Food trends of 2017. Castella cakes and Poke bowls.

2017 saw food trends like protein bowls and Castella cakes. Will they still be in vogue in 2018? Snaking queue at a certain food shop at the basement of One Raffles Place is a common sight. Office workers and gym rats brave 20-minute wait (unless they arrive before or after the lunch hour, indicate what kind of protein, sides and sauce that they prefer and patiently wait for their healthy protein box to be ready. This sight is typical at The Daily Cut, which serves hundreds of such boxes every day. Or do you notice the ubiquitous salted egg yolk in everything, from fish skins, potato chips to pasta. Will these food trends die down or stay to join Singaporeans’ staples like fish ball noodles and chicken rice? We review some of the trends from 2017.

Rice and protein bowls

Regular green salads are so 2010. Now creating your own grain or rice bowls is all the rage with the busy CBD workerbees. Choose a base (brown rice, quinoa or soba noodles), a protein or two (turkey breast, sirloin steak or baked salmon), some sides (onsen egg, mushroom or Alfa Alfa sprouts), toppings and a dressing (sesame miso, honey mustard or Thai) and you will have a delicious and healthy lunch.

Photo credit: The Daily Cut Facebook

Grain Traders https://www.facebook.com/graintraderssg/

The Daily Cut https://www.facebook.com/thedailycut.sg/

A Poke Theory https://www.facebook.com/apoketheory/

Haakon Superfoods and Juice https://www.facebook.com/haakoncafe/

Castella cakes

The original recipe came from the Spanish kingdom of Castile, so the bake was once known as Pão de Castela (bread from Castile). However, the Japanese modified the recipe into a delicious treat, when the Portuguese brought it to Japan. The bouncier Japanese version of castella cake is just made with just eggs, bread flour, sugar and honey and has no butter or oil in it. “Aiyah, egg sponge cake lah.” an aunty muttered, as she eyed the bakes. The ones that stormed Singapore are more fluffy Taiwanese versions. While best to be eaten hot, they can be refrigerated up to 3 days. When they just invaded Singapore, Singaporeans did what they do best and joined the queues. However, the queues have since dissipated, so we shall see if this craze will continue this year.

Photo credit: Grand Castella website

Grand Castella Cake https://www.facebook.com/GrandCastellaCakeSG/

Le Castella https://www.facebook.com/LeCastellaSG/

Ah Ma Homemade Cake https://www.facebook.com/iloveahmahsg/

Gooey cheese slathered on everything

Molten ‘raclette’ cheese on everything is cheese lovers’ dream. Imagine that yellow and warm streaks of gooey goodness dripping down your chin. Oohh… Eating at Ollie Café’s Vintage Cheese Burger will be a messy affair. Check out the Grilled Three Cheese sandwich at Overeasy or Gyoza-Ya’s Yaki Cheesy Gyoza. Enough said.

Ollie Café https://www.facebook.com/ollie.sg.71

Overeasy https://www.facebook.com/OverEasySG/

Gyoza-Ya https://www.facebook.com/gyozaya.sg/

Seafood steamers

Raw rice, soup stock and other ingredients are placed into a pot to cook. Then the steaming tray is placed on top to cook everything from meat to seafood to vegetables. Cover it and leave to cook. The juices from the ingredients drip into the pot, adding flavour to the rice that is slowly cooking to become a delicious porridge. Seafood lovers who enjoy fresh seafood with little dressing (there are dips) will welcome the proliferation of restaurants specialising in seafood steamers.

Hi! Joyful https://www.facebook.com/HiJoyful/?ref=br_rs

Captain K Seafood Tower https://www.facebook.com/captainkseafoodtower/

Ming Tang Jiu Gong Ge Hotpot https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ming-Tang-Jiu-Gong-Ge-Hotpot/602168166616495

BBQ Box https://www.facebook.com/pages/BBQ-box-Bugis/361788453882086

Hawkers receiving Michelin stars

The Michelin Guide acknowledged Singapore hawker fare! Both Liao Fan Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice & Noodle and Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle got 2 Michelin stars each while The Noodle Story and Hong Heng Fried Sotong Prawn Mee (along with several other fellow hawkers) got nods from the Michelin Bib Gourmand.

Everything with salted egg yolk

Salted egg yolk prawns and sotong (squid) are pretty much staples in any Zi Char stall. Now, everything is blanketed in that ubiquitous golden sauce, from potato chips to fish skin. With Lunar Chinese New Year a month away, many of these containers of these munchies will be flying off the shelves. Even cafes are offering salted egg yolk waffles, cakes, eggs benedict and pasta. Salted egg yolk ice blended, anyone?

Photo credit: IRVIN’s Salted Egg Facebook

IRVIN’s Salted Egg https://www.facebook.com/irvinsaltedegg/

The Golden Duck Co. https://www.facebook.com/TGDSG/

Yolkalicious https://www.facebook.com/yolkalicious/

Singapore fusion concepts (Modern Singapore)

From amped up lobster Nasi Lemak to flower crab popiah, local F&B entrepreneurs are shaking things up by redefining Singapore dishes with different interpretation and addition of luxe ingredients. Chef Willin Low started this movement years back with Wild Rocket and the popular Laksa Pesto Linguine. Will our humble Char Kway Teow ever be the same a decade from now?