The Social Kitchen: Cloud kitchen serves up local delights for a good cause
COVID-19 has sent us turning to food delivery services more than before. Catering to our needs has been made easier for food brands thanks to the not-so-new invention of Cloud Kitchens.
Cloud Kitchens, also known as virtual restaurants, are simply brands moving towards a delivery-only system. This system is nothing new in Singapore, but in recent months, more food brands have been looking into this change.
One such brand is Social Kitchen, a Cloud Kitchen-based social enterprise that aims to help local food businesses survive during the pandemic.
Though many local food businesses continue to have a loyal following online, delivery and preparation are not everyday tasks that these businesses handled before COVID-19.
Thus, with the aid of the Social Kitchen, these businesses have a chance to stay afloat. The Social Kitchen is also staffed with underprivileged and special needs beneficiaries to provide them with skills training opportunities and income through their central kitchens.
To keep the above initiative alive, The Social Kitchen partnered with Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) for the hiring and training process. So, good intentions and causes aside, the real question is – Is the food tasty and worth it? The answer is a resounding yes!
The first dish that I tasted was the ‘Chinatown Flavours’ platter (at $19.90). At one glance, the serving portion is more than substantial. The bee hoon noodles have vegetable slices and sesame seeds for toppings, a side of crackers and two different Ngoh Hiangs.
The noodles were springy and far from dry, even though it was packaged and delivered. The prawn crackers added a crisp to every bite, and when dipped into the chilli paste, it changed the game of the dish. The Ngoh Hiang, on the other hand, was crispy on the outside, spongy and delicate on the inside. If you are a fan of the vegetable-based Ngoh Hiangs or the chicken-based ones, fret not as both are available in this platter!
The next dish that I quite quickly slurped down was the Mixed Ball Soup with La Mian served with Premium fish and pork balls. The first thing that caught my attention when I bit into the noodles was the burst of flavours. A tinge of sourness and spiciness came through at the same time.
Topped with sliced mushrooms and carrot slices, the mixed ball soup elevates the entire dish. The fish balls and pork balls were both juicy and smooth with every bite. The soup is infused with both flavours of the chicken and pork which worked seamlessly well together. Despite the time needed for delivery, the entire dish, priced at $12.90, was still warm, making my stay-home dining experience a much better one.
With these dishes and many others on their menu, such as Vegetarian Fried Rice, Handmade Dumpling La Mian, Social Kitchen brings the local flavours right to your home successfully.
Whether you are working from home or simply looking to feast while watching your favourite Netflix show, you can support local businesses and the beneficiaries by enjoying a meal from Social Kitchen.
Their menus and delivery services are available on Grabfood and Oddle!
