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2013-10-12
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East 8 is newly opened and I guess that's why there's a lack of reviews on their food. They basically joined the string of food establishments that seek to offer fusion tapas with a laid back vibe. For East 8, their cuisine supposedly infuses Western, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Thai and Vietnamese concepts.Given the price tag of $25++ for a 3 course set lunch during Restaurant Week, I decided to give East 8 a try.Ambience wise there is nothing to complain about; probably because I went after 2pm
East 8 is newly opened and I guess that's why there's a lack of reviews on their food. They basically joined the string of food establishments that seek to offer fusion tapas with a laid back vibe. For East 8, their cuisine supposedly infuses Western, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Thai and Vietnamese concepts.Given the price tag of $25++ for a 3 course set lunch during Restaurant Week, I decided to give East 8 a try.
Ambience wise there is nothing to complain about; probably because I went after 2pm, it wasn't crowded and there were only 2 other tables, so the environment was very conducive for a relaxing chat. I also liked their interior, as the wooden surroundings give a very comfortable, laid back vibe. The cute cushions lying around also added to the whole atmosphere.
For appetizers, they also offered Rocket salad, with sweet pear, cherry tomato and roasted pinenut, but both of us went for the Charred tiger prawn in cream of spinach soup instead, as we are not fans of salad. It was the right choice as this didn't taste like any conventional western soup you normally get. I liked how the soup was very flavourful, but only slightly creamy and the taste of spinach wasn't overwhelming. I especially liked the crunchy tiger prawns which were succulent, and slightly salted/peppery.
For mains, I had the Soy glazed pan fried Norwegian salmon, with truffle mashed potato. This dish didn't wow me as it's rather common, and the sauce seemed like the conventional soy/terriyaki sauce that goes with sushi; moreover, the mashed potato was cold (albeit truffle taste slightly distinct). However, it has to be noted that the salmon itself was very fresh, with the meat very soft and tender, and you could easily gobble it down at one go.
My friend had the Classic duck confit with braised haricot beans and chorizo cubes. It was extremely easy to dissect that dish as the duck meat is very, very tender. I also liked the skin of the duck which wasn't oily, but crispy and lightly salted to bring out the flavour of the duck.
For dessert, there was only one choice and it was the Homemade dark chocolate pot, macerated berries with hazelnut gelato. Dark chocolate pot might be a bit misleading as it's actually a small cube of chocolate cake/mousse, which was alright with the chocolate being rich but not overly so. I loved the grated nuts (which were mixed with fine sugar) that were sprinkled around. As for the hazelnut gelato, it was pretty average.Overall, it was a pleasant dining experience, and their staff was kind enough to offer us, at the end of the meal, a sample of their Yuzu Sakae, which was a very refreshing drink. Took a look at their usual menu (on a wooden crafted plate and on a disc), and there were some interesting offerings as well.
Normally, they have lunch specials, from 12 to 3pm, and they offer dishes like Orange Beef, Baby Back Ribs, Tuna Hotdog, Lamb Shank Ragu, Sake mussels & bread, and also, the Norwegian Salmon, at a price range of $12-$16.
A good place to chill and relax, and share tapas among friends, hopefully East 8 will seek to stand out from the vast number of similar establishments.
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