Spuds and Aprons: Food that tugs on your heart strings
Labels:
bistro,
comfortfoods,
family friendly,
hidden finds,
large groups,
mount faber,
must go,
pubfood,
romantic,
special occasion
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"Stop at one", my emerging muffin top beckoning for a bit of repentance on the dietary front. But there was no way in the world and no will-power that strong to resist the sight of stringy cheese, the reserves of liquid gold dousing steak house frites egging you on to reach for another strand. It isn't long before the entire pile is demolished, the stray sweet potato fry from another appetiser used to mop up the residual of the 6 cheeses. The diet starts tomorrow... trust me, the guilt factor will set in.
The name of the establishment is a dead giveaway; Spuds and Aprons, yes, there are spuds in many shapes, forms and sizes presented throughout the menu. It's comfort factor, unparallelled, yet seemingly a bit out of place in such romantic settings at the joint perched on Mount Faber overlooking a spectacular sunset. It becomes obvious that the only kind of date you're going to get away with is with a lady who appreciates the finer things in life - CARBS.
If you are lucky enough to meet with such an acquaintance, the Truffle Wicked Fries & Gravy ($13) is the perfect dish to tussle over. Grounded by a sinful deluge of cheese sauce composed from emmental, gruyere, provolone, cheddar, mozzarella and Parmesan; one chip in and you know that Spuds and Aprons has its cheese formula down pat.
Other starters include the Chilli Crab in a Tux ($14) and the Sweet Potato Fries with Sea Salt and Japanese Curry Mayo ($10); the latter packs a wallop of flavor that once again highlights the prowess of the kitchen when dealing with their spuds.
Where mains are concerned, you get a halting variety of pub classics with a bit of Asian flair. The Crispy Pork Belly ($27) provides a cerebral experience - the menu describing it to be a hot-tub pork belly (say whut?) slow cooked till fork tender then crisped up and served with homemade pineapple pickles and mixed brown rice. Sounding extremely restrained, trust me, it's not! Simply presented, the pork crackling is absolutely bang on, succulent and well seasoned flesh showcasing a golden brown roof, the accompanying bowl of wild rice is chock full of preserved turnip (chai po) which lends the usually healthy mixture a large pinch of excitement.
The Signature Tobiko Crusted Cod Fillet ($32) served with green tea soba, shimeiji mushroom and bak choy steeped a a savoury aged ponzu sauce delights as well. The sinful creaminess on that fish skin certainly making up for the implicit cleanliness of the overall dish.
Just two courses in and you know that the kitchen is doing something right. The BBQ Baby Back Ribs ($26) continuing in the same league of comfort measurements.The meat were fall-off-the-bone tender in this thought I do suspect a case of liquid smoke being employed. The NEW Gorgeous Beef Guinness ($28) gives the ultimate comfort food vibes with a rich, aromatic Guinness stout chunky beef stew resting on stewed shallots and mashed potatoes. This one gives my Grandma's Hainanese beef stew a good run for its money; the unctuous hunks of protein strewed in the mix adding touch of luxe to the humble dish.
If you're feeling like ditching the meats in favor of seafood, the Grilled King Prawns ($32) will sort out those needs. Succulent prawns are perched on twirls of squid ink pasta bathed in a tangy tom yum broth. Cherry tomatoes, fried shallots and shimeiji mushrooms add to the heft of the meal.
Another comfort food taking inspiration from the French this time is the Quack and Go ($26) - Asian spiced duck leg confit with a rather quizzical cornmeal likened crumb meets mixed brown rice and spicy mango salsa. This pushed past usual formalities sans the mash nor the light salad and is instead presented with Asian rice. The similarities to the run-off-the-mill Western food stall, chicken cutlet rice offerings are uncanny and a tad humorous at this point. That being said. the confit on its own is excellent, moist flesh and sturdy crust in tact.
Despite the heavy onslaught of the main courses, there's always room for dessert. The Jar of Happiness ($11) bringing a smile to my face with an unsuspecting combination of shortbread biscuits, almond flakes, plump mixed berry compote and haagen dazs vanilla ice cream stacked with Pythagorean precision into a glass jar. You can also opt to finish your meal on a slightly heavier note with the Chempedek Bread and Butter Pudding ($12) - toasted almonds and velvety vanilla ice cream, a stark contrast to the warm custard innards punctured by bittersweet creamy cempadak fruit. Calorific and terrific all at the same time. The last dessert failed to command any lingering memories - the Banana Heaven ($12) resembling a frozen banana parfait with only the shards of chocolate chip cookies overhead providing relief from the non-sensical combination.
All that aside, Spuds and Aprons may just be the perfect place for make ups (and break ups); it's secluded geographical location combined with magnificent views and soft finishings providing an intimate space despite its open terrace settings. Do note that if you make your reservations online via HungryGoWhere, you'll stand to enjoy 50% off your 2nd main course from now till 30th September.
Spuds and Aprons
109 Mount Faber Road
S(099203)
t: 6884 6884
Operating Hours
Daily::11am - 11pm
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