My Little Spanish Place

Tonite I am invited to a food tasting session by OpenRice. The restaurant is located in the middle of a row of shophouses. Its dine in area is small with both indoor and outdoor. With brick textured wall, wooden shelves on the wall and warm orange lights, it gives one a homey and cozy feeling. Most of the items in the restaurant are imported from Spain, including sparkling wines and sparkling water, as well as, the rice which is being used in the paella.The restaurant is turning itself to a Jamon Bar, which is unheard of in Singapore as a leg of jamon cannot keep for long once it is been used. It served 5 different types of Jamon at the counter, with the oldest about 5-6 years old to the youngest about 18 months old and each costing about an average of $8000. The jamon has to be craved as flat and straight as possible and staffs have to be trained to do it.Tonite we served with dishes by its new co-chef Chef Edward Esmero. Although born in Philippines, he grows up with Latino influences, which brings him to Spanish food. He has worked in various places around the world, including Gordon's Grill of Goodwood Park Hotel.Sangria Tinta (Red) ($12/ glass, $42/jar)We start the meal with a glass of Sangria Tinta (Red) each. It has red wine, mixed with various fruits such as strawberry, orange and peach in it. It has a fruity taste and does not taste strong as there is lots of ice cubes in it.Next we have a selection of jamon and cheese from the deli, served with lightly toasted bread.10 Vetas Jamon ($16/ 25grams)This jamon ham is made of black pig and is about 2.5years old.It tastes quite flavourful and tender.Fermin Serrno ($7/ 25 grams)This jamon ham is made of white pig and is about 18mths old. Although it looks less drier compares to the other jamon, it tastes slightly less flavourful.Manchego ($8/ 50grams)It is a type of queso (Spanish Cheese). It is made from sheep and the texture is hard. It is served with fruit paste. The sweet taste from Quince Paste (a type of fruit paste) balances the strong taste of the cheese.Aceitunas Romero ($6)Marinated olives in rosemary and lemon garlicIts simple and sharp taste opens up one's appetite.Croquetas ($12/ 4pcs)CroquettesLightly fried jamon-stuffed creamy croquettes.Inside it is filled yummy soft mashed potatoes with bits of the flavourful ham. I would prefer the outside to be a bit more crispier. The onion alioli which is served with it, adds another dimension of flavour to it. The onion alioli is made in house and sold off the counter in jar of 240 grams. It is a classic sauce and could go well with anything such as potato chips.Gambas al Ajillo ($16)Garlic PrawnsA traditional house favourite. Fresh shrimp cooked in a dish of boiling olive oil with garlic and chili pepper.It looks rather oily and spicy but the spicy taste is just a hint. The sliced bread tastes great with the olive oil sauce. The prawns is fat and juicy.Champinones al Horno ($15/ 3pcs)Garlic MushroomsTender mushroom stacks topped with shrimp, richly flavored in garlic and olive oil.It looks simple, but with one bite, the mushroom bursts out with juice all over the place. The mushrooms have been grilled before roasting in the oven. This helps the mushrooms to contain all the juice within themselves. And beware that it is quite hot too.Tortilla de Patata con Alioli ($8/ 4pieces)Potato Omelette with AlioliThe national dish of Spain. Traditional Spanish egg omelette with potatoes and onions, served with homemade alioli.It looks like a multi layered omelette. With a bite, you will tastes the soft potato with the sweet onion in it.Paella de la Casa ($52/ small, $94/ large)House PaellaThe house Paella is a full-flavored recipe made with special ingredients including black mussels, chorizo, prawns, and chicken.The rice is flavoured with saffron, which gives it a unique flavour. Arroz Negra ($46/ small, $82/ large)Black Ink PaellaLiterally ‘black rice’, the Arroz Negra is flavored with a black squid ink broth with prawns and squid, served with a side of alioli. It takes about 20 mintues to be cooked, which is shorter than the other dish as seafood takes a shorter time to be cooked. The rice is moist and tangy with the lemon juicy and alioli mixed into it.Next we are each served a Dessert Platter. Churros con Chocolate ($12)Star-shaped dough pastry sprinkled with cinnamon sugar, served with warm chocolate.The churros tastes light and crispy on its own. Dipped in the rich chocolate, it is so sinfully yummy.Strawberry Ice-CreamThis hand-churned ice-cream uses milk and fresh fruit to make. It has to churn by hand constantly. It tastes milky and refreshing, totally different from the usual strawberry ice-creamTarta de Chocolate ($14)Chocolate TartA triple layer of crumbly crust, a truffle-like interior, and a shiny glaze make this tartlet irresistible to chocolate lovers. Served with homemade ice-cream.The chocolate filling is thick and rich which will be well loved by chocolate lovers. It is served with crushed almond cookies and olive oil. No wonder it is an award winning dessert.Overall the food is great. But it would be great to come in group, in order to try out more dishes, as dishes as Paella is huge in serving. Besides having a great meal, one also could purchase rice, olives, cheeses and other items imported from Spain at the counter too.…Read More

