The buzzing district of Boat Quay may be well-known for its watering holes and hawkers, but it’s also a popular place to sit and chill by the river — if you’re willing to shell out a little more for prime waterfront views, that is. And at The Sampan, it’s almost like you’re sailing across Asia through its menu of culinary classics from the region (the dishes come with a twist, though).
Housing breezy alfresco seats, a casual indoor bar area, a brightly-lit second floor dining room (that wouldn’t look out of place in a chill cafe), and a private third story space for events, the restaurant offers a selection of light bites, lunch and dinner plates, and cocktails.
To start, munch on the pork and chicken choi bao ($4) with lap cheong (Chinese sausage) and water chestnuts wrapped in lettuce leaf, or zest it up with the blue swimmer crab and pomelo salad ($14) tossed in sweet and sour chili dressing.
If you’re in the mood for Asian-style bar grub, go for the semolina-dusted baby calamari ($12) with green chili and coriander mayo, or sink your teeth into luscious bites of pani puri ($6), crispy shells that encase a creamy combination of stracciatella cheese and curried lentils, inspired by the Indian street food snack. More nibbles come in the form of Sichuan pepper chicken spare ribs ($12), a bowl of spicy, salty goodness that any fried chicken fan would happily peck at.
From the raw bar, you can get freshly shucked oysters ($4 each) with dressing options like chili lime, fresh lime, and ponzu sauce with salmon roe. Alternatively, you’ve also got the kingfish sashimi with nahm jim and pickled kohlrabi ($16) or sesame-crusted tuna loin ($16).
When you’re ready to move on to bigger plates, try proteins like the whole baby chicken with eggplant and tomato sambal ($26) for a lick of heat, or go for the angus grass-fed sirloin steak ($49), which is served with sambal green beans instead of your usual potatoes. Otherwise, the Sri Lankan vegetable curry with a fragrant scoop of garlic fried rice ($14) is a meat-free option that’s just as flavorful.
For dessert, the apple fritters with sprinkles of cinnamon sugar and a rum-spiced custard dip ($11) is an easily agreeable treat that’ll give you the warm and happy fuzzies inside, while the Valrhona chocolate and tofu mousse ($12) offers light and smooth spoonfuls that are lovely when paired with chai-spiced shortbread for texture and passion fruit curd for an element of tart fruitiness.
If you’re keen on a drink pairing, then besides the usual array of spirits, beers, and mocktails, The Sampan also does a menu of classic cocktails (again, with a twist), with concoctions like margaritas made with hibiscus-infused tequila and vanilla syrup ($17), a umeshu and shiso Negroni ($17), and an Old Fashioned that features pandan-infused rye whiskey ($16).
FIND IT:
The Sampan is at 63 Boat Quay.
6732-1698. Mon-Fri 11:30am-2:30pm, Mon-Sat 5pm-midnight.
MRT: Clarke Quay/Raffles Place
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