Re-imagining Home Cooking by Adapting Takeaway
This week, restaurants with terraces re-opened for service. We don’t have a lot of tables (or space) for our unofficial “terrasse” but we are very excited to be welcoming guests back in at least a little way after so many weeks. In the meantime, as we prepare for a return to indoor service as well, we wanted to share with you one of our adaptations that we saw the need for during our long confinement.
Taking Takeaway to the Next Level
In the early days that we were closed to the public, a number of our regulars ordered takeaway from us, not just because they craved our flavors, but also because they wanted to support us, and we appreciated that so much!
As time went on and the majority of people were preparing meals at home, takeaway and delivery became a treat, a way to “take a meal off” and remember the luxury of going to cafes and restaurants. But that “treat” began to be expensive for many, especially with uncertainties around businesses and jobs.
That’s where the meal kits came in.
While Chef Khanh Ly is very comfortable with complicated recipes (she is a chef, after all), co-owner Pearl readily admits that she can’t cook, and wants convenience: something fast, easy, and straightforward when she is ordering takeaway or delivery. The meal kits merged these two lines of thought, while also shooting for the freshness of the delivered product, while providing them at an affordable price that was much less than the average takeaway order.
Thoughtful Meal Kits
Don’t confuse a meal kit with the frozen food you might find at Picard or the “follow the recipe” kit you might find in a Hello Fresh box. In a meal kit, we’re asking you to bring us into your kitchen and let us guide you through the finishing steps: we’ve done all of the difficult work, coaxing those great Asian flavors out of fresh ingredients.
We just need your hands to put the finishing touches on.
We started with our Banh Mi and Laksa, precisely because these are the hardest to replicate, especially the sauces and pickles.
We know even our most loyal customers prefer to dine in with us rather than just order takeaway. The meal kits address that preference in a way, by allowing us to come home with you and give you:
each ingredient you need (sourced sustainably)
simple preparation and fresh
enough food to share with others or keep for yourself for later
just that right amount of sauce and garnish to make your meal restaurant-ready!
Add From Our Epicerie
As we’ve also shared before, we’ve also ramped up our epicerie options, so that you can bring more of our flavors home until you can come and have them in person. We have, just to pick three:
achar (seasonal pickled vegetables, does contain peanuts)
ginger love pack (three bottles of ginger goodness: one for ginger lemon drinks, one for golden milk, and one of our ginger condiment for your savory dishes and marinades)
pandan chiffon cake (our signature cake since the beginning, also lactose free)