Tastings

Finger food does go well with beer, but as someone who isn't much of a snacker, I'd rather spend my money on the tacos. Or, even better...

.. THEIR BURGERS. Taco Mantra's burgers really stood out to me. The crowd favourite was the Spiced Lamb Burger ($20), & that was mine too. The lamb patty had the slight gameyness that I love, yet it's palatable enough for others as it doesn't overpower the flavours of the dish. Topped with a cool mint yogurt for good balance. I would order this again in a heartbeat.

The Double Cheeseburger ($24) was also good, with 2 juicy beef patties, cheese, sweet bacon onion jam & tangy dill pickle mayonnaise.Their patties are fairly thick, so IMHO a single patty would suffice. A Single Cheeseburger goes for $20.

Thanks Taco Mantra for the hospitality & Burpple for the invite! 💕

💳 Accepts credit cards
🌬 Air-conditioned seats only
🖥 Accepts reservations on Chope (Freehouse)
📱 FavePay accepted
🍽 Shopback GO partner
⬆️ Located on the 2nd floor

For more manageable portion of snacks, you could opt for the Pachos ($15) - their version of poppadum nachos, or Quail Egg Sambal Fries ($15). The Grilled Cheese Naanwich ($15) isn't an appetizer, but is quite highly snackable.

Personally, though, I wasn't a huge fan of these. I prefer the crunchiness of original nachos (the poppadum quickly became soggy where the sauce hits), & the sambal fries were too peppery for my tastebuds. I did love the bouncy quail eggs though, hehe.

Thanks Taco Mantra for the hospitality & Burpple for the invite! 💕

💳 Accepts credit cards
🌬 Air-conditioned seats only
🖥 Accepts reservations on Chope (Freehouse)
📱 FavePay accepted
🍽 Shopback GO partner
⬆️ Located on the 2nd floor

If you & your friends are looking for finger food to go with the plethora of craft beer that Freehouse has on tap, you can consider Taco Mantra's sharing platters. This one, the Platter for 2 ($60), has ribeye steak, fried pork belly (sio bak), chicken tikka, mantra wings & samosas. All platters are served with slaw, poppadum chips, mint yogurt & house sauce.

Thanks Taco Mantra for the hospitality & Burpple for the invite! 💕

💳 Accepts credit cards
🌬 Air-conditioned seats only
🖥 Accepts reservations on Chope (Freehouse)
📱 FavePay accepted
🍽 Shopback GO partner
⬆️ Located on the 2nd floor

I thought the Kerala Beef & Chicken Tikka tacos were ordinary; my favourite was Ma's Fish (2 for $12, 3 for $15)! It wasn't too oily & the fish was tender, flaky & moist inside. The fruit salsa complimented the fried fish well, too.

A 4th variant, the Pulled Karana Jackfruit, was out of stock when we visited.. But it is meant to mimic pulled pork slathered in barbecue sauce. Would be curious to try it after seeing all the veganized food videos on YouTube!

💳 Accepts credit cards
🌬 Air-conditioned seats only
📱 Accepts reservations via Chope

Freehouse turned 4 recently (time flies - congrats!), but Taco Mantra taking over their kitchen was something that happened only recently.

Serving up Indian-Mexican fusion cuisine, their tacos (2 for $12, 3 for $15) are characteristically packed with lots of flavour, with ingredients nestled in a single soft flour taco.

Thanks Taco Mantra for the hospitality & Burpple for the invite! 💕

💳 Accepts credit cards
🌬 Air-conditioned seats only
🖥 Accepts reservations on Chope (Freehouse)
📱 FavePay accepted
🍽 Shopback GO partner
⬆️ Located on the 2nd floor

You might think the Vongole Alla Blanc ($16++) is served with the same sauce as the Scallops, but they tasted different to me. The Korean clams are swimming in a broth made from garlic, white wine & chilli flakes for a nice kick. I preferred to dip my toast into this one!

Thanks Rookery for the hospitality & Burpple for the invite! 💕

💳 Accepts credit cards
🌬 Air-conditioned seats only
🖥 Accepts reservations on Chope
🎶 Live Band on Thursdays

Being a seafood lover, the Scallops ($22++) is totally my kind of dish. Nicely seared Hokkaido scallops that are plump & juicy, served in a pool seaweed & miso butter.

