Ding Dong has added new culinary creations and drinks to its menu, giving you more reason to climb Ann Siang Hill to its doorstep for a meal.
Chef Jet Lo helms the kitchen at Ding Dong and together with Chef-owner Ryan Clift (not pictured), is behind its new and enticing menu
Ann Siang Hill is so filled with watering holes and eateries that sometimes deciding where to go can seem an insurmountable task. Having tried the food at Ding Dong, however, it seems clear that the chinoiserie chic bar/restaurant will now sit high up on our list of choices when on Ann Siang Hill.
Ding Dong has been a mainstay on Ann Siang Hill for over two years and it keeps itself abreast of shifting food trends by introducing new dishes created by Head Chef Jet Lo and Chef-owner Ryan Clift (of Tippling Club fame), that put a spin on favorites in the Asian region. This week, we had the good fortune of sampling some of these new creations.
Vegetable “Kon Lao Mee” with Sliced Pork
One of the stars of the session, is the cold plate inspired by a popular dish from his hometown in Sabah, Malaysia, Chef Lo reworked the traditional kon lao mee (noodles served with dark sauce, vinegar and other savory ingredients) by replacing noodles with shredded root vegetables, and topping the dish off with sliced Mangalitsa pork. It is refreshing and delicious, and the protein really lives up to its name of being the “Kobe Beef of Pork”.
Burnt Nasu with Crab and Crispy Shrimp
Another noteworthy cold plate is the Burnt Nasu with Crab and Crispy Shrimp, a combination of Japanese baby eggplant paired with cooked crab meat, dried shrimp and crispy shallot. For an eggplant dish that tasted this good, we were surprised to find out that Chef Lo is not a fan of the nightshade, which was what inspired him to create an eggplant dish that he could bring himself to eat. You see, good things can come out of bad situations.
“Nan Ru” Pork Ribs with Ginger and Apricot
A new dish on the list of small plates is the “Nan Ru” Pork Ribs that are ribs coated in red and white fermented bean curd. Crispy on the outside with tender meat that slides off the bone so easily, you can only wonder what you’ve done in your earthly life to deserve such heavenly rewards. The ribs are served with a ginger and apricot dip, but they’re just as good on their own.
Crispy Duck Curry with Cauliflower and Passion Fruit
Finally, the big plates. Chef Lo introduces two new dishes – a Crispy Duck Curry and a Wagyu Beef Char Siew. That’s right, wagyu beef. Char. Siew. In this dish, tender wagyu beef slices get the dark, crisp, malt coated treatment that you find in traditional pork char siew. It is simply divine. The Crispy Duck Curry is so damn good you will need a private moment to savor it all – try it to believe it. Big shoutout also to the fact that big plates come served with a bowl of white rice because we’re so Asian that way.
Wagyu Beef Char Siew with Pickled Papaya and Cherry Tomato
Dessert at Ding Dong is a fruity affair, with tropical fruits such as banana, mango and coconut making up the main ingredients in the sweets. For an Instagram-worthy dessert, order the Frozen “Pulut Panggang” with Pandan and Coconut, a serving of fresh coconut, pandan jelly, puffed rice and gula melaka, along with wispy smoke trails from the dry ice embedded in the bowl.
Frozen “Pulut Panggang” with Pandan and Coconut
The creativity even extends to the assortment of cocktail drinks. There are six new concoctions that are a playful take on perennial favorites. For instance, the Stylo Milo is a dessert-style cocktail of Hakushu distillers reserve, green chartreuse and Milo concentrate, served in a crumpled green cup that brings to mind the good ol’ Milo trucks many are familiar with.
Stylo Milo
Ding Dong is located at 23 Ann Siang Hill and operates from 12pm – 3pm (Mondays to Fridays) and 6pm – midnight (Mondays to Saturdays). Closed on Sundays. Check out their website for more details.