Supply & Demand

Supply & Demand
8 Raffles Avenue
#01-13 Esplanade Colours By The Bay

277 Orchard Road
#02-13 Orchard Gateway

11 Mandalay Road
#01-02 Lee Kong Chian School Of Medicine

https://www.supplyanddemand.com.sg/


Modern Italian, Southeast Asian Flavours

(Ratings: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 = Worst and 10 = Best)
Overall: 8
Ambience & Setting: 10
Food & Beverage: 8
Service: 7
Value for Money: 8
Spent about SGD $28 per person.


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Styled as a casual Italian meets Southeast Asian fusion restaurant, Supply & Demand, which is operated by the Cre8 Group, first opened in the Esplanade in September 2013, with their second outlet in Orchard Gateway opening in May 2014. While it started life as a modern Italian Peruvian bistro and rooftop bar, Supply & Demand, whose name references a business economics term, has since evolved by offering more familiar flavours.

Ambience at Supply & Demand is one of the highlights. Industrial chic meets faux greenery, with an eclectic mix of furnishings that resemble both a European countryside home, as well as a streetside cafe. Along with warm decorative lights, wooden shelves lined with books and bottles of wine, faux trees, faux lawn carpets, soft leaf green cushions, and a open kitchen, Supply & Demand exudes a comfortable feel, the sort of place you can linger and pass the day. Love the place!

Service at Supply & Demand is decent enough, but forgettable. Staff are friendly, polite, and efficient, quick to seat diners and take orders. Empty / dirty tables are cleared quickly. Staff display very simple product knowledge, though this is alleviated somewhat as the menu has ample descriptions of each dish. But there is very little engagement overall, and seeing as this is primarily an Italian restaurant, I expected a lot more interaction.

Food at Supply & Demand is all about classic, rustic, Italian dishes in hearty portions. There is also an experimental selection of fusion dishes, inspired by Southeast Asian flavours that the founders experienced on their travels. The Peruvian aspect seems to have been mostly dropped. Generally, I find most dishes here to be decently executed, with above average taste. Prices are affordable for the quality of food, and good value for money, budget about SGD $27 per person for a meal here (without drinks). No surprise that Supply & Demand is often crowded at meal times, and advance reservations are recommended.


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Totally love the atmosphere here, it's a visual feast for the eyes, and comfortable for the soul. A mix of natural, intellectual, playful, industrial, and rustic countryside. This is the sort of place I would return again just for the ambience!

Supply & Demand Exterior

Supply & Demand Interior

Seating

Seating

Seating

Book & Wine Shelf

Book Of Jezebel

Coffee here is passable at best, including the Mocha (SGD $7), and Flat White (SGD $6). Likely wouldn't order again.

Mocha (SGD $7)

Flat White (SGD $6)

Brewed from barley malts, the Beer Peroni Nastro Azzurro (SGD $9 / $15) is a straw golden coloured pale Roman lager, whose name means 'Blue Ribbon' in Italian. Poured with a dense white foam head, this beer is known internationally for its young, sparkling, very light body; somewhat odd aroma of grains, skunk, and lemon; taste of crackers, corn, and bread. A really light European beer, refreshing and great for summer days!

Beer Peroni Nastro Azzurro (SGD $9 / $15)

Beer Peroni Nastro Azzurro

The Uova In Cocotte Con Salmone (SGD $18) features coddled egg on penne pasta in a ramekin, coated in a home made cheese and cream sauce, with home baked sourdough bread, garden salad, and rosettes of smoked salmon on the side. While the salmon and salad was decent, I liked the crisp, fragrant, light texture of the sourdough bread, and the savoury salty sweet taste of the penne pasta with egg. The yolk is semi-runny, which provides a visual delight when you dig into it!

Uova In Cocotte Con Salmone (SGD $18)

Uova In Cocotte Con Salmone

Uova In Cocotte Con Salmone

The Polenta Piccolo (SGD $17) features 2 poached eggs over 2 blocks of fried polenta cake, topped with thinly sliced prosciutto crudo di parma / parma ham, drizzled with hollandaise sauce, and sprinkles of grana padano cheese, with a garden salad on the side. I loved how the perfectly poached, runny egg yolk mixed with the polenta cake, which has a nice crisp exterior, and a soft grainy interior. The polenta cake is stuffed with summer vegetables, such as carrot, zucchini, and spinach, and I love its savoury sweet taste. The salty prosciutto crudo di parma / parma ham lends an additional depth of flavour, along with the thick and creamy hollandaise sauce, and ripe and crumbly grana padano cheese.

