Restaurant Overview
One Prawn & Co represents Chef Gwyneth’s evolution from her Michelin Bib Gourmand prawn noodle heritage (now Zhup Zhup) into sophisticated modern Asian cuisine. Located at New Bahru, this contemporary seafood grill showcases her expertise in woodfire techniques and bold fusion flavors.
Location: 46 Kim Yam Road #01-10, New Bahru, Singapore 239351
Contact: +65 83660130
Reservations: Required for set menu (quote OPC100SET)
Ambience & Atmosphere
The restaurant creates an engaging dining environment through thoughtful spatial design. Indoor seating offers climate-controlled comfort, while outdoor areas provide an al fresco option for those who prefer open-air dining. The real highlight is the counter seating arrangement, which transforms the meal into an interactive experience. Diners positioned at the counter gain an intimate view of the culinary theater unfolding in the open kitchen, watching chefs manipulate flames, sear proteins, and plate dishes with precision.
The ambience strikes a balance between casual approachability and refined dining. The open kitchen design removes barriers between chefs and guests, creating transparency and connection. The crackling of woodfire grills provides ambient sound, while aromatic smoke occasionally drifts through the space, building anticipation. The setting feels modern and minimalist, allowing the food to take center stage without competing visual distractions.
The $100++ Dinner Set Menu Experience
This carefully orchestrated tasting journey requires a minimum of two diners and represents the ideal introduction to Chef Gwyneth’s culinary philosophy. The progression is intentional, moving from lighter, brighter flavors toward deeper, smokier, more complex notes as the meal develops.
Menu Progression & Dish Analysis
1. Hamachi Tartare (Rating: 4/5)
Concept & Composition: This opening salvo establishes the restaurant’s fusion credentials immediately. Fresh hamachi sits atop a crisp sago cracker, crowned with tobiko and kimchi.
Textural Layers: The sago cracker provides an initial shatter of crunch, giving way to the buttery softness of raw hamachi. Tobiko adds tiny bursts of brininess with each pop, while kimchi introduces a softer, fermented texture.
Flavor Profile: The dish balances oceanic sweetness from the hamachi with the gentle heat and tang of kimchi. However, the kimchi presence reads more subtle than bold, allowing the fish to dominate. The tobiko contributes saline punctuation marks throughout.
Cultural Fusion: This bite marries Japanese preparation (hamachi sashimi, tobiko) with Korean fermentation (kimchi) on a Southeast Asian base (sago), exemplifying the restaurant’s pan-Asian approach.
2. Smoky Prawn Toast (Rating: 4.5/5)
Composition: Prawn paste forms the protein foundation, enhanced by pickled red onion’s acidity and homemade garlic aioli’s richness, all supported by crisp toast.
Textural Journey: The toast maintains structural integrity despite the moist toppings, offering a satisfying crunch. The prawn paste is bouncy and juicy, while the aioli adds luxurious creaminess. Pickled onions provide crisp-tender contrast.
Flavor Complexity: Smokiness infuses the prawns from woodfire cooking, complemented by the garlic aioli’s pungent creaminess. The pickled onions cut through richness with vinegar brightness. Prawn sweetness anchors the bite.
Technique Analysis: The homemade aioli demonstrates attention to detail, while the smoking process adds depth without overwhelming the delicate prawn flavor. The balance between components shows restraint and understanding.
3. Burrata & Smoky Beans (Rating: 5/5)
Why It Excels: This dish earned the highest rating for its unexpected brilliance and addictive quality.
Component Breakdown:
- Haricot verts: Charred to maintain crunch while developing smoky sweetness
- White bait: Fried until crispy, adding umami and textural contrast
- Cracked chilli: Delivers heat and fermented complexity
- Burrata: Provides creamy, milky richness as a cooling counterpoint
Textural Symphony: The dish operates on multiple textural levels simultaneously. Crisp beans snap against fried white bait’s delicate crunch. The burrata offers liquid creaminess when broken, coating other components.
Flavor Dynamics: Smokiness from charred beans meets the funky, spicy depth of cracked chilli. White bait contributes oceanic umami, while burrata’s dairy richness mellows heat and brings cohesion. The interplay between fire, fermentation, dairy, and vegetables creates complexity that keeps you reaching for another bite.
Innovation Factor: Pairing Italian burrata with Southeast Asian chilli preparations and Chinese-style fried white bait demonstrates confident fusion. The combination shouldn’t work on paper but proves harmonious on the palate.
