The Place Located right above restaurant Nouri along Amoy Street, Appetite is the cool kid of chef-owner Ivan Brehm (also behind one Michelin-starred restaurant Nouri) on level two of the shophouse. The space of Appetite feels like speakeasy concept as you need to ring the doorbell before the staff lets you in. I then realised that it is more than a restaurant, as a huge part of the space is also allocated to create an art gallery vibe, along with private and cosy corners for guests to unwind over drinks and snacks. 

Back to the main dining space of Appetite, it is a fine-casual open concept where diners sit around the open kitchen. I guess the main difference between Nouri and Appetite is that the latter is more relaxed, and the dishes on the menu are more experimental.  

The Food The menu here is inspired by global food traditions, where the food at Appetite takes on a globally informed and regionally focused approach. You can choose from the ala carte menu or go for the Chef’s Choice Menu (S$182++ per pax). 

I had the Chef’s Choice Menu and here is what to expect: 

Snacks 
A trio of snacks to start which are all served separately as the portion is quite substantial for a snack.  

Hokkaido corn custard, white corn and lime succotash, Bafun uni  
Can’t go wrong with this creamy mix of corn and Bafun uni, where the taste is so smooth and delicious.  

Foie gras and chicken liver parfait, crosnes, Bronte pistachio 
Two of my favourite sinful ingredients on a crispy toast. I couldn’t deny that foie gras and chicken liver parfait just gel so well together.  

Sakura ebi fritter, ama ebi, grapefruit, marie rose 
This snack is like a fine tempura course where the grapefruit cuts through the slight greasiness of the shrimp fritter.  

Sucrine   
The next course features braised baby gem lettuce, petit pois, mint and lap cheong. Yes, who would have thought that ‘lap cheong’ aka Chinese sausage can go well with salad? 

Orecchiette 
One of the rare carb courses I had was the orecchiette with cuttlefish ragu, fennel flowers and pangrattato.  

Escabeche   
Cantabrian turbot and its engawa, brassica, rice berry and mala oils.  

Pork 
For mains, a sinfully tender Duroc pork belly is featured along with Asian herb salad, banana ketchup and pickled mustard seeds. 

Clafoutis   
For dessert, I had the apricot clafoutis with frangipane and Tahitian vanilla ice cream. One interesting part of the meal is that guests are typically ushered to a living room space at the mezzanine level for desserts, which breaks the momentum of the meal in a good way.   

Petit Fours 
Last but not least, some petit fours to conclude the meal.  

Rants Personally I feel that the transition of the meal from the main dining hall to the living room lounge area during the dessert segment could be a double-edged sword. While it is nice to break the momentum of the meal, the table at the lounge area is quite small and the space could also be quite tight between diners since everyone is sitting on the same long couch.

Will I Return Again? Appetite gives me the vibe of a speakeasy restaurant and it almost feels like I have a private chef cooking for me the whole night. The Chef’s Choice Menu might be better value as compared to the ala carte prices, and if you want a fine-casual meal in town with good vibes, this is one to check out.

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

Appetite
72A Amoy Street
Singapore 069891
Tel: +65 9751 5300

Opening Hours
Tuesday to Saturday: 6pm to 12am
Closed on Monday & Sunday

Ranted by The Ranter