W39 Bistro & Bakery @ West Coast, Singapore

There aren't many noteworthy cafes in the west, hence the recent addition of W39 was more than welcomed to the people residing in the near vicinity. Jointly opened by two sisters, this cosy, brightly-painted bistro and bakery sits quietly within the residential area of West Coast, bringing little hints of nostalgia - a cheery invitation for people from all walks of life. Despite being a newly opened cafe, seats during weekends are already hard to come by without prior reservations. Find out what's drawing the crowds to W39 here:

 

OpenRice TV: Food Tasting at Ambush

Hey guys, haven't been updating for a week or so as I was having a much needed getaway at Redang island the past weekend. Chilling out with my besties at the beautiful beaches, snorkelling with fishes, kayaking and enjoying buffet meals are just a portion of fun things that we did (definitely not including the gruelling bus rides). Like always, do expect a travelogue on my trip soon and OH, just found out that Openrice posted up the food vlog on the tasting session at Ambush (Plaza Singapura), so check it out here:

Awkwarddd.. Nah I'm just camera-shy. Anyway! If you haven't, check out my food review on Ambush here.

 

Nom on. Thomas out.

Food Tasting at Ambush @ Plaza Singapura, Singapore

It was indeed an honour to be invited by online dining guide, Openrice.com for a food tasting session at Ambush, Plaza Singapura. Perhaps you might have seen the grafitti-styled logo, paired with a couple of tomatoes elsewhere, it is because they have offered diners a convenient and casual European fix at other major shopping malls - Junction8, Jurong Point, Ngee Ann City and Jurong's new Jem (Opening in April 2013) as well.

What's on the food tasting menu?

 

Negra paella (S$14.50) rises up as one of my Ambush favourites, the reason for my love towards this Valencian classic is simple - the rice was sticky enough, flavours were robust and I liked how the bright orange roes contributed an additional crunch to the overall texture. Just like any squid ink dishes, make sure you have checked your teeth before grinning!

 

Roasted Pork Knuckle (S$28.00 for whole) impressed me with its perfect crispy skin, yet the juicy tenderness of the meat was sufficiently retained. You could have seen how good this was when it disappeared off the table after a few minutes. The sauerkraut and mashed potato that comes along with the pork knuckle was nothing to rave about, but I do strongly recommend to savour the pieces of meat by pairing it with the gravy sauce.

Huge? Definitely. Juicy? Yup. Flavorful? Checked. Mussel Pot Large (S$17.60) is something not to be missed. We had them doned in Aglio Olio style - semi-sweet, which is so full on sauteed onions and garlicky flavour, and classic Vin Blanc - aromatic with white wine. Both, which proved to be too good to compare against each other.

Decorated with home-made tomato and orange sauce, while the Duck confit (S$18.00) sits comfortabley on a bed of mashed potatoes. It actually looks better than it tasted. It was well-seasoned and marinated, but a tad dry for my liking.

Crispy Chicken and Seaweed Pasta (S$13.00) was what I have chosen for my main course. The pasta itself was cooked slightly less than the al-dente standard, while the crispy chicken reminds me of KFC's popcorn chicken. Although this dish was an interesting fusion of Asian and Western, it was not exactly a winner for my palate.

 

All in all, I thought that the starters/appetizers fared better than the main courses. But hey, guess what, "everyone gets a little taste of Europe", Ambush is a great option for a simple gathering over a wide variety of European dishes.

 

Once again, thank you to Openrice and Ambush for organizing this food tasting session. Well, if you haven't realized, Openrice actually meant - 开饭 lo! Here's a group picture of fellow food enthuiasts along with the organizer!

A big thank you to this pretty lady - Estelle, who invited me for this food tasting session!

Here's the talented author/ food blogger from 365days2play with me! Do drop by her site (link under Bloroll) as well!

Check out my (awkward) appearance on OpenRice TV here:





Ambush

Tel: 6338 9368

Opening Hours

Mon - Sun: 11:00 - 22:30

68 Orchard Road
#04-64/66
Plaza Singapura,