Craving for paella, tapas and all things Mediterranean? Make reservations at 21 on Rajah, the brand new restaurant at the Days Hotel in Balestier – one of Singapore’s most established food destinations.
The cuisine that is trademark of the 21 countries that surround the Mediterranean Sea (that explains the restaurant’s name) is the star of the menu, meticulously created by Paul Then, Director of Culinary Operations. However, this Mediterranean vibrancy extends well past the food; step into the restaurant and you’d immediately pick up these exotic vibes by looking at the décor of the interior.
Drawing inspiration from the sea, the Greek style design is apparent in the heavy use of vivid blues, aquas and turquoises coupled with white walls and furniture.
There are also hints of other Mediterranean-inspired designs, such as the use of birdcages – favoured by the French – and Moroccan-esque jewel-tone fabrics for the cushioned seating areas.
However, what will really catch your eye is the massive statue somewhere in the middle of the restaurant. You may not get it right away, but according to the staff, it’s meant to represent the Chinese symbol: 吉(Ji), which means ‘fortune’. Take a step back and see it for yourself!
Here at 21 on Rajah, communal dining is encouraged – not just for the tapas but for the mains too! The Prawn and Bacon Roll ($13.90) is a sinfully satisfying choice; bacon-wrapped prawns deep fried to crispy perfection and topped with zucchini pesto sauce and sesame crackers… doesn’t that sound heavenly?
A much lighter tapas choice would be the Crostini of Smoked Eel ($13.90 – pictured left). This interesting mishmash of green and yellow zucchini, tomato, basil salsa and smoked eel spread on garlic tapenade toast makes for simple, fuss-free eating. The spread really packs a punch and the smoked eel stands out a great deal.
Apart from these two dishes, you can whet your palate with other kinds of tapas, such as Roasted Tomatoes with Feta Cheese ($11.90), Baked Cheese & Chorizo ($12.90) and Baked Custard Potato Tortilla ($11.90), just to name a few.
For the mains, there’s definitely something for everyone. The wholesome Stewed Fillet of Danish Cold Water Halibut “Lisbon Style” ($22.90) is perfect for a group of three to four and comes with tomatoes, olives and a bed of sliced potatoes and onions stewed in olive oil and beurre blanc.
Beurre blanc is French for “white butter” – a butter-based emulsified sauce made with white wine and cream that goes with fish and green vegetables like broccoli. This rich, buttery sauce was the winning ingredient and complemented the addition of acidic tomatoes nicely. A must-try and our favourite of the lot!
On the menu, it states that the Marseilles Seafood Bouillabaisse ($38.90) is good for two, but honestly, if you’re planning to order loads of stuff to share, we say this classic French soup can feed three to five pax!
Bouillabaisse is a traditional French fish soup and back in the day, it was known as a poor man’s meal. Today, this humble dish has earned itself a world-class status, and 21 on Rajah’s variation of this classic soup is made with saffron, pastis, fennel and potatoes, served with garlic croutons, rouille (a flavour-enhancing type of mayo sauce) and saffron paella.
To enjoy: break off a piece of the crouton and dip it in the rouille before dunking it again in the soup. You’ll notice the difference in the flavour of the soup with the crouton and rouille and without it for sure.
For other quintessential Mediterranean nosh, there’s a selection of paella to choose from such as Moroccan Harira with Chicken & Garbanzo Beans served with saffron paella rice ($21.90/individual portion, $32.90/sharing portion) and the highly recommended Jumbo Prawns with Dill and Saffron Paella ($25.90/individual portion, $44.90/sharing portion). The latter is literally a seafood feast in a pan and comes not only with jumbo (no, make it massive) prawns but also with juicy mussels, fresh squid, and even chorizo with vegetables and romesco sauce. The paellas here are also much lighter and way healthier so that’s something most would appreciate.
There’s nothing very Mediterranean about chocolate lava cake – although the debate of its origins, whether American or French, still exists – but that doesn’t make this sweet treat any less fantastic. The Dark Chocolate Fondant with Raspberry Coulis ($14.90 – pictured above) is not too heavy and the sugar level is just right. It’s also drizzled with a melted marshmallow topping, and this together with the raspberry sauce helps cut through the intensity of the chocolate.
If chocolate’s not your thing, there are other excellent options for dessert. Try the zesty Pannatone Bread & Butter Pudding with Dates ($14.90) or the Strawberry Tofu Cheese Cake ($13.90) for something different. But whatever you choose, just remember one thing for desserts: be greedy because such good things are not meant to be shared!
See Also:
Explore here for more tapas bars
More seafood options for you
