. Again, one surefire way to distinguish mock meat is through the texture (at least for me). The Katsu Sando dish, for instance, gave me the feeling of transitioning from baby food to solids. This is where this dish lost it for me — their Katsu Sando had an onion ring aftertaste (two other colleagues tried and they concur) that was definitely not to my liking.
Score: 2.5/5
Website: Kinki.com.sg
Address: 70 Collyer Quay, #02-02 Customs House, Singapore 049323
The Marmalade Pantry x Impossible Rendang Meatballs
I get it. Plain ol’ meatballs aren’t often the most interesting to make for good food content. They’re usually softer in texture which makes the Impossible meat comparison a tad mute in that aspect and covered with the star ingredient: the sauce.
Grounded in rempah and an in-house rendang recipe — which pays off big time — the tantalising flavours are simple and straight to the point. The hearty pan-fried meatballs were a simple dish, combined together with minimal frills but all the appropriate condiments that delivered a strong spicy kick; alongside the power of Impossible meat. Meatball of dreams? We think so. The price? Maybe not.
Score: 3.5/5
Website: Themarmaladepantry.com.sg
Address: Oasia Hotel Downtown, #01-01, Singapore 079333 and Oasia Hotel Novena, #01-02/04, Singapore 307470
Fatburger x Impossible Burger
When it comes to pocket-friendly Impossible dishes, a shout-out must go out to Fatburger. Off to a strong start, the Fatburger’s Impossible dish was loaded with fully-customisable toppings between toasted brioche buns. It had a hint of charred flavour that creeps up on your senses, much to my delight.
All good things must come to an end, as they say, because the patty was too soft for my liking and it fell apart easily. While juicer than PS.Cafe, it lacked seasoning and was a tad oily. The saving grace? The fried egg.
Score: 3/5
Website: Fatburgersg.com
Address: Novena Square, #01-08, Singapore 307683
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