Gilmore and Damian D'Silva at National Gallery, Singapore
- Ava Lyn
- Jan 23
- 3 min read
Gilmore and Damian D'Silva
1 St Andrew's Rd,
#01-02/03 National Gallery,
Singapore 178957
Stepping into Gilmore and Damian D'Silva at Singapore's National Gallery feels like a work of art. It feels like it is going to be a fine dining experience, with only set menus. However, Gilmore and Damian D'Silva is not that. It is a nod to the history of Singapore and an embrace of Chef D'Silva's Eurasian heritage.
Chef Damian D'Silva, who is known for Rempapa (also now in National Gallery) and as a judge in MasterChef Singapore, has come one full circle to open his establishments at the Singapore National Gallery. His grandfather served as the first and only custodian, living on the grounds of the former Supreme Court Wing. Chef D'Silva talks about his time chasing birds as he watches his grandfather cook amid the former Supreme court. He now returns to his roots in the same building, honouring his Eurasian heritage, reviving forgotten recipes and serving up communcal, shareable plates like in a Eurasian household.
What we had:
Fu Zhou Oyster Cake
Prawn Macaroni Toast
Kedondong Salad
Baca Assam
The menu was really impressive, with alot of dishes we had in our childhood but is rare to find these days.
Our Fu Zhou oyster cake arrives as a big fritter stuffed with fresh oyster, pork and prawn. A very classic Fujian street dish evolved. Our prawn macaroni toast was served next. This is an interesting one. Back in the 1950s, this was a dish which was commonly served at wedding banquets. Macaroni is steamed in chicken stock, allowed to cool before being cut into pieces and deep fried to create a bed for the sauce and prawn. Something I have never had before and wouldn't necessarily associate with Cantonese cuisine. But definitely an interesting dish.
Our Kedondong salad was up next and this was a dish I really enjoyed. Kedondong is also known as ambarella. These fruits are tropical fruits that have a beautiful tangy flavours. In its green unripe form, it is crisp and delivers a nice sour flavour similar to unripe mango and pineapple. It is served with wing bean, dried prawns and peanut candy and the sauce is deliciously savoury and slightly spiced. One of our highlights for the night.
We then had our Baca Assam served with a nice and fluffy nasi minyak or rice cooked in ghee. The Baca Assam is a slow braised beef cheek, tenderized and marinated over many hours in tamarind with a spice mix of lemongrass, chilli, shallots and garlic. The dish is soft and tender and perfect with our nasi minyak.
Of course we didn't stop there. For desserts, we had a selection of 6 kueh kuehs and a bowl of pulut hitam. Both dishes really local yet accessible for those who are trying it for the first time. And this is exactly where I feel Gilmore sits. At the National Gallery, in a beautiful setting, this is the perfect restaurant to bring your foreign guests, for them to try a piece of Singapore's heritage. Dishes that many of us grew up with, in a comfortable environment and in a manner that is accessible and relatable. I love the thought of this. Every so often, we have friends and colleages visiting, many of whom we want to bring to an upscale restaurant. The pickings are limited if you want a truly authentic Singaporean experience, but now with Gilmore, there is now another variation and one that I must say, feels more homely.
We visited Gilmore on the first week of December, just one week after their launch and the staff was bright and perky. Everyone stopped by our table through the meal to ask how we were and share something different about the restaurant, as did Chef D'Silva himself. Throughout the meal, we were very well taken care of.
Booking
Gilmore is just ramping up and is not at full capacity yet. However, seats can be found on their website. Or you could try, like us, to get a walk in table.
Accessibility
Located right near Odette, Gilmore can be assessed at the Supreme Court end of the National Gallery of Singapore. The nearest MRT is about an 8 minute walk away.
The Damage
If you are a National Gallery Insider member, you get 15 % off at Gilmore. At ~ 100 SGD for 2 pax for a total of 6 dishes, I would consider it to be of really good value.
Would We Recommend?
Definitely Yes! There are so many dishes on the menu that many Singaporeans can relate to and the dishes are cooked really well. The restaurant is gorgeous and the team is welcoming. I would definitely revisit myself but also to bring visitors to try a piece of what I grew up with.
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