SINGAPORE: Open Door Policy

Roasted field mushrooms on toasted brioche with truffle puree

The appeal of Open Door Policy is it's location within Tiong Bahru with it's indie-style shops and cafes. It's not fantastically furnished, nor is it very spacious, but the food was a pleasant surprise. I'm crazy for anything with the word "truffle" on it - as long as I see it on a menu, everything else fades away and deep down I know, no matter what other options I may glance at, when the waiter arrives, the first words out of my mouth will be "truffle [insert dish name here], please". 

It's a hit and miss situation really. The chef may add too little truffle oil, or surrounding flavours may overpower the truffle, or a pasta's undercooked texture may distract from the truffle's aroma.  When done right, however, the truffle fuses perfectly with each ingredient's flavour, sinks into each texture and fills your senses with its fruity nuttiness with every mouthful. This is what I tasted in Open Door Policy's mushroom brioche with truffle puree. Mushrooms and spinach are a classic combination, and paired with truffle puree on fluffy soft brioche, the dish struck a delicate balance between simple and decadent. 

 

48 hour braised beef cheek with mochi potatoes, carrot puree & pea tendrils

Open Door Policy's beef cheeks flaked and melted onto the tastebuds like warm honey. I would have definitely roasted the carrots for longer though, so that they would caramelize and soften, before serving. 

One complaint would be that the cushions which pass for chairs (pictured below) shouldn't jut out past the actual wooden platform below them; it means the tables are uncomfortably far from the seat and pulling the tables nearer would make getting out of the seat a hassle. A minor detail but nonetheless makes all the difference to a dining experience. 

Other than that, ODP is the kind of place you can bring a friend to on a lazy afternoon and have coffee (and great tao sar bao) with afterwards at Forty Hands across the road. 

Open Door Policy

19 Yong Siak Street
(Yong Siak View)
Singapore 168650

Tel: +65 6221 9307