Mercado Spanish Food Market Tasting Session

Mercado Spanish Food Market Tasting Session
50 Market Street
#01-23 Golden Shoe Complex

Opening Hours:
Mon - Fri: 8am - 7:30pm,
Closed Sat & Sun


https://www.facebook.com/mercado.singapore/

This was an invited media review. I did not pay for the meal during the free hosted tasting session.
Attended with representatives from Heat Branding, Her World, City Nomads, Coffee & Cravings, and Fundamentally Flawed.

Create Your Own Bowl (SGD $16.50)

Healthy, Colourful Spanish Rice Bowls

(Ratings: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 = Worst and 10 = Best)
Overall: 7
Ambience & Setting: 8
Food & Beverage: 7
Service: 6
Value for Money: 9
Spent about SGD $17 per person.


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Founded in September 2016 by Chef Jean-Philippe Patruno, who also owns and operates the Spanish 'nose-to-tail' dining destination of Dehesa Restaurant, the Mercado Spanish Food Market is a quick, casual eatery offering healthy and hearty meals for the busy executives in the city / Raffles Place area of Singapore. Styled after the markets of Spain, the Mercado Spanish Food Market offers a daily changing plethora of dishes for you to create your own customisable meal.

Mercado Spanish Food Market Signage

Ambience at Mercado Spanish Food Market is vibrant and attractive. The colourful walled place has an eclectic mix of modern, functional furniture, closely spaced and spotlit by bright overhead lights. The eye-catching display of appetizing food in the open kitchens is the main head turner here, a true feast for the senses.

Mercado Spanish Food Market Exterior

Mercado Spanish Food Market Interior

Service at Mercado Spanish Food Market is largely self-service, with ordering, payment, and collection done over the counter, akin to a cafeteria style. Staff however, are engaging, and display good product knowledge if you enquire about the ingredients of each dish. If Chef Jean-Philippe Patruno is in the house, you'll even catch him going around to engage guests, that is, when he's not busy checking the quality of each dish from the kitchen.

Open Kitchen

Seating

Food at Mercado Spanish Food Market features a rotating menu of traditional Spanish dishes and popular modern European food. Everything is freshly prepared daily, and each dish packs big, bold flavours. Despite their meals being designed for individuals, portions are large and hearty, and it's sufficient to share between 2 people. Prices are pegged at, and comparable to, other cafes, budget about SGD $17 per person for a meal here.

Menu Food

Menu Drinks

Steps To 'Create Your Own Bowl'

The Sangria (SGD $8) features a blend of red wine, oranges, and peaches. Refreshing and fruity sweet, this is perfect for a warm day.

Sangria (SGD $8)

The Cold Pressed Juice 'Shred' (SGD $7.90) resembles a milkshake, and the blend of vanilla, almonds, dates, alkaline water, and Himalayan pink salt, gives this beverage a floral sweet flavour. Lovely in taste. However, the texture didn't quite agree with me, I didn't like the rough grainy almond particles within, which made it ticklish to drink.

Cold Pressed Juice 'Shred' (SGD $7.90)

The Paella Of The Day changes daily between the Mixed Meat Paella, the Seafood Paella, and the Squid Ink Paella. During our visit, we got to try the Mixed Meat Paella, which is a base for the rice bowl. Loved the moist, savoury, flavourful rice, and the salty savoury spicy pork chorizo sausage. The only let-down was several chunks of chicken which were dry and firm. Otherwise, loved this paella.

Paella Of The Day

Mixed Meat Paella

Mixed Meat Paella

Some examples of bases includes grains such as Vinegared Rice or Couscous, vegetables such as Baby Spinach, and legumes such as Chickpeas.

Vinegared Rice

Baby Spinach

Chickpeas

Couscous

Some examples of protein include the grilled till medium Roast Beef Striploin, the lovely Beef Meatballs In Tomato Sauce (which is their signature dish), the delicious and tender Pulled Pork, the fresh Grilled Salmon, or the piquant earthy Chicken & Olives In Tomato Sauce. The Pulled Pork, in particular, is highly recommended!

Roast Beef Striploin

Beef Meatballs In Tomato Sauce

Pulled Pork

Grilled Salmon

Chicken & Olives In Tomato Sauce

Some examples of hot vegetables include the rich Brussel Sprouts In Cream Sauce, the earthy mellow Red Wine Zucchini, or the tantalising and sweet Candied Carrots. The Candied Carrots, in particular, are highly recommended!

Brussel Sprouts In Cream Sauce

Red Wine Zucchini

Candied Carrots

Some examples of cold vegetables include the filling Potato Salad, the refreshing purple Coleslaw, the persistent Beetroot, or the tasty Fregola / Fregula Pasta Salad.

Potato Salad

Coleslaw

Beetroot

Fregula Pasta Salad

Choose to either Create Your Own Bowl (SGD $16.50), or order a ready made Hola Bowl (SGD $14.50), which are freshly prepared each day. If you go the customisable route, choose 1 base, 1 protein, 1 hot vegetable, 2 cold vegetables, 1 topping, and 1 sauce. Super filling, and great value for money!

Create Your Own Bowl (SGD $16.50)

Create Your Own Bowl

Create Your Own Bowl

Create Your Own Bowl

Overall, the Mercado Spanish Food Market offers a good range of options, with their dishes being colourful, tasty, and healthy. Their hearty portions at affordable prices, coupled with their quick, casual concept, constantly attracts office workers throughout the afternoon. While they're not open for late dinners, or on weekends, Mercado Spanish Food Market still manages a bustling dining scene, just like the Spanish markets that inspired it.


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