Situated along Eng Hoon Street in the Tiong Bahru neighbourhood, Magpie is a new restaurant that prides itself as a spot serving borderless soul food.
You might be wondering, what does that mean? Is it Spanish, Asian, or just Western dishes? Well, they branded themselves as borderless soul food because the food here cannot be categorized into a certain genre.
Inspired by the ports worked at and countries visited by Chef-Owner Eliot Thomas, the plates here transcend the traditional borders of your usual cuisine. However, one thing’s for sure – it’s soul food, so it’s enjoyable, indulgent and comforting while providing familiar flavours at the same time.
New Dining Spot in Tiong Bahru
The menu at Magpie changes regularly, so what you see online may be different from what you see in-store.
Generally, you can expect a menu of Snacks, Small Plates and Big Plates.
For Snacks, you can dig into items like Fried Bread, Labneh, Mint, Bottargo ($16 for 3pcs), Fried Prawn Tostada & Tomato Fresca ($21 for 4pcs) or a simple Fresh Tandoor Bread with Magpie Butter ($12).
Their small and big plates are perfect for sharing, with items like a Pugliese Burrata and Curried Brinjal Pickle ($28) on the small plate menu. The Big Plates menu is more protein-heavy and consists of items like a Market Fish served with Cucumber, Nyonya Butter and Herbs ($52) and Grilled Beef with Toum, Chermoula and Garden Salad ($54).
Magpie Restaurant Review
We started with their Fresh Tandoori Bread ($12) served with Magpie Butter. Our only issue with this dish is that we can’t spread the butter on the bread ourselves! Would’ve loved for the butter to be served on the side, at least for us.
One dish we enjoyed was the Crispy Langit Rice, which had notes of Ulam and Chilli ($16 for 5pcs). This was one of the dishes that sealed Magpie as a borderless soul food spot because it simultaneously felt so familiar yet new. It felt almost like a modern rendition of a Teochew Png Kueh.
They also had a Market Haul Aguachile ($26), a fresh, tangy, and spicy ceviche that pays tribute to the chef’s appreciation for Mexican culture. Adding a shot of Mezcal to the ceviche is even an option.
The Grilled Squid with Melon Chaat Salad ($23) had an amazing combination of textures, with crispy chickpeas adding a nice crunch.
Our favourite dish of the night was the Pugliese Burrata served with Curried Brinjal Pickle ($28). The creaminess of the burrata paired with familiar curry flavours created a medley of umami explosions with each bite. As someone who doesn’t even enjoy brinjal, I inhaled this with no hesitation and was on the verge of licking the plate.
As for the big plates, we enjoyed the Lamb T-Bone ($52), served with yoghurt, burnt aubergine and Urfa chilli butter. The dish is inspired by Chef Eliot’s time in London and Turkey and his appreciation for New Zealand lamb.
As always, a meal is never complete without dessert. There was the Rose Sorbet, Love Cake, Black Cardamom ($16) which is a lighter version as compared to the more indulgent Choux Buns ($16) served with Tres Leches Ice Cream, Warm Chocolate & Mexican Chilli Mousse and Praline.
A Gorgeous Space
Magpie will undoubtedly be the next it spot in Tiong Bahru, with its gorgeous space perfect for intimate gatherings. From vintage mementoes to Coromandel granite stones decorating the walls of Magpie, it’s the perfect spot for guests to nestle and relax in over New Zealand beers and a curated natural wine list – together with their amazing food.
Magpie
57 Eng Hoon Street, Singapore 160057
Wed-Thurs, 5:30pm onwards (Last Order 9:30pm)
Fri-Sat, 12pm & 5:30pm (Last Order 2:30pm and 9:30pm)
Sunday 12pm (Last Order 4:30pm)
*This article is based on a media-tasting event, but all opinions expressed about the food are entirely our own.
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