A relative newbie to upper middle-class Pulau Tikus suburb’s burgeoning dining scene, Sincere Co. actually opened last Dec 22, 2024, but fell below my radar as I must confess that I am not very big into vegetarian/vegan cuisine. But visiting Singaporean friends actually pointed me to this place, and I’d not looked back since - the food is light, fresh and kept simple. Love the setting - at first glance, it was almost antiseptic and pharmaceutical in appearance - but therein lies its attraction: it somehow evokes a feeling of calm and serenity in me when I was dining in there.
What we tried:
Roasted garlic hummus, with confit cherry tomatoes, arugula salad with balsamic vinegar, and corn chips. - a very good start, pairing hummus with Mexican corn chips and a simple salad really works here!
Thai somtum-inspired sweet corn salad, with tempeh and long beans. - everything had clear, crisp flavors and textures, which I found out are the qualities which every dish here clearly possess.
Avocado tempura, with house-made Japanese furikake and Sriracha emulsion. - absolutely must-not-miss if one comes here.
Mapo tofu rice, with chopped shitake, Sichuan peppercorns, silky tofu and fried egg. - surprisingly tasty, although I’d always thought mapo tofu needs to have some meat, e.g. pork, to impart the savory-sweetness needed to lift the dish out of its spicy base. Well, this vegetarian version acquitted itself very favorably indeed!
Laksa lemak with vermicelli, with turmeric broth, laksa condiments (torch ginger flower, shallots & mint leaves), shaved zucchini, red chili, and ladyfinger.
Wheat-based pasta was used in place of rice noodle here. Tasty all the same, love the fresh, crunchy ladyfingers/okra. The mint and finely-chopped pink torch ginger imparted very “Penang” herbal flavors reminiscent of Nyonya gulai tumis, asam pedas and asam laksa.
Dessert: sweetcorn cendol - this millennia-old Javanese pandan noodle dessert was given a makeover with the addition of sweetcorn. Stewed red beans, always a popular addition, were really good here. All mounted on a mound of shaved ice, enriched with coconut milk and palm sugar. A dusting of crushed nuts to finish off.
OK, for a self-confessed meat-lover and non-vegetarian, must say I am actually looking forward to coming back here again soon.
Address
Sincere Co. at Moulmein Rise Shoppes
9-01-01 (Unit 6), Level 1, Moulmein Road, Pulau Tikus, 10350 George Town, Penang
Tel: +60 1026 72018
Opening hours:11am-10pm daily
