FOC PIM PAM @ Orchard Road - Reignite My Love For Spanish Cuisine

Stepping into FOC PIM PAM at Orchard Road, located just beside Orchard Hotel, it reminds me of the numerous Spanish bodegas that is found along the streets of Spain. The revamped restaurant now features a Tapas Bar, Main Dining Room, Private Room, Bar and Terrace.

Cherry Gazpacho 4.8/5

We started at the Tapas Bar for some drinks and tapas. The Cherry Gazpacho ($6 tapas menu) is a welcoming starter that is served chilled. The cherry gazpacho soup is poured into a bowl which sits a smoked olive oil ice cream. It is a very refreshing combination that will whets one appetite.

Bread with Tomatoes 4.2/5

The Bread with Tomatoes ($6 tapas menu) brought back memories of my recent trip to Spain. I had this almost everyday for breakfast when I was in Spain. I am glad to know that FOC PIM PAM is serving it. The homemade toasted cristal bread is spread with grated tomatoes and drizzled with olive oil. I can also taste a hint of sea salt that perks up the flavour.

Iberico Cold Cuts Platter 4.2/5

Perfect to go with a drink or two is the Iberico Cold Cuts Platter ($13 half/ $24 full tapas menu). Our platter consists of Pork Loin 'Lomo', 'Salchichon' sausage, Chorizo and bread sticks.

FOC Tomato Tartare 4.5/5

You can call the FOC Tomato Tartare ($19) a vegetarian tartare as it consists of a medley of confit tomatoes, chopped Morrocan caper berries, mustard mayonnaise, pickles, shallots and salt. It is then topped with a tomato ice cream. Having it alone can be quite sourish. So it is recommend to go with the tomato ice cream for a more balanced appreciation.

FOC Pig Tripe Stew 4/5

A hearty and comforting dish on the menu is the FOC Pig Tripe Stew ($12). The beef tripe, pig ears, trotters, cheek, head skin and pork belly are chopped into small pieces, and cooked with white wine and sofrito. Chorizo and chickpeas are also added. This is served together with housemade sun-dried tomato and sweet paprika foccacia.

Espinaler Premium Cockles 4/5

Espinaler Cuttle Fish in Olive Oil 4.2/5

An unusual item on the menu is canned food. FOC has imported premium canned food such as the Espinaler Premium Cockles ($28 115g) and  Espinaler Cuttle Fish in Olive Oil ($15.50 115g). It felts a bit weird to be served canned food in a restaurant and furthermore the price is not cheap. I am not sure whether this will work in Singapore. Saying that, the preserved cockles and cuttle fish turns out pretty tasty.

Los Peperetes Goose Barnacles 4/5

Currently not on the menu is the Los Peperetes Goose Barnacles. I have not seen or tasted goose barnacles, so I was curious and not sure what to expect. The texture felt a bit like top shell or escargot.

Leek Salad & White Asparagus Salad 3.5/5

The Leek and White Asparagus Salad ($16) comes naked as the skin of the leek and asparagus are removed, retaining the soft and juicy interior. It is dressed in a butter soy cream and topped with some rocket greens and toasted almond flakes. I enjoyed the accompanying Spanish anchoives that provide the needed acidity to the dish.

Prawns 'Al Ajillo' 3.8/5

The prawns from the Prawns 'Al Ajillo' ($22 main menu) are big and juicy with a nice charred aroma, served on a bed of potato foam. However I find the garlic was a bit burnt, giving an unpleasant bitter finishing.

Fresh Burrata 4.2/5

I applauded the extra effort in serving the Fresh Burrata ($22) with a picadillo of chopped sun-dried tomatoes, preserved piparra peppers, mint, pine nuts and extra virgin olive oil. It gives the creamy Italian burrata a more complex dimension with the extra boost in flavours and textures.

