Update: With circuit breaker measures in place, Red Sparrow is open for takeaway + islandwide delivery services. Customers can enjoy free delivery to their doorsteps with a minimum spending of S$80. WhatsApp them at +6583485195 to place your orders.
Vietnamese cuisine has come into its own in Singapore over the past few years. Running parallel to its steady popularity, people’s knowledge of Vietnamese dishes has progressively expanded beyond the humble pho. Vietnamese delicacies are mostly vibrant and fresh. They typically feature aromatic herbs and more importantly, their minimal use of fat has resonated with many health-conscious Singaporean foodies.
A mishmash of Chinese and French flavours can be found in Vietnamese food. Vietnamese meals are centred around rice, vegetable and meat underscored by flavours derived from fermented fish sauce, lemongrass, chilli and other herb varieties.
Nestled in the heart of Dempsey Hill, Red Sparrow is a restaurant that offers diners a unique taste of Vietnam. Inspired by the authentic flavours of Vietnamese home cooking, the menu boasts a wholesome selection of dishes ranging from salads to noodles.
Priding itself on providing diners a real-deal experience, everything from the decor, their wine labels and ingredients are directly sourced from far and wide regions of Vietnam. We mean everything—from the seasoning and aromatics that go into every dish—be it the humble basil, mint or coriander leaf to other more exotic varieties of native herbs and spices.
Goi Du Du – Green Papaya Salad with Prawn
To prime the palate for the slew of meat courses to come, tantalise your tastebuds with umami-dense Goi Du Du. Goi Du Du is a refreshing Vietnamese green papaya and prawn salad topped with roasted peanuts, basil leaves and dressed in a sweet vinegary sauce made using sugar, fish sauce and vinegar. All the components in this salad create the perfect harmony of flavour and texture, from the flavourful dressing, the sour slivers of papaya and the charred prawns.
Pho Bo Tai – Sliced Beef Pho
Pho is a quintessential Vietnamese dish and the epitome of comfort food. Red Sparrow’s Pho Bo (otherwise known as beef noodle soup) is as good as the ones in Vietnam. Sitting in a large bowl is a generous amount of fresh herbs, sliced onions, beansprouts, scallions, coriander and a mound of thinly sliced US chuck roll and braised beef brisket.
Seconds before serving, a comforting richly seasoned beef broth is ladled over, cooking the beef to a greyish-pink medium-rare. Soul-satisfying through and through, we particularly enjoy their rendition as it packs a much meatier richness than conventional varieties.
Pho Chay – Vegetarian Pho
In the mood for something wholesome and healthy for a change? Their Pho Chay is a vegetarian-friendly option that’s anything but underwhelming. Albeit lacking in actual meat, it more than makes up for the bite (and protein count) by means of tofu and tender oyster mushrooms. Factoring out fish sauce, a heady vegetable broth is given a sourish tang using tamarind. Flavourful and nourishing, you seriously don’t have to be a vegetarian to appreciate this.
Bun Bo Nam Bo – Rice Vermicelli with Fresh Herbs & Wok-fried Beef
Bun Bo Nam Bo comprises a medley of fresh herbs, mixed greens, pickled papaya, pickled carrots and roasted peanuts alongside a generous portion of wok-fried lemongrass beef and spicy fermented pork sausage. This bowl of noodles harmonises all elements beautifully. Bright, clean tasting, savoury and meaty. The pickles complement the meat and the additional greens provide textual depth to the overall dish.
Ca Phe Trung – Vietnamese Egg Coffee
There are plenty of ways you can end off a perfectly satisfying meal. Either with dessert or a good strong coffee. But the one that marries the two is Ca Phe Trung aka Egg Coffee.
Fun fact: Vietnamese egg coffee was born out of necessity during the war where dairy products were scarce. Today, the Cà Phê Trứng remains a staple in Vietnam and you can grab a cuppa at Red Sparrow. Deriving its creaminess, sweetness and froth from whipped condensed milk and yolk, this egg coffee is a mind-blowing treat!
Alcoholic Drinks at Red Sparrow – Vietnamese Cocktail, Beer & Wine
Red Sparrow serves an interesting selection of Vietnamese-inspired artisanal cocktails that you probably haven’t seen before. Staying true to the restaurant’s cuisine, you can expect ingredients such as Viet yogurt and even Vietnamese gin that hails from a small distillery in Hanoi.
Fret not if cocktails aren’t your cup of tea. Red Sparrow also offers bottled Vietnamese beers such as 333 Bia, Saigon Special and more. Their wine menu features a small selection of vinos from Vietnamese wine producers such as Vang Dàlat Winery and Chateau Dalat Winery.
Address: Dempsey Hill, 11 Dempsey Rd, #01-18, 249673, Singapore 249673
Opening Hours: 11AM – 11.30PM (Daily)
WhatsApp: +6583485195
Nearest MRT Station: Farrer Road
Read our guide to bars in Dempsey Hill.
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