Atmosphere Bistro.Bar : The watering hole

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Have my eyes betrayed me? A quizzical look hung out on my face as the snow mountain pile of Kirin Frozen beer ($13) started rapidly on its descent. My first 'gulp'got me a mouthful of flavourless foam; endearingly referred to as beer slushie by Kirin's patented technology. I would advise you give this a pass. Since you've already made your way to the watering hole, get your hands on the Heinkein or Erdiner white draft beers instead; word has it that there's a promotion ongoing now for 3 pints at just $30. 

The Atmosphere Bistro & Bar is a brand new establishment that has just opened its doors to the public on October 6. Located at Parkland Greens, a sprawling landscape of green along East Coast Park just right across from Parkway Parade. With the booming amount of space at the park, this creates an entirely family oriented environment where children can partake in outdoor activities whilst parents lounge in the cooler interiors of the restaurant, enjoying a cold pint or two. Technically, the location advantages already makes the Atmosphere a winning concept; but how does food fare?


From the extensive menu of pub bistro favourites, we chose two starters to tease our taste buds. The Spam Fries ($7.80) was a simple snack but given a little snap, crackle and pop from the kaffir mayo served on the side. Deliciously rich and salty, this would make the perfect snack for the young ones. Not so outstanding was the Escargot ($10.80) which regurgitated funky chewy nodules swimming in a bland garlic butter and covered with melted cheese. Hear me out, cheese doesn't make everything better. Skip this and give their truffle fries a shot instead.


The Baby Back Ribs ($19.80) lacked conviction: the citrus BBQ sauce bearing a strange resemblance to satay sauce and the meat an uncanny textural likeness to the local snack, (not exactly desirable in the case). With a little more time invested, the dish could have fared a whole lot better.


For the grazers, there is the Caesar Salad ($6.80). a creamy confetti of bacon bits, stodgy croutons and grated Parmesan over an avalanche of bottled caesar dressing. Overly sweet and immensely overdressed for such a humble setting, this is one salad on the menu to skim past. Let me lament about the rather poor renditions of Caesar salads I've delivered to my system lately; what happened to the handmade herbed croutons and dressings with that piquant scent of anchovies recognised in the aftermath? 


Jacked up on cheese, the Squid Ink Pizza ($20.80) anticipates the roaring appetites of the young and the drunk. Atmosphere puts an innovative spin on the usual classics with such outrageous outputs; squid rings, sliced garlic, onion, squid ink tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese are stacked on with Pythagorean precision. The result grows on you after its slightly peculiar first impression. You might want to pry away the limp dough base and eat the meltingly moist interior spiked with a little dabble of Tabasco sauce.


Instagram darling, Atmosphere Burger ($19.80) left more oohs and aahs on the photographer instinct than on the palate. The monstrous triple stack of pork, turkey and chicken patties, over processed and struggling to reconcile with each other. If you're bought into the lore of this skyscraper-esqe burger, save your pretty penny for a trip to Suprette instead.


Desserts were a safe bet with assorted cakes, obviously outsourced with a good palate in tact. The Red velvet ($5.80) and Rainbow Cake ($5.80) were both moist and spongy in all the right places, the former edging out the multi-coloured unicorn with its charismatic cream cheese frosting.

If you're feeling a little fancier, order the Atmosphere Molten Lava Cake ($11.80), watch in glee as warm chocolate pours out from the molten core. A decadent treat for the discerning diners who delight in the alchemy of gooey chocolate with the blissful sigh of cold vanilla ice cream.

For all its flaws, the Atmosphere Bar.Bistro still packs promise, and with the throngs of people that trawl the parks on weekday nights as well as the weekends serving as potential customers; the establishment sits on a pot of gold. Only if the food is improved of course.



Fundamentally Flawed dined as a guest of Atmosphere Bistro. Major thanks to Cynthia of DFW Creative Private Limited for the invite and her gracious hosting.
The Atmosphere Bar and Bistro
920 East Coast Parkway #01-25/26/27
S(449875)

Opening Hours:
Mon - Thurs: 5pm -12am
Fri: 5pm - 1am
Sat: 10am - 2am
Sun and PH: 10am - 1am

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