Down at Sin Ming Road, Gastronomad is a Halal restaurant that serves up Modern European, Middle Eastern & Asian Fusion cuisine. That, and a selection of non-alcholic wines!
It’s not every day you’ll find a restaurant serving affordable yet absolutely divine Halal cuisine. The first thing I noticed at the restaurant was its long communal tables, which seemed great for family gatherings.
The ambience at the restaurant was rather homely, with a European-inspired decor, and absolutely loved the wide tin plates!
To kick-start the night, we tried a delectable plate of Ghost Chicken ($12.90). Served with three plump chunks of chicken thigh, peppered with chicken granola, and a dollop of avocado puree.
The skin on the chicken was really thin and crispy, with a lingering savoury flavour. The marinate and spices rubbed into the chicken meat made it slightly gamey, with subtle undertones of ghost peppers.
I also quite enjoyed the slight tanginess that the avocado puree gave to each bite.
We also tried the beautifully plated Tickle Tentacles ($16.90). Served as a single sous vide pan-seared tentacle decorated with various garnishes, it rested atop a bed of Spanish pimento corn puree.
The charred, succulent meat was enjoyable, but then a potent spice started to build up and spread like fire on my tongue. Looks can be really deceiving, because the seemingly harmless white puree was the culprit.
The flavours of the octopus paired well with the puree but it’d have been more pronounced if not for the overwhelming spice.
After the previous dish had taken me on a spicy journey, I was glad to find reprieve in something mellower:Â Pretty In Pink ($22.50).Â
Although my colleague would have preferred the flesh of the salmon to be a little pinker, I thought it was perfect. Combined with the medley of vegetables, this dish was an absolute delight from start to finish.
Quaking Out Loud ($23.50) came with an alluring aroma that announced its presence. With two hearty slabs of duck breast atop a bed of bell pepper sauce, carrot puree, and other garnishes, it was a riot of colours on the plate.
I cut a nice chunk of meat, revealing the moist pinkish centre. The skin was fatty with flavour and the meat was succulent and juicy. It had a rather distinct gamey taste which some might appreciate; I for one certainly did.
Also, I found that the mellow sweet carrot puree accentuated the flavours of the meat rather well.
Our bellies were stuffed but there’s always room for dessert! Served on a pristine white plate, the ingredients in the Chocolate Cremeux ($14.50) really stood out like painting on a canvas.
I sliced through the dome of Belgium dark chocolate and helped myself to a generous forkful. And I fell in love with its smooth and creamy texture, and rich dark chocolate taste. The chocolate became pure bliss when eaten with the maple Cavendish banana.
Like yin to the Chocolate Cremeux‘s yang, the Summer Love ($14.50) was a lighter treat. The messy presentation actually made me anticipate digging into the individual components more.
The vanilla custard had a mellow sweet and just the slightest bitter aftertaste. It also had a peculiar watermelon taste that took awhile to get used to. I liked that the sharp piquant flavours of the berries as well as the wild berries sauce paired harmoniously with the mellow taste of the custard.
The flavours were a little too complex when you add the taste of watermelon into the mix.
The thing I really wanted to try at Gastronomad was a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon ($9) from their non-alcoholic wine selection. The wine looked rather promising with its rich dark red hue.
It certainly captured the aroma of wine but the taste was rather underwhelming. It didn’t quite have the burn associated with wine, nor the tannic flavour. Each sip started fine but gradually dulls, ending with a subtle bitter aftertaste. I guess wine should stick to being solely alcoholic for now.
Gastronomad is a fine place for affordable halal cuisine. There’s something for everyone here, and I especially enjoyed the Pretty In Pink. This place will certainly be on my list of go-to halal restaurants.
Expected damage: $20 – $40 per pax
