The Tiong Bahru neighbourhood welcomes its newest tenant to the iconic Moh Guan Terrace – Dirty Supper. Taking over where Bincho at Hua Bee used to be, Dirty Supper adopts a similar concept, sharing the space with the bak chor mee stall which opens in the day, and then taking over from 3pm till late to serve seasonal small plates.
Run by chef-owner Peter Smit who was previously at Sago House, Adrift, and Underdog Inn, the joint marries his mastery of whole animal cooking and his love for the grill. Smit finds that true nose-to-tail dining isn’t fully achievable in Singapore due to food regulations on animal products like pig’s blood, so he endeavours to do what he can with the local produce that’s available, seeing little need to import ingredients.
When asked what cuisine Dirty Supper specialises in, he humorously shoots back “The honest answer is I have no idea. I tell people that I serve food on a plate, sometimes in a bowl”. At Dirty Supper, you can expect a modest and ever-evolving menu comprising mostly small plates that each spotlight a different animal part, depending on the day’s produce.
Scooch over to the open kitchen counter to catch the chefs in action – these are the best seats in the house. We recommend starting with one of the cocktails off the reasonably priced drinks menu. You’ll find most of them leaning towards savoury profiles as per Smit’s liking, and we can’t recommend the apple highball ($18) enough. Scotch whisky, apple juice and lemon juice are combined to form a concoction that’s refreshing and absolutely delish. Else, the Wagyu Boulevardier ($18) and pickled lemon martini ($18) are stronger options that can also double up as liquid appetisers.
Order the raw prawns with black lime and pickled chilli ($22) to start. These are delivered fresh from the local hydroponics farm Vertical Oceans, and have a clean-tasting and slightly sweet profile. The pig head nuggets with white anchovy sauce ($16) is another winner. It’s laborious to make and involves mixing and deep-frying discarded parts of a pig’s head, but each morsel is a delight for the palate. You get a richer, slightly funkier flavour from the pig’s head, and the batter is perfectly crisp and light.
Another standout is the smoked mackerel with chicken skin ($18). The dish presents two contrasting tastes and textures – the crisp and savoury chicken terrine is addictive and lends flavour to the soft and almost unseasoned mackerel. Interesting, but something more zingy might make for a better pairing than fish.
Daily specials are scribbled on a blackboard, and can feature anything from a whole roast duck head ($6) – brains, tongue, eyeballs and everything – to duck heart sausage ($18) and squid ‘noodles’ ($20). The duck head which Smit serves to us “for the shits and giggles” is definitely not for the squeamish. But once you look past its morbid appearance – the dim lighting certainly helps – you’re in for a flavour bomb. The duck heart sausage is an easy feat that simply tastes like minced meat without any gameyness, while the squid noodles are reminiscent of springy Chinese noodles mixed in with a smokey aubergine bolognese sauce.
Large plates are also available, and options include aged duck breast with beer pickled fig ($38) and BBQ squid with pork fat relish and pickled green tomatoes ($36). Both are decent choices that’ll fill you up – the duck boasts a deep flavour similar to beef thanks to the ageing, while the squid is buttery soft without any sliminess. Pro tip: order the BBQ curried cabbage as a side ($12). It’s nicely spiced and char-grilled with just the right amount of crunch.
Round things off with desserts like seasonal ice cream, milk cakes or chocolate tarts. Take note though, that the dessert menu is consistent to Smit’s preference for savoury notes, and can even see flavours like bacon or charcoal. If you’re a dessert purist, this may not be for you, but we’ll safely say that the savoury flavours are executed tastefully, with subtle hints of smokiness in the charcoal ice cream.
The best part about the whole experience is knowing that when you come back two months later, you’ll probably be greeted with a brand new menu. And we expect nothing less from Smit, who sends us off with a cheeky remark over the counter: “I just don’t like giving people what they want”.