Along the tranquil stretch of Beach Road lies an unassuming but quaint little restaurant. Azucar, which means sugar in Spanish, is as delectable as its namesake in terms of food and ambiance. The al fresco veranda area if perfect for those who prefer the open air and people watching, while the cosy indoors would be ideal for some private chill-out time.
A cool bar greets you at the entrance, where you can order some wicked drinks to kick start dinner. The second level is strewn with plush couches, rugs and an eclectic European Pop decoration of rustic wooden furniture and cool metal rungs. On the whole, it is cosy and perfect for dates or intimate gathering with friends.
Azucar serves up some fantastic European cuisine that comes in a wide variety. Want something Fancy & French? Oui Madame, they have it. Yearning for a Spanish Shindig? Top it all with some Margaritas! Gaga over German? Their crackling dishes are real wieners (“winners”, get it?)!
Our lucky OpenRicers were treated to a feast of epic proportions as they got to try signature items from each cuisine on the menu. Warning: Photos ahead may cause salivation.
No party is complete without some drinks – the Red Wine Sangria was refreshing and injected much good cheer in everyone. Following closely behind was an impressive tower of tortilla chips, vegetable sticks and crackers alongside home-made sauces. That’s right – all 13 of their sauces are made in-house! Each sauce is meticulously prepared and seasoned to deliver a myriad of flavours that pairs well with many of their dishes! Some favourites from the group: Thai Chilli, Yoghurt Mayo and Mango Vinaigrette.
Bringing an Andy-Warhol-esque colour pop to the table was the Beetroot Carrot soup – rich and creamy with a hint of beetroot that’s not too overwhelming, as well as the Pumpkin Orange soup –another huge hit, bringing a bright burst of orangey flavour to what would otherwise be a cloying pumpkin soup. Superb start to the meal!
The German Potato is a carb-lover’s dream come true, comprising a savoury potato, bacon and onion mix – an instant crowd pleaser especially with some ice cold beer. The Prawns in Aglio Olio was simple yet divine. Pasta tossed in good olive oil and served with plump succulent prawns clearly won us over.
Clockwise from top left: Saffron Risotto, Beef Tenderloin with Foie Gras, Grilled Baby Back Ribs and the Tapas Platter.
We absolutely loved the Saffron Risotto with Seafood! Creamy and luscious risotto was cooked with fresh seafood and perfumed with fragrant saffron. Heavenly. As for the Beef Tenderloin with Foie Gras, it was decadent with a thick buttery slice of rich duck liver on top of perfectly cooked medium-rare steaks. Don’t be intimidated by its size – you can opt either for a single or double decker serving of beef depending on “carnivorous level” in you.
Another meaty item that got us licking our fingers (quite literally) was the Grilled Baby Back Ribs. It had a gorgeous layer of sweet and smoky sauce over tender ribs that fell right off the bone. Plus, we can’t forget the Tapas platter, which consists of Smoked Duck, Pork Knuckle, Meltique Beef and Stuffed Spinach Sausage. Our favourites: the pork knuckle (it practically melted in our mouths with the contrast of its crunchy skin sparking an umami moment) and the Meltique beef (cooked to tender succulent perfection).
If you’re looking to get something light, try the Azucar Green. The salad has a mix of fresh greens and delicious juicy mangoes tossed in to lend some sweetness. And you can’t go wrong with their Grilled Fresh Salmon Fillet. This piece of salmon was cooked to perfection! It retained a moist and succulent center, while the bread crumbs gave the skin an impeccable crunch - A winner among the members and definitely our recommendation.
The Oven Baked Lamb Rack with Truffle Cheese Fritata has a very impressive plating but the best way to eat it is to get down and dirty with your hands. The gamey lamb paired with the fragrant cheesy frittata goes extremely well together.
No meal is complete without desserts and Azucar did not disappoint. If you’re a chocolate sinner, the Double Chocolate Brownies guarantee to sock you in the face with its unbelievably rich texture. The Moreno Panna Cotta was light and airy with a generous drizzle of oozy chocolate sauce. We also fancied the Crème Brulee (both the original and pandan flavour). Our lovely host, Josefine, recommends spreading the pandan crème brulee on some French toast for a western version of our kaya toast. The Spanish dessert, Churros, was a call out to our inner child! Sticks of fried dough coated in sugar meant for a quick dip in chocolate sauce – no complaints there.
Calling the end of our superb food tasting session and the Pièce de résistance of our dinner were the Flaming Pineapples –the most entertaining dessert of the lot. Flaming alcohol was doused onto sweet pineapples to create a cerulean halo of fire, which danced merrily on the fruits.
It was a night of splendid fusion of European fare and everyone greatly satisfied and we’ll definitely be back for more! Do visit Azucar for mouth-watering European cuisine in a relaxing environment.
Interested to join us for a delicious time at our upcoming Food Tasting sessions? Simply fill up this form and you may be the next one to get invited!
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