I was very fortunate to be invited to dinner at My Little Spanish Place by OpenRice. It was an exquisite, educational experience for me. This is the only place I know of in Singapore for genuine, fine Spanish cuisine.Our first dish was jamón with cheese and olives. We had finely cut slivers of two kinds of jamón: jamón ibérico (from the special breed of a black, ibérico pig) and jamón from a white pig. Neither was anything like regular deli ham. The colour, for one, was different: the jamón ibérico, in particular, was a lightly glistening, deep pinkish purple, with fine whitish veins. The taste: delicate, multifaceted, unique. And very tender. The fat is light on the tongue: it melts in your mouth, which indicates it is mainly healthy monounsaturated fat. A delicious gem! The rare and prized jamón ibérico is a must-have if you're here.You can view legs of ham hanging in the kitchen. Choose from various types of ham, from different breeds of pigs and regions, and the chef cuts it off for you. He also makes roast pork much like char siew in Chinese cuisine, with a crusty skin. It must be ordered at least 2 days in advance.Our second dish was croquettas - lightly fried jamon-stuffed creamy croquettes, served with garlic mayonnaise sauce. I loved these: the crisp tender crust - no greasiness - is made of flour and milk, not water. It was the perfect foil to the rich smooth filling, which does double duty to complement the intense and complex flavours of the jamon.Our third dish was Gambas al Ajillo (prawns in garlic olive oil). A traditional house favourite, this is shrimp cooked in olive oil with garlic and chili pepper and served with slices of French loaf. A nice transition to ocean freshness and sweetness, played off by the contrasting pungent and aromatic flavours of the accompanying ingredients.Next was my favourite: Champiñones de horns (Garlic Mushrooms), which are tender black mushroom stacks topped with shrimp, richly flavored in garlic and olive oil, and served piping hot in sherry vinegar. The mushrooms were oozing with their natural juice, having been grilled on high heat. Another excellent choice of a simple yet naturally tasty dish, prepared in a way that accentuates the natural flavour of the main ingredient.Then came the tortilla which was a potato omelette, made of potato slices cooked in 6 egg and then when firm, sliced into rectangular pieces that look like nonya tapioca cake, and served prettily on little wooden sticks. It is not on the restaurant's extensive menu but I think it should be. It had a slightly firm custard texture with a thin browned skin on top. The chewy potato and the soft egg textures were an interesting combination. A mild and pleasant tasting intermission after those successive bursts of voluptuous, umami flavours and before our final savoury dish.We had two kinds of paella: Paella da la Casa (white) and Arroz Negra (black rice). I enjoyed both very much, but preferred the amazing looking squid ink infused paella.The Paella de la Casa is the restaurant's House Paella. It is is a full-flavored recipe made with special ingredients including black mussels, chorizo, prawns, and chicken. The Arroz Negra (Black Ink Paella, literally ‘black rice’), is flavored with a black squid ink broth and contains prawns and squid and served with a side of alioli. Both were absolutely delicious and deeply satisfying. The rice was plump and its full flavour set off the freshness of the seafood ingredients.Finally, came the dessert platter, consisting of1) Tarta de Chocolate (Chocolate Tart): A triple layer of crumbly crust, a truffle-like interior, and a shiny glaze, served with the restaurant's homemade strawberry ice-cream, which was more like sherbet and tasted homemade - i.e., natural, light, and made with real strawberries. Perfect accompaniment to the opulent chocolate.These out-of-the-world chocolate tarts are fortunately available for takeout.The chocolate tart would have been a heady, heavenly conclusion to our wonderful feast but there was more:2) Churros con Chocolate: A star-shaped dough pastry sprinkled with cinnamon sugar and served with warm chocolate. The churro was very good: crispy on the outside and light and soft inside. A perfect tantalizing concoction of textures when dipped in the chocolate.This culinary experience of gorgeous flavours is fittingly accompanied by cold, refreshing fruity sangria. My Little Spanish Place is a cosy, warm place. Its interiors are elegant yet homely and comfortable. It is ideal for an intimate or a family or communal meal. Dining in Spanish culture is a shared affair, very much like in our culture. And this is the perfect place and menu for that. I would love to revisit and continue exploring the very best of Spain's rich and varied cuisine, which My Little Spanish Place offers. …Read More