Get on board these 8 food trends of 2019

The best part about food trends is that they can range from anything between sensible (the Mediterranean diet) to downright questionable (coloured/dyed foods). And some trends might even sound bizarre at first but make total sense once you try them. For example, remember the cronut and cruffin craze? Well, croiffles (yes, you guessed it, a croissant-waffle hybrid) are bound to make their way here soon, as they’re already a thing in the US. But, until that crazy (and maybe delicious?) trend hits us, here are eight trends to get on board in 2019.

1. Seaweed Snacks

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Seaweed has been around for ages, and is a much-loved ingredient in Japanese, Korean and Chinese cuisines. These days, it has gone mainstream and is being enjoyed by many others too. Perhaps it’s because there’s growing interest towards plant-based foods, or more people are simply wising up to the fact that seaweed is full of nutritional benefits. But we’ve been seeing the ingredient popping up in various incarnations lately, and is even deemed to be a superfood.

Over in Singapore, besides the usual sushi and seaweed sheets in ramen, you can find it in various other forms. Seaweed butter is one — it is gaining in popularity and award-winning restaurant Jaan (which has a Michelin star) serves it (together with unsalted butter) with its signature sourdough. If you want to have a stash of seaweed butter to consume at home, order some from Secrets Fine Food here.

Seaweed snacks are also a hot favourite. Made-in-Singapore brand The Golden Duck sells two versions of this – the Singapore Chilli Crab Seaweed Tempura and Singapore Salted Egg Crab Seaweed Tempura. Both are so flavourful and umami, you can’t stop at just one. You can also go for the Tao Kae Noi Crispy Seaweed in supermarkets like Fairprice Singapore and Redmart.

Jaan is at Level 70, Swissôtel The Stamford, 2 Stamford Road, Singapore 178882, tel: 6837 3322. 

2. Probiotics

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Many of us who grew up in Singapore have been exposed to probiotic drinks since were were kids. With the importance of gut health being emphasised in recent years, probiotics have become much-talked-about, and have also become a must-have supplement for many medicine cabinets. Probiotics are essentially live bacteria (the good type) that are good for your digestive system and are found in foods such as yoghurts.

Lately, drinks like kefir and kombucha have become popular alternatives. Kefir is a fermented milk drink that improves digestion and bloating. Kombucha is made from an either green or black tea base, with some fermented ingredients added too. You can get these drinks from various health food stores, such as Miss Kefir.

Miss Kefir is at 308 Telok Kurau Road, #01-06 Vibes@ East Coast, Singapore 423858, tel: 9198-6016.

3. Guilt-Free Desserts

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A lot has been said about avoiding – or at least cutting down on – sugar in our diets but this doesn’t mean that we can’t enjoy our favourite desserts. Local favourite Swensen’s has launched a new lower-sugar ice cream range, with up to 39 per cent less sugar. They’re available in three classic flavours – vanilla, chocolate and strawberry – and is in line with the Health Promotion Board’s Healthier Dining guidelines for lower sugar content in desserts. The ice cream is priced the same as their regular versions – $4.50 for a single scoop and $7.50 for double scoops, hooray!

Another place for you to indulge in healthy treats without an ounce of guilt is at All The Batter, a cafe that aims to make lives ‘all the batter’ (geddit?) through avocado and natural foods. Avocados take centrestage here and the cakes are made without butter and are non-dairy too (you can request for egg-less options). Enjoy the natural goodness of the fruit through its Avocado Strawberry Gateau cake, Chocolate Avocado cake, Avocado Citrus Pie and Avovegado Yogurt Fruit Tarts.

You can also try Delcie’s Desserts, which has a range of cakes and bakes that are gluten-free, keto, vegan-, diabetic- and even baby-friendly. Their natural cake recipes do not contain eggs, dairy products, chemicals or egg-aiding agents, while not compromising on taste. Feast away!

Swensen’s has various outlets, check website for details. All The Batter is at #B1-46 Anchorpoint, Singapore 159953 and 17 Jasmine Road, Adelphi Park, Singapore 576585, tel:8510 6313. Delcie’s Desserts is at 34 Whampoa West #01-83, Singapore 330034, tel: 6282 2951.

ALSO READ: WILL YOU STILL BE ONBOARD THESE SINGAPORE FOOD TRENDS IN 2019?

4. Sustainable Dining

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It has been a buzzword for a few years now but ‘sustainable food’ is definitely gaining traction in Singapore. Farm-to-table restaurants have been sprouting out all over our sunny island and eateries like Open Farm Community focuses on locally sourced, seasonal and innovative dishes. The herb and vegetable garden as well as farmers’ market here are definitely worth a look too.

Even The Grand Hyatt’s popular restaurant mezza9 launched a new menu a few months ago with sustainability on its mind. All the seafood is certified by the Aquaculture Stewardship Council or the Marine Stewardship Council as responsibly farmed or caught. The restaurant also uses herbs from the hotel’s rooftop gardens and sources for organic vegetables from farms in Singapore and Malaysia.

