Modern European sharing plates gets an artful twist in this hip, intimate restaurant off Orchard Road.
Tucked away in the basement of Tanglin Post Office, MACA is set to be a hotspot for fans of communal dining. Flooded with soft light, the intimate new restaurant embraces the achingly hip raw aesthetic with weathered concrete, wood and brick furnishings that would look right at home in a Kinfolk magazine.
The modern European menu, designed by Sri Lankan-born chef Rishi Naleendra (formerly from Oxwell & Co), offers seasonal sharing plates that glean a mish-mash of influences from different cuisines, Japanese to French. Naleendra has a panache for challenges and experiments, and his approach to life is reflected in the surprising combinations of flavours and texture here.
Summery seafood dishes were front-runners during our visit. We polished off tender chargrilled smoked miso baby octopus ($22); a wonderfully umami, gone-to-soon smoked swordfish belly in zesty avocado and yuzu jus ($18), and a refreshing Argentinean prawn ceviche with tomato halves and shreds of kombu ($18). Vegetables were seasoned to a tee, too. Salt-baked beetroot ($17), served with crumbly goats cheese, horseradish and pickled raisin, nailed the balance between sweet and savoury.
Carnivorous types won’t want to miss out on the grilled beef tongue ($22) – springy in bite, with just the right amount of fat – accompanied by zucchini ribbons and tuscan kale and soy cream. We also recommend the juicy chargrilled lamb rump ($36), with a small mint, pine nut and eggplant salad and a generous portion of eggplant yogurt that we mopped up.
Their decadent desserts are worth making a little room for. We loved the burnt pear ($15), sitting pretty on a buttery almond crumble drizzled with caramel yogurt, with a gorgeously light pear sorbet on the side.
If you’re willing to splash out on a memorable meal, MACA’s sommelier can recommend a drink pairing from the selection of wines (from $70-$260 a bottle) from France, Spain, Italy and Australia. For something more adventurous, ask the bar for one of their intriguing cocktails crafted by the ace Proof & Co team.
MACA, #B1-01 Tanglin Post Office, 56 Tanglin Road, Singapore 247964, p. 6463 8080; Wed-Sat 5pm-10pm, Sun noon-4pm, 5pm-10pm.