Polenta Piccolo (SGD $17)

Polenta Piccolo

Polenta Piccolo

The Gratin Dauphinoise dish originated in the Dauphiné region of France, close to the borders of Italy, leading both countries to have versions of this potato and cream casserole dish. The Gratin Dauphinoise With Ham (SGD $18) here is a deconstructed plated version, served with a juicy grilled tomato that bears a tasty, smoky char, a rather dry and limp mesclun salad, 2 bright sunny side up eggs, and a good portion of savoury salty sliced ham. The actual baked potatoes and cream is warm and fluffy, though it seems more like an accompaniment rather than the star. Still a pretty decent dish, worth ordering!

Gratin Dauphinoise With Ham (SGD $18)

Gratin Dauphinoise With Ham

Gratin Dauphinoise With Ham

The S&D Tiramisu (SGD $14) arrives in a large glass jar, and I find it's done quite closely to the traditional Italian version. The espresso soaked savoiardi / ladyfinger sponge biscuits are soft, with an intense coffee flavour, and the layers of creamy mascarpone cheese mixed with whipped cream and egg lend a richness to this decadent dessert. There are also 2 kinds of liqueur within, lending a sharp flavour to this sweet, creamy, and luxurious dessert! Highly recommended!

S&D Tiramisu (SGD $14)

S&D Tiramisu

S&D Tiramisu

The Calamari Fritto (SGD $15) is a generous mess tin of fresh squid, with a crisp, light, golden batter. Love the bouncy / chewy texture of the squid, clean and delicious! The pizzaiola sauce on the side lends a touch of juicy sweetness, but is rather light in texture. Good appetizer for sharing!

Calamari Fritto (SGD $15)

Calamari Fritto

Calamari Fritto

Love the Hand Made Arancini (SGD $14), which are small, round croquettes of risotto rice and mozzarella cheese. Bite into the warm croquettes, and you get the satisfiying crunch of the light crumb batter, then the earthy, savoury taste of the moist risotto rice, and the gooey cheese. It's rather loosely packed, and despite their small size, is actually filling! Highly recommended!

Hand Made Arancini (SGD $14)

Hand Made Arancini

The Puttanesca (SGD $14 / $18), also known as Spaghetti Alla Puttanesca, is a tangy, sweet savoury, slightly salty dish that originated from Campania and/or Lazio, in South Italy. Featuring al-dente spaghetti noodle pasta in a rustic, semi-dry tomato sauce, made with fresh tomatoes, garlic, black olives, anchovy fishes, capers, and dried chili peppers, garnished with fresh herbs. Lovely dish, incredibly tasty, so fresh... Highly recommended!

The story of its origin says it was invented by a nightclub owner in 1950s, when a group of hungry customers demanded he make them something at closing time, saying "Facci una puttanata qualsiasi," or "Make any kind of garbage". He invented this dish from whatever remained in the kitchen, hence the dish name literally means "spaghetti in the garbage style" in Italian!

Puttanesca (SGD $14 / $18)

Puttanesca

Puttanesca

The Alfredo (SGD $14 / $18) differs from other versions elsewhere, as the savoury taste is much deeper here. The semi-soft spaghetti noodle pasta sits in a lovely cream sauce, thickened with cheese, with savoury salty bacon slices, smoky grilled chicken chunks, and rather firm green peas. It also differs from the traditional version, which uses fettuccine noodle pasta instead. The strong savoury taste of this dish makes it pleasing to eat. Good dish!

The dish is named after Italian restaurateur Alfredo Di Lelio, who first made this dish in 1908 with parmigiano-reggiano / parmesan cheese and butter. The 'fettuccine all’Alfredo' is famed worldwide, and today, can even be found packaged in jars as a sauce.

Alfredo (SGD $14 / $18)

Alfredo

Alfredo

The Risotto Alla Zucca (SGD $24), or Pumpkin Risotto, has a nice al-dente bite to the flavourful risotto rice, and you can taste the distinct grains, which has absorbed the fragrant, light cabbage vegetable stock and butter. The chunks of pumpkin are floral sweet with a tender texture, while the sun-dried tomatoes lend a bright, sour tangy taste. The main issue is the overpowering flavour of garlic, which drowns out the other more delicate flavours, to the point where it's hard to taste anything else but garlic. Could have been much better, but as it is, a terribly underwhelming dish.

