Opened for a couple of months at DUO Galleria, Meating Place was a spot that we had been wanting to visit for quite a while.
Located at DUO Galleria facing the road, Meating Place is a spot that is hard to miss given its prominent location within the complex. Walking into the restaurant, we already found ourselves in love with the decor; Meating Place adopts an industrial decor theme that features a wooden and metallic elements with dim lighting — it’s tasteful, retro and yet not over-the-top. We visited Meating Place during dinner service; Meating Place carries a different menu for both lunch and dinner services. The dinner menu features snacks, small plates, sides (as add-ons), mains (listed as meats) and dessert. Whilst having a focus on meats, vegetarians would be pleased to know that vegetarian options are available upon request with the staff. Beverages include specialty coffee that is brewed using a blend roasted by Common Man Coffee Roasters, while they also carry a list of alcoholic beverages amongst other beverages.
(Grilled Padron Peppers)
Going for one of the small plates to share, we went for the Grilled Padron Peppers; it comes with elements such as Chestnut Glaze and Korean Chili Flakes. Being served as pretty much what it is, the Grilled Padron Peppers comes pretty fragrant while grilled till soft; the bitterness and flavours of the Padron pepper being cut through by the sweet and earthy, grainy chestnut glaze at the right point so as the provide a flavour contrast to the peppers before it gets overwhelming. The Korean chili flakes help to elevate the dish in terms of spiciness, bringing just a very light tinge of spiciness to the fragrance of the peppers.
(Free-Range Pork Collar)
We also tried the Free-Range Pork Collar from the “meats” section of the menu; the Free-Range Pork Collar carrying elements such as Poached Lettuce, Edamame, Silver Fish, Dried Persimmons Butter Sauce and Basil along the Australian Gooralie Pork Collar. Patrons can opt for the preferred level of doneness for the pork collar; we went with medium well for our order. The slices of pork collar were chunky and meaty without being overwhelmingly porky, though requires a bit of chew especially if let at the table for a while. The dried persimmon butter sauce was the true winner, however; incredibly savoury, the dried persimmons add a tinge of sweetness that cuts through the richness of the butter sauce with basil providing a subtle hint of flavour for its finish. The clever use of silver fish gives it a slightly salted crunch; an interesting use of a local element for contemporary cuisine.
(Free-Roam Half “Anxin” Chicken & Tater Tots)
While the Free Range Pork Collar was delicious, the true stunner of the night was the Free-Roam Half “Anxin” Chicken & Tater Tots — the chicken is sourced locally, using the GG French Poulet farmed at Toh Thye San farm at Loyang. The dish features elements such as House-made Pickles and Truffle Honey. The meat was absolutely tender, smooth, juicy and succulent, while the skin comes with a light crisp; coming with the Truffle Honey glaze, this was the element that sets the Free-Roam Half “Anxin” Chicken apart from any other honey-glazed half chicken out there — the familiar sweetness from the honey gets cut by the aroma of truffle oil right at the point before it gets saccharine, providing a good contrast between savoury and sweet that’s all flavourful and delicious. The Tater Tots reminded us of Japanese croquettes; albeit lighter in texture while also lacking of the cream — crisp on the exterior yet smooth and light inside, the Tater Tots are essentially well-made Potato patties without that starchy texture that can be a little heavy for some. Even the house-made pickles are pretty flavourful and crunchy as well, providing a refreshing bite in between all that meat and potato.
It’s pretty surprising that so little had been mentioned about Meating Place over social media and online; there were not many articles that we could find about them while we were working on this article. Our experience at Meating Place was a good one; attentive service, brilliant food and a pretty venue that would fit after-work dinners, family gatherings or dates alike. While we were working on the Free-Roam Half “Anxin” Chicken with Tater Tots, we were seemingly already making plans on our return visit for both that amazing chicken and other dishes some time soon. Let’s wish the guys behind Meating Place all the best; we would certainly come back for more!
Meating Place 7 Fraser Street #01-27 DUO Galleria Singapore 189356
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