Chef Brehm's crossroads approach is evident in this dish that merges Brazilian street food with Southeast Asian spices. The acarajé — fried black-eyed pea fritters — becomes something entirely new when served in a turmeric-coconut curry that references both his Lebanese heritage and his adopted Singapore home.
Tips from diners
This is the signature dish that best represents the restaurant's philosophy — expect unexpected flavor combinations that work harmoniously.
Chef Brehm creates signature motifs that repeat through the tasting menu — vanilla and turmeric are two that define the Nouri experience. This seafood course showcases how these flavors can be subtly woven into seafood preparations, creating a cohesive narrative across multiple dishes.
Tips from diners
The tasting menu is structured as a story — the vanilla and turmeric motifs that start early reappear throughout, creating a sense of continuity and intentionality.
Multiple reviews highlight Nouri's bread as exceptional, with one reviewer noting 'My favorite dish is the bread.' The restaurant takes bread seriously, with different types offered throughout the meal that change seasonally. Each bread is made in-house using traditional fermentation and is a study in technique.
Tips from diners
Don't skip the bread course or overlook it — multiple reviews specifically call out the bread as one of the best offerings, which is rare for a Michelin restaurant.
A clear example of Chef Brehm's cultural crossover philosophy. The risotto is cooked with precision in the Milanese tradition, then elevated with Japanese yuzu kosho — a fermented citrus-chili paste that adds brightness and umami. The result is neither fully Italian nor fully Japanese, but something uniquely Nouri.
Tips from diners
This dish convinces skeptics about fusion cuisine — the yuzu-risotto combination makes sense in a way most fusion attempts don't.
The menu builds to a crescendo with progressive dessert courses. Earlier courses are lighter, building toward richer, more intense flavors that provide a satisfying conclusion. This structure reflects Chef Brehm's narrative approach to the entire meal.
Tips from diners
The dessert course is structured to provide closure to the culinary journey — lighter flavors give way to a memorable final course that ties the experience together.
Chef Ivan Brehm's 'crossroads cuisine' menus unfold as narratives exploring how cultures, ingredients, and geographical locations intersect. Located at 72 Amoy Street with a marble table and chef's counter, Nouri earned its Michelin star and entered Asia's 50 Best in 2019. With mixed heritage spanning Italian, German, Russian, Spanish, Lebanese, Syrian and Brazilian, Chef Brehm develops cuisine as eclectic as his own lineage.
Request the marble table seating — the conjoining chef's counter is the preferred front-row seat to interact with and watch the chefs work. It's the heart of the experience.
Lunch service Tuesday-Friday offers a tasting menu at $65 per person, significantly less than dinner ($120-150+) — same quality, different timing.
Come in with an open mind and ask the server to explain the culinary narrative — Chef Brehm's crossroads philosophy is more meaningful when you understand the connections between dishes.
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