Bar Bites

All winners no fillers with the munchies over at @mamadiam.prinsep. Even normally pedestrian prawn cakes here are well-executed, with a shatteringly crisp exterior holding in generous amounts of crunchy minced prawn meat. The patties are enhanced with a tangy pineapple rojak sauce that cuts through the inherent heaviness of fried food.
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Taste: 3/5

A must-order here at @mamadiam.prinsep, Singapore's iconic chilli crab is successfully given a modern fusion spin, with piping hot yet still crispy oft-shell crab doused in a piquant chilli crab sauce and served sandwiched between the traditional accoutrement of soft and fluffy bun. It's supremely savoury, not in the least greasy and ultimately quite umami with a pleasing variety of textures. You'll want the whole plate to yourself.
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Taste: 3.5/5

These wings won’t win any awards, but they’ll do in a pinch if you have a craving for that sort of thing over drinks.
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It’s big on crunch, but I found the batter to be slightly too thick and hard. The funkiness of prawn paste could have come through stronger as well. Not anything you won’t find in your average neighbourhood zi char stall

With a hidden entrance masquerading as a “mama shop” shopfront, heartland-inspired speakeasy Mama Diam certainly made a striking initial impression. Whilst their cocktails leave a little to be desired, their fried bar snacks more than make up for that with a surfeit of tastiness.
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Amongst the standouts we tried were the Tempura Otah – bouncy cubes of spiced mackerel fish paste encased in a thin veneer of crisp panko that were explosive grenades of aromatics and a tinge of heat, cooled down with a side of truffle aioli.
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Taste: 3/5

Pure comfort in a bowl, the "risotto" is cooked in the style of Japanese rice soup, so it's more runny than your traditional risotto. Every grain of rice is infused with the sweetness of root vegetables and the texture of the rice is more akin to Zosui than risotto, veering toward more soft and silky than chewy.
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The centerpiece of course, is the grilled Boston lobster tail, which is well-cooked, sweet, tender and crowned with orange wood chip-smoked lumpfish caviar.
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A fluorish of cured quail yolk shavings finishes off the dish, lending a subtle umami to the rice.
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Taste: 3.5/5

The picanha is an underused cut that’s gaining popularity, and in the right hands can taste just as good as more premium cuts. Thankfully here it is done justice. The thick cap of fat at the end of each slice is melt-in-your-mouth, and lends a wonderful depth of flavour to the meat.
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With all that meat, you’d need the proper sides to cut through the richness. Plentiful vegetables in the form of well-executed salted baked purple cabbage, heirloom carrots and celeriac horseradish mash provide a panoply of interesting flavours and textures as counterpoints to the protein. If I had to nitpick though, the foie gras in the foie gras honey mustard was not discernable at all.
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Taste: 3.5/5

Flirting with the norms, In Bad Company’s re-imagined chicken liver pate excites both the eyes and the palate. In the centre, a glistening golden shoyu pickled egg yolk in-lieu of the typical raw yolk is surrounded by paper-thin circles of strikingly vermillion-coloured rosemary beetroot chips. Beneath, layered rings of chicken pate and house baked crouton rings alternate creaminess and crunch with each bite. I only wish there were more of it.

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Taste: 3.5/5

Best eaten fresh out of the fryer, these shatteringly crisp lotus root chips seasoned with Aonori salt come with a blazingly biting chilli dip inspired by the Peranakan owner’s grandma’s chilli sauce recipe. You’ll definitely want one of In Bad Company’s many fine craft beers to quench the fire with.
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A shining example of @inbad.co ‘s Japanese inflected mod fusion cuisine, stingray fin is first dehydrated before spending time cooking over the bincho grill, resulting in moreish, chewy shards of jerky-esque meat seasoned with spent kombu and shiitake that imparts deep umami flavour. The creamy tartar sauce on the side goes well with just about every side on the menu too.

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Pillowy soft nuggets sheathed in a delicate crumbed coating, these sake poached silken tofu cubes veritably melt in your mouth. They’re paired with a funky, citrusy fermented habanero chilli dip that will hit the back of your mouth with an explosive heat that lingers.

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Taste: 3.5/5

Who'd have thought you'd find pasta this delicious at a craft beer bar? Generous chunks of hand-picked crab claw flesh and fiery bits of chilli flakes are entangled in the mess of linguine sauced in an aromatic chilli sesame oil , ensuring burning flavour with every mouthful. The shrimp are plump and juicy as well and complement the pasta perfectly.

Thanks @burpple for the invite and @beerbasketkatong for the hospitality!

#BurppleTakeaways

Taste: 3.5/5

As far as bologneses go, this one is serviceable. To develop a truly flavourful sauce, plenty of aromatics such as celery, carrot, onion, garlic and bay leaf need to be cooked down before tomato sauce is added. And the meatballs while large, could be more tender and juicy. But then again I don’t come to a craft beer bar for pasta, I come for all the sinful deep-fried bar bites that go so well with beer.

Thanks @burpple for the invite and @beerbasketkatong for the hospitality!

Taste: 3/5