Elizabeth LeeCurrently, there’re only 5 food trucks roving the grounds of this island, and Kerbside Gourmet is one of these rare mobile diners.
Affectionately nicknamed ‘Kerby’ by its 1000 followers, the former truck started serving meals on wheels since the start of 2013.
“We saw the truck as more than just a vehicle. It has a personality to it. It has become a symbol of what is portable out there in the streets of Singapore,” its owner, Ee Poh Luan, 48, told UrbanWire.
With its candy striped doors and its chocolate coloured body, the environmentally-friendly Toyota-Hino truck, standing at a towering height of 2.6 metres, is a definite standout on Singapore’s streets. Kerby also boasts a fully functioning kitchenette for the ultimate mobile cooking experience.
Serving fusion dishes of Western-Asian origin, Kerby places emphasis on good quality ingredients, allowing customers to enjoy gourmet food at street side prices. Track the truck down and you’ll find a constant crowd standing around the vehicle, eating al fresco style from make shift standing tables.
A hot favourite among customers is the Pea Purée with Sous-Vide Egg ($10). Slow cooked to perfection in a vacuum plastic bag, the half boiled egg is nestled in a creamy blend of fresh peas; a texture strikingly similar to the ubiquitous potato mash. The ingenious, hearty combination of the barely cooked yolk and the buttery essence of the purée was indeed a savory delight even to pea haters.
Sprinkled with cracked black pepper and splashed with a generous amount of truffle oil, even Kerby’s humble fries ($5) are a must-try. Crisp to the touch, each golden digit cracked up to offer a molten goodness of steaming potato upon first bite. Unlike overly salty fast food chain fries, these chips surprisingly had just the right amount of seasoning while still retaining its fresh taste despite being fried. Think MOS Burger’s crisp chips, but with a kick of the nutty truffle aroma.
Other main dishes include the Japanese Cold Pasta with Crabmeat ($12) as well as Fish Curry Pasta ($10), yet another unexpected but well loved fusion dish. Delightfully refreshing, the chilled angel hair pasta is well loved for its velvety yet light aftertaste– especially when paired with the richness of the crabmeat. Each serving is plated up in a whirl of delicate pasta with the nuggets of crabmeat tucked between.
Luan Ee, gave up the corporate world of stakeholding engagement as a communications executive to embark on this food-based social enterprise that aims to assist the under-privileged and the elderly. With every meal sold, Luan ensures a free one is given back to the beneficiaries under the Social Enterprise Association.
“We want to bring a buzz to the streets of Singapore while, and at the same time, to fulfill our social vision of solving the issue of hunger here,” said Luan.
Never having a definite answer to its locations, the elusive food vehicle keeps its loyal followers, (mainly the office crowd and dedicated foodies), in the loop of its whereabouts on its Facebook page. Despite its nomadic nature, Kerby can usually be found at the History Gallery Carpark in the National Musuem of Singapore or the Ministry of Social and Family Development at Thomson. Business usually operates from 12–7 PM.
Kicking up a fresh start to the local food scene, Kerbside Gourmet will definitely hail as one of the pioneers of food trucks in Singapore will follow suit in this new breed of dining in time to come. The newfangled, or some would say, revisited combination concept of alfresco with mobile dining has brought a fresh approach to the eating experience. So grab some friends in good fun of tracking Kerby down and slurp that cold pasta– kerbside style.
Rating: 3.5/5
Price rating: $$
Telephone: 9298 4888
Site: www.kerbsidegourmet.com