The Moomba

The name of this restaurant, ‘Moomba’, is the Aboriginal word for ‘Let’s get together’. That is exactly what the Kum brothers had in mind when they started this restaurant located at the extreme end corner of shophouses on Circular Road, also known as Singapore’s little entertainment haven, Boat Quay. Moomba not only portrays the Aboriginal cuisine, it brings out the flavours of the fine culture of Down Under, and combines it with a contemporary touch of eastern flavour. Hence, you’ll be sure to get a taste of Australia, with a local twist.

You can’t miss the colour and vibrance of this restaurant with its walls filled with hand-painted Aboriginal artwork that, added to rest of the décor, creates a very warm and relaxed ambience, formal-yet-not dining place — just the perfect setting for a corporate luncheon or quiet evening.

The meal started off with a choice of freshly baked Walnut bread, quite different from that which I have tasted before, as well as another very interesting bread made of a blend of spinach and parmesan. There really wasn’t a need to spread on butter for taste.

The entrees alone were almost enough to satisfy my taste buds. If the fresh yeast leavened breads weren’t intriguing enough, we were served with a plate of fresh crisp greens topped with squid cakes, made of finely chopped squid delicately wrapped in bread crumbs. The squid cakes were accompanied by a spicy-sweet peanut sauce sprinkled generously with minutely chopped mango resulting in a most exquisite tasting Thai salsa. Truly delightful!

If you’re a vegetarian, I would have to recommend the Char-grilled Portobello on eggplant caponata with roasted red skin potato and sauteed spinach. The mushroom was tender to bite yet chewy and the combination of the eggplant along with the potato was a most satisfying dish. The Roasted Beetroot tossed in a honey-mustard dressing with roasted butternut pumpkin, feta cheese and mesclun is beautiful dish using yet another interesting blend of ingredients by Chef Leonard Oh.

For my main meal, I knew I couldn’t leave without trying the most unusual dish on the menu — the kangaroo loin. I had the pleasure of indulging in three very tender pieces of loin from a kangaroo glazed with sweetish apple-soya and tastefully blended with a dash of sweet Japanese Mirin. The loin of ‘roo’ was not only well textured and easy to cut into, it is also supposed to be a very healthy and lean animal cut. I guess you don’t get a real taste of Australia until you’ve tried the game meat from their very own backyard.

I’ve always firmly believed that there’s always room for dessert, no matter how big the meal. The Sticky Date Pudding would have to be the dessert that outshone the rest. Just the right amount of caramel topped on a date pudding — truly divine! If you have less of a sweet tooth, the tropical fruit tartin with orange thyme syrup and macadamia is a delightful experience. Complete your meal with a cup of aromatic coffee or a delicately flavoured cup of tea.

You haven’t been to Australia until you’ve tasted the wide range of wines Australia has to offer. The menu recommends a suitable wine to go with every dish. If you want to choose your own bottle to complement your meal, it’s just a walk up a flight of stairs within the restaurant. Stored in a chilled room is a whole array of reasonably priced wine imported from the different states of the land down under.

The food is presented without undue fuss or adulteration, relying on high quality fresh produce, interesting accents and highlights. Chef Leonard Oh had brilliantly combined western and eastern natural flavours and textures, to create dishes that were simple yet unique. The whole experience was a perfect cuisine of East meets West. Fair Dinkum mate!

Sheila Thomas