Esquina @ Jiak Chuan Road

Esquina located in the corner of Jiak Chuan Street has been known for its unique Spanish tapas since its launch in December 2011. From September 2015, new Executive Chef Carlos Montobbio helms the kitchen. At the same time, he also launches a new menu inspired by his fond memories of Spain and experiences in Singapore.

Oyster 4.5/5

Dinner at Esquina started with some Oyster ($7). The freshness paired with Jalapeno ponzu, salmon roe and pickled ginger flower works wonderfully on the palate, accentuating the whole enjoyment.

Esquina's Spanish Omelette 4/5

The Esquina's Spanish Omelette ($14) is Chef Carlos's modern interpretation of the classic dish. Comprising of confit onion, potato, olive oil caviar on a crispy bread, this is delectable especially the crispy bread giving an additional layer of texture.

Spanish Nigiri 4.2/5

How about some sushi at a Spanish tapas place? Well to be exact, this is Spanish Nigiri ($6), made from bacalao brandade and roasted bell pepper into a sushi form. The salted cod with garlic oil and the roasted bell pepper definitely is another unique experience to be enjoyed at a Spanish tapas place.

Chorizo Croquetas 4/5

The Chorizo Croquetas ($12) with piquillo mayo compared to the other dishes I have tried so far is rather straight forward in terms of textures and flavours. It just hit you like a bulldozer with its rich flavour and crispiness.

Grilled Spanish Octopus 4.2/5

A signature at Esquina is the Grilled Spanish Octopus ($28) which is first sou vide then charred for a tender and smoky enjoyment. It is accompanied with Jerusalem artichoke, burnt onion and oyster leaf.

Saffron Paella 4.5/5

The Saffron Paella ($24) is one of my favourite among the dishes I tried. The paella is not only flavourful but comes with a nice crispiness. I noticed the chef scraping the rice grains from the pan, which explains the crispy paella. The dish is further accompanied with pan fried red snapper, chorizo and snow peas for a complete meal.

Pigeon 4/5

I have tried pigeon before but they were deep fried. The Pigeon ($22) at Esquina is cooked to a beautiful pink and paired with forest berries escabeche, burnt rosemary polenta and crisp shallots. This is my first time having pigeon in this doneness and it tasted like having pig liver.

Beef Cheeks 4/5

Love the different play of textures in the Beef Cheeks ($18) with baked bone marrow, sesame pickled cabbage, wrapped in a corn tortilla. I thought a little Jalapeno will spice things up more.

US "Family Reserve" Beef Ribeye 4.8/5

The other memorable dish at Esquina is the US "Family Reserve" Beef Ribeye ($38) with charred leeks and romesco. It is cooked to a beautiful sear on the exterior while retaining the beautiful flavour and juiciness. This is pure heavenly enjoyment.

Sea Urchin 3/5

A classic from the old menu is the Sea Urchin ($22) with crab and lobster bisque, smoked herring ore and sea grapes. Unfortunately I felt disappointed with the dish. I noticed that the chef actually cooked the sea urchin before being served in the sea urchin shell. The result is a rather bland sea urchin with a cooked egg white like texture. In short, the unami flavour of the sea urchin is lost in the execution.

We were served some palate cleanser before moving to our dessert.

"BBC" Dessert 4.8/5

A real unique and surprise dessert is the "BBC" dessert ($15). It stands for Banana, Beer and Caramel. After many trial and errors, Chef Carlos finally found the right beer to his beer ice cream. I was really taken back by the distinct beer flavour in the ice cream. More so how the banana and warm caramel sauce work hand in hand for this amazing dessert.

Esquina definitely has live up to its name for creating unique Spanish tapas. I was really impressed with my dining experience. Chef Carlos has also brought in new refreshed idea to the menu that will delight both old and new diners.


