Cover Food spread at Nost (Photo: Nost)
Food spread at Nost (Photo: Nost)
1 / 1
The duo behind Ghostwriter’s March residency have returned with a permanent concept on 98 Club Street
Back in March, I dropped by the incubation space Ghostwriter, which was, at the time, hosting a curious pop-up concept on the second level of 98 Club Street called Lostinthenost. The menu at that time was playfully crafted with a salacious tongue-in-cheek, with names like Plat de Poubelle (the crispy pork jowl in it was amazing) and the One-Sided Beef (a tartare dish that was a subtle dig at someone they had had beef with). At some point in the crackling atmosphere of that tiny 15-seater space I got to speak with Erik David Tan, who had co-founded this curious concept with Jinfero "Jin" Tanzil. We spoke of privilege and access in the F&B industry (the conversation winding, of course, to Mark Mylod’s incisive critique of fine dining in The Menu), before Tan asserted that his and Jin’s philosophy for Lostinthenost would always be simple—fuss-free, good food.
When I returned in July to check out their permanent concept, this time christened Nost, Tan seemed rather embarrassed about waxing lyrical during that conversation. I suppose he thought extended theses on fuss-free food defeated the purpose of said food. (He did not, by the way, wax lyrical or espouse an extended thesis.) But he needn’t have worried—Tan and Tanzil have preserved Nost’s simple, playful essence that won the favour of many during its pop-up in its permanent space—this time in a much larger space on the third level of 98 Club Street.
Don't miss: Experimental pop-up Lostinthenost to take up March residency at Ghostwriter
Above Erik David Tan
Above Jinfero (Jin) Tanzil
Erik David Tan
1 / 2
The more intimate pop-up had allowed the childhood friends to interact with guests more closely and iron out any kinks in its operations. They split the work between themselves; Tan handles the food, and Tanzil handles the drinks and general operations. They have spent the past four months refining their concept to gain a better idea of what their guests enjoy in a fixed menu without losing their personality.
While they don’t deny the difficulties of setting up a restaurant in a cutthroat industry, their classical training at Le Cordon Bleu has not just prepared them to serve good food, but also get a restaurant up and running “under any circumstance”. Now on solid ground, the pair are in a comfortable position to shake up the dining scene. “We now have a home,” they say. Populated with teak tables (purchased on Facebook Marketplace at the peril of scams), quirky Penmen prints, and potted plants, it’s hard not to be charmed in the space that Tan and Tanzil have made their own, into “something fresh, familiar, and cosy”.
Nost is short for “nostalgia”, the rose-coloured, lingering look to the past that’s flavoured by the games, films, TV shows and culture of bygone eras and the simple joy of “meeting up at friends’ places or restaurants to try different food and drinks”, as the pair put it. Take the Gyrados, a sharing plate named after the Pokémon; the slices of cured snapper in it resemble the bulbous body of the serpentine creature. They are sauced with a Canton soy reduction and topped with scallions, evoking the taste and memory of Cantonese steamed fish, yet refreshed with the addition of shrimp and turmeric oil and lemongrass cream.
Above One-Sided Beef, featuring beef tartare, horseradish, and grated cured egg yolk atop fried bread from Sing Hon Loong Bakery
One-Sided Beef, featuring beef tartare, horseradish, and grated cured egg yolk atop fried bread from Sing Hon Loong Bakery
1 / 1
Or look at the One-Sided Beef, a crowd-favourite from its Ghostwriter pop-up. It features beef tartare topped with grated cured egg yolk, sitting atop fried bread from Sing Hon Loong Bakery—one of the few remaining traditional bakeries left in Singapore. Elsewhere, a perfectly crispy porchetta stuns with the flavours of black garlic and sage, matched with mint chimichurri, mustard, and fermented sambal, while a vegetarian pasta called “Pasta Envy” steals the show with its spinach tagliatelle tossed in pistachio pesto, morels, black olives, and crispy kale.
Look closely at the drinks menu and you’ll find a curious homage in the “Good Crop, Bad Crop” to the classic Yeo’s lemon barley packet drink that Tan and Tanzil grew up with. After exploring the different types of barley the duo settled on roasted Korean barley tea to mix with soju, honey, and lemon. The result is light, refreshing and distinctly reminiscent of my own childhood—for the duo, it’s a successful, “elevated rendition of a fond memory”.
“We will continue to experiment as always because that’s the fun of Nost,” Tan and Tanzil say. But if the menu is not guaranteed, a good time at Nost certainly is. “If you’re looking for a place to connect with your loved ones or even just enjoy your own company, team Nost is always happy to make friends and provide some great food, drinks, and music.”
In case you missed it: Chefs Arnaud Donckele and Maxime Frédéric join forces to take over Louis Vuitton restaurant in Saint Tropez
Above Good Crop, Bad Crop, an homage to the Yeo's lemon barley drink
Good Crop, Bad Crop, an homage to the Yeo's lemon barley drink
1 / 1
When I visited just days before the end of their soft launch, they were still torching their pomfret—another of their mains—outside of a window to avoid ruining the ventilation in the small space. They’re in the midst of building a ledge to allow them to torch things safely, they tell me.
To me, this funny little anecdote captures the spirit of the entire enterprise. With so many restaurants popping up in Singapore, it can certainly feel like you’ve seen everything, but Tan and Tanzil are carving out their own niche in the industry—one that’s a little off-kilter, leaning away from the centre, and powered by an endearing eccentricity. You don’t need extended theses to see it.
Ethan Kan was Tatler Singapore’s dining writer.
