Rempapa - New Heritage Cuisine Restaurant by Damian D'Silva

Rempapa is a new all-day-dining restaurant by Chef Damian D’Silva. Located in Park Place Residences at PLQ, it serves the flavours of the Chinese, Peranakan, Eurasian, Indian and Malay kitchens.

Rempapa at PLQ

The name Rempapa comes from ‘rempah’, Malay for ‘spice paste’ – the aromatic seasoning at the base of Singaporean ethnic cuisines, and ‘papa’, in honour of Chef Damian’s reputation as ‘the grandfather of heritage cuisine’.

The new restaurant is located on the ground level of Park Place Residences at PLQ facing PLQ Parkside. It has an outdoor dining area facing the lush mini park. That section has a resort-like feel and also has high bar tables that will be suitable for after-office drinks and bar snacks.

The main dining area has a casual elegance style with blue, tan and gold colour scheme. It is an inviting comfortable space with a touch of refinement.

Rempapa Menu

With Eurasian and Peranakan parentage, Chef Damian D’Silva grew up in a household often filled with the aromas of the many traditional cuisines found in Singapore. At Rempapa, Chef Damian showcases Singapore’s culinary legacy. On the menu are examples of heritage dishes prepared with classic recipes, some older than 100 years.

Menu items include Fried Nyonya Fish Cake, Sri Lankan Chicken Curry and Tomato Chutney with String Hoppers, Chi Pao Kai and Lamb Leg Rendang. One-dish meals such as Peranakan Yong Tau Foo with Chee Cheong Fun, Seafood Bee Hoon and as Kai Fan are also available.

Below are pictures of the brunch and tea menus. There is a separate menu for dinner.

Curry Chicken & Nasi Lemak

We visited Rempapa for lunch and tried one-dish meals – Fried Curry Chicken Rice ($18) and Chicken Nasi Lemak ($17).

The Fried Curry Chicken Rice was served like a Japanese rice bowl topped with egg. The Chicken was seasoned with a house-blended masala before it was coated lightly in cornflour then deep-fried. The curry had complex flavours – with hints of different flavours of the various types of curries found in Singapore but not exactly like any particular version. It was one of the dishes of Rempapa that combined the essences of Eurasian, Peranakan, Indian, Malay and Chinese cuisines. We enjoyed the rice bowl.

We liked the simple dish of nasi lemak. The rice, cooked with a process that involved soaking in fresh coconut milk, had all the nice flavour and fragrance of good traditional nasi lemak. Instead of ikan bilis, the rice was served with crisp Japanese silverfish. The chicken was coated with a variety of spices and deep-fried so that the outside was very crispy and the inside tender and delicious. Perhaps the best part of the dish was the wonderful sambal.

Delightful all day dining restaurant.

Rempapa is a delightful all day dining restaurant. You can have Stir-Fried Chee Cheong Fun for breakfast, Nasi Lemak for brunch or lunch, Kueh Platter for afternoon tea, Baca Assam for dinner plus beverages and bar snacks in the evening. You can expect good service, an elegant but not stuffy dining space and a nice range of delicious dishes; so Rempapa can be a very good place to visit to savour Singapore heritage cuisines or simply to have an enjoyable time.