PIM PAM Croquetas 4.2/5

Another staple dish in Spanish cuisine is their croquetas. At FOC, there are 4 choices of the PIM PAM Croquetas ($10-$12 for 4pc main menu). The choices are ham, mushroom, crab, spinach & pine nuts. The croquetas are coated with panko bread crumb, deep fried to golden brown and topped with bechamel sauce. Soft inside and crispy on the outside, this is actually quite addictive.

Potato Bravas 4.5/5

You probably cannot tell from the picture but the Potato Bravas ($10 main menu) is made from layers of thin potato sheet that has been sliced using a pasta machine. On the top of it is aioli, salsa brava and chopped chives. You will not regret having a few of this deep fried potato millefeuille. Its not life changing but definitely worth skipping the diet plan.

Iberico Secreto Pork & Mushroom Paella 4.5/5

I am not a big fan of paella but I really enjoy the Iberico Secreto Pork & Mushroom Paella ($33). The bomba rice still retains an al dente bite which has soaked up the flavoursome chicken and pig trotters stock. It also comes with a few slices of tender iberico secreto pork, seasonal mushrooms such as ceps, oyster and button mushrooms.

Suckling Pig 4.5/5

Making a spectacular entry is the Suckling Pig ($130 half 2.5kg) which is good for up to 4 pax. The 3-6 weeks old suckling pig comes from Segovia.  It is sous vide for 10 hours before roasting in a convection oven for 30 minutes. The result is a layer of crispy skin over the soft and juicy meat. It is so soft that the server can cut it using a plate. I know some people do not like the Spanish suckling pig for the acquire milky taste but I did not trace it here.

Chocolate Forest 4/5

We tried a number of desserts on the menu such as the White Chocolate Coated Churros, Spanish Torrija, Chocolate Forest and Lemon Lemoncello. My favourite is the Chocolate Forest and Lemon Lemoncello. The Chocolate Forest ($16) is an appreciation of the different textures of chocolate in the form of cream, soil and leaf. The interesting part is in comes with a pipette of Arbequina extra virgin olive oil, that is supposed to be squeezed onto the dessert. My first time having chocolate paired with olive oil.

Lemon Lemoncello 4.2/5

The Lemon Lemoncello ($12) is a very pretty dessert. The combination of sweet and sour from the meringue and limoncello sorbet works harmoniously on the palate.

I have visited several Spanish restaurants in Singapore but non has really quite impressed me so far. This has changed after visiting FOC PIM PAM. Not sure whether it is due to my recent trip to Spain and I can connect better with the cuisine. If anyone asked me for Spanish food recommendation, I would recommend FOC PIM PAM for now.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


FOC PIM PAM
442 Orchard Road
#01-29
Singapore 238879
Tel: +65 61004242
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Orchard (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Thu: 12pm - 3pm, 5pm - 11pm
Fri-Sat: 12pm - 3pm, 5pm - 1am
Sun: 12pm - 3pm, 5pm - 11pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at Orchard MRT station. Take Exit E. Walk towards Wheelock Place via ION. Exit Wheelock Place and turn left towards Liat Tower. Cross the road at the traffic light junction and turn left towards Palais Renaissance. Continue walking down Orchard Road and turn right onto Orange Grove Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 15 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Orchard MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk towards Shaw House via underpass. At the road level, walk along Orchard Road towards Palais Renaissance. Continue walking down Orchard Road and turn right onto Orange Grove Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 15 minutes. [Map]

HRVST @ Kilter Avenue OUE Downtown Gallery - Rooftop Vegan Restaurant Bar

Kilter Avenue at Downtown Gallery is a fitness lifestyle space that comprises a studio gym, a restaurant and a bar that advocates healthy moving and clean eating. Its in-house restaurant and bar - HRVST, is a vegan concept that serves a full menu of vegan starters, mains and bar snacks, aims to craft an alternative commonplace to change perceptions, to provoke thought and deliver impact.

Like most cleaning eating concepts that arise these days, HRVST aims to change the not-so positive perceptions of vegan eating. I always have a healthy relationship with my vegetables but I was really excited to try out HRVST, simply because of the huge roofstop garden that resides just outside their doorstep. Lush dill plants, herbs, spices etc.

