Numb Restaurant 川麻记 (One Raffles Quay)

Numb 川麻记 should not be name that is too unfamiliar with the folks working around the Central Business District — these folks are the very same ones whom have also brought us other F&B concepts such as Chengdu Bowl 成都碗 and the now-defunct Chengdu 成都 that was previously at Amoy Street. The outlet of Numb 川麻记 at One Raffles Quay isn’t particularly new — that being said, the establishment did recently make a pivot in its concept where they had done away with the restaurant-style menu that they serve up at their main store at Marina One and switched things up to serve what they dub as “Modern Chinese Bento”. The interior of the establishment has also been slightly switched up with this change of concept for the outlet; the interior now features a layout that is more akin to that of a quick service establishment with furniture and fittings that look more functional — the shop facade also sports a red colour scheme as opposed to the orange that was previously used. The various dishes that one can pick from for their order of the bento sets can be found prominently displayed behind the glass panel along the shop’s facade — patrons can get to pick between the Gourmet’s Choice Bento or the Protein Feast Bento; adding on $1.50 on top of the default price of the respective bentos will add a Nutrition Boost item of the patron’s choice (either sliced avocado, golden pear or Yakult) to the order.

The Gourmet’s Choice Bento is one that consists of 1x Mains, 2x Sides and 1x Carbs — with that being said, Numb does allow patrons to opt for an extra side as an add-on should one feel like doing so. Considering so, we found ourselves adding on the Sichuan Style Fried Mini Potatoes as our choice of the additional Side for our order; our choice of Carbs for our order of the Gourmet’s Choice Bento would be the Wok Hei Chow Mein, whilst the Mains that we had gone for would be the Hunan-style Stir-Fried Pork. For our choice of Sides, we went with the Mapo Tofu and the Spicy Shredded Potato Salad. Unlike the way that food is being freshly-cooked upon order at the outlet in Marina One, the One Raffles Quay outlet has prepared them en-masse in advance and scoops them into the bento boxes only when one makes an order — with this in mind, the consistency for some dishes might differ from how it would be at their Marina One location. One example would be their Sichuan Style Fried Mini Potatoes which is served at a temperature that is slightly lukewarm and thus didn’t quite deliver on the crispness for the deep-fried batter on the exterior — the potatoes did still come with a soft interior and nicely seasoned with chili powder and herbs for a bit of flavour. The Wok Hei Chow Mein lacks the “Wok Hei” as mentioned in its namesake; unsurprisingly so considering how the noodles does still come in a slightly greasy consistency — wok-fried with cabbage and lettuce, the savoury noodles does remind us of similar dishes that one can find in buffet lines. The Hunan-style Stir-Fried Pork sees slices of lean pork that is stir-fried with green chilies and cloves of garlic. While the green chilies does add its own fragrance to the dish when had together with the pork, it the two (2) elements do feel a little distinct when had on their own.

The Mapo Tofu does seem to be a little more focused on the notes of the fermented bean paste; seemingly more tuned towards suiting the preferences of the local palate as opposed to variants served up by other establishments focused on mainland Chinese fare that comes with an equally distinct hint of Sichuan peppers — the diced tofu here still being silky smooth and soft nonetheless. Meanwhile, the Spicy Shredded Potato Salad comes served chilled; the julienned strips of potato carrying a slight crunch while a very mild fragrance of Sichuan peppers lingers at the back of the tastebuds as we go through it. Whilst still being a Numb location, the Numb location at One Raffles Quay is a little bit of an offshoot of the original concept of Numb that is located at Marina One — this is a much needed pivot for the location, considering how it is being situated in a space that felt more suited for quick service restaurants for fast meals rather than a formal, sit-down dining establishment; this is given how the establishment is located within a busy basement with no full-height partitions / doors segregating it away from the walkway. That being said, those familiar with Numb’s usual standards at Marina One may find inconsistencies with what is being served at One Raffles Quay — something rather unavoidable given the overall difference in concept between the two. Numb at One Raffles Quay would probably work well for those whom are less picky with their food and also familiar with their offerings through their Marina One location — a friendlier spot for individual diners in terms of price and portion sizes if one is craving for Numb’s fare.