Esquina
16 Jiak Chuan Road
Singapore 089267
Tel: +65 62221616
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Website
Nearest MRT: Outram (EW Line, NE Line)

Opening Hours:
Tue-Sat: 12pm - 230pm, 6pm - 1030pm
(Closed on Sun & Mon)

Direction:
1) Alight at Outram Park MRT station. Take Exit H. Walk straight down New Bridge Road. Turn right onto Kreta Ayer Road. Turn right again onto Keong Saik Road. Walk down Keong Saik Road. Turn left onto Jiak Chuan Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 10 minutes.[Map]

Salt Tapas & Bar @ Raffles City Shopping Centre

It is not difficult to find Salt Tapas & Bar. A chic looking island right outside Raffles City Shopping Centre, it satiates its customers with fun and creative Australian accented tapas, along with a wide range of drinks. In step with the festive season, it has specially designed a New Year Eve's Menu, which is only available only on the night of New Year Eve. It is called the King Feast NYE Menu. Opulent sounding indeed.

There are 2 options for you to choose from - King Feast Sea Four-course Set Menu and the King Feast Land Four-course Set Menu. Rather self explanatory, one offers seafood, and the other focuses on meat. Each priced at $100 ++ and $80++ per pax respectively, in which we were lucky enough to be trying out both tonight.

Grilled Sourdough with Prawn and Bacon Bone Marrow Butter 3.5/5

Our feast started with dollops of luscious spread - Prawn Butter and Bacon Bone Marrow Butter. Amazing fluffiness. Simply slather it on the grilled sourdough, and deliver it into your mouth. A royalty treat indeed.

Warm Oyster with Samphire Soy Scallion Dressing 3.5/5

Pan Seared Foie Grass with Sherry Eschalot Vinegar 4/5

The first course is Warm Oyster with Samphire Soy Scallion Dressing and Pan Seared Foie Gras with Sherry Eschalot Vinegar respectively. I personally prefer my oyster to be cold. As for the foie gras, every individual polished it off the plate effortlessly. Make an effort to savour it slowly if you can.

Spatchcock Mushroom with Cepe Paella 3.5/5

Lobster Paella 4/5

Paellas are the second course - Lobster Paella and Spatchcock Mushroom with Cepe Paella respectively. Both were quite on par with one another - rice was pearly, chewy and well flavoured with the generous portion of meat and seafood. Every mouthful satisfied my appetite. Most of us prefer the Lobster paella mainly because of its tanginess as well as its succulent lobster meat.

Char Grilled Rainbow Trout with Garlic Dill Dip 4/5

Boiled Brown Crab 3.5/5

For the seafood menu, you will get an entire fish and crab. I have always love salmon with dill sauce, hence Char-grilled Rainbow Trout with Garlic Dill Dip is my favourite among all the mains. I almost cleaned the fish off its fine bones. As for the Boiled Brown Crab, the first thing that caught our eyes was its roes in abundance. It comes with 3 difference dips (chipotle tartare, crab infused clarified butter with chives and garlic, ponzu dressing) to complement its subtle flavour and sweetness.

Spatchcock Confit with Thyme and Garlic 4/5

When the Mains from the Land was making its way to our table, it garnered several looks of envy. I know many wish to reach out their hands and grab a piece of it. I appreciate how the chef preserves the beauty of these meats by going very easy on the cooking and seasoning. The smoked beef sauce was just right, enlivening the Wagyu Sirloin up a notch.

Wagyu Sirloin with Smoked Beef Jus 4/5

Salt Tapas & Bar New Year's eve menu is available on 31st December from 6pm to 10.30pm. Not all things come for those who wait. Reservations are already coming in. Hence if you really want it, you better act fast.

Photograph and written by Si An. A girl who is allured by travelling, loves the feel of freedom, smell of the rain and the aroma of fine coffee and food.


Salt Tapas & Bar
252 North Bridge Road
#01-22A
Singapore 179103
Tel: +65 68370995
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: City Hall (EW Line, NS Line), Esplanade (CC Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Thu: 1130am - 10pm
Fri: 1130am - 11pm
Sat: 1130am - 1030pm
Sun & PH: 1130am - 930pm

Direction:
1) Alight at City Hall MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to junction of North Bridge Road and Bras Basah Road. Turn right onto Bras Basah Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Esplanade MRT station. Take Exit G. Walk to junction of Beach Road and Bras Basah Road. Cross the road towards Fairmont Singapore. Continue walking down Bras Basah Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]

Maggie Joan's Dining & Bar @ Amoy Street

The talk in town lately has to be the underground dining place, Maggie Joan's Dining & Bar at Amoy Street. It is physically located at Amoy Street but the main entrance is actually at the back alley via Gemmill Lane. The people behind Maggie Joan's is the father and son team behind Moosehead Kitchen, Glen and Daniel Ballis. The underground dining place also gets its name from Daniel's two grandmothers.