As I chomped down on my first scallop, I liked how firm its texture was without being rubbery. I dipped the crispy thin toast into the butter & was impressed. It's pretty good; I had to go for seconds.

Thanks Rookery for the hospitality & Burpple for the invite! 💕

💳 Accepts credit cards
🌬 Air-conditioned seats only
🖥 Accepts reservations on Chope
🎶 Live Band on Thursdays

If you're all about the nibbly life, Rookery has a Tapas menu (available after 3PM) you can choose from. I can't say much about the Har Cheong Gai Wings ($16++) as I don't eat chicken wings, even more so when they are fried... But damn this smelled hella good.

The other tapas we had, clockwise from bottom left:
᛫ Wagyu Beef ($25++)
᛫ Meatballs ($17++) - these are made of beef, btw
᛫ Iberico Pork Ribs ($18++)
᛫ Sakura Ebi Capellini ($14++)
᛫ Crispy Pork Belly ($17++)

Thanks Rookery for the hospitality & Burpple for the invite! 💕

💳 Accepts credit cards
🌬 Air-conditioned seats only
🖥 Accepts reservations on Chope
🎶 Live Band on Thursdays

I usually order & enjoy pasta dishes at Rookery's other outlets, so I was eager to try their mains. These mains are available from 11:30AM onwards, great for the CBD crowd to drop by for lunch & dinner.

Being so used to their pasta & as noodle lover in general, I was surprised how much I enjoyed these mains.

I eat sooo much chicken at home that I rarely order chicken when I'm dining out. However, it delights me when I'm served up a good chicken - & that's what the Roast Chicken & Stuffing ($25++) was. The cranberry stuffing made this dish slightly sweet, & you get your fill of carbs with the creamy mashed potato underneath & roasted pumpkin.

Thanks Rookery for the hospitality & Burpple for the invite! 💕

💳 Accepts credit cards
🌬 Air-conditioned seats only
🖥 Accepts reservations on Chope
🎶 Live Band on Thursdays

We unanimously decided that the Miso Glazed Norwegian Trout ($28++) was the best dish of the night. No wonder there's a chef’s hat next to it on the menu! Served medium, it's super moist inside & is a highly forkable piece of fish. It practically melts in your mouth.

Sliced cherry tomatoes & asparagus drizzled with garlic yuzu oil keep this dish light & fresh. The zucchini noodles underneath are tossed with a creamy pesto mayo that compliments the natural flavour of the trout. I do wish there were more zoodles to match the proportion of fish, as they were quite addictive.

Thanks Rookery for the hospitality & Burpple for the invite! 💕

💳 Accepts credit cards
🌬 Air-conditioned seats only
🖥 Accepts reservations on Chope
🎶 Live Band on Thursdays

Regrettably, I forgot to take a photo of my cocktail after taking a few sips. That's @alhsx/Amanda's Tokyo Martini hanging out in the back. My drink - the Old But Not Forgotten (Happy Hour $13++, U.P. $17++) - is in the foreground.

This well-rounded drink had much to offer, & is in line with my drink preferences. The smokeyness from the Laphroaig whiskey (ohh my love) & the burnt butterscotch, caramelized sweetness of brandied cherries, & citrus hints from the flamed orange peel.

Thanks Rookery for the hospitality & Burpple for the invite! 💕

💳 Accepts credit cards
🌬 Air-conditioned seats only
🖥 Accepts reservations on Chope
🎶 Live Band on Thursdays

In the last year, I've patronised Rookery's other outlet at Capital Tower fairly frequently, & it was packed each time I went. They must be doing well because they now have a 3rd outlet at China Square. Congrats guys!

There is a live band that plays on Thursdays, & it was a little too noisy for me to chat properly while they're playing. However, it's nice if you are dining solo or aren't trying to make conversations with anyone. The band played a good mix of classic songs.

I picked a Lagavulin 16 ($15++) on the rocks, pleasantly surprised that it was actually @indulgentism/Evan's drink of choice as well..! If whiskey isn't your thing, don't worry. With Rookery's extensive menu of spirits, there's bound to be something for everyone.

Thanks Rookery for the hospitality & Burpple for the invite! 💕

💳 Accepts credit cards
🌬 Air-conditioned seats only
🖥 Accepts reservations on Chope
🎶 Live Band on Thursdays