Scaled – by Ah Hua Kelong

We love our seafood. Sushi, Otoro, wild caught salmon, Alaskan King Crabs, Sri Lankan crab. Most of it flown, in, sometimes live, or in some cases, carefully flash-frozen, vacuum sealed, and then shipped across entire oceans, every step of the supply chain carefully monitored to ensure freshness and quality.

We ship these gems in from far-flung places. We think of quality seafood as imported. We think of elaborate, creative, inventive dishes as the product of foreign chefs using air-flown ingredients.

But there are exceptions. Somewhere, out there, are local folks brave enough to grow and forage food right in our back yards, and turn them into unique, creative dishes that boldly go forth into a brave new world.

And right on the historic Haji lane, the restaurant Scaled, by the good folks at Ah Hua Kelong, is doing just that – taking food gathered or raised with their own hands, and doing amazing, creative things normally associated with expensively imported stuff.

Look, for example, at these :

Locally Harvested XL Clams, with burnt miso and butterscotch 

We are talking sweet, giant clams harvested wild right in our waters, and then steamed, topped with burnt miso. Thing is, the guys at Ah Hua Kelong are gathering these clams themselves, right in our waters of Changi. These were delicious, with the salty umami of the miso contrasting nicely with the sweet clams.

Pickled Cockles Crostini 

This, was the most inventive and surprising dish. I don’t normally eat cockles. I find the blood taste overwhelming and unpleasant. But I enjoyed this. Again, the cockles here are wild caught, right in our waters. The pickling process had moderated the bloody taste into a pleasing mineral, earthy flavour which reminded me of escargots, going nicely with the scrambled eggs and toast.

Smoked Seabass Pate 

Local seabass raised right here in our waters, then smoked, and turned into a very western dish. The pate was had lovely smokey flavour, and the fish was delicious. Great pate need not come from far away.

Confit Seabass 

A slow cooked piece of sea bass served with hummus, caramelised onions, lemon-dill vinaigrette. It was delight, a combination of the best local produce cooked in a very international way.

Black Grouper en Papillote

Served with cantonese style broth, lala, glass noodles. This was my favourite dish of the evening. The grouper was succulent, and the broth, enriched with shellfish, was very rich and sweet. The glass noodles soaked it all up beautifully. This, was really delicious!

I first got to know the folks at Ah Hua Kelong for farming wonderful seafood, and then harvesting and delivering them right to your doorstep and the very same day. From this home delivery business, they have gone to strength to strength, opening first one at Pasar Bella, then another at Bedok Marketplace. Scaled at Haji is their third venture. And it is definitely worth a visit.