Po is a concept by Lo and Behold that is located within The Warehouse Hotel in Havelock. While the hotel’s design and vibes pay homage to the history of the property being a former warehouse and a hub for secret societies in the early 1900s, Po carries the softer touch in the hotel, offering heritage food that reminds you of your grandmother’s cooking.
Po, which means grandmother in Mandarin, is helmed by head chef Desmond Yong who previously trained with local legends like chef Damian D’Silva. Yong brings his own flavour into Po, while preserving the traditions of Nanyang heritage dishes that make up the menu.
The story here starts, fittingly, with popiah – a mainstay and signature in the menu here. The team treats this dish as a rite of care: a hand-cut filling of pork, shrimp and bamboo shoots is stewed and caramelised for more than four hours until sweet jicama, carrots and Holland peas meld into a glossy, savoury braise. Fresh handmade skins arrive with the full spread of toppings — crushed peanuts, crispy flatfish, chilli, sweet sauce, garlic and more — so each roll becomes a personal expression, a little taste of “home” assembled at the table.
That sense of care runs through the small plates. The Ikan Kerabu is a bright opener: raw sliced hamachi, lightly cured in ginger flower and plum dressing, topped with a tangy herb salad, sakura shrimp and coconut. It lands with tropical lift, with citrusy and floral notes along with a nice crunchy texture.
For mains, the Wagyu Rendang is slow-braised with 11 aromatics and finished with a coconut-milk crumble. This fragrant, sticky and tender dish is sure to quiet the table for a bit. Then, across the page, Itek Sioh brings a Peranakan marinade of shallot, tamarind and coriander to duck leg, grilled to order so the skin picks up a smoky edge while the flesh stays succulent.
See also: Sky-high oriental flavours
Vegetables aren’t an afterthought. The Brinjal Fry — South Indian eggplant pan-grilled with herbs and spices, drizzled with honey, and topped with spiced puffed rice and feta — is a medley of flavours and textures. Sweet and spicy, soft and crispy. And if you want greens with your gravy, Pucuk Lemak features young shoots in a rich coconut-milk sauce, crowned with tiger prawns for bite.
For a bit for carbs, the Lobster Mee is a must-have. An adaptation from the KL-style Hokkien-mee, this dish is truly indulgent, as udon noodles are braised in dark soy, then tossed over fierce heat with pork lard, pork belly, squid, sakura shrimp and cabbage. The sauce clings onto the noodles and the cooking technique brings a smokey “wok hei” flavour. This is topped with a half lobster to truly call this an indulgent dish.
For dessert, the Kueh Tingkat arrives in a three-tier tiffin with freshly made varieties — a whimsical, very Singapore way to end. The Yuzu Cheng T’ng reframes a familiar sweet soup with malva nuts, peach gum, white fungus and longan, brightened by yuzu sorbet and pomelo.
