The Sampan 2020 Tasting Session
63 Boat Quay
https://www.thesampan.sg/
This was an invited media review. I did not pay for the meal during the free hosted tasting session, but I did pay the standard price during subsequent visits.
Attended with representatives from Her Pen And Fork, msginginly, Epicurious Caniggia, and Purple Taste.
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| 5-Spice Szechuan Duck Breast With Pimentos Pomme Puree (SGD $19.50) |
Innovative Pan-Asian Dishes Still By The River
(Ratings: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 = Worst and 10 = Best)
Overall: 8
Ambience & Setting: 7
Food & Beverage: 9
Service: 7
Value for Money: 8
Budget about SGD $30++ per person.
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Established in September 2018, The Sampan restaurant has a simple philosophy - showcase familiar Pan-Asian flavours, made with fresh locally-sourced ingredients, with modern visually-appealing presentations. Dishes wow when served, yet, the taste is soulful and comforting. Coupled with their wallet-friendly prices, The Sampan restaurant stands out among the Boat Quay stretch for being casual and easy-going in spirit. Post-COVID, The Sampan has revised and scaled down their menu, but the execution remains as good as ever.
Ambience at The Sampan seeks to offer a riverside dining experience. With half the interior of the 1st floor taken up by a long bar and a single communal dining table, the majority of seating is in the sheltered al-fresco exterior, beside the Singapore River. Fans cool the bright naturally lit area on warm days, while warm dim lighting lends a more intimate feel at night. The shopfront is unassuming and doesn't stand out, you could pass by and completely miss it.
Service at The Sampan is friendly and attentive. Staff display good product knowledge on the menu, able to offer recommendations and introduce each dish as they serve it. They proactively offer to clear finished plates throughout the meal, but we had to prompt for a change of cutlery. There's lesser staff on duty now, and they're kept busy attending to all tables. Orders are fulfilled just as quickly as before though, and the bartender is affable enough to strike up a conversation.
Food at The Sampan is focused on Pan-Asian cuisine, specifically Malay, Indonesian, South Indian, and Chinese Singaporean dishes. Ingredients are locally sourced and curated in well-executed dishes; the best examples of comfort in taste. Think classic street-food, presented in a modern setting. Portions are large and hearty for individuals, we ended up sharing everything. Prices are now cheaper than before, budget about SGD $30 per person for a meal.
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| The Sampan Facade |
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| The Sampan Menu 2020 |
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| The Sampan Menu 2020 |
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| The Sampan Menu 2020 |
Yes, the Beer Liang Teh (SGD $13 Standard / $10 Happy Hour) is inspired by the Chinese herbal 'cooling' tea, which is said to relieve heatiness within the body. A craft beer brewed by the The 1925 Brewing Company in Singapore, this is a crisp lager, accentuated by the lightness of white chrysanthemums, which you taste on the finish.
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| Beer Liang Teh (SGD $13 Standard / $10 Happy Hour) |
The Cocktail Aperol Spritz (SGD $18 Standard / $15 Happy Hour) is a classic Italian cocktail apertif, featuring a blend of prosecco, Aperol herbal bitters, and soda water, garnished with orange zest. This has a thin but fizzy lively body, a fruity zesty tangy sour herbal sweet bitter flavour, and is refreshingly easy to drink.
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| Cocktail Aperol Spritz (SGD $18 Standard / $15 Happy Hour) |
The Mocktail Calamansi Lemonade (SGD $10) has a fruity zesty tangy sour sweet flavour, bright and refreshing. Made with calamansi juice instead of lemon juice, the milder flavour works in its favour.
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| Mocktail Calamansi Lemonade (SGD $10) |
The Soy Glazed Chicken Spare Ribs (SGD $9.50) are a perfect bar snack, having a light tender moist chew to texture and deep sweet salty nutty flavour. The unique element is their use of the off-cut chicken ribs, which each piece having a decent amount of chicken meat around the bone. Glazed with light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, calamansi juice, sambal belachan shrimp paste, and garnished with crushed peanuts, this is deliciously addictive. Good!
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| Soy Glazed Chicken Spare Ribs (SGD $9.50) |
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| Soy Glazed Chicken Spare Ribs |
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| Soy Glazed Chicken Spare Ribs |
The Glazed Soy Sesame Chicken Salad (SGD $12) comprises 2 components. There's a fresh crunchy salad of shredded vegetables (including carrot, cucumber, purple cabbage, bell peppers / capsicum) garnished with cashew nuts, muruku fish crackers, and calamansi juice, which has bright zesty tangy sour sweet vegetal nutty flavour. There's also a fillet of perfectly grilled chicken thigh, marinated in light soy sauce and sesame sauce, with a tender bouncy juicy texture and robust smoky sweet salty nutty flavour. The combination of flavours and textures is unique and appetizing. Yum. Highly recommended!
