Salt Tapas & Bar (已結業)

See pictures at http://thehungrybunnie.blogspot.sg/2016/04/invited-tasting-revisit-salt-tapas-by.htmlWe first learnt about Salt Tapas' brunch offerings by way of an invited tasting, but returned for an incognito revisit. The fare at the revisit was improved, and the management evidently took our feedback at the tasting to heart. It's now really yummy, and a worthwhile option for brunch eggs!We had these at the revisit, paid for on our own:1) Eggs Berendine ($14): while this was unexciting, it was executed flawlessly. Perfectly runny insides, velvety hollandaise spiked with a dash of paprika, a generous lashing of bacon lardons, wilted spinach, and buttery muffins all came together cohesively.2) Scrambled Eggs ($15): nicely finessed, with eggs scrambled commendably, and dressed with a mildly spicy ratatouille and zucchini ribbons.3) Club Sandwich ($16): the magic of this delicious creation was the chicken mayo: crisp, clean, clear, delicate and refreshing. The cajun fries were memorably awesome.4) French Toast ($15): The thick fluffy brioche, dunked in a thin eggy coat and fried, was already stellar, and when paired with Okinawa ice-cream, clotted cream, jam and a sprinkle of icing sugar, just glorious 繼續閱讀

For more food reviews, please visit http://shokushisouseikatsu.blogspot.com/ Whenever I walked past Salt Tapas & Bar at the first floor of Raffles City Shopping Centre, it somehow felt like a place which was more for drinking rather than food so I've never had the urge to check out its menu and what it offers. In addition, the name of the restaurant i.e. the word tapas suggested that it offered small bites rather than full-course meals so that also deterred me to some extent. Upon seeing some recommendations online recently about its Jardin tea promotion on weekday afternoons from 3pm to 5pm, I finally decided to give this a try and I'm glad to say, I am happy that I did so.Upon reaching the restaurant, the service staff would ask if you would prefer an indoor or outdoor table. If the weather is cool enough or you aren't bothered by the heavy traffic passing you by, the outdoor area would be suitable for you. On the other hand, even if you choose to enjoy the aircon comfort indoors, you can still enjoy the street view since the doors are left open. As seen from the photo, I chose aircon over al fresco since it was a bit hot after a downpour on the day I visited and I didn't want to take in the exhaust fumes from the vehicles together with my tea time snacks.As I was browsing through the menu, water was served from a wine bottle with a cup having bubbles on the side thus making it look as if this was sparkling water. I must have looked like I was very clueless about this place because the waiter took the time to explain to me what they offered during this period and even told me that this was water (in case I misunderstood it to be otherwise). I think that's rather reassuring especially for first timers like me who probably finds it a bit unsettling to be here when the staff clearly outnumbered the customers. Besides me, there was only another table of a couple with their young toddler and another table of working adults at a corner away from me apparently taking a brief break from work.On the Jardin's food menu, there were two tea sets comprising of various snacks, both sweet and savoury. Set A contains white coffee creme brulee, camembert with lavash, Jamon croquette, Kinako macaron, Honeycomb cake, prawn taco and choc sable. On the other hand, Set B offers purple Japanese sweet potato macaron, matcha orange religieuse, raspberry rhubarb tart, Parma ham with fig, raisin scones, mini churros and pork slider. As for the drinks, you can choose from coffee and tea i.e. espresso, macchiato, long black, flat white, cappucino, cafe latte, breakfast tea, camomile, earl grey, jasmine green tea and peppermint or the three mocktails i.e. Rose n' flames, Adam's apple and Berry fruity. The Jardin tea time promotion allows you to choose one of the tea sets and one drink for the price of $35++. If you prefer to create your own unique combination (maximum 7 items), that would be $45++.On the other hand, if you wish to add more items, you can do so at the price of $5++ per item. I welcome this kind of flexibility because I always felt that a lot of tea time promotions tend to insist on a fixed menu which may not appeal to everyone. For example, if I'm not a fan of macarons and yet the menu has this item, I can't change it with something else even if I offer to pay a different price. As such, it does get on my nerves if I'm forced to eat something which I don't like so I tend not to go for tea time offers which don't allow changes or customisation to the food options. Although there were some items which I wasn't too keen on or had never had before, I decided against changing the combination in the set menu since there should