Western Generally

This had always been one of the dishes that I would like to try before I came here for a meal. The BBQ Baby Pork Ribs (S$26.00) was really juicy even after slow-cooked for numerous hours. Even though the bones could not be pulled out effortlessly, I appreciated the juiciness of the pork amidst the coating of their housemade BBQ sauce.

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In their Bar Snacks menu, the Duck Rillettes & Foie Gras (S$18.00) was three Szechuan pepper brioche with the mince. It was an awesome finger food because the buttery flavours seemed to pair really well with a glass of white wine.

For the mains, I really was quite fascinated by the Red Snapper which was prepared with Laksa Rempah and drizzled with coconut cream (sounds very “lemak” already!). The fresh fillet held the flavours really well and the “dry Laksa” gave the protein adequate levels of spice.

The pomelo salad that accompanied the dish was mixed with some dill, which provided citric, refreshing yet herbal notes to the main course.

In terms of the presentation, this felt close to my heart as the Western plating had integrated local flavours.

Chef Jay of the former Cheek restaurant had started offering his tasting menu at this restaurant at Thye Hong Centre, featuring some of his creations in an elegant setting.

And I would definitely go for this Scallop appetiser, featuring a seared juicy Hokkaido scallop with green goddess sauce, cream stracciatella and colourful heirloom tomatoes. Every component was tasty on its own, yet they complemented each other well without any overpowering. This would be a great start to a wonderful meal.

The Grilled Calamari (S$32.00) was a skewer of calamari rings that was laid on top of a spicy Romesco sauce which was very well-seasoned.

Although the grilling was on point, without overcooking the seafood for sure, I would say that this was more suitable as a Tapas to go with drinks. Considering the price of the dish, it was definitely not what I would look for if this would be shared at the table.

Chicken wings tossed in Buffalo sauce, going at S$14.00 for 6 pieces, was the best appetiser in my opinion. The spiciness of the Buffalo sauce went well with the blue cheese ranch sauce.

For the best experience, remember to use the wet wipes they provided to clean your fingers first. The best way to enjoy the wings would be to use your bare hands, so you could savour the yumminess on the fingers afterwards.

The Garlic Chilli Prawns (S$18.00) was a modest dish in my opinion, as it appeared to be a simple starter served with grilled country bread. In fact, I was slightly relieved that the chilli padi kick was not set in (unless when I ate the chopped chilli itself).

What was beautiful about this appetiser was that it was sautéed perfectly while still retaining the crunchiness of the prawns, yet able to infuse the fragrance of garlic and a gentle taste of char.

And then the greatest excuse to order their crowd-pleasing Truffle Kombu Fries (S$15.00)? Just say that there’s not enough bread to soak up the sauce. But wait, do we even need an excuse to order those fries?

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The Beef Carpaccio (S$24.00) was beautifully plated with the yellow egg yolk emulsion, tiger’s milk, flying fish roe and parmesan. Even though the beef was served raw and denatured, there were sufficient ingredients to create a symphony of flavours to bring out the beauty of the protein. And perhaps, this might be one of the few times that I would think that beef could pair well with white wine or cocktails.

The Beef Bourguignon (S$38.00) was simple, but never dull. During a rainy day, this comfort food could bring warmth through their beef cheeks braised in red wine. The gravy carried depth, but yet brought satisfaction along with the creamy potato puree.

Needless to say, a glass of red wine would complement this dish well.

It was a considerable amount of time I waited for the Pork Belly Confit (S$26.00) to be served, and the presentation was pretty and vibrant. Just look at the multiple colours represented by the various ingredients!

The crackling was a little thicker than expected, but it was also very crispy. Perhaps it was also thanks to the cooking method that there wasn’t really a layer of fat in between. Well, okay, I might be in denial, because the fat would appear on other parts of the plate.

Overall, this was a decent portion of Pork Belly Confit to me, because any more might make the dish too cloying. Thankfully, there was enough of acidity from the balsamic vinegar and the cherry tomatoes to balance the flavours.

The “Bak Kut Teh” Cubano (S$18.00) was a collaboration between ONDA and Chef Jay, a renowned chef who previously ran the kitchen of CHEEK. Inspired by the confinement diet prepared for his wife, Chef Jay incorporated ingredients such as pork jowl, pork collar, braised peanut & tofu puree, coriander pesto, confit garlic and preserved mustard greens, together with a BKT dipping sauce that comprised Benedictine DOM for extra nutritional goodness.

Though the dipping sauce might be too nutritious if drunk on its own, it actually tasted good when I dunked the cubano into it. I also enjoyed the texture of the puree when mixed with the crispiness of the bun and the layers of various flavours. Well, because it was part of a three-day popup until 18 December 2021, I did hope that I could try it as a regular menu item when craving calls.

It was the first time that I tried a duck foie gras. At first glance, this S$26.00 dish looked like two slices of cake that also came with sugar-glazed onions and four pieces of baguette toast. As much as innards might not be my preferred diet, this experience was very satisfying because the foie gras tasted really creamy and gentle after being spread evenly on the baguette. The caramelised onions might be helpful to neutralise the taste a bit, but to be honest it was kind of optional to garnish.

Fret not if you would think that the Homemade Duck Foie Gras Terrine came in huge portions, as it could serve at least two persons, with the baguette available as eat-all-you-want. Just be mindful that you would likely have a main course waiting for you after this.