Food for Thought (8Q) is a restaurant located in the premises of the Singapore Art Museum on Queen Street.

It’s what every culture vulture wants, a place where the seats are comfy, the décor is pleasingly modern and most of all the food and drink* are value for money.

Food For Thought, located in North Bridge Centre, has a new and larger outlet. An outlet with style we might add, located on the forecourt of the Singapore Art Museum, the 50-seat restaurant with a 35-person al fresco area is an ideal place to chill out and eat, talk and just relax.

Executive chef David Heng (pictured left), 28 is the head behind the heart of this year-old iteration of a cult haunt.

“It was really great to get out of a café kitchen with only an induction hob and start cooking with gas”,  says the youthful-looking chef who after a diploma in software engineering, graduated from Le cordon bleu in Sydney. After stints in fine dining restaurants he wanted to get his say on a menu. Together with three other partners, who are private school teachers, he started with the café, which has now grown into the restaurant of the same name.

“The inspiration for marrying an eatery with a cause isn’t new, but it is still not the norm locally,“ he young chef says, while positing that food crosses all boundaries as everyone has to eat.

“We came to the conclusion that we are a product of the community around us, so we would like to return something positive to the community.”

On that premise, the two restaurants contribute roughly 10-20% of profits to causes based on catchy tag lines that rally people to their causes. These are based on fundamental human rights. Clean water, wholesome food, fighting poverty, providing education and finally inspiring kindness.

More importantly that just money though, the restaurant serves as an additional voice that reaches out to an intimate audience (their customers) to raise awareness. According to the busy chef, you can donate money via Food For Thought and even buy merchandise that generates further income for the supported charities.

“We believe that a sustainable business is a way of giving back to the community and beyond. As a going concern we can help more people than as a charity. We don’t make a lot, but we are doing alright.”

They have even begun to take in interns and give jobs to youths referred to them by their Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports  (MCYS) contacts.

Grilled calamari & bacon salad

The food served is mainly western with local twists and totally accessible. We tried their grilled calamari and bacon salad. Dressed just before coming to the table it was easy on the eye and on the waistline, but satisfying all the same unlike the crispy curry chicken and spicy chilli fries. This dish was HUGE, easily enough for two, the spicy chicken was crisp as were the fries, nicely offset by a roast tomato and corn salad. Full marks for completely ruining our diet!

Crispy curry chicken and spicy chilli fries

“We make most things from scratch besides the mayonnaise which is store bought, but flavoured with kaffir lime juice,” quipped the chef sensing the gustatory impact his dish was having on us.

Dessert was an extra large serving of banana walnut pancakes, after that chicken, these would normally have be left aside except they were truly more-ish. Think candied walnuts and a whole banana on thick fluffy pancakes with spiced gula melaka and a quenelle of sweetened cream.

Banana walnut pancakes

So bring a friend or three to successfully clean your plates at Food for Thought, share with them a good meal while introducing them to a good cause or two. You’ll be part of a growing set of people who are thinking not just about themselves and their needs, but the needs of others too.

Food For Thought

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8 Queen Street
T: +65 6338 9887 F: +65 6338 1080
Opening Hours: Mon - Sat, 9am - 10pm (Last orders from kitchen 8.50pm)
Sun 9am - 9pm (Last orders from kitchen 7.30pm)
*beers and wines are available.

www.foodforthought.com.sg

All pictures (except main image) by Guy Hoh; Main image courtesy of FoodforThought.com.sg