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| Glazed Soy Sesame Chicken Salad (SGD $12) |
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| Glazed Soy Sesame Chicken Salad |
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| Glazed Soy Sesame Chicken Salad |
My fellow diners loved the Singapore Rojak Bandung Salad (SGD $13), which features kang kong / water spinach, honey pineapple, dried tofu puffs, quail eggs, and cuttlefish, in a thick bandung sauce, garnished with crushed peanuts. With a medley of nicely contrasting textures (slippery, crunchy, juicy, tender, spongy) and a beautiful blend of flavours (vegetal fruity sweet savoury grainy eggy floral nutty), this makes a good start to a meal. Worth ordering!
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| Singapore Rojak Bandung Salad (SGD $13) |
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| Singapore Rojak Bandung Salad |
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| Singapore Rojak Bandung Salad |
The Szechuan Style Tofu & Shiitake Mushrooms (SGD $8) has a base of tender sauteed vegetables (shiitake mushrooms, bell peppers / capsicum, shallots) with smoky savoury salty sweet vegetal earthy flavour. The star is the halved silken tofu beancurd, gently wobbling as it's served, dressed with Szechuan / Sichuan style mala peppercorn powder, chili flakes, and parsley. This results in a bold spicy grainy sweet flavour, with a slight lingering burn. Nice perk-me-up taste. Worth ordering!
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| Szechuan Style Tofu & Shiitake Mushrooms (SGD $8) |
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| Szechuan Style Tofu & Shiitake Mushrooms |
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| Szechuan Style Tofu & Shiitake Mushrooms |
The Javanese Style Fish Wrapped In Banana Leaf (SGD $19.50) looks visually like otah-otah, but it's not. It's actually a boneless fillet of grilled seabass fish wrapped in banana leaf, covered with a creamy tamarind and grated coconut gravy. The fish is tender, flaky, and moist, with delicate sweet savoury spice smoky flavour. Served with an aromatic mound of spiced yellow fried rice, tossed with fried baby shrimp and shallots, resulting in a wonderful smoky savoury spice salty sweet flavour. My only quibble is the portion size is too small, but the dish is delicious. Worth ordering!
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| Javanese Style Fish Wrapped In Banana Leaf (SGD $19.50) |
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| Javanese Style Fish Wrapped In Banana Leaf |
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| Javanese Style Fish Wrapped In Banana Leaf |
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| Javanese Style Fish Wrapped In Banana Leaf |
Our favourite dish was the 5-Spice Szechuan Duck Breast With Pimentos Pomme Puree (SGD $19.50). Substantial and filling, this features a base of creamy mashed potato pomme puree infused with char siew sauce and pimentos chili pepper, giving it an addictive sweet savoury spice flavour. The star is the thick cut 5-spice Szechuan / Sichuan duck breast, marinated in mala peppercorn and Chinese 5-spice powder, sous vide for hours and finished on the grill. The result is a tender, succulent, juicy bite to texture, with bold spice savoury salty meaty smoky flavour. Completed with crisp fried kale with vegetal earthy sweet flavour, and crunchy pomegranate seeds with deep fruity sweet notes. Everything works together beautifully, and it's great value for money. Highly recommended!
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| 5-Spice Szechuan Duck Breast With Pimentos Pomme Puree (SGD $19.50) |
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| 5-Spice Szechuan Duck Breast With Pimentos Pomme Puree |
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| 5-Spice Szechuan Duck Breast With Pimentos Pomme Puree |
The Chicken Roulade With Masak Merah Sauce & Achar (SGD $19) is an overall decent dish. This features a base of creamy mashed potato pomme puree infused with coriander juice, resulting in a unique refreshing vegetal earthy sweet flavour. There's thick boneless chunks of chicken roulade stuffed with diced shiitake mushrooms and bell peppers / capsicum, topped with thick masak merah / red sauce (made with pureed dried chili and tomato). The result is a tender juicy satisfying chew, with mild sweet savoury earthy spice flavour. A smoky finish caps this off. Paired with a side of crunchy juicy achar / Peranakan spicy pickled salad (cucumber, pineapple, red onions, shallots, cherry tomato, red chili), which has bright vegetal sweet sour flavour, and is so refreshing. Worth ordering!
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| Chicken Roulade With Masak Merah Sauce & Achar (SGD $19) |
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| Chicken Roulade With Masak Merah Sauce & Achar |
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| Chicken Roulade With Masak Merah Sauce & Achar |
The Sliced Beef Mee Goreng (SGD $14) has thin flat rice noodles tossed with a generous portion of sliced beef rump, eggs, light soy sauce, sweet soy sauce, shallots, and red chili, garnished with lime juice, dressed with shredded carrots and cucumbers. This has a contrasting soft crunchy texture from the medley of ingredients, with more savoury salty flavour and less sweet notes. You also get the smoky aroma of the wok hei / breath of the wok. Good!
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| Sliced Beef Mee Goreng (SGD $14) |
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| Sliced Beef Mee Goreng |
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| Sliced Beef Mee Goreng |
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| Sliced Beef Mee Goreng |
Having visited The Sampan several times, I'm satisfied with their relaxing ambience, friendly service, and delicious food, now at more wallet-friendly prices. Will return to The Sampan for more!
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CONVERSATION