Cook & Brew Tasting Session

Elegant Modern Gastrobar With A View

(Ratings: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 = Worst and 10 = Best)
Overall: 8
Ambience & Setting: 9
Food & Beverage: 8
Service: 8
Value for Money: 8
Budget about SGD $30 ++ per person.





The Westin Hotel makes a return to Singapore after a 10 year hiatus, bringing along with it new dining concepts developed in-house, such as Cook & Brew. Making its global debut on the 33rd floor of Westin Hotel Singapore, Cook & Brew exudes an old-world elegance with a touch of modern chill, offering an extensive range of rustic, classic bar food with Western, Asian, and Fusion influences.

Cook & Brew Signage

Together with a list of fine wines, over 100 different types of beers sourced from 18 countries, and the fantastic day and night view of Marina Bay and Marina South, Cook & Brew has quickly become the latest watering hole of choice for office workers from nearby Shenton Way business district.

Semi-Private Dining Area With View

Small Group Dining Area

Plush Booth Dining Area

Ambience at Cook & Brew is a mesh of posh sophisticated elegance and rustic homely comfort. The dimly lit but spacious interior boasts plush suede leather booths, rustic cowhide armchairs, tufted leather benches, the longest marble-topped bar counter in Singapore, 90-inch flat screen televisions, and floor-to-ceiling windows.

Seats are laid out in communal style dining, which is very much encouraged at Cook & Brew, as dish portions are designed for sharing. Along with colours themes of black against wood, clean lines and geometric patterns, Cook & Brew has a welcoming, comfortable, chill vibe. The best part is the fantastic view of the Marina Bay and Marina South area, stretching from the offices, to the Esplanade, to the highways, and the port. Both day and night views from Cook & Brew on the 33rd floor of Westin Hotel Singapore offer a different feel, and I recommend going early!

Cook & Brew Bar Area

Large Group Dining Area With Televisions

Patterns In Space

Service at Cook & Brew is outstanding even during peak periods. Staff are friendly and polite, efficient in seating guests, taking orders, and clearing empty plates. The food takes awhile to prepare from scratch, but served quickly. Staff are able to offer recommendations on the extensive wine and beer list, and relatively knowledgable when questioned on the food menu and dish preparation. They are also able to state what sporting events the in-house televisions will be screening for the day.

Staff are more than willing to engage you in conversation, and generally seem quite happy and upbeat. Cook & Brew also has an innovative Enomatic wine system, a unique self-service wine dispenser that offers tasting, half, or full glass portions. Making advance reservations at Cook & Brew is highly recommended, as the place tends to fill up quickly!

Amber Lights

Cook & Brew Industrial Steakhouse Style Cutlery & Denim Napkin

Day View Of Marina Bay & Marina South

Food at Cook & Brew is generally delicious and tasty. The menu at Cook & Brew is quite extensive, featuring classic, rustic Western style comfort food, as well as local Asian dishes, served with a modern twist. Several dishes even come with recommended beer pairings! Portions are designed for sharing, not so much individual dining, and prices per portion are reasonable and quite affordable. Budget about SGD $20 - $50 per person for both food and drinks.

The King's Favor (SGD $17) is a house signature cocktail, made with vodka, fresh raspberries, fresh passionfruit, chambord, lemon juice, and passionfruit juice. Sweet, slightly tart, yet refreshing, the taste of raspberries was the most prominent in the cocktail.

Signature Cocktail - King's Favor (SGD $17)

The Chocolate Indulgence (SGD $17) is also a house signature cocktail, almost like drinking a thick chocolate milkshake spiked with alcohol. Made with vanilla vodka, chocolate liqueur, hershey's syrup and milk, this is an excellent after dinner / dessert drink!

Signature Cocktail - Chocolate Indulgence (SGD $17)

The Chili Con Carne Volcano Topped With Cheddar Cheese (SGD $13) is like a Western style Char Siew Bao. The minced beef within is well marinated in a savoury, slightly spicy sauce, while the actual bun itself is fried, with a crisp, smooth exterior and a soft interior. Topped with bell peppers / capsicum, cheddar cheese, and a fresh jalapeno slice, it's a great tasting if slightly heavy appetizer. The pairing with Beer Pure Blond didn't work so well though, as the contrasting sweet and bitter tastes clashed.

Chili Con Carne Volcano Topped With Cheddar Cheese (SGD $13)

Chili Con Carne Volcano Topped With Cheddar Cheese - Best Paired With Beer Pure Blonde

Chili Con Carne Volcano Topped With Cheddar Cheese

The Sushi Bowl (SGD $18) is similar to a Chirashizushi, or a bowl of sushi rice topped with a variety of fish and vegetables. The version here has grilled / barbecued salmon, egg roll, fresh avocado, pickled daikon radish, and wasabi mayonnaise. Despite being considered a starter, this works well as a main dish. The pairing with Beer Hitachino White Ale is excellent, the fruity taste of the beer complements the clean, refreshing taste of the dish.

Sushi Bowl (SGD $18)

Sushi Bowl - Best Paired With Beer Hitachino White Ale

Sushi Bowl

The Honey BBQ Ribs (SGD $28) features a slab of perfectly grilled baby pork ribs, sweet and savoury with the taste of the honey marinade and Asian spices like the Rendang rempah. Served with a side of freshly made in-house coleslaw and crisp potato wedges, the pork rib meat comes off the bone easily, and is tender and flavourful. The pairing with Beer Blue Moon accentuates the sweetness of the dish, and works very well together.