Risotto Alla Zucca (SGD $24)

Risotto Alla Zucca

Risotto Alla Zucca

Reserve a table now @ Supply & Demand - Esplanade Colours By The Bay

Reserve a table now @ Supply & Demand - Orchard Gateway

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Update Mar-2022: An unfortunate cancellation at another place led us to a return visit at Supply & Demand, which I guess is serendipitous. The ambience at Supply & Demand is still lovely and attractive, while the service remains polite and efficient. The menu has expanded with more Asian fusion dishes, and less emphasis on traditional Italian cuisine. But food quality remains above average, and portions are nicely sized. Prices are still competitive at Supply & Demand, budget about SGD $28 per person.

The Garlic Truffle Fries (SGD $17) are a perfect munching snack with drinks. The signature thick cut potato chips are fluffy and crisp, with enticing starchy savoury sweet salty flavour. Drizzled with truffle oil, topped with shaved parmesan cheese and parsley, the aroma perfums the air, lending a fragrant vegetal earthy herbal cheesy salty flavour. Completed with a roasted clove of garlic, soft with sharp vegetal herbal spice notes. Some chili sauce and mayonnaise for dipping to complete. Good!

Garlic Truffle Fries (SGD $17)

Garlic Truffle Fries

The Okonomiyaki Shrimp (SGD $12) features juicy crunchy partially deshelled shrimp, fried and topped with Japanese mayonnaise, katsuobushi / bonito flakes, scallions, furikake seasoning, and nitsume sauce. Each bite is a savoury salty burst from the seasoning, then you get the lovely sweet savoury natural taste of the shrimp. Rather small portion though. Could be improved.

Okonomiyaki Shrimp (SGD $12)

Okonomiyaki Shrimp

Loved the Pork Sausages Platter (SGD $18). The varied selection of juicy snappy pork sausages are delighful, served with chili sauce and mustard, over a bed of fresh crisp lettuce with vegetal sweet flavour. There's pork bratwurst with meaty savoury salty flavour, marjoram infused pork nürnberger rostbratwurst with herbal savoury sweet flavour, pork weisswurst with meaty sweet savoury flavour, and pork chorizo with meaty salty spicy flavour. All so yummy, would order again. Highly recommended!

Pork Sausages Platter (SGD $18)

Pork Sausages Platter

The Peach And Parma Ham Crostini (SGD $14) piques the appetite, a delight of an appetizer. The crisp crunchy toasted crostini bread is topped with sharp minced garlic, wispy shaved parma ham, juicy torched sliced peaches, crumbly mascarpone cheese, thin shaved grana padano cheese, tender sun-dried tomato, and drizzled with rich balsamic vinegar dressing. A big, bold burst of bready herbal spice sour sweet fruity salty meaty savoury flavours, complex and dramatic. Served with a fresh side salad of crisp spinach, juicy cherry tomatoes, and crisp red onions, all with vegetal sweet notes. Good!

Peach And Parma Ham Crostini (SGD $14)

Peach And Parma Ham Crostini

Peach And Parma Ham Crostini

The Risotto Al Nero Di Seppia (SGD $29) was decent enough, with the arborio rice having an al-dente chew to texture, slightly firm, slightly dense. Infused with garlic and squid ink, simmered with butter and parsley, this held robust grainy salty savoury earthy flavour. The small but bouncy seared scallops were sweet salty smoky in taste, yielding with a light chew. The wispy alfalfa sprouts on top lends a vegetal herbal bitter note. Felt this was a tad over seasoned for me. Could be improved.

Risotto Al Nero Di Seppia (SGD $29)

Risotto Al Nero Di Seppia

The USDA Pork Collar Steak (SGD $28) was well received. The thick and chunky pork collar steak is brined in a herb mix, seasoned with salt and black pepper, and perfectly grilled. With a tender succulent juicy chew to texture, and bold meaty savoury salty peppery spice flavour, this was delicious. Served over a bed of smooth mashed potatoes with starchy sweet savoury flavour, with crisp baby asparagus shoots carrying vegetal sweet bitter flavour, and a fresh side meslun salad (spinach, red onions, cucumber, rocket leaves / arugula, sorrel) dressed with balsamic vinegar. Good!

USDA Pork Collar Steak (SGD $28)

USDA Pork Collar Steak

Loved the Carnivoro (SGD $25), a 9-inch meat lovers pizza. The hand made thin pizza crust is beautifully bready sweet smoky, topped with tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, red onions, gammon ham, salami, beef pepperoni, and bacon (replacing chicken breast on our request). Has bold meaty sweet savoury salty cheesy flavours, yum. Loved every bite of this, and craving more. Highly recommended!

Carnivoro (SGD $25)

Carnivoro

Carnivoro

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