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Irresistibly Good ONE simple mark of a good meal is when you’re scraping your plate clean despite being full. And that pretty much summed up my recent experience at Original Sin, experience at Original Sin, Mediterranean vegetarian restaurant and oldtimer at Chip Bee Gardens. For example, the pommodoro ($12) I started with – herb bread with goat’s cheese – was probably more suited for a couple but was finished off quite effortlessly by me alone. The four generous-sized pieces of toasted bread were lightly spread with the cheese providing just enough without it beign overpowering – and topped with chopped, herbed tomatoes, with two olives sitting in twirls of vinaigrette on the side. It was delicious, with a well-judged balance of flavours, and I found myself finishing off the lot quite effortlessly. My main course, moussaka ($20), was similarly irresistible. Although comfortably full by the time I was halfway through, I found that I just couldn’t put down my fork and spoon. I had to take another bite. And another. And so on until the plate was cleared. (And I hate to say it, but I actually felt a moment’s throb of regret that there wasn’t any more!) I was impressed at how pretty and almost festive the moussaka looked. It came surrounded with red and green salad leaves sprinkled with edible flower petals in pink, purple, orange and yellow. The menu is a generous one, with five salads, five starters including the popular Mezze Plate ($18 as a starter; $24 as a main), which is a platter of Middle Eastern specialties such as falafel or chick pea patties. You have a choice of eight mains, such as the root vegetable gratin ($22), consisting of oven-baked spiced potato, sweet potato and parsnip, and the filo pie with beet, pumpkin and feta cheese, with four pastas and four pizzas available. Desserts include items such as the dark cherry truffle and apple crumble, both of which were excellent. Original Sin manager Loretta Bertocchi said that the restaurant has been popular almost from the word go, since it was opened five and a half years ago by her sister, Marisa, the chef. Said Loretta, who is from Adelaide: “Many came out of curiosity, but it didn’t take long for it to be successful. We had customers who didn’t even realise it was vegetarian. One customer found out only on the fifth visit! “We have a lot of regulars now, people who come two or three times a week,” added Loretta, who, like Marisa, is vegetarian. The restaurant introduced a lunch special about three weeks ago, offering a veggie burger or tofu wrap with cheese and vegetables served with salad and a freshly-squeezed juice or smoothie for $18. While the interior is attractive, I recommend sitting outside for a slightly more laid-back mood. Yes, even in the heat of day (there are fans). I especially liked the low wall of growing bunga telang, with its blue flowers traditionally used to colour bak chang and some nonya kueh. While all the dishes are vegetarian, some - as marked on the menu - are specifically for vegans and ovo-lacto vegetarians. Original Sin is at Chip Bee Gardens (Blk 43 Jalan Merah Saga), opposite Holland Village. Tel: 6475 5605. |
Also
popular among diners is the principessa salad ($16), a mix of ingredients
such as avocado, asparagus and roasted pumpkin with greens, and
bosco misto ($22), spinach, feta and tofu patties in a mushroom
ragout.