Honey BBQ Ribs (SGD $28)

Honey BBQ Ribs - Best Paired With Beer Blue Moon

Honey BBQ Ribs

The Cook & Brew Fried Chicken (SGD $27) features a large piece of perfectly deep fried chicken, with a crispy crust, while the chicken meat within is still moist and tasty. Served with a fresh cherry tomato & sesame spinach salad, and an addictive wasabi mayonnaise, I seem to detect a hint of Asian spices in the batter, including 5-Spice powder. The pairing of Beer Brew Dog Punk IPA doesn't really seem to add or distract from the taste of the overall dish.

Cook & Brew Fried Chicken (SGD $27)

Cook & Brew Fried Chicken - Best Paired With Beer Brew Dog Punk IPA

Cook & Brew Fried Chicken

The signature German Butcher Platter (SGD $34) contains a huge serving of pork kassler, pork sausage, chicken sausage, chicken schnitzel, sauerkraut, dill pickles, mashed potato, and mustard. Every individual component in this dish was well cooked and tasty, and we were very satisfied with this! This meaty and filling dish is a carnivore's dream, and nothing goes better with a German dish than a German Beer like Erdinger!

German Butcher Platter (SGD $34)

German Butcher Platter - Best Paired With Beer Erdinger

German Butcher Platter

I loved the Almond Nougat Ice Cream (SGD $15) with its praline-like structure, and tasty, flavourful almond nougat ice cream within. Served with fresh raspberries, shaved caramelised almonds, and a condensed milk base, it's so satisfiying to crack open the chocolate shell and watch the ice cream ooze out.

Almond Nougat Ice Cream (SGD $15)

Almond Nougat Ice Cream - In Foreground

Almond Nougat Ice Cream

The Hot Chocolate Brownie (SGD $15) typically is served with a scoop of home made vanilla ice cream, caramelised cherries in a dark cherry sauce, and garnished with shaved almonds, and mint leaves. The brownie is warm, rich with chocolate flavour, and crumbles easily when cut. Combined with the sticky, savoury, sweet dark cherry sauce, and the fresh burst of mint, this is a lovely and comforting dessert!

Hot Chocolate Brownie (SGD $15)

Hot Chocolate Brownie - In Foreground

Hot Chocolate Brownie

Take On The Spicy Challenge (SGD $20)! Eat 6 hot and spicy wings / drumlets within 4 minutes, and get 1 hour of free beer! There's a reason this is a challenge, a combination of chilis and peppers are used in the making of this diabolical dish, including the world's 3rd hottest chili. The heat and tangy sourness of the aroma hits you up close, and the burn starts the minute you bite into it, building to a mouth numbing fiery crescendo.

Take On The Spicy Challenge (SGD $20)

Take On The Spicy Challenge - Extra Spicy Wings & Drumlets

Take On The Spicy Challenge

As day turns to night, the view from Cook & Brew changes drastically. Where you could see all the features in the day, the night is lit by the city lights like fireflies. The view is beautiful, even with the construction going on around the Westin Hotel Singapore.

Night View Of Marina Bay & Marina South

The Future Tower Next Door

Overall, I had a great time at Cook & Brew, and will definitely come back for more! The delicious food, relaxing ambience, and engaging service, together with the view from the area, makes for an unforgettable experience. No surprise that Cook & Brew attracts so many diners night after night, and advance reservations for a seat is highly recommended!





Update 19-Jul-2014: Returned to Cook & Brew for a discreet visit, and I must say their service was as good as, if not better, than my previous visit! The food was as usual fantastic! I actually left my camera behind, and the staff noticed, and tried to look for me. Thumbs up! I also noticed there were several birthday celebrations during my visit, and staff took the trouble to celebrate with the diners!


The Baked Vegetable Risotto (SGD $18) was a truely excellent vegetarian dish! Featuring perfectly done risotto rice cooked with mushrooms and parmesan cheese, then stuffed into a halved eggplant / aubergine, and topped with fresh vegetables, served in a home made fresh tomato sauce. The risotto is smooth and creamy, with a slightly softer bite than normal, and the fresh tomato sauce is outstanding. The eggplant / aubergine lends a nutty, earthy fragrance to the dish, and is soft and tender. Very good!

Baked Vegetable Risotto (SGD $18)

Baked Vegetable Risotto - Halved

Baked Vegetable Risotto

The Crunchy Fried Chicken Corn Dog (SGD $13) is a rather decent take on the normal Corn Dog. The batter is crisp and well fried, savoury with chicken flavour and crunchy. The chicken sausage within is meaty, still moist, but the taste isn't too intense. Pretty good appetizer, and I like how they serve it in a little frying basket!

Crunchy Fried Chicken Corn Dog (SGD $13)

Crunchy Fried Chicken Corn Dog - Portion With Tangy Tomato Sauce

Crunchy Fried Chicken Corn Dog

The Tiki Tuka (SGD $17) is another house signature cocktail, made with white rum, coconut rum, amaretto, orgeat, grenadine syrup, and orange juice. The result is a potent combination, served in an angry tribal tiki mug!

Signature Cocktail - Tiki Tuka (SGD $17)