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We Singaporeans love food.

We love eating it, admiring it, taking pictures of it–we love anything and everything to do with food.

If you’ve ever dined at a fancy restaurant, or in fact, tried replicating a famous chef’s recipe at home, you’ll know the world of difference presentation can make.

A simple salad can be transformed into a work of art, depending on how you plate it.

One local Instagram account is reinventing the way we see our humble kopitiam food by re-plating it fine dining style. We have to say, the results are impressive. They also make us very, very hungry.

Dabaogram 

Plating up: economical sushi from Bukit Merah Central Hawker Center (Image Credit: @dabaogram)

Dabaogram (@dabaogram) is the brainchild of Daren, Josh and Brian, and one mystery chef, who goes by the alias ‘Vanesse’.

At first glance, Dabaogram looks like the carefully curated Instagram account of a fine dining restaurant.

@dabaogram’s Instagram feed

Doesn’t seem too unusual or unique, does it? That is, until you realise these exquisite dishes aren’t from fancy restaurants but from somewhere you would never expect: our neighbourhood kopitiams.

Plating up: char kway teow from Seah Im Food Centre (Image Credit: @dabaogram)

As its name suggests, all the images lovingly (and expertly) curated on Dabaogram were dabao-ed from various local coffee shops and hawker centers. The team then reassembles the dish, before photographing them for the world to admire.

Crafted by hand, with minimal effects and garnishes, Dabaogram manages to transform your run-of-the-mill roasted duck noodle and prawn mee soup into breathtaking works of art.

Left to right, from top to bottom: Prawn mee dry, duck noodles, vegetarian bee hoon and nasi padang (Image Credit: @dabaogram)

While the account now has about 34 posts and 150 followers, we’re expecting their follower count to jump to the thousands once Singaporeans catch wind of Dabaogram.

Now, if only we could get the team behind Dabaogram to plate our daily duck rice and char kway teow every time we head out for lunch.

Also read, 10 Shiok Experiences And Eats To Turn Things Up A Notch The Second Half Of May [15-31 May]