Edible anarchy: A review of the Nouri x Wana Yook collaboration in Singapore

Let’s be honest. Collaborations can be awkward. Like two exes forced into a polite brunch. But here in Singapore, at Nouri x Wana Yook, the chemistry isn’t just palpable; it’s borderline indecent. It’s a whisper in the dark between Ivan Brehm’s meditative cuisine and Chalee Kader’s unapologetic Thai bravado. If Plato and a Bangkok street hawker opened a speakeasy together, this would be the tasting menu.

Review of the Nouri x Wana Yook collaboration in Singapore

Act I: An edible prologue

The opening act? A quartet of tiny provocateurs. The Not-a-Tom-Yum Broth is precisely that.Tom Yum deconstructed, decanted, and reimagined into something haunting and herbaceous, like a memory you can sip. The Silken Cheese and Cashew Larb is rich, creamy, and cheekily confusing. It is literally Thailand meets cheese plate. And strangely, it works. The Pillow Crab Curry is all fluff and fire, soft on the outside, yet a stealthy attack within. And the Nhaem Betel Tart? A single bite flavour bomb that absolutely explodes.

Then, in slinks the Shima Aji Crudo, strutting on a catwalk of turmeric and lime nam jim, with turmeric leaf oil slicked on like edible silk. There’s the swaggering kick of nam prik kapi, too. The result? Citrus, funk, and finesse, all in one slippery slice.

With my lips still tingling, along comes the Dong Granita. Lychee dong, pear and lychee granita, abalone and scallop tucked into a wild pepper leaf. It’s icy, fragrant, and disarmingly emotional like a Thai love poem whispered from a chilled porcelain bowl.

Act II: The first course or “Foreplay” as the kitchen might call it

All herald the Gaeng Toh Mae, a deeply soulful Melayu-style fish curry, starring itoyoridai (that’s golden threadfin bream for the seafood nerds), glossed in pecah minyak oil and crowned with a coconut crumb. Bold and dangerously smooth, the fish melts like a scandal on a hot page. Overall, it’s sweet, sultry, and a little spicy.

But hold your fan, the Kanom Jeen Sao Nahm is where the plot thickens. Fermented rice noodles slink like silk ribbons through a warm, aromatic coconut broth. Sakura ebi throws a perfectly timed, crispy tantrum, while the salted duck egg? A creamy jolt of umami that silences the table.

Act III: The crescendo

A 48-hour sous-vide Denver steak, lacquered in a tamarind-chilli glaze, so tender it cleaves at the nudge of a spoon. A showstopper, no question, the Gaeng Kua Prik pulls all the stops. It comes with rice crowned with a kai dao, that perfectly frilly-edged, runny-yolked fried egg (marinated in Maggi sauce, no less), whose crisp lace is basically a textural thesis in Maillard reaction. Break it open and the yolk spills like liquid gold, glossing the rice in savoury opulence.

The Southern Thai red curry is no side act. It’s a full-bodied, shrimp-paste-and-galangal-forward knockout that coats the palate in layers of heat, funk, and depth.

The final act

Dessert? A confident finale. Piakpoom, a coconut rice pudding that arrives disarmingly but leaves a lasting impression. Atop it, a scoop of burnt coconut husk ice cream, all smoke and silk, flanked by salted coconut cream and a scattering of sesame crumb for crunch and contrast. It’s tropical noir. Sweet, but brooding, complex, with a smoky edge that hints at a sense of mystery.

And just when you think you’re done, the Petit Fours sashay in. Small in size, big on theatre. A banana dorayaki with all the bounce and sweetness of a backstage encore. A citrus pâte de fruit that zips across the palate like a well-timed comeback. Tart, glossy, and unapologetically zesty. And a pineapple-mango ma’amoul, buttery and bright like sunshine wrapped in flaky pastry.

The verdict?

The Nouri x Wana Yook dinner is a masterclass in pushing boundaries with precision. It’s cerebral without being cold, soulful without losing control. A little bit science, a little bit street. It doesn’t just blur borders, it sets them on fire and then serves the ashes with a side of crunchy coconut crumb.

Coda: The show must go on

Even now, after the Nouri x Wana Yook tasting menu has bowed out, both kitchens remain destinations worth a pilgrimage. At Nouri Singapore, Ivan Brehm’s boundary-defying creativity continues to turn the familiar into philosophical art dishes that make you pause and reconsider all preconceived notions you might have had of flavour.

Meanwhile, over in Bangkok, Wana Yook is pure Thai bravado in full bloom. Unapologetically bold, sensual, and joyful. Every bite is a playful wink, every spice a reminder that life should taste like adventure.

Together or apart, both establishments are masterclasses in culinary storytelling. Intellectual yet indulgent, refined yet unafraid to flirt with the unexpected. Miss them at your own peril. Go for the genius, linger for the theatrics and savour the kind of culinary audacity that seduces your taste buds into a scandalously delightful standing ovation.

Where to find them:

Nouri Singapore
72 Amoy St,
Singapore 069891
Reservations recommended

Wana Yook Bangkok
5, 15 Phaya Thai Rd,
Thanon Phaya Thai, Ratchathewi,
Bangkok 10400, Thailand
Reservations recommended

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