Homemade Garlic and Rosemary Bread, Hummus 4/5

The dinner at Maggie Joan's started with the Homemade Garlic and Rosemary Bread with Hummus ($5). The hummus made with chickpeas, cumin, garlic, olive oil, salt and lemon juice goes with the warm baked bread perfectly kick starting the night.

Poached Egg, Dukkah and Saffron Mayo 4.5/5

The presentation looks more like a muah chee in appearance rather than a Poached Egg ($6). The slow poached egg is rolled in dukka (sesame, corainder, cumin, hazelnut and panko) and then deep fried served with saffron aioli on the side. The execution impressed and enlightened me how the chef can elevate a simple egg to a whole new level, giving it a new life in texture and flavour.

Roast Jerusalem Artichoke and Manchego 4.2/5

Another name for Jerusalem Artichoke is known as sunchoke. The Roasted Jerusalem Artichoke with Manchego ($8) has a delightful crunchy texture excellently paired with the manchego cream and mixed seeds for a lift in taste and texture.

Hamachi Sashimi, Carrots, and Brandade 4/5

The Hamachi Sashimi ($23) is brushed with orange and lemon glaze for a tad of citrus sweetness. I find it weird to pair the raw hamachi with the creamy brandade mousse but it turned out rather pleasing on the palate.

Heirloom Tomatoes, Plum and Burrata 4.2/5

The Heirloom Tomatoes with Plum and Burrata ($21) may look simple on the plate but it is bursting with amazing flavours eaten together with the fresh burrata.

Scallop Carpaccio, Peas and Ham

The Scallop Carpaccio, Peas and Ham ($21) is an interesting combination. The combination of scallop and pea may turn some off but this is cleverly executed so that the pea is not very prominent on the plate. The scallop is marinated in sherry dressing, lemon juice, olive oil and sherry for lift in sweetness, together with the crispy ham for the well thought dish.

Roast Seabass, Pesto and Marinated Tomatoes 4.5/5

The highlight for the Roast Seabass, Pesto and Marinated Tomatoes ($28) is the green pesto sauce made from pine nuts, parmesan, garlic and vegetable stock. The piece of seabass seems to be swimming in joy in the pool of pesto broth and swimming joyfully down my satisfied tummy.

Grilled Iberico Secreto, Prunes and Cauliflower 4.2/5

The Grilled Iberico Secreto ($36) is brine for 4 hours and cook in water bath for 12 hours for a beautiful succulent consistency. The marinated prunes lend a nice sweetness to the meaty Spanish pork complemented by the smooth cauliflower puree.

Figs, Red Wine and Housemade Ricotta 4/5 and Orange Cake Yogurt & Pistachio 4.5/5

White Chocolate, Spiced Crumble and Passion Fruit 4/5

The dessert menu is rather small with only 4 items. Figs, Red Wine and Housemade Ricotta ($10), Orange Cake Yogurt & Pistachio ($10), White Chocolate, Spiced Crumble and Passion Fruit ($10) and Cheese ($12). Surprisingly, my favourite is the orange cake with yogurt and pistachio. The full flavour, denseness and tartness scored highly among the others at the dining table too.

The Mediterranean inspired restaurant with its distinct underground character, reflected in its edgy industrial decor, hidden in the back lane did not disappoint me with its modern take on Mediterranean cuisine and good food. It is worth embarking on an adventurous trail to seek out the underground dining place.