have been a reason why they were put together.Starting off with the drink, I selected the berry fruity mocktail which according to the menu consists of green tea, blackberry, mint leaves and lime. It came in this beautiful cocktail glass with two green apple rings on top of it. Frankly speaking, I wasn't sure whether I should or could eat the apple rings so I just left them as they were. As for the mocktail itself, I thought it tasted a lot like thick black tea rather than the comparatively lighter green tea so I think the blend of flavours probably resulted in this end result. As I am a big fan of mint and citrusy flavours, I was eagerly anticipating to be able to pick up the taste of the mint and lime but unfortunately, they were hardly noticeable. Nonetheless, that's not to say that this drink isn't nice. I did enjoy it after all but I guess it depends on the individual. I personally prefer to be able to pick up the distinct flavours of the ingredients which go into making this drink so at the very least, if the mint taste was stronger, this drink might have ranked higher in terms of my satisfaction index.As for the food, I selected Set B which has more items that I'm familiar with and like. The items were served in a wooden tray with chocolate soil beneath so it resembles a garden with a variety of colours. Visually, this is very appealing and the desserts looks so pretty that I felt unsure of how I should start. There isn't any particular way or order you should adhere to when eating these items so I just went with my own gut feel. Another interesting feature of this was that the waiter would come by to ask for your name which left me a bit bewildered at first. Later, I realised that this was because they wanted to write my name on the side of the tray in chalk which somehow made this feel special as if this treat is specially for me. I wondered why they put the side with my name facing outwards though and was a bit self-conscious about showing my name to the rest of the customers who were around at that time. Nonetheless, I thought this was a pretty good tactic to improve the dining experience.The first thing which caught my attention was the sweet potato macaron which was in a light purple hue. I have never eaten macarons before and simply do not understand what the hype is all about. To me, macarons seem like an overly sweet dessert for me so I've not been too keen on this thus far. However, this sweet potato macaron had me somewhat converted, not fully though. The light aroma of the sweet potato and the not-so-sweet macaron was a joy to savour and I felt like having a second helping.The next item was the Parma ham with fig i.e. one of the two savoury items in this set. I have never tried having ham with fig so the combination was innovative to me. However, perhaps the ham could have been paired with something sweeter than the fig because the saltiness was a tad overwhelming and could have been balanced out with another item that has a stronger taste.Third up was the churros which is something I've been quite in love with of late. However, as this is the mini version, it was difficult to get an accurate assessment of the taste. In addition, the cream and chocolate sauce were put into the same cup thus resulting in a blended dip which I didn't quite like. Perhaps I should order the regular-sized churros next time to see how they taste.The rhubarb tart was OK but I thought that the creamy tart base was a bit too fluffy to my liking. I don't really recall how rhubarbs are supposed to taste so I can't tell whether this tart was good especially since the sourness of the raspberries took away my attention.The scone with raisins were really good in that it wasn't hard as a rock and had a nice aroma. Having it with the jam made the taste even better. I would have wanted more of this if it was available.As for the pork slider, I thought that it was very flavourful especially the pickled vegetables. I wonder if there was a full-sized version which would be really satisfying to have.Last but not least, the religieuse which supposedly should have the matcha and orange flavours, turned out to be stronger on the orange side. It might have been good to emphasize the matcha flavour too so as to strike a balance.In conclusion, this is how I would rank the items I had (in descending order): pork slider -> sweet potato macaron -> scone with raisins -> religieuse -> Parma ham -> rhubarb tart -> churros.Having tried this once, I think I will go back again to try other items on the food menu and another mocktail. That kinako macaron, honeycomb cake, choc sable and prawn taco on Set A do seem rather appealing. Service was great and attentive especially for a first-timer like me who was unsure of what to order and how to do it. Price-wise, it does seem a bit steep so to me, this would be a once-in-a-while indulgence on a lazy weekday afternoon. 繼續閱讀

