Tampines Food Co. Teams Up With 4 Renowned Local Food Personalities To Launch Virtual Restaurants

“Virus Update: XX new cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in Singapore today.”

This is probably the most common and noticed sentence amongst Singaporeans these days. Ever since COVID-19 struck our shores, we have taken drastic measures to contain and prevent its spread. From daily temperature taking to extended MCs and home quarantines, this virus has definitely affected our lives one way or another (gosh, tell me about the long queue I had to stand through just to get milk and cereal for breakfast from NTUC), individually and a country as a whole. 

With more of us choosing to spend time at home especially after the DORSCON level was pumped up to orange on 7 February 2020, delivery is often the fastest and most convenient way to settle our meals on lazy days (then again, there are people who would rather have instant noodles for breakfast, lunch and dinner). 

Spicing up our local delivery scene is the launch of virtual restaurants by four prominent local food personalities—Miss Tam Chiak, Little Miss Bento, The Halal Food Blog and The Chill Mom. In partnership with Tampines Food Co., the four specially curated menus will be made available through Foodpanda and GrabFood as well as for dine-in at Tampines Food Co., from 19 February 2020 onwards. 

For a variety of Malay, Chinese, Indian and Indonesian cuisine, Chiak Local by Miss Tam Chiak, will be your best option as its menu features a variety of hawker favourites that comes in three serving sizes. Quirky set menu names include “No Money No Honey”, which serves one; “Lovey Dovey”, ideal for couples and “Got Big Got Small”, specially created for communal sharing. 

The Indonesian “No Money No Honey” set consists of Ayam Bakar, Gado Gado and Steamed Rice (S$16.40). The Indonesian grilled chicken had a char and smokiness from the caramelised chicken skin and sweet distinct taste from the kicap manis (sweet soy sauce).

Although the chicken thigh and rice were rather dry, they were salvaged by the addition of the chilli oil that added a touch of spiciness which I enjoyed. 

When it comes to Japanese bento, local fans of this one box wonder will definitely know Shirley Wong—creator of Little Miss Bento, who rose to fame with her adorable bento creations. The food artist was stoked at the idea of cultivating a bento loving culture in Singapore with her virtual restaurant as bento‘s have become an integral part of her daily life.

Of the four menus that we tried, Little Miss Bento’s Sesame Soy Chicken Don (S$12.90) was hands down my favourite. Not only did it capture my heart with its cute wood-like bento packaging, it also captured my appetite with the sesame soy chicken which was soft and tender. Under the thick cuts of chicken breast was a bed of Japanese grain rice that had a nice sticky texture and a great mouthfeel.

Convinced that setting up of a virtual restaurant is the best way for entrepreneurs to start a food business and that the future of food lies in deliveries Adam Shah, co-founder of The Halal Food Blog, created a menu that consist of various halal-certified dishes including traditional favourites like Ayam Bakar (S$9.80) and Maggie Goreng (S$6.20) as well as modern halal eats such as Buffalo Wings (S$9.90) and Pizzas (S$36.40 for large super deal combo).

I like my burgers fresh from the grill, with the heat of the patty melting the cheese resulting in a pool of yellow gooey mass. That’s probably why I would never get them delivered. With that said, I was a little surprised when I opened The Smoke Stack (S$10.40) as the cheese was slightly melted and the beef patty was still warm. 

To get the best of The Smoke Stack, try toasting it for two to three minutes. The toasted crusty bun soaked up the juices of the beef patty, giving every mouthful a slight hint of smokiness. My only complaint would be the bacon as it dried up during the toasting process.

A well-known local mum-preneur who helps fellow mothers build their business from home, Michelle Hon’s Chill Mom Kitchen menu was purposefully created for the family in mind and is specially divided into options for dads, moms and children. With her menu, there is bound to be something that will delight every member of the family. 

Our Feel Good Salad Bowl (S$8) consists of half an avocado, breaded spice chicken, shredded carrots and cherry tomatoes on a bed of romaine lettuce. The raw lettuces were fresh and more importantly, the avocado remained bright green despite it being out for a period of time. The breaded chicken cutlet, however, was a let down as it was soggy by the time we had them. Frankly speaking, the portion was on the smaller side (probably cause it was under the “mom” section, thus created for small eaters), thus, failing to satiate my hunger. 

Good food and convenience aside, in line with the launch of these virtual restaurants and in view of COVID-19, the four mentioned personalities will offer S$3 off with a minimum purchase of S$15 (applicable to dine-in at Tampines Food Co., and online orders via Foodpanda and GrabFood) as well as fund the delivery cost for the months of February and March 2020.

As part community give-back, they will also fund the purchase of a hand-sanitiser for our friends in need from the lower-income group for every S$10 spent at their virtual restaurants on Foodpanda, GrabFood and even at Tampines Food Co.

Sick and tired of the same old food options available for delivery? Here you have it, four new menus featuring a variety of cuisines that will allow you to play out your meal options any time of the day! After all, isn’t it a good thing to be able to feast on good food and give back to society at the same time?

Dates & Times: Now available for order online from Foodpanda and GrabFood. Dine-in available at Tampines Food Co.

Prices: From S$4.40 onwards