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Date Night: Dirty Supper at Tiong Bahru is ‘whole animal cooking’ done right

By Hannah Choo 19 June, 2024

Located at the iconic Hua Bee Restaurant, Dirty Supper is run by Peter Smit, the chef-owner with a love of nose-to-tail grilling

What’s the story?

What used to be a pop-up supper club has found a home at the iconic Hua Bee Restaurant, a 90-year-old space that doubles as a noodle house in the day. The second shift is left to Dirty Supper, a grungy and energetic space that’s run by Peter Smit, the chef-owner who formerly led the kitchen at Rogan & Co. (London) and the now-defunct Adrift. He was also the executive chef for Sago House, Low Tide and Underdog Inn.

Smit is a champion of ‘whole animal cooking’, and he flies the flag high at Dirty Supper. Together with his love of grilling, the place stands out with gutsy and innovative fare, especially in a city drowning in generic restaurants and whatnot.

Chef-owner Peter Smit, a champion of whole animal cooking. Photo by Dirty Supper

Tell me more about the food.

Dirty Supper takes pride in local produce, relying on Tiong Bahru wet market as its main source, Vertical Farms for remarkable (and sustainable) prawns, and Malaysia for duck. The menu is lean and ever-changing, moving with the tide of available produce for the day. Must-orders include the succulent Raw Prawn, garnished with black lime and pickled green chilli; crispy Chicken Skin Terrine with smoked mackerel; and Aged Duck Breast, chock full of beer-pickled figs and capers. And if you look at the specials board above the kitchen counter, you might spy some Duck Heads, a popular snack to go with beer, and Duck Heart Sausage, grilled, glazed and comfortably seated in pumpkin pureé.

If you have space for dessert (bless your soul), there’s currently Rice Pudding and Milk Cake on the menu. There’s also ice cream, made with a cool, new flavour each time. Think apricot and juniper, koji and the like.

What else is there to know?

The place opens from 3pm to 11pm from Tuesday to Saturday. Swing by early for some Apple Highballs, a refreshing but dangerous concoction of green apple, Scotch and lemon, and order anything from the all-day menu. If you stay on for dinner, get straight to it with Dirty Feast, an S$88 dinner set featuring signatures and the season’s best.

Dirty Supper
78 Moh Guan Terrace,
01-19,
Singapore 162078
Tel: +65 6438 4567