And popular brunch spot Strangers’ Reunion has just launched a new menu soon (on Feb 27), featuring some exciting additions that are prepared with upcycled ingredients. For example, Salmon Skin Chips utilises salmon skin which would otherwise be discarded, and Pork and Broccoli gives the vegetable’s stems and stalks a new lease of life by first steaming to soften them, then slow roasted to enhance their natural sweetness. Less food wastage overall – we’re definitely applauding this.

Open Farm Community is at 130S Minden Road, Singapore 248819, tel: 6471 0306. mezza9 is at Mezzanine Level, Grand Hyatt Singapore, 10 Scotts Road, Singapore 228211, tel: 6738 1234. Strangers’ Reunion is at 33-35 Kampong Bahru Road, Singapore 169355, tel: 6222 4869.

5. Going Meat-Free

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Perhaps you’re vegetarian or vegan or you just like to have a few meat-free days during the week. It’s now easy to find such dining options, with a plethora of cafes and restaurants with vegetarian/vegan menus. Greendot is an Asian-fusion meat-free casual eatery that started out as a stall in Temasek Polytechnic in 2011 and has grown into a chain with 10 outlets all over Singapore.

And if burgers are your food of choice, VeganBurg is the place to go. The world’s first 100 per cent plant-based burger joint is, indeed, a Singapore brand, and it has an outlet in San Francisco too. It’s also changing the concept that fast food is junk food; their burgers aren’t just vegan, they’re also free of cholesterol, hormones and GMOs. Celebrities such as Paul McCartney, Belinda Carlisle and Chrissie Hynde are huge fans of these burgers, how cool is that?

Greendot has various outlets, check here for details. VeganBurg is at 44 Jalan Eunos, Singapore 419502, tel: 6844 6868.

6. Famous Names Go Casual

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Singapore has been a haven for celebrity chefs to venture into the Asian market and we have seen a number of them set up shop here, with varying levels of success. But it seems well-known faces in the F&B scene are scaling down and making their food more accessible to the masses.

David Pynt, from modern Australian barbecue restaurant Burnt Ends (which earned a Michelin star in 2018), surprised many when he opened a hawker stall at Makansutra Gluttons Bay in December. Meatsmith Western BBQ is a nod to his other venture, American barbecue joint Meatsmith. The menu features reasonably-priced Asian-inspired BBQ dishes, such as Char Siew Pork Ribs and Smoked Suckling Pig with Glutinous Rice, and prices start at just $4.

Affordable ‘fancy’ food is also the recipe to FrapasBar’s success. This venture by the Saveur group has introduced French tapas to Singaporeans, with dishes such as Crabmeat Croquette, Salmon Tartare and, of course, Foie Gras. We approve.

Meatsmith Western BBQ is at #01-15, Makansutra Gluttons Bay, 8 Raffles Avenue, Singapore 039802, tel: 6336 7025. FrabasBar has outlets at Century Square and The Cathay. Visit here for addresses.

ALSO READ: 8 BEST PLACES IN SINGAPORE FOR GLUTEN-FREE FOOD OPTIONS

7. Eat & Shop In One Place

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One of the most ingenious ideas we’ve seen is to combine two of our favourite pastimes – eating and shopping – in one venue. Who doesn’t love stores like Café&Meal MUJI, where we can browse through a range of products such as stationery and household goods, then rest our weary legs with a drink or meal at their minimalist-yet-stylish cafe?

Carpenter & Cook is a charming vintage home store that also houses an artisan bakery cafe. It’s a unique step back in time and you’ll be thinking about the food long after too. We love the fresh baked goods served on pretty china. Men can get in on the fun as well, at Monument Lifestyle, which sells clothes that embody the California lifestyle, and has a cafe too. The laid-back spot sells light bites like various toasts and a granola cup from Plain Vanilla’s house blend granola.

Café&Meal MUJI stores are located at Plaza Singapura, Paragon Shopping Centre and Raffles City. Visit here for addresses. Carpenter & Cook is at 19 Lorong Kilat, #01-06, Singapore 598120, tel: 64633648. Monument Lifestyle is at 75 Duxton Road, Singapore 089534.

8. Pasta Bowls

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We’ve had poke bowls and acai bowls but what about…pasta bowls? Pasta Supremo, a pop-up restaurant that opened in February, specialises in freshly-made pasta bowls that diners can get creative with, thanks to its build-it-yourself menu. Choose from three naturally-coloured homemade pasta (cooked a la minute), a variety of classic and locally-inspired protein options, and four different sauces. Sure, some healthy bowl options elsewhere also feature pasta but this is exciting as the pasta is freshly-made and there are some uniquely Singapore toppings to choose from, such as Burnt Miso Corn, Bak Kwa Jam, Chicken Skins and even Lap Cheong Crumble. We think it could be the start of the next food trend in Singapore, following the popularity of other ‘bowl’ foods here.

Pasta Supremo is at #01-365/344/373/374, Suntec City Mall, 3 Temasek Boulevard, Singapore 038983, 6909 8138. The pop-up restaurant will be around until late 2020.

ALSO READ: YOUR GO-TO GREEN-GROCERS