The spacious 120-seat Salt tapas & bar gives off a unique modern Spanish vibe, and is a tourist hotspot. Stunning mirror features, raw brick walls and industrial-chic antique lightings provide a great environment for guests to relax and embrace hearty food and conversation. The wide full-length windows allow natural light to stream in and beautifully illuminate the restaurant.I feel really proud that Singapore is able to attract a chef of Luke Mangan's stature! With one of Australia’s leading chefs and restaurateurs heading this eatery, I rest assured that the food will not disappoint.Low-hanging light bulbs and dark walnut chairs form part of a modern Spanish atmosphere.Platter of tacos, breaded chicken breast and deep-fried fish and chipsA group set menu is available upon reservation (minimum of 10 persons).Taco of tempura prawn, pineapple salsa, chipotle aioli — S$14.00 (Small); S$27.00 (Large) Flavourful and succulent tempura prawn tacoThis is highly recommended! The prawns were fresh and juicy to the bite, and the pineapple salsa provided a powerful spicy and acidic kick to the taco. I love the way the dish is presented — it makes the taco really easy to eat and leaves no messy residue.Fish & chips with slaw— S$25.00Note: Slaw is not picturedThe breaded fish is crispy and juicy within. However, I wonder what type of fish is used here because a pungent fishy smell lingers in your mouth.Spaghetti and Tomato SauceWe tried a really small portion of pasta with tomato sauce, and I was impressed by this well-balanced dish! It was not overly sweet, and each strand of spaghetti was cooked evenly. The tomato sauce tasted fresh and tangy.Dulce de leche & salted pecan semifreddo, strawberries, coconut wafer — S$14.00One of my favourite desserts of 2014! The texture was so awesome and I wonder how it was crafted with such a rich and luscious consistency. Crispy, creamy, crunchy and cold, this dessert is definitely my star pick!Churros, Chocolate Sauce — S$15.00Best churros in SingaporeEven LadyIronChef is impressed with the churros here. The accompanying thick chocolate sauce was such a wonderful gratification on its own too! I slowed my pace of eating upon nearing the end of each piece, in a bid to prolong the savoury indulgence!Food aside, the service was really friendly and the crew were sharp in attending to requests. I cannot over-emphasise how much I love the ambience — it's such a lovely place to relax and unwind after a day's work! It looks ideal for parties, large gatherings and corporate events too. Perhaps the only noticeable downside were the toilets, which were quite dirty during my visit.Prices are subject to 10% service charge and prevailing GST. 繼續閱讀

Today I am attending The Great Gourmet Trail, which is happening at Raffles City, where we'll be feasting through the 4 different eateries which will be serving at least 4 dishes each. For the firs pit stop on the trail, we are trying dishes from the kids menu of Salt Tapas & Bar. The restaurant is Australian celebrity chef Luke Mangan's second culinary venture in Singapore. It offers traditional Spanish tapas with an Australian touch.The restaurant is dark in decorations, brightened by many light bulbs.For a choice of main course, dessert and a soft drink or juice, it costs $18++ for a kid meal.From the Mains, we haveSpaghetti and tomato sauceIt tastes flavourful, without too sour in taste.Crispy chicken breast, chips and garden peasFillet of fish, chips and garden peasCrispy prawns taco,mayo and chipsThe Crispy chicken breast tastes a bit tough, a sign of use of frozen white meat. The Fillet of fish tastes of beer batter. The Crispy prawns taco fares much better with its tasty salsa stuffing.Churros with chocolate ($15++)A dessert which is found in both kids menu and main menu as it is a hot favourite with both old and young. The spanish doughnut is lightly dusted with cinnamon-sugar, tasted mildly crunchy. It goes well with the thick chocolate sauce and the whipped cream that served with it.Dulce de leche & salted pecan semifreddo strawberries, coconut wafer ($13++)A dessert which is found in the main menu. For a non strawberry lover like me, the strawberry tastes sweet and juicy, unlike the usual sour tasting ones. Salty, sweet, cold, creamy, this caramel semifreddo hits all the right notes. And it is further enhances by the crispy coconut wafer.Overall the food is delicious, and service is fast. But too bad we do not have time to enjoy our meal as it is time for the next stop. 繼續閱讀

Salt Tapas & Bar is a spinoff from its flagship, more extravagant branch, Salt Grill and Sky Bar. It is Australian Chef Luke Mangan's first tapas dining concept, located at 252 North Bridge Road #01-22A Raffles City Shopping Centre, Singapore 179103 and the number for reservations is 6837 0995.Salt Tapas & Bar exudes Spanish vibes entwined with the easy ambience of Australian culture providing a fun and vibrant space for friendships to be cultivated and diners to relax. It also serves a wide variety of unpretentious cuisine and wines.We started with Oysters Served Natural, Nam Jim. Instead of the usual lemon and Tabasco sauce, they served the fresh oysters with a light, spicy sauce. The oysters were fresh but we thought them to be a little small. Paired with the unique chilli sauce though, it was utterly delicious.Next, the Salt and Pepper Squid with Lime Mayo - the squid rings are fried to a lovely golden brown shade, and we loved its crispy texture. The best part was that these tiny calamari-style rings did not come with the thick layer of flour. The squid flesh was tender and tasty. It was a delight to pop these into our mouths.After that, we were being served the Chicken Liver and Foie Gras Parfait with Pear Chutney and served with Toasted Brioche. We enjoyed the Parfait because it did not come with a heavy / strong odor; in fact the flavor of birds' innards were subtle, and the paste was scrumptious. We spread it over the crunchy bread slices and topped with the slightly-sourish pear chutney. The combination was a flavor heaven.For more detailed information and photos, please feel free to visit:http://thearcticstar.blogspot.sg/2014/03/dinner-at-salt-tapas-bar.html 繼續閱讀