Supernova, Katong: Stylish new cafe with hit-and-miss menu but great service & relaxed vibe

Supernova is a new cafe which stands about 50 metres from the home in which I grew up, right at the start of Boscombe Road, in Katong. Perhaps just for nostalgia’s sake, I really wanted it to be good! Did it live up to my expectations? Almost, but not quite.

First to our table was Cauliflower & Dukkah (S$14.50). This dish takes charred cauliflower and adds sukkah spices and raisins but that description does not do the taste any justice. As a veggie hater, I can’t believe I am saying this but the cauliflower was just divine. Supernova adds a layer of mustard to it but I don’t think it’s any ordinary mustard; the taste is just too good!

Do Hot Scallops & Potatoes (S$16.90) sound like a good combo? If they don’t, you need an ear inspection— this was the champion of our Supernova dinner! The main ingredients are served with harissa oil, salsa verde and chipotle sour cream, which makes for an amazing treat of complementary flavours. I would return to the restaurant just for this.

Chicken Piccata Rigatoni (S$21.90) was next to arrive at our table. The grilled chicken and rigatoni were covered in a rich caper butter sauce and some deeply flavourful parmesan. Unfortunately, the chicken was a bit too dry for our liking and we didn’t finish it.

The Burnt Brussels Sprouts (S$14.50) was served with parmesan cheese. One of the milder options for the night, it was a nice accompaniment to the spread before us.

We also tried the Miso Eggplant (S$20). It is miso eggplant, ponzu aioli, bonito flakes and spring onions in an imaginatively tasty combination. I have never been a fan of eggplant but the way it was prepared for this dish has made me a believer. All hail our brinjal overlords!

My sweet tooth demanded attention as the night drew to a close. The Red Velvet Nutella (S$8) cake let us down with the same arid texture that had tormented us with the chicken. It’s probably difficult to serve fresh cakes every day if you are not a bakery but I was disappointed.

I realised at the end of the meal at Supernova that we quite accidentally put ourselves on an overtly vegetarian path with the manager’s recommendations. It was a happy accident. Each of the vegetarian dishes— Cauliflower & Dukkah, Burnt Brussels Sprouts and Miso Eggplant— were far, far better than we could have anticipated. Even the potatoes in the Hot Scallops & Potatoes outshone the scallops!

On the other hand, the Chicken Rigatoni was a flop whose floppiness was probably exaggerated by how much I enjoyed the other dishes.

We loved how attentive the staff at Supernova was, though. They made our evening a pleasure. If you are looking to be vegetarian and lead a healthy, dessert-free diet, Supernova might be just the push you need.

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