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Monday, October 26, 2015

Spices Cafe’s New Menu @ Concorde Hotel Singapore


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Spices Cafe has been known for its scrumptious food and stellar service by both travelers and locals. It has been awarded the Certificate of Excellence by TripAdvisor, which recognises its dedication to deliver delectable cuisines and great hospitality. The restaurant has, recently, launched a new modern and classically designed menu. Consisting of both local and international cuisines, there is probably something for everyone and anyone.

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Pan-fried Goose Liver on Mantou - $26
The foie gras was an instant hit with my taste buds. It does what you expect foie gras to do — melt in your mouth. The thick liver slab was served on top of a deep fried bun (or mantou) and drizzled with lychee sauce. The mantou and lychee sauce definitely brought more interesting elements to the dish, from the crumbly texture of the mantou to the sweetness of the lychee sauce. A beautiful and sinful dish.

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Sautéed Escargot - $22
The escargot was cooked thoroughly and lightly buttered. It was neither salty nor had that “mollusk taste”. It was well-seasoned and could easily pass off as clams or other shellfish. However, the breaded portabello mushroom was dry and I had to do a second take to check whether I was really having mushroom. I guess that’s what the raspberry vinaigrette was for. I wished the portabello retained its juiciness and flavour which is what we love about our favourite mushroom.

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Lobster Bisque with Brandy & Cream - $10
I was in love with the lobster bisque. It was rich, no doubt thanks to the brandy and cream. It was served with generous clumps of lobster meat and croutons. It was a good-sized bowl and because of the soup’s richness, it was extremely satisfying. Definitely worth the $10!

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Tom Yam Kung - $10
Spices Cafe’s rendition of Tom Yam Kung is clearer than the average broth from other non-Thai restaurants’ attempts. Though I liked the spiciness of the soup, I felt there was something missing. The fragrant herbs and straw mushrooms were all there. Possibly adding more fish sauce, pepper or perhaps leaving the fresh prawns in the soup longer would have added more depth to the soup.

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BBQ Seafood Platter - $38
This platter is for the indecisive. It consists of half a lip-smacking lobster, prawns, mussels, Norwegian salmon and butter rice. One can opt for either Japanese garlic with mayo or a black pepper sauce to go with his or her meal. There’s really a lot going on on the plate but the star would definitely be the lobster. The rest of the seafood paled in comparison. With that being said, one might consider just going for a lobster main dish!

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Lobster Thermidor - $38
Yeah, this was what I was talking about! Oh, a disclaimer, this picture shows a double-portion of lobster. The Lobster Thermidor is a French dish associated with luxury and special occasions, so for $38, it’s definitely a steal! The lobster, which is imported from Australia and New Zealand, was baked with hollandaise sauce before it is plated with steaming butter rice.

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Grilled Australian Lamb Rack with Sweet Mint Sauce - $36
This was my favourite main course of the lot. The grilled lamb rack was so tender and juicy that I went primitive - I just used my hands and bit off the meat directly from the bone. There was this savoury and sweet mint sauce which made a good accompaniment. It was presented together with grilled polenta and fresh seasonal vegetables.

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Grilled Kurobuta Pork Chop - $34
Kurobuta is a household name for pork and is known for its amazing quality. The quality could be seen in this dish. The pork chop had a sweet marriage of rich flavour and a delicate texture which went well with the grated apple sauce but strangely that sauce did not go well with the potato gratin. It came with sides of shiitake mushroom and seasonal vegetables.

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Grilled Porterhouse Beef Steak - 400g, $42
I spotted this steak but didn’t manage to try it. Spices Cafe offers various cuts of Australian chilled beef such as the porterhouse (400g, $42), tenderloin (200g, $38), rib eye (200g, $34) and sirloin (200g, $30). All steaks are grilled to the diner’s liking and served with ratatouille, seasonal vegetables and an option of baked potato or french fries. Also, one has a choice of black pepper, herbs butter, classic beef jus or béarnaise sauce.

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Phat Kaphrao Moo Sab - $20
A generous portion of minced pork stir-fried with Thai basil leaves. I tend to have cravings for basil pork rice and this definitely did the trick! When you prick the runny egg yolk and mix it together with the pork and fragrant jasmine rice, it becomes a definite savoury treat.

 photo interior_1.jpgAs you can tell, the Spices Cafe’s offerings are like a one-size fit all and could suit anyone’s taste preferences. All the aforementioned dishes are available daily for both lunch and dinner. Of course, most of these dishes are also available for room service if you’re lucky enough to be staying there. You might also want to check out their website for more information regarding their current promotions such as the Singapore Flavours Buffet Lunch, Harvest of the Sea Buffet Dinner or even its Weekend Afternoon Tea.

* This was a media tasting

Concorde Hotel Singapore
100 Orchard Road
Singapore 238840
Daily: 6am - 11pm (Last order 10:30pm)

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Love, Kenneth

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