At Como Cuisine, dishes are selected from a list of signatures across the brand’s hotels and resorts worldwide. It’s like dining across the globe without having to leave the quiet embrace of the Dempsey haunt.
The ethos here is to use fresh, seasonal produce and ingredients that are sourced locally as much as possible, and the resulting menu is healthy but hearty. Items come from the likes of Como Castello Del Nero in Italy, Como Uma Paro in Bhutan, Como Maalifushi in the Maldives, and Como Shambhala Cuisine, the group’s wellness arm.
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Even the space, with its hanging greenery and elegant minimalism, reflects the refined experience of dining on wholesome recipes made from scratch. Led by Bhutanese native chef Tshering Lhaden, who has spent time in the Maldives and the Caribbean, the kitchen aims for variety in its offerings, which differ from breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner.
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If you’re one of those enviable types who have the time to enjoy a leisurely weekday breakfast, morning meals at Como Cuisine are a treat.
Think vanilla French toast ($20) with brioche, bananas, and strawberry jam; Como Shambhala’s Real Toast ($18), made of dehydrated fruits, veggies, nuts, and seeds in a gluten-free cracker, then topped with heirloom tomatoes and mashed avocado; and masala dosa ($22) from Como Cocoa Islands.
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When lunch rolls around, the lobster biryani ($48, also available for dinner) is a good pick from Como Maalifushi and Como Cocoa Islands. As you tear off the cover of naan bread, the fragrance of lobster steam-baked with spice-rich basmati rice wafts up, giving you a teaser of a dish worth the impending carb coma.
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While still casual, dinner is more of a sophisticated affair, with generously portioned plates that you can share around the table for a small sampling of everything.
Start off with the Bhutanese Momos ($12), handmade with buckwheat, pork, and a side of ezay chilli (beware the slow burn on the spice), then move on to the duck pappardelle ($30), a popular pick at the brand’s Italian restaurants.
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Other menu items to try include hoisin-glazed Kurobuta pork ribs ($40), lamb shank massaman with potatoes and naan bread ($45), spicy prawn relish ($12), and golden beetroot ($20), a colorful plate of nectarine, frisée, feta, and poppy seed vinaigrette.
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If you’ve ever been here before though, you’ll know that the charred tandoor cauliflower ($22) is reason enough to return for a second serving. The classic favorite of Como Shambhala is roasted in the tandoor oven for a smoky aroma, complemented by a flavorful marinate of yogurt, turmeric, garlic, ginger, coriander, and chickpea flower. A simple bed of nigella yogurt, pomegranate, and roasted almonds completes the dish.
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To end, the jackfruit pudding ($14) is a dairy-free option from Como Shambhala in Bali. It keeps things light with a ginger and jackfruit cake, coconut and jackfruit slices, and house-made jiggery (cane sugar) ice cream.
For something richer, try Como Cuisine’s take on its Tuscany property’s chocolate cake ($14), made with a digestive biscuit crust, rum-marinated cherries, coffee caramel, and vanilla mascarpone Chantilly.
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Clearly, eating around the world doesn’t come cheap. But it’s worth an occasional splurge, especially when you’ve got time to savor the offerings over a weekend meal.
FIND IT:
Como Cuisine is at Blk 18A Dempsey Rd.
Breakfast: Mon-Fri 8am-noon; Lunch: Mon-Fri noon-3pm; Weekend brunch: Sat-Sun 8am-3pm; Afternoon menu: Mon-Sun 3pm-6pm; Dinner: Sun-Thurs 6pm-10pm & Fri-Sat 6pm-10:30pm.
MRT: Orchard