I was excited to be invited to a food outlet’s opening in Singapore. I was up early and nervous about what to expect; I wasn’t prepared for all the regalia awaited at the food outlets and excited patrons and food critics. Chinese dragons performed longwu, which is auspicious to ward off famine, drought and sickness. It’s pretty standard here, and I love it as it makes you feel like you are in Asia amongst the many quite Western traditions you find in Singapore.
There was also a band, and the throwing of lettuce symbolises money, and the phonetics of the Chinese word for lettuce means “Good Fortune” or “Prosperity,” which is why one should try to catch it when the dragons throw it to you.
Bamboo Bowls has been around Singapore for a while, and this is their fourth opening. Their mission is to have chef-crafted bowls made with only the highest quality ingredients from whole foods and zero sugar, not processed or artificial.
Nowadays, when everyone is looking to cut down on sugar and highly processed foods, this could be a game changer for Singapore’s tiny red dot nation.
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What are Bamboo Bowls?
Their website says, “We collaborate with celebrated chefs to create Asian-forward, quick and healthy food. Responsibly made and conveniently served in bowls under 5mins. Chef-crafted Asian favourites. Affordable, sugar-free & future-forward.” Sounds promising. Read on to hear more about it!
This outlet is conveniently located near Marina Bay Sands, that big surfboard boat thingy that takes up most of Singapore’s skyline. Ahh, you say I was wondering what that was called. It’s underground in Marina Link Mall and is a busy place for all the office workers in the surrounding buildings. It’s so nicely airconditioned if you’ve been out sweating in the Singaporean heat. It’s quite a small place but a lovely clean white space that makes you feel like it’s futuristic with its tiny white pods that line the walls.
At first, I thought it was just decorative, but I quickly discovered that it served a unique purpose. There is seating here for about 10-12 people. There is quite a high turnover due to the pace at which the bowls are produced, so you should get a seat without waiting too long, or you can take it away. Need a coffee fix? They also have a barista station that serves original coffee beans fair trade sourced from neighbouring countries.
Bamboo Bowl has a name for carefully sourcing their ingredients, and Geraldine, Bamboo Bowl’s Head of Beverage, below:
“I specifically chose Asia region’s arabica beans. A blend of Amayar and Sulawesi. Sourced and Roasted locally by a small batch specialist – extracted precisely to get its optimal flavour. The black coffee will taste berry/fruity/citrusy, and it will taste chocolatey and nutty with milk.”
I can confirm that my latte was perfect and nutty (a bit like me, really). I opted for nut milk because of my intolerance to dairy milk, which was super creamy and not sweet. Yeah, okay, stop stalling – you say – but what about the pods on the wall? What do they do? Well, young grasshopper, your food comes out of the wall. Bamboo Bowl wants to encourage contactless fare, reduce the cost of the food and concentrate on high-quality ingredients and responsibly sourced food, which we all know can be costly. They reduce staff headcount and encourage guests to pick up their food from these NEAT little pods in the wall.
What are the Pods in the Wall?
So how does it work, you ask? Well, you’ve got to download the app first here. Then you create your account, a simple interface without letting them know your butt size and your grandparent’s ages. They send you an OTP code, and you are good to go. Once you are verified, you can choose all the bases and toppings of the current eight different celebrity chefs curated bowls they have available at this outlet.
What did I order?
So what did you order, you ask? I was recommended the Sichuan Vegan, which sounds spicy but wasn’t too bad; they had kimchi on the day so that I could pump up the heat a little with that… YUM, super tasty. I also was keen to try the low-carb option. I could add chicken, but I decided to go bare and see what happened. And I was surprised by how delicious these ingredients were. The description read: “Fiery Sichuan flavours – brown la mian noodles, black vinegar & chilli mushrooms, bb’s spiced plant-based mince, chilli pepper and shredded cucumber.” The wood ear mushrooms were delicious, the plant-based mince was low-key and added to the dish’s protein, and the whole thing was uplifted with fresh cucumber.
The key is that no bowl at their outlet should take more than 5 mins, which helps those in a time pinch. So once you’ve paid and submitted your order, you’ll get a notification saying it’s ready. You make your way over to the wall pods, click the button on the app and “AHHHH!” (think of godly music and sun rays on the pod). The little pod opens, and your food is packaged and ready to collect. You can grab a spot in the outlet to eat or take it to go, where you can get a paper bag to hold your bowl and utensils, and you are good to go!
So, what is my overall opinion?
I can’t wait to go back and try the other bowls, and I feel like it was the tip of the iceberg with flavours and ingredients.
Another thing that stood out was that the people I met were super friendly; perhaps it was the lovely atmosphere that was going on during the opening, but the staff were keen to get to know their customers. I think that is a great way to initiate first contact and secure a loyal following, which we all know Singapore’s service can be flakey sometimes. With the beautiful welcome and their willingness to impart knowledge of their products, it was encouraging for me to repeat business with them.
An additional positive that stood out to me was the bowls’ packaging, served in Eco-friendly bamboo bowls (hence the name), and the cutlery was also made out of sustainable materials. This is so important in a country like Singapore, which still hasn’t grasped the importance of recycling and reducing plastics by its population. I, also part of this population, am a high consumer of many takeaway foods as the cost and variation are cheaper than you can shop at the supermarket. It helps the conscience when you know that you are helping reduce the non-biodegradable waste on the island.
So here’s what you need to know:
Where are they located?
Far East Square
137 Amoy St #01-01 to 3
Singapore 049965
Science Park – Ascent
Science Park Dr, #01-30
Singapore 118222
Plaza 8
1 Changi Business Park Crescent, #01-11,
Singapore 486025
Marina Bay Link Mall (MBLM)
8A Marina Boulevard, #B2-33,
Singapore 018984
APP information-
Apple:
Android:
Thanks for taking the time to read my blog. I hope this post has given you the information you need. If you have any recommendations, tips or advice, I would love for you to share them in the comment section below!
Other things you need to know
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thanks for the great article, keep up the good work
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