Duxton’s newest restaurant Dill serves Scandinavian food by Michelin-starred Norwegian chef

When someone says “Scandinavian food”, what’s the first image that comes to mind? Probably meatballs and some kind of open-faced toast, right?

Although we’ve gotten a few interesting Scandinavian-inspired openings here and there over the past few years, there’s no doubt public perception of the cuisine is still rather limited.

That unfamiliarity is what chef-owner Daniel Jung is trying to change with his new restaurant, Dill.

This new addition to the trendy Duxton neighbourhood exudes that unmistakable Scandi-minimalist charm, affixed with elegant wooden textures and tastefully accented with flowers and trinkets.

Prior to this opening, the lauded veteran chef had worked in Oslo, where he teamed up with another renowned chef, Bjorn Svensson, to open Schlagergarden and the now-defunct Galt. 

Both restaurants had received one-Michelin-star awards.

Dill is Daniel’s first Singapore restaurant and is designed to showcase his laidback, but refined, style of Scandinavian cooking — and also as his way of introducing Singaporeans to more of the region’s flavours!

Classic flavours with creative interpretations

As with most fine-dining chefs, Daniel has a unique take on traditional flavours, and that is evident on Dill’s menu.

One standout is the gubbrore, rose, bread (S$18), which are essentially choux puffs loaded up with gubbrora, a traditional Swedish egg salad that contains pickled herring.

While pickled fish are a common delicacy in the Nordic regions, most people might approach it with some apprehension.

However, Dill’s choux creation is a great way to enjoy it. The outer pastry is light, soft and dusted with some sour plum powder, which nicely complements the silky and refreshing filling.

Similarly, Daniel also pairs waffle with loyrom (S$25), which is a type of roe commonly enjoyed in Sweden.

It’s a delectable contrast between the loyrom, which are briny and savoury, and the waffles — soft, eggy and lightly sweet.

Pasta fans might also want to take a look at Dill’s kroppkakor, cured lamb, lingonberries (S$21), which features a traditional potato dumpling of the region, topped with shaved cured lamb heart and lingonberries.

The dumpling itself is wonderfully chewy and light, almost like Italian gnocchi, and contains sweet onions inside. 

On top of that, the lamb heart shavings introduce a subtle touch of earthiness, while the lingoberries add a kiss of tanginess.

If you’re looking for something more familiar, though, we thought the cod, king oyster mushroom, horseradish (S$40) was a must-order. Dill flies the fish into the restaurant twice a week — and it’s only open four days a week.

Needless to say, the cod is tremendously fresh and the sublime execution results in plush and soft flesh, with a gentle score of fattiness. 

On top of that, the horseradish butter sauce imbues a mix of herbaceousness and buttery richness. Overall, it’s an immaculately balanced dish that’s not too heavy and the textures of the fish and mushrooms are superb.

The duck, fermented red cabbage, apple ($36) is an alternative for heavier palates, featuring tender slices of duck, paired with fermented red cabbage and an apple puree.

Interestingly, Dill uses locally sourced duck for this dish so the profile is somewhat similar to local duck dishes.

Once you assemble a little bite of the cabbage and puree, it tastes extremely clean and nicely loaded with umami.

Finish off with the svele, hazelnut ice cream, salted caramel (S$18) as dessert — this is the Norwegian version of pancake that’s equally fluffy, but sports a bit more chew and density.

With all these options, we say Dill is the restaurant for anyone in Singapore who’s curious to explore Scandinavian food beyond Ikea meatballs and toast skagen.

Moreover, the ambience and decor are delightful and the prices are pretty reasonable — especially considering Daniel’s Michelin-star accomplishments!

This was a hosted tasting.

For more ideas on what to eat, read our stories on the vibey new al fresco spot serving authentic Caribbean food and the best spots to hangout with your furkids!

Enjoy up to 50% off when you dine with GrabFood Dine Out.

You can also book a ride to Dill at Duxton for a taste of Scandinavian food in Singapore.