Brothers in the kitchen

Rebecca Lynne Tan | The Straits Times | Sun Dec 30 2012

Singapore, December 30, 2012

Who: Mr Alejandro Luna (above left), 31, co-owner of Sur Nuevo Latino Kitchen, and his friend Vitelio Reyes, 30, the executive chef.

Where: 13 North Canal Road, 01-01, tel: 6222-2897, open: 5.30 to midnight, last order 10.30pm (Mondays to Saturdays). Closed on Sundays. It plans to open for lunch on weekdays soon and will be offering Sunday brunch from late January.

Info: Go to www.sur.com.sg or www.facebook.com/SurNuevoLatinoKitchen. E-mail info@sur.com.sg

Sur Nuevo Latino Kitchen, which offers modern intepretations of classic Latino fare, opened two weeks ago. Located in a shophouse in North Canal Road, it is run by chef-owner Alejandro Luna, 31, a Peruvian- Venezuelan who used to be executive pastry chef at Marina Bay Sands, and three silent Venezuelan partners.

In the kitchen is his friend Vitelio Reyes, 30, a chef from Venezuela who has worked with the Trump Hotel Collection, including its property in Panama.

The duo grew up together and are so close they call each other brothers.

Sur, Spanish for south, has open kitchens, raw cement floors and rustic, recycled timber panels at the bar. The tables are adorned with colourful South American inspired tiles.

The idea, the chefs say, is to evoke a welcoming, hospitable and unpretentious vibe. Both their wives, who are also South American, help out at the restaurant.

Mr Luna moved to Singapore from the United States 31/2 years ago and toyed with the idea of opening a restaurant for about a year.

He saw the absence of Latino fare here and decided to fill that gap. But instead of focusing on Venezuelan cuisine, he included "the best of what South America has to offer" in the menu - dishes such as ceviche, raw fish marinated with citrus juices from Peru; arepas, a flat bread made with cornmeal; and sancocho, a soup common in many Latin American countries.

One of the restaurant's signature dishes is an interpretation of pabellon, a popular Venezuelan dish of rice, stewed black beans and shredded beef. Its version is made with braised short rib, black bean tacu-tacu (a mixture of black beans and rice) and roasted sweet plantains that have been caramelised and pureed.

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