Firebake

Firebake
237 East Coast Road

https://www.facebook.com/firebakesg/

Woodfired Pumpkin Salad (SGD $13)

Excellent Artisanal Woodfired Bakes & Grills

(Ratings: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 = Worst and 10 = Best)
Overall: 8
Ambience & Setting: 8
Food & Beverage: 9
Service: 9
Value for Money: 7
Spent about SGD $47 per person.

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Founded in March 2017, Firebake defies easy classification. Founder Konstantino Blokbergen, otherwise known as Tino, is a Greek born, Swiss raised, French trained chef and baker, and Firebake is akin to a mashup of an artisanal sourdough bread bakery and a modern European rotisserie and gastrobar. The pedigree may be mixed, but Firebake promises an excellent dining experience with delicious food, albeit at a price.

Ambience at Firebake is casual yet rustic, decked in dark wood, corrugated metal sheets, red bricks, and vintage tiles. Sturdy wooden and metal furnishings line the small floor space, the limited indoor seating mostly around the open kitchen area. The outdoor al-fresco seating is kept cool with powerful ceiling fans. The majority of space here is occupied by the kitchen, which includes a 37-tonne woodfired bread oven, hand-built over 6 weeks by specialized craftsmen, using around 5000 bricks. The rustic industrial appeal extends to the cutlery, the beautifully patterned porcelain earthernware lends itself well to pictures.

Service at Firebake rivals that of high-end restaurants. Staff are proactive and welcoming, and will engage guests. After being quickly seated, diners are briefed on the daily specials, and staff display excellent product knowledge on the menu. They are able to accede to, or deny, requests politely, but still demonstrate the effort to accomodate. I note they're efficient and proactive in clearing away empty / dirty plates throughout the course of the meal. Staff will proactively ask for feedback on your dining experience, and even founder Tino will walk around and speak with diners. Note however, that plain water is chargable here, like with most premium gastrobars.

Food at Firebake is modern European fusion cuisine, with a speciality in home baked, sourdough bread, and grilled / rotisserie meat and seafood. The philosophy of traditional cooking methods and the use of all-natural, sustainable ingredients shows in each dish. Dishes feature a few key ingredients, prepared simply to highlight their freshness and natural flavours, then beautifully plated. Portions are medium sized for individuals, and can be filling. Prices however, are comparable to mid-range restaurants and gastrobars, so be prepared to spend a little more than usual. Budget about SGD $47 per person for a meal here, without drinks.

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Firebake Signage

Firebake Facade

Open Kitchen & Bar Seating

Firebake Menu Brunch

Firebake Menu Dinner

Woodfired Oven

The Beer Modern Times Black House (SGD $12) is an oatmeal coffee stout brewed by Modern Times Brewery in San Diego, California, United States Of America. Brewed along with coffee beans that are roasted on-site, this black ale / beer with a brown foam head has a robust, complex taste. It starts out with a toasted grain and caramel notes, which leads into a coffee / espresso, chocolate, and hazelnut taste. Good!

Beer Modern Times Black House (SGD $12)

The CocoLoco (SGD $6) is an organic, unpasteurised, preservative-free, Thai coconut water beverage, very refreshing and lightly earthy sweet in flavour. With no added sugar, it feels healthy, and complements the food nicely. Good thirst-quenching properties, especially suitable for warm days.

CocoLoco (SGD $6)

A straightforward Soy Latte (SGD $5), decent in body and strength. Makes for a good cuppa in the morning. Note however, that the barista is only present during Brunch. While you can order coffee beverages during dinner, the barman prepares it instead, resulting in a "not so nice look, but I tried" as he admits.

Soy Latte (SGD $5)

For their Sourdough Bread Dough, organic flour from Western Australia and wild yeast is used, along with fresh Nordaq water, a filtration process that leaves natural salts and minerals intact within the water. The dough then undergoes a natural leavening process, and is freshly baked twice daily (for brunch and dinner) in 4 different varieties, then stacked on their display Loaf Shelf.

Loaf Shelf

Sourdough Bread Dough

The Anchovy Dip, Field Slice (SGD $8) is served with Field - Organic Wholemeal Sourdough Bread. The toasted bread is crisp and crunchy, with a fragrant aroma of grains, and a delicate earthy wheat flavour. It pairs well with the bold salty savoury Anchovy Aioli Dip, with its rich, creamy texture. I did feel the dip was generous in portion, though difficult to finish due to its intense and heavy flavour. Would have liked a different contrast in taste.

Anchovy Dip, Field Slice (SGD $8)

Anchovy Aioli Dip

Field - Organic Wholemeal Sourdough Bread

The Woodfired Pumpkin Salad (SGD $13) was a lovely, fresh salad bowl. A bed of mesclun, beet greens, wild rocket leaves / arugula, and curly endive / frisée, provide a healthy, earthy vegetal flavour. Diced tender carrots, crunchy sunflower seeds, and soft feta cheese provide bright bursts of flavour, and good contrast to texture. The highlight is the smooth pumpkin meat, smoky from being lightly grilled, with a floral sweet flavour that is so enticing. Good!

