Food Review: COMO Cuisine At Dempsey | A Gastronomic Journey Through Various COMO Properties Around The World

Posted on October 14, 2019 by theRantingPanda in Food

The Place I didn’t realise COMO Cuisine has been around for two years. Located at Dempsey right beside COMO Dempsey which houses The Dempsey Cookhouse & Bar, COMO Cuisine is like a congregation of the highlights of dishes from other COMO properties and COMO Shambala. The space of COMO cuisine is gorgeous, that was my first impression. I like the clean interior design, the welcoming scent of the restaurant and the ample space between tables.

The Food The dinner started with a mix of hearty appetisers like the Thai inspired Spicy Prawn Relish (S$12). It is served with a healthy mix of house-made rice cracker and fruit crudites, and the way to enjoy the dish is to dip it into the coconut chilli relish with local tiger prawns and grilled corn. This dish whets the appetite for the meal.

Next up is something exotic, Bhutanese Momos (S$12) from COMO’s Bhutanese properties. This is essentially pork dumplings served with ezay chilli sauce, a type of chilli sauce made from Szechuan peppers grown in Bhutan. Dumpling itself is a very oriental snack, so the taste reminds me of the Chinese versions.

For Greens to start, go for the Golden Beetroot (S$15) or Thai inspired Mangrove Crab Salad (S$24). The former is a mix of golden heirloom beetroot, nectarine, frisée, pickled onions, spring onions and feta drizzled with poppy seed vinaigrette; while the latter is a salad of exotic fruits with spicy lime dressing. I prefer the Mangrove Crab Salad, even though the beetroot’s presentation is prettier.

Don’t miss the Tandoor Cauliflower ($22), a COMO Shambala signature dish. This appetising cauliflower is prepared in tandoor oven and served with curry leaves, pomegranate, farro, almonds and nigella yoghurt. The curry makes it quite aromatic and definitely adds a more exciting element to an otherwise bland cauliflower.

Healthy snack to share? There’s the Island Fries ($12) which use sweet potatoes, cassava and plantains. Not your usual sauces, as these fried chucks are served with spiced yoghurt and mango chutney sauces.

For mains, the Pappardelle ($30) can’t go very wrong. The house-made pappardelle is served with duck ragout, basil and shaved pecorino. This is a distinct Italian dish which can also be found at the Italian restaurants across COMO.

I have been paying more attention to Biryani these days after having a memorable one at Nadodi in KL. The version here from COMO Cuisine elevates the luxe factor by having a Lobster Biryani ($48). Covered with house-made naan, the rice is cooked in lobster broth and within the rice are generous chunks of Canadian lobster meat. The overall flavour is quite hearty, and the basmati rice retains a moist texture. The dish is served along with raita and guava pomegranate salad, a seemingly healthy balance to the Biryani.

If you fancy a heavier mains in terms of flavour profile, the Lamb Shank Massaman ($45) is a good option. The lamb here is very tender and not at all gamy. Without the lamb, I simply enjoy dipping the naan bread into the curry sauce.

For desserts, expect a good mix of options like ginger Jackfruit Pudding ($14) served with house-made jaggery ice cream; Rich Chocolate Cake ($14) of salted caramel chocolate tart; and a rotating soft serve flavour.

I really like the intensely Rich Chocolate Cake and Mocha Soft Serve ($10) served with its house-made waffle. It’s tough to shake off being a chocoholic.

Rants I had the pre-conceived notion that COMO restaurants typically serve wellness inspired dishes which may not be appealing to some.

Will I Return Again? The different menu at COMO Cuisine at different times of the day is a good excuse to return. I’m most keen to be back for its breakfast menu which looks nothing like the usual cafe fares, and the restaurant should be even more alluring in the day with the ample natural light.

This was an invited tasting, though all opinions expressed are our own.

Make your reservations instantly at COMO Cuisine here.

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