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You might remember the whirlwind of a poke storm that A Poke Theory caused barely four months ago, with their irresistible poke bowl flavours and healthy add-on ingredients. The brother-sister duo behind the success story are back with their second food concept. This time, they’re embracing the dark side.
Say hello to A Poke Theory’s Alter Ego.
Scoring an amazing corner at the Esplanade Mall with an even greater view, Alter Ego is set to help you unwind with a creative space that makes you want to release your inhibitions. Hand painted murals and scrawlings adorn the industrial walls and ceilings, setting the vibe for a chilled night with good food and old friends.
You’ll still find the famous poke bowls on the menu in the day, where the combination of fresh ingredients make for an explosion of flavour on the palate. Instead of customising your poke bowl, I’d recommend trying one of the pre-set options with five ideal flavour combinations to choose from.
I was blown away by The Original Poke Shaker ($16), which featured shoyu salmon, lime avocado and pineapple topped with the signature roasted cashews, ikura and pickled seasonal veg.
Poke bowls are sold till 8.30pm and while I’m all about eating clean recently, the more sinful menu options made me want to stay here forever.
I’m still dreaming about the Grilled Cheese ($11) which was 100% worth every single calorie. Toasted to perfection and served with a homemade tomato dip, the marriage of melted gruyere and taleggio cheese was UNREAL.
Definitely go for the $3 upgrade to add braised beef short rib filling (you won’t regret it).
You won’t want to share that grilled cheese, so to make sure you still have friends by the end of the night, order a few sharing items from the menu.
The Pulled Pork Dip ($11) is ideal for such a situation, with tender Kalua pork slow roasted with a Korean twist of shredded cabbage and spicy gochujang sauce. Mop up the goodness with toasted pita bread, and pray no one in the group notices how many you’ve had.
You can never go wrong with sharing a few bar snacks, and the individual flavours on each of these bad boys will make you wish you ordered massive bowls of each. Umami Fish Skin ($8), Fried Chicken Skin ($8) and Caramelized Ikan Bilis ($10) will throw that diet right out the window but you know what? At that point you won’t even care.
I kinda wish I could bottle the umami dust covering the fish skin and the southern spice mix on the chicken scratchings… mmm. Don’t even get me started on the candied ikan bilis and cashew combo, every local bar should have this!
I’ll admit, I don’t particularly enjoy beer (I know right, who am I), but I do love me some cider! If the grilled cheese hasn’t already won you over, Alter Ego’s insane list of seasonal craft beers and ciders will.
We’re talking entry level labels, many of which I’ve never even heard of, let alone seen anywhere in Singapore. Pineapple cider?? YES PLEASE. A bottle of the Ace Pineapple ($12) was exactly what I needed to complement the bar snacks I was grubbily digging into.
Check out the menu to see if they’ve managed to bring in some of your favourite bottles perhaps discovered on a overseas trip and never found till now.
With insane food flavour combinations, craft alcohol and lots of heart to boot, Alter Ego, you’re welcome to rip my diet plan to shreds any day.
(Don’t fret folks, healthy twin A Poke Theory is always there for that zen balance).
Expected Damage: $8 – $25 per pax
