Dehesa isn’t the only meatmonger for such adventurous dishes! Here’s our meaty guide to Singapore’s best offal dishes like bone marrow and duck liver at tapas restaurants, yakitori izakayas and more. Dare to try?
If you’re savvy with nose-to-tail dining in Singapore, its very mention will bring to mind two restaurants: Dehesa and the now closed Wolf. Specifically, the nose-to-tail-dining concept involves utilising as much of the animal as possible, from bone marrow and brain to liver and intestines. Unfortunately, the food scene is pretty scarce when it comes to actual nose-to-tail dining, but we’ve rounded up a couple of daring dishes at these restaurants, bars and izakayas that’ll keep the carnivores among us happy. From beef tongue to lamb hearts, and even pig heads – would you dare to devour these dishes?
Salted & Hung – Tripe, beef tongue, sweetbreads
Salted & Hung’s unique focus on cured meats (and offal) snags a spot on this list. Under the “fermented fried braised” category of the menu, you’ll find Szechuan tripe and beef tongue with wasabi mayo. While the “grilled seared charred” section of the menu offers sweetbreads served with savoy cabbage with granola and saltbush.
Salted & Hung, 12 Purvis Street, Singapore 188591. Open Mon-Fri 12pm-2.30pm and 6pm-10.30pm, Sat 6pm-10.30pm.
Dehesa – For calf liver, ox heart, pig head (we could go on)
The undisputed exemplar of nose-to-tail dining in Singapore, Dehesa is a haven for the adventurous carnivores among us. There’s little this offal-centric Spanish restaurant doesn’t serve, but take it a step at a time, and start off with chewy duck hearts piled high on toast. Not exciting enough for you? Prep yourself for main courses that explore more unusual parts of the anatomy, like crispy pig head, ox tongue, calf liver, ox heart and the tender, creamy milk-fed lamb sweetbread served with capers and parsley.
Dehesa, 12 North Canal Road, Singapore 048825. p. 6221 7790.
Lollapalooza – Roasted lamb hearts, veal sweetbreads, veal tongue
Lollapalooza’s menu is updated daily to take advantage of fresh meats and produce, and thankfully for this list, this menu regularly includes offal offerings like veal sweetbreads with baby carrots and corned veal tongue with salsa verde. Lucky diners might even stumble upon more adventurous dishes like roasted lamb hearts. Make sure you give ’em a call beforehand if you’re keen on a particular part… we mean, dish.
Lollapalooza, 1 Keong Saik Road, Singapore 089109. p. 6221 3538.
Ding Dong – Lamb tongue
Ding Dong’s new digs on Amoy Street comes with a revamped menu as well. The bar restaurant’s most eclectic menu offering (and there are plenty!) is the five spice lamb tongue with pickled cucumber and black pepper sauce. The tongue, brined overnight and marinated with five spices, is cooked sous vide, cubed, then fried – perfect with a couple of their equally quirky cocktails. Stay tuned for our full review.
Ding Dong, #01-02, 115 Amoy Street, Singapore 069935. p. 6557 0189.
Employees Only – Bone marrow poppers
You might be a little perplexed to see a bar on this list, but trust us when we say that this bar’s kitchen serves some stellar light bites. The bone marrow poppers, a specialty of Executive Chef Julia Jaksic come in a trio; the bone marrow is wrapped in a puff pastry tube and topped with a creamy bordelaise sauce. Make this your destination if you’re after a drink and a couple of devilishly good plates of bar grub.
Employees Only, 112 Amoy Street, Singapore 069932. p. 6221 7357. Open Sun-Thu 5pm-2am, Fri-Sat 5pm-3am.
The Black Swan – Baked bone marrow crostini
We’re no strangers to this swish 1930s Art Deco space, so when we need a savoury pick-me-up, we pop by for Black Swan’s baked bone marrow crostini with bread. The creamy bone marrow paired with crunchy toasted crostini (and a cocktail or two) is one of our fave ways to chase away the Monday blues.
The Black Swan, 19 Cecil Street, Singapore 049704. p. 6438 3757.
Neon Pigeon – Duck liver mousse and roasted bone marrow
While not as exotic as some of the other offerings on this list, this modern Japanese izakaya’s mighty good duck liver mousse deserves a place on this list – think of it as a creamy foie gras jam. The other offal menu item, the roasted bone marrow, deserves mention as well for its unique Asian twist thanks to the addition of furikake seasoning and crispy garlic.
Neon Pigeon, 1 Keong Saik Road, Singapore 089109. p. 6222 3623. Open Mon-Sat 6pm-12am.
Mo’Mor Izakaya – Grilled Iberico pork jowl
Like bacon? Then you’ll absolutely love the grilled Iberico pork jowl at Mo’Mor Izakaya. This tender, perfectly charred cut from the pig’s cheek will be a hit with the carnivorously-inclined who don’t want to stray too far into offal territory. But hey, if you’re more adventurous, here’s an izakaya that’s great for offal…
Mo’Mor Izakaya, #B1-01, 56 Tanglin Road, Singapore 247964. p. 6463 8080.
Bincho – Chicken heart and liver
Sometimes, all you need is a little heart, so have a go at Bincho’s Tori Zukushi Set and feast on the included yakitori “tare” platter with chicken heart, liver and neck (header image). This indulgent set menu also includes a yakitori “shio” platter with soft bone, gizzard and tail for $90++. If seven courses is a little much, pop by during lunch for a tender beef tongue rice bowl – dare your colleagues to give this a shot!
Bincho, #01-19, 78 Moh Guan Terrace, Singapore 162078. p. 6438 4567. Open Tue-Sun 12pm-3pm, 6pm-12am.
Meat Smith – Pork rinds
Now there’s no way these meat mavens are going to miss out on this party. Order up a crispy plate of pork rinds to go with a couple of pints from its selection of craft beers. Too much porcine indulgence for you? Pick the bone marrow served with toast and chimichurri instead.
Meat Smith, 167-169 Telok Ayer Street, Singapore 068620. p. 6221 2262. Open daily 8.30am-12am.
Swatow Seafood Restaurant – Pig’s head
Head to Swatow and go face-to-face (we couldn’t resist) with its Teochew-style sliced braised pig head. If staring your dinner in the eyes is a little too grim for you, don’t worry, the dish comes pre-sliced, so even the more squeamish of your peers won’t mind.
Swatow Seafood Restaurant, 181 Lorong 4 Toa Payoh, Singapore 310181. p. 6363 1717. Open daily 8am-10.30pm.
