Picture this, you get set up on a date by your best friend with the captain of the school football team. Sure, he's got dreamy eyes and features so sharp that they could easily saw through the thickest hunk of steak, hence the extra preparation effort. Heels, check! Poofed up hair on hairspray hyper drive, check!, and you even dragged out the most decent set of knickers you have from your wardrobe. Kudos for that. He arrives at the door with a bunch of flowers and whisks you away in mist of charm, raising the bar even higher with an idyllic choice of a dinner venue, one that offers bedazzling views of the cityscape at dusk. However, as the meal unravels, you realize that beneath the chiseled good looks, is an empty vessel, one that was dull and lacklustre beneath its misleadingly glamorous facade. - my experience at Cook and Brew can be summed up in the same manner.
Launching a new menu helmed by a selection of mouthwatering gourmet burgers, the craft beer watering hole located at the Westin Singapore's speciality gastro-bar at Level 33 sets to sweep diners off their feet, with a combination attack of killer views and American comfort food.
First, we tried the Heirloom tomatoes and plums ($17) - ripened plums are paired with buttermilk and gorgonzola cheese dressing, butter curd and crispy pecan brittle likening the starter to a finishing cheese course. This is subtle cooking at its best.
We move on to the heftier stuff on the menu; an ode to Executive Chef Aaron Foster's Canadian roots is The Montreal Burger ($34) packing in the punches with a patty composed of house-smoked Montreal meat (no less) made by curing beef brisket with cracked peppercorns and other aromatics over 21 days. Pity the doneness was just a wee bit overboard, the juicy potential non-existent. The Hawker Burger ($32) fared much better with a porcine intervention of char-siew style pork jowl topped with crispy pork belly. The generous sluice of sambal mayonnaise overhead helping stave away the dry relief while pickled green chilies brings to mind, wanton mee. By now, it had become clear that the kitchen only do their patties one way - well done - perhaps it's governed by certain laws of restrictions but this rigidity didn't run well by me. Even more so because the buns, sauces and everything in between were top notch, lest for the patty which would have benefited heavily from having a few seconds shaved off its cooking session.
On hindsight, the next two dishes were considerably better; Polenta and Dutch Veal Brisket ($42) brings together tender milk braised veal breast, crispy kale, glazed turnips sitting on a fluffy bed of perfectly cooked polenta for an upscale classic bar grub type dish. The Broccoli and Bacon Cheese Burger ($29) remains bright in my memory - it's conniving means of making young ones eat their greens, absolutely ingenious and surprisingly addictive. Beef patty is topped with a vibrant green creamed broccoli, fortified with double thick house-smoked maple glazed bacon and American cheddar for good measure. I would pick this unlikely combination out of everything else should revists be in the pipeline.
With so much bold flavors whiplashing around, the mouth needs something sweet to find resolution. Sweetly captivated by the Rum and Raisin ($6) - the alcohol laden treat comes with a bed of dark chocolate crumb that adds a bitter sort of textural relief.
The question torture me. Can we request for a specific doneness on the patties? How is it so that it drives me helplessly, irretrievably crazy? Why does everyone seem to be okay with it? Is there something wrong with me? Where's my beer?
Cook & Brew
12 Marina View
Asia Square Tower 2
S(018961)
t: 6922 6948
Operating Hours:
Mon - Thurs: 11am - 12am
Fri: 11am - 1am
Sat: 6pm - 12am
Sun: Closed
No comments:
Post a Comment