Woodfired Pumpkin Salad (SGD $13)

Woodfired Pumpkin Salad

The Rangers Valley Beef Striploin 300g, Woodfired Jerusalem Artichoke, Chimichurri (SGD $40) features smoky caramelised Jerusalem artichokes / sunroot. These have a texture similar to potatoes, being firm but tender, with a more pronounced sweet nutty flavour. The highlight here is the perfectly done beef striploin steak, which I got medium rare. The steak exterior has a thin, crispy crust which crunches satisfiyingly, while the interior is juicy and tender, nicely meaty and savoury salty in flavour. Good enough to eat on its own, each bite was delicious. The chimichurri sauce did little to enhance the beef, but being served on the side, it provides diners a choice; to use the sauce or not.

Rangers Valley Beef Striploin 300g, Woodfired Jerusalem Artichoke, Chimichurri (SGD $40)

Rangers Valley Beef Striploin 300g, Woodfired Jerusalem Artichoke, Chimichurri

Rangers Valley Beef Striploin 300g, Woodfired Jerusalem Artichoke, Chimichurri

Rangers Valley Beef Striploin 300g, Woodfired Jerusalem Artichoke, Chimichurri

The Charcuterie Platter, Pickle, Norwegian Butter, Wave & Rock Slice (SGD $22) is best shared between 2 - 4 people. It features a trio of meat cuts smoked in-house, including the Mortadella, which is cured pork / ham studded with crunchy pistachio nuts and having a delicate savoury nutty flavour, the bold salty savoury fatty Jamon Iberico / Spanish Bacon, and the savoury spicy pork Chorizo Sausage. A side of Pickled Gherkins, Pearl Onions helps cut through the oily, fatty texture with its sharp sour flavours.

On a special order, I got the Rock - Organic Rye Sourdough Bread, which has a porous, dense texture, a fragrant aroma of grains, and a robust earthy sour spice flavour. The Wave - Organic White Sourdough Bread has a soft, fluffy texture, a fragrant aroma of grains, and a light bready sweet sour flavour. And the Norwegian Butter, with its creamy texture and rich buttery flavour, paired well with the bread. Good!

Charcuterie Platter, Pickle, Norwegian Butter, Wave & Rock Slice (SGD $22)

Mortadella

Jamon Iberico / Spanish Bacon

Chorizo Sausage

Pickled Gherkins, Pearl Onions

Rock - Organic Rye Sourdough Bread

Wave - Organic White Sourdough Bread

Norwegian Butter

For the Pulled Lamb Shoulder, Tzatziki On Field (SGD $24), we got the Tzatziki on the side, instead of over the sandwich. This Greek sauce, made from yogurt mixed with cucumbers, salt, olive oil, lemon juice, and garlic, lends a welcome contrast of herbs, citrus acid, and milky creamy texture. The Pulled Lamb Shoulder, Field has slow braised lamb shoulder, tender and juicy, bold in savoury flavour. The pulled meat demonstrates how delicate in texture it is, while the garnish of sauteed onions and spring onions lend a slight sweet flavour, and an Asian touch. Good!

Pulled Lamb Shoulder, Tzatziki On Field (SGD $24)

Tzatziki

Pulled Lamb Shoulder, Field

Pulled Lamb Shoulder, Field

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Update Jul-2019: Returned to Firebake after 2 years, to find that it's still going strong, and just as popular as ever. The ambience, service, food quality, and prices at Firebake remain largely the same as before, though the menu has changed quite a bit.

The Royal Jamaican Ginger Beer Alcoholic (SGD $13) is brewed by the Big City Brewing Company in Kingston, Surrey, Jamaica. It has a hazy brown colour, with aromas and tastes of cane sugar, ginger (blue and yellow varietals), peach, and lemon. The body is fizzy, bright, and thin, with bold spice herbal sweet flavour, and a hint of boozy finish. Very refreshing.

Ginger Beer Alcoholic (SGD $13)

We opted for a cheese-free version of the Firebake Wagyu Burger With Bacon (SGD $20). Served between house baked fluffy soft burger buns that tear off nicely, the fresh crisp lettuce and white onions lend a sharp vegetal sweet flavour. The thick and juicy minced wagyu beef patty has a rich meaty savoury flavour, and is so succulent. Topped with house tomato relish which is chunky with bright vegetal sweet notes. We ordered this with bacon, but on hindsight, it looks like they forgot to add it in. Still, this is a delicious and satisfying burger. Good!

Firebake Wagyu Burger With Bacon (SGD $20)

Firebake Wagyu Burger With Bacon

Firebake Wagyu Burger With Bacon

The Burgundy Beef Pie With Mash & Gravy (SGD $13) is a filling, carbohydrate heavy meal. Served with creamy thick mashed potatoes garnished with spring onions and meat gravy on the side. The pie has a thick but crumbly pastry crust, giving way with a little effort when cut, revealing the large chunky pieces of braised beef and carrots within. While the carrots are tender soft with mild vegetal earthy sweet flavour, I found the beef to be rather firm and stringy in texture. Could be more moist. At least the flavour is properly meaty savoury salty on the palate. Felt this would have been more juicy if they used minced beef instead. Tasty, but average. Could be improved.