Recipe Inspiration: Burrata & Smoky Beans (Home Adaptation)
Ingredients:
- 200g haricot verts (green beans), trimmed
- 150g fresh burrata cheese
- 100g dried white bait or ikan bilis
- 3 tablespoons sambal or cracked chilli paste
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Lime wedges for serving
Cooking Instructions:
- Prepare the white bait: Heat oil in a small pan over medium-high heat. Fry white bait in batches until golden and crispy, about 2-3 minutes. Drain on paper towels and season lightly with salt.
- Char the beans: Heat a grill pan or cast iron skillet until smoking hot. Toss beans with a light coating of oil and season with salt. Cook beans in a single layer, turning occasionally, until charred and blistered but still crisp-tender, about 5-7 minutes.
- Assemble: Arrange charred beans on a serving plate. Tear burrata into pieces and distribute across the beans. Drizzle with sambal or cracked chilli paste. Scatter crispy white bait over the top.
- Serve immediately: The contrast between hot beans and cold burrata creates textural and temperature interest. Squeeze lime over just before eating.
Home Cook Notes: If you don’t have a grill, roast beans at 450°F for 10-12 minutes. For white bait substitute, use crispy fried shallots or crushed chicharrones. Store-bought sambal oelek works well for the chilli component.
4. Spicy Octopus (Rating: 4.5/5)
Preparation Style: Octopus receives woodfire grilling, developing char while maintaining tenderness.
Flavor Marriage: Assam pedas, a Malaysian tamarind-based curry, brings sour-spicy complexity. The tamarind’s fruity acidity complements octopus’s natural sweetness while cutting through any potential rubberiness.
Textural Elements: Properly grilled octopus offers meaty chew without toughness. Lotus root chips add vegetable crunch and a mild, slightly sweet earthiness that doesn’t compete with the assertive sauce.
Regional Fusion: Mediterranean grilling technique meets Malaysian curry flavors, bridged by the universal appeal of perfectly cooked seafood.
5. Scorched Hor Fun (Rating: 4.2/5)
Technique Showcase: The visual spectacle of watching chefs cook hor fun in a mesh sieve over open flames creates anticipation. This method achieves intense, localized charring impossible with conventional wok cooking.
Component Analysis:
- Hor fun: Wide rice noodles develop smokiness and slight caramelization
- XO sauce: Dried seafood condiment adds umami depth
- Sichuan peanuts: Contribute crunch and numbing spice
- Seared scallops: Provide sweet, briny protein
Textural Profile: The noodles achieve areas of crisp char while maintaining chewy centers. Scallops offer plush tenderness. Peanuts provide periodic crunch.
Flavor Critique: While the execution is technically impressive, the XO sauce presence reads lighter than expected. Zi char versions typically deliver more aggressive, funky seafood intensity. The refinement here may disappoint those seeking bold, in-your-face flavors, though the subtlety has its own appeal.
Cultural Context: This represents Chef Gwyneth’s interpretation of local zi char (hawker-style wok cooking), elevated through technique while perhaps sacrificing some of the genre’s characteristic boldness.
6. “Typhoon Shelter” Prawn (Rating: 4.8/5)
Presentation: Five prawns arranged with careful attention to visual appeal demonstrate the restaurant’s refined approach.
Sauce Innovation: Elderflower vermouth creates an unexpected base, bringing floral, herbal notes not found in traditional typhoon shelter preparations. This European ingredient reinterprets the classic Hong Kong dish.
Flavor Layers:
- Prawns: Smoky from woodfire, naturally sweet
- Elderflower vermouth: Floral, slightly sweet, aromatic
- Burnt leek oil: Adds depth, subtle allium character, and smokiness
Textural Perfection: The prawns achieve ideal doneness, maintaining snap and juiciness without overcooking.
Fusion Analysis: Traditional typhoon shelter style involves garlic, chilli, and fermented black beans. This version maintains the spirit (bold, aromatic, seafood-focused) while completely reimagining the flavor palette through Western ingredients.
7. Malt Black (Rating: 4/5)
Concept: Sourdough ice cream forms the unusual base, offering tangy, slightly savory notes uncommon in desserts.
