Great and affordable vegan food is often hard to find, and even more so in the CBD area. Look no further than Naked Earth Café in Telok Ayer
These days, nutrition and food security is a big topic worldwide. It’s not just about hopping on trends and munching on alternative protein, but a conscious decision to be aware of what we are eating — to eat healthy and be socially conscious.
However, it’s easier said than done. That’s why it’s good that Naked Earth Café is around. At Singapore’s first socially conscious, 100% plant-based bistro that emphasises a healthier way of living, every item on the menu is made with this ethos in mind.
Naked Earth Café aims to influence the population in becoming aware of and getting involved in the plant-based food revolution and to experience Asian fusion vegan food bursting with flavours. It promises to deliver nothing but the best for the best experience.
Speaking to Options, Diem Nguyen, director and co-founder of Naked Earth Café, explains that she started this business because as a vegan, she had a hard time finding restaurants and cafés that serve nutritious and wholesome vegan food.
“We operate out of a cosy little space in the heart of the business district. Our open kitchen concept allows us to not only interact with our customers, but also for them to see exactly what goes into their food,” says Nguyen. The café serves all sorts of cuisines, with some popular Vietnamese items like Summer Rolls and Banh Mi and popular traditional western dishes like soups and cottage pie — with a unique twist on the traditional flavouring.
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Sharing her sentiment is Christina Teo, executive chef of Naked Earth Café, who is a certified nutritionist and the brains behind its menu. As a fellow foodie and vegan, she has made it her mission to create nutritious and delicious food constantly. She not only shows patrons how versatile vegan cooking can be, but also helps fellow vegans discover ways to spice up their diet.
We had the opportunity to try out some of the creations from Naked Earth Café, and suffice to say, it was a positive surprise to see how vegan food can taste so delicious. While I am not a vegan, I do try to be conscious about the food I eat, nutrition and health-wise. Eating more vegetables is definitely something I am lacking in my daily diet and hence, I am trying to go full vegetarian a few days in a week. On those days, I somehow wake up craving anything but vegetarian food. I’m glad that Naked Earth Café has great vegan alternatives.
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Summer rolls
Summer Rolls ($4.50 each), which Nguyen notes is a popular dish on the menu, was one of my favourite starters. In this dish, plant-based chicken is used and paired with a medley of vegetables and garden fresh herbs. If I had to do a blind taste test with this dish, I would not have known that it was vegan at all.
Cauliflower fried rice
For the mains, I was glad to see dishes like the No Chik Zoodles ($10.50) and the Cauliflower “Fried Rice” ($10.50). These dishes are a great fit to my low-carb diet, while being high in fibre and tasty. Typically, a lot of vegan and vegetarian food are quite high in carbohydrates, but Naked Earth Café has found its way to give low-carb options such as these.
One thing that I appreciate about Naked Earth Café is that they like to challenge their creativity and offer an ever-evolving Dish of the Week ($12.00). For this, both Teo and Nguyen will experiment with recipes and bring them to the table for patrons.
When I was there, the Dish of the Week was Hainanese Chicken Rice, a Singapore favourite and staple. Never would I have thought I would be enjoying a plate of vegan chicken rice. While plant-based chicken is used here and cooked with ginger to bring out the flavours, “the secret is in the chilli sauce,” says Teo. The rice was truly fragrant and brought the whole dish together, but the star was indeed the garlic chilli sauce, which had a strong spicy kick.
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Victoria sponge cupcake
As for dessert, while an assortment of cupcakes can be found at the front of the counter, do check with the staff for the Dessert of the Week ($5.00), which can range from mango floats to Oreo cupcakes and other exciting healthy vegan options.
Even if you’re not a vegan, be open and let Naked Earth Café surprise you with how good vegan food can taste. And for vegans out there, here’s a place for you to enjoy great food.
Naked Earth Café
51 Telok Ayer St
#01-05
China Square Food Centre
S048441
Contact:
Tel: +65 8376 2406
Opening hours:
Mondays to Thursdays: 11am to 6pm
Fridays: 11am to 4pm
Photos: Naked Earth Cafe