Twice Cooked Spuds 3/5

Can you imagine vegan bar snacks?! It's kinda of an oxymoron to me, really. Served with garlic aioli, the Twice Cooked Spuds ($8 for 5pc) were moist in the inside and crisp on the outside. Steam before frying is the trick. The soy based aioli surprises many with its creamy texture, with the apple cider vinegar lending a clean acidity to the finishing.

King Oyster 'Scallops' Mushroom 3.5/5

King Oyster 'Scallops' Mushroom ($12) is an aesthetically pleasing dish. Made with garlic and modified tapioca starch, the garlic snow that falls on the garden of vegetables is flavour lifting. Lightly seasoned and grilled, the savoury mushrooms and the crunchy roots may just take your mind off meats in that very moment.

Soy Satay and Chips 3/5

The Soy Satay and Veggie Chips ($10), I believe would become a popular bar snack. It smells and tastes pretty close to a chicken satay, \and the creamy peanut sauce can be dangerously moreish. But mock meat being mock meat, I still find them a tad oily and I still very much prefer animal fats to vegetables fats - natural vs processed. I like the veggie chips more actually, consisting of zucchini and sweet potatoes. The process of dehydration then baking seems to have concentrated their flavours, as I could taste the sweetness of them even more.

Sourdough 2.5/5

I thought the Sourdough ($14) would be a sandwich that would challenge the classic avocado sandwich combination but it just cements the position of the latter. It is a joyless dish that may just make you stay firm with your current non-vegan diet if switching ever crossed your mind. The pickled zucchini, broccoli and cauliflower fell apart before anything else, and I really feel a lot more can be done to the orange glazed grilled tofu because it really tastes nothing more than just a piece of slightly sweetened tofu, that is being placed onto a piece of bread out of convenience in trying to form a sandwich. And when you have the entire garden at your doorsteps, why only just a sprinkle of the basil leaf's flowers?

Pumpkin Gnocchi 2.8/5

The Pumpkin Gnocchi in Tom Yam Broth ($16) has a lot of potential in becoming a mainstayer if the gnocchi can be improved. The tom yam broth is made using sweetcorn to give that sweetness and coconut milk is added to thicken its consistency. Robust and fiery with a kick, I wiped the bowl clean. The homemade coriander oil heightens the aroma. What disappoints is the gnocchi made from butternut squash. I reckon the ratio of the flour is a lot higher for its a lot tougher than what I had before. Too little protein and fibre in a bowl too.

Matcha Ice Cream 4/5

The star of the day, is definitely this Matcha Ice Cream ($8) made with coconut milk. This is what I called a truly naturally ice cream. Hand churned, you should just throw that supposedly healthy yogurt or gelato ice cream into the bin. Served with blood orange puree, poached plums and pistachio, you got your balance of sweet and acidity. They should just set up an ice cream parlour outside the gym!

When one of the intentions is to complete the experience of the gym-goers here, the meals don't seem to be that appealing to a hungry body. After a spirit lifting workout, I need a full, energising meal - colourful, vibrant, loaded with fibre especially. I do look forward to what HVSRT can offer at its bar, as I heard the botanicals from the garden will be used for their cocktails. I shall just stick to the notion of balanced meal for now. If I crave for a satay, I will take a real meaty satay laden with fats. Not vegan for sure!

Words and photos 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. Note: This is an invited tasting.


HRVST
Kilter Avenue OUE Downtown Gallery
6A Shenton Way
#05-01
Singapore 068815
Tel: +65 69207500
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Tanjong Pagar (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 11am - 230pm, 530pm - 11pm
Sat: 9am - 3pm
(Closed on Sun)

Direction:
1) Alight at Tanjong Pager MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to traffic light junction. Cross the traffic light to Maxwell Road. Turn right and walk towards Shenton Way. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]