The Place White walls, white furniture and a somewhat minimalist look. The Snack Culture Company does not seem to fit into industrial building CT Hub at first look, but it is really more than just how it looks. Toying with the concept of a strong fusion theme of various cuisines around the world, I was attracted to the shelves of goodies, all baked in-house, spotting exotics flavours like Yuzu and Laksa Cookies. There is a gelato counter with interesting flavours, set lunches during lunch hours and this place also serves up as your private event if need be. Available only during dinner, the 9-course Omakase Degustation meal is what got me excited that night, as I tucked into a gastronomic journey unknowingly.

Read on to find out why I think  this is the best hidden gem in town.
The Food The 9-course Omakase Degustation is priced at an unbelievable $49+, which works out to slightly more than $5 per course. Small plates, big ingredients, around the world in 9 small plates. This is the essence of the Omakase Degustation at Snack Culture, inspired by dishes of cuisines from around the world, and made with some of the most popular items from the regular menu.

1) Japanese Edamame with Tom Yum Espuma

A very fresh combination, as I told Miss Bento. I would have never imagined this pairing. I dropped the Edamame into the Tom Yum Espuma, which added a different layer to the tom yum taste. This dish totally whetted my appetite for the night.
2) Chilled Korean Mandu in Singapore Bak Kut Teh Consomme

Korean dumplings and local Bak Kut Teh? Another creative combination of ingredients which does not clash in taste. The real surprise for me is the chilled soup which do not bring down the satisfaction of the dish for me surprisingly, as I am so used to having warm Bak Kut Teh soup all my life.
3) Chilled Black Fungus and Mushroom Salad in Nonya Belachan Mayo Dressing

Inspired by Nonya Chap Chye (as the owner’s wife is Peranakan), the salad is as appetising, if not more, than the first course. The Nonya Belachan Mayo Dressing is the best part of it. My spiciness threshold is not the highest, but the overall taste is definitely enhanced after adding the belachan (chilli).
4) Ter Kar Chor Scotch

Ter Kah Chor is Vinegared Pork Knuckle in local dialect Hokkien, and this dish is a twist to the orthodox British Scotch Eggs. We were recommended to cut the egg in half, to taste the original egg flavour, before dipping the other half in the vinegar dip and have it with the ginger nest. I prefer the vinegared and ginger combination, which definitely added more flavour to solely the egg. The petite presentation also reminds me of a bird’s nest!
5) Asian Trio

This is probably my favourite course of the meal – think of Beef Bulgogi in Vietnamese Rice Paper Roll, Ayam Buah Keluak Wanton and Laksa Crostini. It is hard not to fall in love with the marriage of ingredients from different cuisines here, because I did.
My favourite is the Ayam Buah Keluak Wanton, largely because I have a personal penchant for Buah Keluak which retains its rich taste in the fried wanton. The Laksa Crostini is also a unique creation, which has Laksa prawn topped on the in-store baked Haebe Hiam Cookie. So good.
6) ‘Pen Cai’ Parcel

A Chinese inspired dish from Pen Cai, this nourishing soup consists of some of the common premium ingredients seen in Pen Cai such as Abalone, Shiitake Mushroom and Scallop. I guess the soup is for us to cleanse our palate at the mid-point of the omakase course, so that our palate is ready to take in the rest of the courses. A very thoughtful arrangement.
7) Kaffir Tomato Capellini Pasta and Cantonese ‘Har Jeong’ Soft Shell Crab

As expected, the course after the soup is a much richer flavour one. I am usually not a fan of tomato base pasta but this Tomato Capellini Pasta is done al dente tastefully. My only complaint is that the ‘Har Jeong’ taste was quite faint on the Soft Shell Crab, which lost the intended contrast to the more familiar ‘Har Jeong Gai’ (Prawn Paste Chicken).

Can you spot the number of international flavours in this dish?
8) Seafood En Papillote

Up till this point, I am around 75% full. But the aroma of the Seafood En Papillote arrested my attention once again. Prepared the French En Papillote fashion, Cajun garlic prawns and clams were fresh and I especially enjoyed the strong garlic soup in the bag as well. This is a definitely a treat for any self-professed seafood lover. Oh remember to dip the homemade breads into the soup, slurps!
9) Chendol Panna Cotta

The final lap, desserts. I love Chendol, such a rich flavour in Peranakan cuisine. The gula Melaka taste is rich, while the silky texture of the panna cotte completes it. I had two servings of this, all thanks to my generous companion.
This is it. A satisfying 9-course Omakase Degustation.

Rants At the moment, dinner is only served from Thursday to Saturday but this may be revised in future to include more days.

Will I Return Again? After the meal, I am in awe with the love and effort made in every dish here at The Snack Culture Company. From the conceptualisation to the execution of the dishes, the creative juices are aplenty in each course. The personal touches by the owner is also a welcoming affirmation on the warm hospitality and service, as he went round each table during the course of the meal to share stories about the dishes. For $49, this is the probably the most value for money 9-course meal around, without compromising the quality.

I will be back for sure, what are you waiting for?

TheRantingPanda says:
Taste bud: 4.5/5
Hole in the pocket: 3.5/5
Ambience: 4/5
Overall Experience: 5/5

The Snack Culture Company
#02-17, CT Hub, 2 Kallang Avenue
Singapore 339407
Tel: +65 6443 2006

Opening Hours:
Open Monday-Saturday from 9am to 7pm
Closed on Sundays

Thursday, Friday & Saturday Nights
7pm – 10pm –  serving ‘Around The World in 9 Small Plates’ Degustation Menu. By Reservation Only.

For reservation and further information: http://www.snackculture.com