The homegrown joint offers different cuts of meat with different textures and flavours – just as a regular butcher would
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’d have noticed that meat alternatives are now more common in restaurants and supermarkets in Singapore. Helping vegetarians, vegans and meat-lovers to further embrace plant-based meats is Love Handle, Asia’s first plant-based butcher.
Located at Ang Siang Hill (where the now-closed 8ASH used to be), Love Handle is “on a mission to deliver flavour that’s good for the planet; or in other words, plant-based deliciousness created to satiate meat lovers.” It sees meat alternatives as exciting ingredients that are as flavoursome as the real thing and wants to show diners how good it can taste.
The ground floor of the two-storey retro-inspired space welcomes with a deli display counter stocked with different cuts of meat alternatives with different textures and flavours – just as a regular butcher would. There are raw “meats” that are either frozen or chilled, marinated and prepared variations, and condiments and dairy products. The curated range includes items from brands such as Impossible, Tindle, Green Rebel, Growthwell and others.
The majority of the plant-based products, however, have been developed in-house over the years through research and innovation. Among them is the Love Handle brisket made from seitan (hydrated gluten) and seasoned to produce the big, smoky flavours and texture of a traditional brisket. Plant-based Egg Mayo is punctuated with chunks of plant-based eggs, while the Plant-based Butter is available in plain, kombu or herbed flavours. The Love Handle Mince is available by the gram made from textured vegetable protein rehydrated with vegetable stock and seasoned with teriyaki and ginger soy.
An all-day dine-in menu showcasing the deli items is also available. Dine at the counter or head upstairs to try all-new Pulled Rendang Burger (with Green Rebel Rendang and in-house pickles); Love Handle Brisket Smashed Burger (a sloppy stack of seitan brisket slathered with house-made barbecue sauce); Impossibro Wellington (with spiced Impossible mince meat baked in crisp puff pastry); and the deep fried Omni Pork Luncheon Meat tossed with onions and dark soy sauce.
While some of the dishes need a little more tweaking (the Ginger Soy Chicken with Mee Sua was a tad salty), most did well in recreating the bite and texture of their real-meat cousins. We tried the umami-packed Luncheon Meat, which was a real treat that left us wanting more. The Philly Cheesesteak delighted our taste buds with thinly sliced “ribeye”, and the Celeriac Alfredo surprised our inner vegans with its nutty, pasta-like strips tossed in delicious house-made Hao Gan Ma sauce made from dried shitake mushrooms, onions, shallots and dried chillies.
Love Handle is at 8 Ann Siang Hill, Singapore 069788. Tel: 8886 7112