Component Interplay:
- Roasted white chocolate: Provides caramelized sweetness without dark chocolate’s bitterness
- Yuzu: Contributes citrus brightness and Japanese character
- Horlicks crumbs: Add malt flavor, nostalgia, and textural crunch
Flavor Philosophy: This dessert leans into savory-sweet territory, using fermented sourdough and malted Horlicks to create complexity beyond typical sugar-forward sweets.
Cultural Touchstones: Horlicks connects to Singaporean coffee shop culture, while yuzu represents Japanese refinement. The combination feels both familiar and novel.
8. Lemongrass Ice Kachang (Rating: 4.2/5)
Deconstructed Classic: Ice kachang, a beloved Singaporean shaved ice dessert, gets refined treatment while maintaining recognizable elements.
Component Analysis:
- Osmanthus aiyu jelly: Floral, delicate, with unique texture
- Roasted coconut: Adds toasted nuttiness
- Lemongrass granita: Provides icy texture with herbal, citrus notes
- Plum vinegar: Contributes unexpected acidity
Textural Variety: The jelly offers wobbly smoothness, granita provides icy crystals, coconut adds crunch, creating a multi-textured experience.
Flavor Balance: Lemongrass and osmanthus bring floral herbal notes, coconut adds richness, plum vinegar cuts sweetness with sourness. The complexity prevents palate fatigue.
Modernization Strategy: Rather than simply serving traditional ice kachang, Chef Gwyneth isolates the concept (cold, sweet, multi-textured, refreshing) and rebuilds it with refined technique and ingredients.
Culinary Philosophy & Style
Chef Gwyneth’s approach demonstrates several consistent principles:
Woodfire as Foundation: Nearly every savory dish incorporates smoke and char, creating a unifying thread while varying intensity.
Respectful Fusion: Rather than randomly combining ingredients, the menu shows understanding of how different culinary traditions can complement each other. Japanese precision meets Malaysian boldness, Italian luxury meets Southeast Asian heat.
Textural Consciousness: Every dish operates on multiple textural levels, preventing monotony and maintaining engagement.
Refinement Without Pretension: The food elevates local flavors without abandoning accessibility or becoming overly precious.
Ingredient Quality: The foundation relies on excellent base ingredients, particularly seafood, allowing techniques to enhance rather than mask.
Delivery & Takeaway Options
Based on available information, One Prawn & Co does not appear to offer delivery services. The restaurant’s focus on woodfire grilling, careful plating, and the experiential nature of the set menu suggests dine-in is the primary service model. The delicate textures (crispy elements, burrata, ice cream desserts) would likely suffer during transport.
For takeaway inquiries, contact the restaurant directly at +65 83660130. Some dishes like the prawn toast or octopus might travel better than others.
Alternative Recommendation: For those unable to visit in person, consider ordering from Chef Gwyneth’s other venture, Zhup Zhup, which may have more takeaway-friendly prawn noodle options.
Value Assessment
At $100++ per person for the set menu, the pricing positions One Prawn & Co in the premium casual to fine dining category. The value proposition includes:
- Eight distinct courses showcasing variety
- Premium ingredients (hamachi, burrata, octopus, prawns, scallops)
- Theatrical cooking methods (open kitchen, woodfire)
- Chef Gwyneth’s Michelin-recognized pedigree
- Thoughtful flavor progression
For context, this price point is competitive with other modern Asian fine casual concepts in Singapore, though less expensive than traditional fine dining.
Recommendations
Best For:
- Seafood enthusiasts
- Adventurous eaters interested in fusion cuisine
- Date nights or special occasions
- Food enthusiasts who appreciate watching kitchen craftsmanship
Consider Carefully If:
- You prefer traditional, unmodified Asian flavors
- You’re seeking aggressive, bold zi char-style intensity
- You have shellfish allergies (most proteins are seafood)
Must-Order: The Burrata & Smoky Beans is available a la carte at $26 and should not be missed.
Pro Tips:
- Book counter seats for the full experience
- Visit for dinner when the full set menu is available
- Make reservations well in advance
- Mention OPC100SET when booking the set menu
Final Verdict
One Prawn & Co successfully carves out its own identity distinct from Chef Gwyneth’s prawn noodle heritage. The cooking demonstrates technical skill, creative thinking, and genuine understanding of how to bridge culinary cultures. While some dishes lean toward refinement over boldness, the overall experience delivers satisfaction through variety, quality, and thoughtful execution. The restaurant proves that modern Asian cuisine can honor tradition while confidently exploring new directions.