Singapore Lunch - 1: Original Sin

This is a country of non vegetarians and vegetarians would be hard pressed to find much weight in the mains of any menu. After a bit of a google hunt I found this Sunday's lunch venue, Original Sin, a vegetarian restaurant that has reviews in the extreme - as in, I've been going for 12 years and its our family favourite to OMG so depressing. 

I'll never be a vegetarian or a vegan and I'm not watching or reading things that will convince me of these paths but I'm always keen to find good vegetarian food when it's been an overdose of fish/ meat week. So to Original Sin we went, booking and all. 

We needn't have bothered with the booking as the restaurant was only half full. But that might have had to do with the gathering clouds and showers that began as we sat down. I imagine on a sunny day that pavement would be quite inviting.

Located in expat land, Holland Village, the restaurant is on a lovely green leafy lane called Jalan Merah Saga. The outside seating is covered by dark awning which did nothing to help the interior, casting it darker than its decor could reflect. The interior was a mix of an orange/ khaki upholstery against white table cloths and the usual crockery and cutlery. A bit worn but workable. 

The food: a lovely long and comprehensive menu, soups, salads, pastas, pizzas and mains. V and I shared this halloumi salad while Kid ate a margerita pizza.

Of course, Spencer (the train, keep up will you?!) approved. It looked inviting and was beautifully flavoured. The halloumi just salty enough that the lentils and veggies in the grilled pepper tasted great. Beautifully plated and dressed.

The other three arrived off the MRT, sopping wet in the minute walk to the restaurant. And we ordered mains. A mushroom risotto, a falafel salad, spanakopita and a moussaka. All four good, flavourful but not great. I think they overdid the salad leaves - which were on every plate - and lentils which seemed to be part of every dish - even the falafel salad! I'm not sure I would go back for any of those dishes although they were all good, well spiced and cooked. Worth one lunch but I'm looking forward to the next Sunday lunch. 

We walked back along the street and waited for this place to open:

Weirdly on a Sunday, when the world is at rest and looking for ice cream they open at 2. That does not make any sense. We had to wait about 10 minutes - seemed like an hour with two antsy kids  - and finally we were in, buying cones of chocolate and mango and honey vanilla. Creamy, tasty, satisfying goodness. Sat by the statement wall and finished up, waiting for the rain to abate. 

I'm on my way to a double movie afternoon (The Bling Ring, followed by The English Teacher) while everyone else goes off to play. I'm in charge in the evening while V heads off to his movie fix with his brother. 

And tomorrow it's another week.