Maggie Joan's Dining & Bar
110 Amoy Street
#01-01
Singapore 069930
(Entrance from Gemmill Lane)
Tel: +65 62215564
Facebook
Nearest MRT: Telok Ayer (DT Line), Tanjong Pagar (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 12pm - 230pm, 6pm - 11pm
Sat: 6pm - 11pm
(Closed on Sun)

Direction: 
1) Alight at Telok Ayer MRT station. Take Exit A. Turn left and walk down Cross Street towards Amoy Street. Turn left onto Amoy Street. Take the side lane beside the shop house and walk to the back. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

2)  Alight at Tanjong Pagar MRT station. Take Exit G. Follow the covered walkway to the junction of Mccallum Street, Telok Ayer and Amoy Street. Turn left at the junction onto Amoy Street. Continue on Amoy Street to the end of the road. Take the side lane beside lane at the end of Amoy Street to the back. Walk to destination. Journey time about 12 minutes. [Map]

Spiffy Dapper @ Amoy Street

Started off as a hole in the wall in Boat Quay, Spiffy Dapper has moved to a bigger space at Amoy Street. With the new home, Dapper Coffee is also born. Now the new place is a cafe in the day and a bar at night. I dropped by Spiffy Dapper one evening to check out their new dinner menu.

Sheikh On The Level 4/5

Dark and Stormy 4/5

We started off with some pre-dinner cocktails in the Sheikh On The Level and Dark & Stormy. The Sheikh On the Level is made from Turkish Black Tea Gin Sour finished off Cardamom, served with aTurkish Delight. On the lighter and refreshing note is the Dark and Stormy made with dark rum and ginger beer.

Fully Loaded Baked Avocado 4.2/5

Spiffy Dapper has a very small menu with only 11 items. We started with the Fully Loaded Baked Avocado ($10). The avocado is baked with cheddar and served with sour cream, candied bacon and spring onions. This is my first time having baked avocado and I enjoyed it a lot. It felt like having baked potato.

Classic Mac & Cheese 3/5

Next we tried is the Classic Mac & Cheese ($12). The macaroni is baked with parmesan and cheddar, topped with croutons for extra bites. Unfortunately I find the flavour lacked the cheesy richness I preferred.

Dapper Burger 2.8/5

The Dapper Burger ($25) was huge with 250gram of beef and pork patty, cheese. bacon, old fashioned ketchup, lettuce and onion. The patty was moist and juicy but it seemed like the chef was a bit heavy with the salt. I have to wash it down with a glass of water.

Stuffed Squid 3/5

I was actually looking forward to try the Stuffed Squid ($20) which comes with squid ink Mexican Rice and chipotle aioli brulee. The squid and the chipotle aioli complemented each other perfectly. However the whole execution was lacked down by the dry and rather bland rice.

The most memorable item on the menu has to be baked avocado and their cocktails. The rest of the items was rather mediocre. I had a table beside me who is a regular that is raving to his friend about the good food at Spiffy Dapper. It really got me puzzled. Probably the kitchen has a bad day when my friend and I were there.


Spiffy Dapper
73 Amoy Street
Singapore 069892
Tel: +65 87224953
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Tanjong Pagar (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 4pm - 12midnight
Sat-Sun: 8pm - 12midnight

Direction: 
Alight at Tanjong Pagar MRT station. Take Exit G. Turn left and walk down Telok Ayer Road. At the cross junction of Telok Ayer Road, Mccallum Street and Amoy Street, turn left onto Amoy Street. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

Boruto - Japanese Tapas & Sake Bar @ South Bridge Road

When comes to selecting venues for your chill-out nights, instead of going for your usual beer, wine or cocktails, why not try sake? Bōruto, at South Bridge Road, serves up a selection of one of the finest sake, alongside with a variety of Japanese tapas that bound to wrap up your day the way you needed it. Conceptualised as a modern izakaya, the double-storey establishment is opened by Chef Patrick Tan, who also owns Tamashii Robataya, the premium Japanese robatayaki restaurant located nearby.

This premise seems to be designated to be Boruto's. Meaning “vault” in Japanese, the bar's name transpired its past life as a bank. Being converted to a bar, the vault now functions effectively as a safe for all the premium sakes. Spanish sounding, it also naturally accent its part-Spanish identity.

Ichigo Gazpacho 4/5

Chef Patrick has chosen something cold for us to start off the evening - Ichigo Gazpacho ($10.80). I waited eagerly as their Head Chef Angus poured the roasted strawberry cold soup over the smoked blood orange sherbet . The tangy blood orange sherbet carried a hint of smoky flavour which set in slowly in mouth. That, grabbed my attention almost immediately. Peppered with salt, it teased out the subtle sweetness of the strawberry cold soup, which might otherwise be overwhelmed by its much stronger taste. This cold tapas really got me into the mood, and excited about what lay in store for us for the rest of the evening.

