Jason L.
Yelp
More Than Just Comfort Food In This Kitchen.
All I can say is...... Finally!!
After months and months of debating if I should give Bread Street Kitchen a shot, we decided to make our way down to finally give it a try.
I have to admit, I'm a huge.... HUGE fan of Gordon Ramsey's, so I was caught on the fence about the initial reviews.
Having eaten at Gordon Ramsey at the London in Manhattan (now closed) and his flag ship restaurant Gordon Ramsey at Hospital Road, in London, the expectations were pretty high. Yes, it's a casual take on Gordon Ramsey and yes it's comfort food but..... It's still a Gordon Ramsey group of restaurants.
So while a part of me said YES I have to eat here, the other half told me "but what if it's a let down like initial reviews suggested?".
Initial Service.
Was a little disappointed. Considering how you get immediate attention and service and his other restaurant, this one was a little slower. No hostess at the reception counter, wait staff and managers glancing over with no one really saying anything u till the hostess arrived a minute or so later.
However, hostess was polite enough to explain that the restaurant was fully reserved and that we had to return our table in an hour. No harm darn considering a) this wasn't a fine dining 3 hour long lunch experience b) we had to get back to the museum for some workshops anyway.
The Menu
Nothing overly elaborate. 3 page menu filled with comfort food ranging from a Brunch items like Eggs Benedict to Salads, hot mains and Grilled items like Roasted Chicken and Angus steaks.
The Price
I have to admit, a little of the steep side.
Having lunched at his other 2 restaurants, which offered 3 course lunch specials for £35 and USD45, a S$38 Shepherd's pie is a bit pricey. However, considering that this IS Marina Bay Sands where you pay $10 for chicken rice and $27 for a Margherita pizza.
We decided to go with the basics. After all, isn't the simplest food the hardest to prepare?
Bread Basket
The break selection is fantastic! And the butter? To die for! My only wish was that the bread was a little warmer but the variety given was fantastic and tasted great. Couldn't have asked for more.
Scallops
Off the bat, perfectly cooked scallops. Having had below par scallops recently, this certainly helped the Gf put into perspective what beautifully cooked scallops should taste like. The carrot purée though, I thought, was a little light. While smooth and still a bit sweet, it didn't quite shine like a carrot purée should, with the purée offering more texture than it does flavour.
The apple and bacon combination was delightful though, offering enough saltiness, with the richness cut by the apples.
However, while the sweetness of the scallops was this there, eating it without the purée and apples made it a bit on the salty side.
Overall, still a good dish and nothing is more comforting that the holy trinity of Scallop, Bacon and Apples.
Fish & Chips
Now THIS is what I call fish and chips.
Unfortunately, a lot of the fish and chips in Singapore, though claiming to be authentic British fish and chips, some how still feels a bit of a let down.
From the first cut, you would know that this is a good Fish and Chips. The batter was thin and crispy and a first cut in reveals a very juicy, perfectly cooked piece of cod.
Juicy, succulent. Although not as large as Smith's, the difference in quality is undeniable.
The fish was fresh, not frozen and it was beautifully seasoned. And the chips. The chips are so so so good!
By far one of the best fish and chips I've had in Singapore.
Millionaires Shortbread with Hazel-Nut milk Sorbet.
Chocolate lovers rejoice! This is definitely an ultimate chocolate lover's delight!
Rich and smooth chocolate on top with a brownie like base, this is what I call A DESSERT!
The hazel-nut milk sorbet was more ice cream than sorbet and was rather sweet but it's creaminess did add to the smoothness of an already rich chocolate "cake".
Overall impression.
While the food was good, service was average. While staff were friendly, it did feel like they were a bit stretched, with the chef calling service please 3-4 times before dessert was picked up and the bill taking a fair bit to reach us.
Will we be back? Definitely. If they could make fish and chips that good, I can't wait to try the rest of their dishes.
However, because of the price, I can see why people are put off.
Blame it on rental or the fact that he's a celebrity chef in MBS but the restaurant would have gotten a solid 5 had it not been for the slow service and price.