This is our second time here although our first experience was not great. In fact, I waited so long for my dish (Scott had already long finished his food) that I had lost my appetite, gave the manager a piece of my mind about how food should be served at the same time for customers at the same table, paid the bill and left rather hungry.
Here’s what we had on our first visit back in April 2010…
Starter: Pimientos del Piquillo rellenos de Atun Gambas ($10) - Spanish pepper filled with tuna and tiger prawn salad. I was a little disappointed when the dish came as it was tiny and it tasted exactly like peppers stuffed with canned mayo-tuna.
Scotts Main: Especia Pato con Peras ($25) – spiced duck with pears, spinach and garlic mash. The duck was nicely seasoned and very tender. The spinach and mashed potatoes were really good as well. However, I thought that the each flavour on the plate were a little strong to be served together. Potion size is just right and overall an enjoyable dish.
I ordered the Lubina a la Sal ($20) – baked Seabass fish cooked in salt crust. But I never got it – So I spent the hour or so sipping my Sangria ($15 per glass), watching Scott eat, steal a little of his food, and listened to the band play.
The Bar & Restaurant claims to serve authentic Spanish fare and their menu has a wide range of tapas, salads, mains and other Spanish delicacies. So this time round we decided to go for drinks, have tapas, and listen to some Spanish live entertainment.
Kim with the best Sangria ($50 per jug) and Mojito ($13) we’ve tasted.
Tapas are small Spanish savoury dishes, typically served with drinks at a bar; they are an integral part of socialising the Spanish way and they can form an entire meal, ranging from simple bits and pieces such as olives or cubes of ham and cheese to more elaborate preparations like mussels in white wine broth.
Tapas: Empanadillas y Croquetas ($12) – home made Spanish Tuna Puff, home made Spanish Chicken Croqueta and home made Spanish Tiger Prawn Croqueta. My favourite of the three was the chicken croquette which I thought was quite unique and special. The prawn croquette was tasty as well and the flavours complemented each other nicely. The tuna puff stuffing tasted a little like canned tuna.
Tapas: Rollito de bacon y espárrago ($12) – baked baby asparagus wrapped in bacon. Veggies were fantastic – natural and not overdone. The bacon was slightly dry and not fatty enough for my liking, but overall it was an enjoyable dish.
Tapas: Albondigas ($12) – beef meatballs in tomato sauce. The minced beef was superbly marinated and flavourful. The bolognese sauce was nicely done and the thinly sliced onions added a nice texture to the sauce. This was my favourite tapas of the night.
Main: Paella Valenciana ($40) – saffron, chicken, Spanish chorizo, tiger prawns, squid, half shell mussels, rice. the restaurant claims to have the best tasting paella in Singapore, and so far, I have to agree. The rice was perfect and tasty, prawns were cooked just right, fresh, and slightly crunchy, squid was nice and not rubbery, mussels were alright but slightly overdone, and the chorizo was simply delightful. Portion size is meant for two but it’s ideal to share between three with other side dishes.
Scott squeezing lemon on the paella.
Desert: Pastel de Chocolate ($7) – cashew nut brownie with caramel candied orange and ice cream. Although no typically Spanish, we felt like some chocolate after our meal and decided to go with a brownie. The desert was delicious although we didn’t get to select our choice of ice cream. It was a great dish to end a wonderful evening.
The ambiance was alright and could be worked on. When we look up, we could see a mesh of dark blue vents running all accross the celing, giving us the feeling of dining in an factory lot. Lighting was a little mixed up and the stage was right in the middle of the bar and kitchen – the service crew had to walk past the band every couple of minutes or so which was rather annoying.
All-in-all a good night on our second visit – service has improved tremendously, they informed us of certain dishes that would take a longer time to cook and serve, and the food was great. My ratings this time round? Food: 9/10. Service: 8/10. Ambience: 6/10. Value for money: NA. Photos courtesy of www.serenity.com.sg. Thanks Kim, for dinner and a fantastic evening of food and drink!
