[ Food Review — New Place; quirky, fun, and the food’s actually good! ] Let’s say you’re trying to find a casual, fun spot with above-average food to wind down for the weekend. If you’re in my neighbourhood, Grandstand in Turf City isn’t exactly the spot that’d come to mind. But with this new place in the Southern corner of the strip mall, that just might change. Introducing Aquadisiac.

When a certain someone first pitched the place to me, I was admittedly a little confused. The place is branded as a neon-jungle themed modern European spot with a love for the eclectic and drinks — not really a place I’d typically visit. Nevertheless, my curiosity was piqued, and within the half hour we were seated!

We were served mostly by Vicky, one-half of the restaurateur couple who runs the joint. Cheery, efficient and professional, she made our stay very comfortable. We especially appreciated how quickly any miscomm was cleared up, and how she spent time to personally check on every single table.

As for the food, I think I had the b e s t spring chicken I’ve ever eaten tonight. And that’s not even a hyperbole! The only catch is that you can only get the chicken as a part of My Other Half ($42), but if you can find someone to share the chipotle pork ribs with, this is a must-get. (The ribs were good too — I rarely like ribs, but this was lean but tender, with a sauce that wasn’t overbearing!)

Their signature is their S. Aus mussels (flown in weekly!) served with free-flow truffle chips ($24/$48). You’ve a choice of Belgian-styled white wine to more localised flavours like chilli crab and salted egg. But despite my alcohol intol, I couldn’t resist and we got the white wine option. No. Regrets. The broth was full-bodied, with an enticing aftertaste of sweet sea-kissed brine. My only gripe was the wine was too mild, but it’s because of that I could eat more of it! Heh!

Our Mixed Grill Sausages ($24) didn’t pale in comparison either. Despite being chicken only, each sausage had a distinct flavour, and was lusciously moist inside. It was surprisingly light on the tummy, especially when paired with the ultra-refreshing tangerine-speckled mesclun salad!

Can’t wait to return!