Timbre+ impresses
I had to make five visits to Timbre+ before I felt I could fairly pen a review as there were many teething problems during my first four tours, including poor ventilation, ineffective kitchen flow and limited seats.
But the owners, Edward Chia and Danny Loong, say they are now "ready and on track to fix the kinks".
The Timbre Group is known for their live music clubs and bars, but its latest venture, which opened at the end of March, has 35 food stalls.
It has a mix of hawkers and modern establishments offering dishes from kai fun (street rice) to salted egg yolk fried chicken wings.
Timbre+ employs the clever use of graffiti-laced shipping containers and retro American Airstream mobile homes alongside regular stalls. It also has a stage for a live band, which plays almost every evening, and there is also a full-fledged liquor bar.
But how is the food? Here are six stalls I think many patrons will come back regularly for, after they are done gawking at the unique design concept.
FOOD ANATOMY
They offer up comfort food in Instagram-worthy blocks - from black pasta to donburi-inspired rice cubes.
You pick three items from a range of flavours and textures, and they will fill you up despite the dainty and pretty looks.
TWO WINGS
One of the most popular stalls at Timbre+, it has fried chicken wings that hit the spot..
They have introduced a salted egg yolk version, which goes well with craft beers for an evening listening to the live band.
FISHBALL STORY
Young hawker Douglas Ng, who runs two outlets in the west, tops his noodles with crispy fish skin, a fish paste fritter and handmade fishballs.
Comforting, especially with a sambal that is not too spicy.
D'S JOINT
The indefatigable chef Damian de Silva is back after shutting Immigrants Gastrobar in Joo Chiat last year.
His nasi lemak is generous, with an oversized and well-fried selar fish and fried chicken strips accompanied by a stunning sambal. The fluffy coconut rice has just enough "lemak" as well.
His fish and chips uses sweet and juicy snappers instead of the usual dory. He also offers kai fun (street rice) - a dish almost lost to us today as hardly anyone cooks it nowadays. It is essentially a rough grain porridge with chicken shreds, braised pork and Chinese sausage.
WONG KEE WANTON MEE
Behind this stall is a Generation Y hawker who gave up a banking career to hawk her family's recipe and she is drawing the crowds.
The noodles are what Cantonese folks will describe as "song", or comfortably chewy. The sauce complements the noodles well, but the char siew, while well-flavoured, was a tad too dry and lean.
ISKINA CEBU
Chef Chris Caledo roasts a whole pig over a custom-made open charcoal pit fire grill meant for indoor use.
The meat is lightly spiced and it goes well with rice. It is especially good paired with crisp slices of skin crackling.
Timbre+ is just a two-minute walk from One North MRT station, so if you are planning on eating, dancing and drinking, leave the car at home.
Timbre+
Block 73A, Ayer Rajah Crescent.
6am-midnight, closed on Sundays
KF Seetoh, the founder of Makansutra, dabbles in street food businesses like Food Markets, his own TV shows on cable, publishing food guides, consultancy and online content. He is also the creator of the World Street Food Congress. Follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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