Founded and run by Chef-Owner Petrina Loh, Morsels has recently relocated to the popular food enclave of Dempsey Hill.
Set within a rustic-looking barnyard and surrounded by lush greenery, the 40-seater eatery continues to serve creative fusion dishes with an amalgamation of different flavours to engage all five of your senses.
Creating a relaxing ambience for diners, the interior boasts an extremely cosy vibe, with distressed walls and repurposed wooden furniture decked throughout.
While having a meal here, you will also find yourself surrounded by various potted plants that are strategically placed at every nook and cranny, adding more homey touches to the open concept restaurant.
First time diners who are unsure of what to have, can always go for the Lunch Omakase ($45 per pax), which consists of dishes handpicked by the chef herself.
To top it off, you can also opt for the Wine Pairing ($35 for 2 glasses/pax) combination if you would like to get a few glasses in.
As a starter, we had the Isigny Oyster No.3 ($6 per pc), which happens to be one of the signatures on the menu. Infused with kumquat shrub, pickled kaiso seaweed and Mexican tarragon, this was a super refreshing rendition and something a little different from the fresh oyster and lemon combination we’re so accustomed to.
Next, we had the Kasu-Cured Hiramasa Kingfisher ($22), a new addition to the revamped menu. Garnished with rhubarb aioli, pickled grapes and ikura, the thin slices of fish were tender and melt-in-your-mouth.
Smear each cut with pistachio praline and you will be surprised by how well the nutty paste complements the fish.
The Compressed Watermelon Salad ($18) will certainly make you appreciate your salads more. The combination of fermented watermelon salsa, whipped burrata and pickled rind was thirst-quenching and paired surprisingly well with the fresh bok choy.
Served with a Singaporean-style carrot cake, the Grilled Wild Sri Lankan Tiger Prawns ($24) was an interesting fusion take on the local dish.
The sakura ebi certainly added a whole new dimension to the daikon cake, as did the burnt okra and calamansi furikake bits scattered throughout. Don’t forget to dip the tiger prawns in the tamarind miso sauce!
Ah, the Steamed Venus Clams ($24) is Morsels’ signature dish. Made from dried Turkish figs, the fig broth is blended in with homemade kimchi before being topped with pickled wakame and a dash of Chinese herb YuZhu (Solomon’s Seal Rhizome). The savoury and sweet flavours of the stock really had us slurping down every last drop.
Another dish that deserves a standing ovation is the Charred House-Poached Octopus ($26). Expect to be served an extremely tender and well-prepared octopus atop a bed of squid ink pearl rice risotto with salted egg sauce drizzled over.
The briny grains of rice together with the chewy octopus pieces made for a good variation in texture and when combined together, had an absolutely intense taste profile.
Following that, we had the Snake River Farms Kurobuta Char Siu ($24) that was just packed full of flavour. The lean cuts of char siu were doused in a homemade gravy and paired together with Szechuan-style pickled cucumber and watercress. Not forgetting, the fermented pineapple dip on the side that adds a tangy flavor to the entire dish.
As part of the weekly noodle set, we were served the Herbal Duck Tsukemen ($25 per lunch set) that came with a slow braised duck leg, somen and herbal dipping sauce.
If you find that the soup tastes concentrated, that’s because it contains ten different herbs including goji, red date and black date, just to name a few. To make it more palatable, dashi stock is also added towards the end to lighten the taste.
We ended off the meal with Morsel’s Signature Milo Tiramisu ($16) and a nice hot cup of Latte ($5.50). Prepared in a mason jar, the tiramisu had a mellow taste and was lighter than the average dessert sold elsewhere. The Milo powder sprinkled on top also added a nice touch, making it slightly different from the usual cocoa powder version.
With meticulously crafted dishes that incorporates various culinary techniques and a wide variety of ingredients, dining at Morsels will always make for a gastronomical experience that you can’t find in most places. And you know what, we could use more female-driven kitchens, just as we need more female-fronted bands.
Expected Damage: $25 – $45 per pax