fancy

(Hosted) Nothing deceptive about it. What you see is what you get at the newest restaurant opened by Chef @a.a.walsh.
Located just off Club Street on Gemmill Lane, this Asian-Fusion Raw Bar and Fish Grill serves a variety of small bites and substantial plates with cocktails and wines to pair. Interestingly, last Saturday when we were there, the lunch crowd was 95% female. Perhaps it has to do with the space which is really quite lovely. Its relaxing atmosphere makes it an easy spot to stop for snacks and drinks or to linger over a full meal. The fact that is isn’t enclosed on all four sides also has it feeling open and welcoming. I have heard a few people say it was a bit warm when they visited but we felt comfortable. Maybe because the weather was slightly overcast then.
In his introduction, @catfish.sg’s Head Chef Erik (@thenordicchef_) told us that their aim is to “elevate seafood through great flavours and great techniques”. I think a few of the courses in the Catfish Experience Tasting Menu we had (it costs $158++ per pax and is available only for dinner) did exemplify that well.
Our meal commenced with items from the Raw and Snack sections of the menu. First up, Champagne and Oyster “Fruits de Mer” which saw Bafun uni, beetroot-pickled salmon and Sturgeon caviar piled alongside the small but plump and creamy Canadian oyster in its shell for a surprisingly tasty combination.
The Japanese Catfish Taco was a crunchy bite of fried wantan skin cradling catfish dressed appetisingly in plum sauce, umeboshi-mayo, wasabi and a topping of hazelnuts.
Much-instagrammed, the Catfish Mini Cones Selection consisted of a trio of cones, each filled with a different ingredient combination. I really liked the one with raw scallop, avocado cream and Bafun uni. The other two which had salmon, ikura and furikake cream, and Wagyu tartare with caviar, winter truffle and wasabi cream cone, were decent.
A genuine standout for me was the Hasselback Potato crowned with lime-marinated blue fin tuna, trout roe and wasabi cream. They proved solid with the extremely crunchy potato (it was a tad salty but I had no issues to be honest).
The Squid Noodle Ramen featured chewy noodles and fried chicken in a broth of chicken and truffle. Can’t say I was a fan of this.
The Sesame Prawn and Scallop Toast was however, a big winner with me. I thought the crispy-coated toast, plated with a refreshing citrus emulsion, was so superb on its own, even if the grilled Argentinian prawn, caviar and uni were left out, I wouldn’t have minded.
For the main course, Chef Erik served us a Barbecued Red Snapper that was coated in Sichuan spices. Accompanying it, a laksa cream sauce and a bowl of their take on coconut rice, blanketed in crispy tendrils of fried egg. Overall, a flavourful creation that wasn’t as spicy as the name suggests. The highlight for me was the rice. It was also tasty mixed with some of that laksa cream.
Both desserts turned out to be amazing! While the chocolate mousse (it’s made from two kinds of Valrhona chocolate) with luscious orange custard, orange segments and honeycomb pieces was fabulous, I was more drawn to the Pavlova. Beneath the light-as-air meringue (it had the perfect crunchiness) was fromage blanc mixed with Greek yogurt, fresh strawberries and a basil and yuzu granite. Everything about this was perfect.
Amir (@theflyingsomms), the charming Operations Director, and @ch.limm plied us with drinks throughout the meal. As I wasn’t having any alcohol, they kept me happily lubricated on a few wonderful mocktails. The first was a blend of @Melatidrinks, citrus, berries and @singhasodas. Hot on its heels was a Bloody Mary which I finished rapidly as its lime zest-sprinkled savoury tomato and pickle juice drink suited my palate to a T. Lastly, @ch.limm shook up a gorgeous gold leaf-decorated glass of coffee with cardamom and vanilla which made for a really enjoyable finale.

Thoroughly enjoyed the food here! We ordered the set lunch at $38 per person (some items have additional costs) which comprised of appetizer, main course and dessert. One of the main courses we had was the umami seafood saffron rice that featured a generous amount of clams, squid, scallops, prawns and crab meat. Delicious!

𝗦𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗱 𝗜𝗻𝗸 𝗦𝗲𝗮𝗳𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗽𝗮𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗮 🥘(~$32): charred, smoky and with a strong squid ink taste, this was a generous (aka HUGE) portion, esp the seafood. Did get jelat along the way so share this!

Ig @goodfomood

Caught off guard from the peppery taste by the Nasturtium (a kind of edible flower) combined with the sweetness of the marshmallow. And that citrusy punch from the candied orange made this really impactful and memorable.

Fun fact - The entire above-ground portion of the nasturtium plant is edible, the flower (ranging from yellow to gold and red), the leaves and the seed pods. They can be used as garnish, condiments, enjoyed with savory inclined dessert or simply stuff them! I read that these Nasturtiums really sparkle on ice creams, sorbets, fresh fruit desserts and cheesecake. 😋

This isn't just a state of art for the eye, but the tastebud too!⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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It's my first time trying jamon de bellota that is mixed with confit egg, and they taste way too well with the sourdough.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Definitely my favorite dish in tipplingclub, but to be really honest, nothing has disappointed me in tipplingclub!⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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Location: Tanjong Pagar ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Satisfaction: 🤤 🤤 🤤 🤤 🤤 🤤

Really delicious tacos that were refreshing in taste and yet soft and crispy in texture. Finish it in two bites for maximum indulgence.

Very salty... Not sure if it suppose to eat it with rice?

Dinner at Bitters and Love cannot go wrong with a plate of Pan-seared Steak and Frites ($25), which would pair up nicely with some alcohol.

180g Rangers Valley angus beef with a beautiful pink hue that is well seasoned, thinly sliced and juicy without a hint of gaminess from the meat will be sure to fill your hungry heart with generous yet evened out portions of runny sunny side up, side salad, and of course frites that are salted just enough to taste.

While evidently beyond your average steak, there is a bit of chewing effort needed for this, though I would ultimately say that for its value, this is a homely plate of steak that would appease your appetite for indulgence without heftily burning your wallet.

Had tasted so many Sichuan food, this dish surprised me. Chicken is so tender on the side, spring onion and bean and zhacai is on another side plate. There a poached egg in the center and it gives additional flavour and creamy taste to the noodle! I love it!

This rustic joint along Dunlop Street whips up delicious mains worth every penny and desserts worth saving space for. Must-trys include the Smoked Duck Chili Padi ($28), sporting thick slices of tender smoked duck sitting atop a creamy yet zingy linguine with a slight kick from chilli api sauce. On sweets, it's almost deviant to leave without trying the highly raved, not-too-sweet Classic Ondeh-Ondeh Cake ($8), featuring fluffy sponge layers and crunchy gula melaka bits.
*Muslim-owned
Photo by Burppler Wu Xiaoling

For me, the star of this dish has to be the unassuming fries! They were so super crispy yet fluffy at the same time, got us wondering how could something so simple be so addictive. The steak itself was pretty decent as well, which was well cooked to my preference. I also enjoyed the accompanying sauce - robust yet zesty :)

Love to watch them in action, sending pizzas into the Stefano Ferrara Neapolitan handmade brick oven!

Amazing pizza baked to order, served with mozzarella cheese, tomato sauce, squid, prawn, shellfish, basil & oregano.

Really appreciate how thin the base of the pizza is, yet thick enough to hold the fine ingredients on it. The crust had a perfect char, with a chewy yet crusty texture. So good you will not leave them on your plate and let it go to waste! And the generous amount of seafood on the rich tomato paste. C’est bon!