Saga Gyu Tataki 4.2/5

Saga Gyu Tataki ($28.80) seared saga beef with saffron . Thinly sliced, each piece of the seared beef was amazingly light on the palate. The taste was delicate, which developed slowly as I chewed on it, and got more pronounced when I paired it with a sake.

Tako a la Español 4.5/5

Having worked in a Spanish set up before joining Boruto, Chef Angus is pretty well-versed in tapas. Tako a la Español ($30.80) is just one of the dishes that have been imbued with strong Spanish influence. The mingling of the different flavours exuded from the smoked potato, sweet paprika & chili salsa definitely packed a punch. The octopus, imported from japan, yields a chewier texture compared to those from Spain. Adhering to the tradition of Japanese plating by using a narrow flat dish, it's a stellar example of a well-thought-out fusion dish. It wouldn't be as appealing should a usual octopus tapas plating is used. This has become one of my favourites of the evening.

Japanese Seabass 3.8/5

The Japanese Seabass with Curry Leek and Salted Egg Yolk Emulsion is a new dish created by Chef Angus which is not even in the menu yet. The dish is pretty well done with crisp skin, along with the moist and tender meat. The curry flavoured leeks did well in adding zest to the overall taste of the dish.

Kurobuta “Sio Bak” 3/5

Kurobuta “Sio Bak” ($20.80), roasted Japanese black pork belly with assorted vegetables . I was a little disappointed with this dish. I appreciate the way it was being prepared, as I got to taste both the skin and meat separately. however, I feel the fried skin was too dry, and the meat also seemed to be missing out the melt-in-your-mouth texture.

Zuwai Gani Sausage 3.5/5

Zuwai Gani Sausage ($30.80). For those that like sausages for its mesh of meats, you may enjoy Boruto's  version of Queen crab meat sausage with crab bisque & toast. The sausage is made of real Queen crab meat. Though it is not exactly to my liking as I find that it lacks the usual tenderness and sweetness, it is an experience eating it. Afterall, this is likely to be the one & only solid piece of crab meat sausage that you can find in Singapore.

Kuro Meshi 3.8/5

Kuro Meshi ($20.80)  - Squid ink baked rice with queen crab meat. i'm not exactly a fan of squid ink, but I love how pearly the rice was in this dish.

Tori Consomme 3.8/5

If you have had too much a drink throughout your meal, it’s good to cleared our ‘head’ a little with their Tori Consomme ($8.80) - double boiled chicken broth with seasonal vegetables . So light and yet flavourful, it did a wonderful job in recovering our senses!

Truffle Crème Brulee 2.5/5

At Boruto, besides the tapas, they also play around with their desserts. Truffle Crème Brulee ($8.80) is quite a subjective dish. The truffled milk custard with burnt sugar glaze, may or may not sit well with individual's taste buds.

 The Tiramisu ($12.80) is actually made of Black sesame cream with mascarpone cheese. It tasted quite light for the first few bites, but got slightly cloying after a while.

Tiramisu 2.5/5

With the number of unfinished bottles of Sake tagged and left in their care, I can see that Boruto has already won its pool of loyal regulars. Don't be intimidated if you ain't a Sake aficionado. You can always turn to their trained Sake connoisseur, who is more than ready to advise you on appropriate pairings. Your first visit won't be the last, for sure.

Written By Si An. A girl who is allured by travelling, loves the feel of freedom, smell of the rain and the aroma of fine coffee and food.


Boruto
80 South Bridge Road
#01-01
Singapore 058710
Tel: +65 65320418
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Clarke Quay (NE Line), Raffles Place (EW Line, NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Sat: 430pm - 12midnight
(Closed on Sun)

Direction:
1) Alight at Clarke Quay MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to North Canal Road. Turn right and walk down North Canal Road. At the junction on North Canal Road and South Bridge Road, turn left onto South Bridge Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Raffles PLace MRT station. Take Exit G. Walk down Battery Street onto North Canal Road. Continue on North Canal North. At the junction on North Canal Road and South Bridge Road, cross the road and turn right onto South Bridge Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 12 minutes. [Map]