Went for lunch meet up at FrapasBar by Saveur - The Cathay. Enjoyed myself a lot as I was surprised by the range of dishes, delighted by the taste, and pleased with the reasonable prices.
The interior is bright, cosy and inviting.
It's a 3-in-1 French, Tapas and Bar concept, hence FrapasBar 😄 You know Singapore lah....., everything also want all at once... now, but can you?
It seems, at FrapasBar, you can. I am quite thrilled by this idea of French cuisine served Tapas style with a Bar in house with prices in the same bracket as cafes. FrapasBars could be the next F & B trend.
Trio of Scallops ($16++).
Big, thick, chunky pan seared scallop set on mint, basil, parsley, and anchovy pesto sauce. The shellfish's briny savoury flavours complemented the interesting taste of herbs and toastiness from the seared outside.
Rillette Dumplings ($7++).
Juicy minced duck meat wrapped in crispy fried wanton skin, eaten with savoury mentaiko sauce.
A nice new way to eat wanton or duck confit? Whichever, it's nice, especially with the savoury salty mentaiko dip.
Crabmeat Croquette ($9++).
Briny sweet hand pulled crabmeat, julienned cucumber and chives in a crispy fried shell coated with shredded coconut.
They had fresh oysters today - a bit skinny but OK lah at $2++ a piece nia nia.
Escargot on Bone Marrow ($20++).
I always go for bone marrow whenever it is available. The savoury grease was dressed with herby tangy chimichurri sauce for balance. Tender spongy escargot added another savoury layer to the dish.
Saveur Pasta ($6++).
Al dente angel hair pasta topped with savoury kombu butter as well as chives and sun dried sakura ebi. The pasta was tossed in a flavoursome blend of pork oil and chili oil. A lot of savoury layers. A steal for $6.
This or bak chor mee? My $6 goes to Saveur Pasta even though I am a hardcore hawker supporter.
Stuffed Squid ($18++).
Couscous (onion and rice) with chorizo (sausage) packed into a large meaty crunchy squid and grilled to a slight char outside. Moist and bursting with robust savoury flavours complemented by toasty char and subtle underlying sweetness from the rice. A huge serving big enough for two small eaters.
Sophia's Risotto ($22++).
Sophia's Risotto is inspired by Saveur owner's little daughter who enjoys eating with her hands, mixing white rice, steamed crab, and otak otak in a happy tasty jumble. Can you picture that?
It's arborio (short grain Italian) rice done soft al dente blended with lots of sweet spicy otak otak (minced mackerel fish with mild curry spices), and generously topped with chunks of pan-seared crab meat. Lots of not too subtle sweet savoury spicy flavours. Popular with the younger set but maybe not a dish for old men 😜 The flavour profile is "too playful" - I don't know what I am talking about. But, you know what I mean 😜
Crunchy juicy grilled broccolini ($9++) on mustard sauce, dressed with sesame oil and sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds rounded up the savoury dishes. For those who hate broccoli (like former US President George Bush Junior), broccolini is more fibrous, has less of the green taste, and this grilled dish has a toasty flavour which makes it more likeable. Try lah 😄
By dessert time, I was already in deep food coma so I couldn't catch all the flavour nuances. But, going through them, I can vouch that they were all sweet and nice with accents of chocolate, citrus, Earl Grey, rose etc.
Earl Grey Crème Brulee ($8++).
Moist chocolate fudge paired with vanilla ice cream ($9++).
Lemon Tart with Yuzu Sorbet ($9++).
Mixologist and bar manager Mathew sends you negronis, mojitos, margaritas, and martinis with much love at $9++ a pop.
Information for you 👉 Tasty dishes with assertive flavours and substantial portions yet at wallet friendly prices in the heart of downtown Singapore. Nice bar and cosy informal ambiance. A fun place to meet up, hang out or chill out.
Disclosure: Please note that this was an invited tasting.
Restaurant name: FrapasBar by Saveur
Address: 2 Handy Rd, #01-11/12 The Cathay, Singapore 229233
GPS: 1°17'56.9"N 103°50'50.8"E 🌐 1.299133, 103.847441
Nearest MRT station: Dhoby Ghaut
Tel: 6735 1141
Hours: 12:00 noon - 1:00am (closes at 2:00am on Fri & Sat)
Non Halal
Date visited: 21 Feb 2019
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