One Prawn & Co at New Bahru: Where Fire Meets the Sea

If there is one thing Singapore’s dining scene thrives on, it is reinvention. We love our classics, but we swoon even harder when a chef takes familiar flavours and spins them into something bold, modern, and just a touch rebellious. That is exactly what you will find at One Prawn & Co, the new modern Asian seafood restaurant at lifestyle hotspot New Bahru.

The creative force behind it is Chef Gwyneth, whose culinary résumé boasts stints at heavyweights like Burnt Ends and Forlino. She is no stranger to refinement, but she does not cook with white tablecloth stiffness. Instead, her food has what she calls “quiet defiance,” a refusal to be boxed in by traditions or labels.

Her philosophy rests on three pillars: seafood, wood-fire and dry-ageing. While beef and pork have long basked in the glory of dry-ageing, Chef Gwyneth has turned her attention to the ocean, experimenting with kingfish and hamachi until they emerge with heightened umami and buttery textures that feel both luxurious and unexpected. And then there is the fire. For her, cooking over wood is primal, an elemental force that links cultures across time. At One Prawn & Co, the grill is the heart of the action, its smoky drama unfolding before diners’ eyes. Watching your fish or prawns kiss the flames is almost as enjoyable as eating them. Almost.

I recently sat down for their eight-course dinner menu (S$100++ per person), and what unfolded was a seafood experience that was both adventurous and deeply satisfying.

The evening began with an Ostra Regal Oyster, of which I opted for the grilled version. What stood out for me was the sauce, which added a fresh, tropical acidity that balanced the oyster’s natural brininess while letting the grill’s subtle smokiness shine. It was an elegant, high-spirited start.

Next came one of Chef Gwyneth’s most playful creations, Ankimo Mousse, Love Letter and Pink Peppercorns – made from monkfish liver piped into crisp Love Letters. A sprinkle of pink peppercorns gave it a delicate, floral heat. Nostalgic yet daring, this dish was a reminder that heritage snacks can be luxuriously reimagined.

The Prawn Toast and Aioli turned out to be one of my personal favourites of the evening. A thick spread of juicy prawn paste on sourdough, coated in sesame seeds, fried to perfection, and paired with a luscious aioli. It was crunchy, savoury and incredibly moreish, the kind of dish you wish came bottomless.

A lighter course followed, with Okra dressed in togarashi and bonito flakes. It provided a refreshing pause between the richer bites.

Then came the Octopus with Assam Pedas Hummus, topped with crisp lotus root chips. The octopus was tender and smoky, and the spicy tang of the hummus gave the dish a distinctly Southeast Asian kick. Perhaps it’s just me – given that I am not a fan of spicy food – the fiery tang of the hummus distracted rather than enhanced the dish in my opinion. I am also jaded of the trend of local chefs trying to incorporate chilli into every other dish in Singapore just for the sake of adding a local twist.

The 16-day Dry-aged Kingfish Loin (150g) was one of the more technically striking dishes of the night. The ageing gave the fish a buttery, almost meaty richness. While I enjoyed it immensely, I felt the accompanying Green Goddess sauce was not necessary. Green Goddess sauce is rarely spicy on its own, but I suspect One Prawn & Co tweaked their rendition with chilli in a bid to be innovative. The fish could jolly well stand magnificently on its own, needing only the kiss of the grill to shine.

The highlight of indulgence came with the Jumbo Tiger Prawns, their sweetness deepened by smoke and paired with a sakura vermouth sauce. I found myself repeatedly spooning the sauce onto the prawns; it was that addictive. The burnt leek oil added a subtle sweet earthiness, rounding off a dish that was both decadent and balanced.

Although the set menu was already generous, I could not resist ordering one more dish: the Botan Ebi with Radish Cake and XO Chilli Jam (S$32). And I have no regrets, this was quite possibly the best bite of the night. The radish cake was astonishingly crisp, like an elevated version of hawker-style fried carrot cake, while the XO chilli jam packed a slight spicy punch without being overwhelming. Paired with the sweetness of the botan ebi and dark soya sauce, this dish was comforting and absolutely unforgettable. If I were to return to One Prawn & Co, it would be for this dish.

Dessert was as whimsical as it was memorable, a Burnt Toast Ice Cream Sandwich with banana crumbs and mint. The charred toast flavour in the ice cream added depth to what might otherwise have been a sweet, nostalgic finish. Playful yet clever, it tied the meal together beautifully.

The eight-course dinner at S$100++ feels like good value, given that it is hard to find an 8-course meal at this price in expensive Singapore these days. If I may have one small gripe, it is that there were a few too many dishes carrying heat. The okra came with a spicy kick, the octopus was set on a fiery hummus, and even the Green Goddess sauce that accompanied the kingfish loin packed spice. To me, three spicy dishes in one menu felt a touch excessive, and I would have preferred a little more variation in flavour profiles.

If you are ready for seafood that surprises, excites, and makes you rethink what the ocean can offer, One Prawn & Co is a journey worth taking. Add that Botan Ebi dish, and you have a meal that lingers in memory long after the last bite.

One Prawn & Co
46 Kim Yam Rd
#01-10, New Bahru
Singapore 239351

Opening hours:  Wed to Fri – 11am to 3pm and 6pm to 10pm; Weekends – 11am to 10pm; closed on Mon and Tue.