The Quarters Tasting Session 2017

The Quarters Tasting Session 2017
16 Enggor Street
#01-09 Icon Village

Opening Hours:
Mon - Fri: 8am - 10pm
Sat: 10am - 10pm
Sun: 10am - 6pm


http://www.thequarters.sg/


This was an invited media review. I did not pay for the meal during the free hosted tasting session, but I did pay the standard price during subsequent visits.
Attended with representatives from Little Tiny Sun, Justin Food Prints, Shermyyy, Her Pen And Fork, and The Arctic Star.

Butter Poached Lobster (SGD $68)

Tasty Modern Singaporean & Char-Grill Dishes

(Ratings: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 = Worst and 10 = Best)
Overall: 8
Ambience & Setting: 7
Food & Beverage: 8
Service: 8
Value for Money: 7
Budget about SGD $40 ++ per person.


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Returned again to The Quarters, on the kind invitation of owner-chef Chung Deming, to sample the new charcoal grill menu being launched. I had previously visited The Quarters several times over the last few years, and each visit I see exciting, new creative dishes.

The Quarters Platter ($128 For 4 People, Pictured Half Platter)

Ambience at The Quarters remains retro casual, with some minor changes. The former homage to the old dock / pier side warehouses is lessened, with the inclusion of large blackboards and hand-drawn chalk-ink artwork. Still a cozy and comfortable place for communal dining.

Service at The Quarters remains professional and efficient, though there's still a short wait for orders to be fulfilled, especially with charcoal grilled dishes. While I felt they could have assisted in topping up our water glasses more proactively, staff did clear finished plates quickly.

Food at The Quarters still features Modern Singaporean cuisine, though the new menu has a back-to-basics approach. Quality remains decent to good, and portions are still styled for sharing / communal dining. Prices have largely kept pace with inflation, and while the regular menu still costs about SGD $19 ++ per person, the new menu boasts more premium ingredients, so budget about SGD $40 ++ per person.

The Quarters Platter ($128 For 4 People, Pictured Half Platter)

The Quarters 2017 Lunch Menu

The Quarters 2017 Dinner Menu

The Quarters 2017 Platter Menu

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With The Quarters Platter ($128 For 4 People), you get a sharing portion of 6 dishes; consisting of 3 appetizers, 2 main dishes, and 1 staple. The set is fixed, and comfortably fills 4 people, though larger groups can always request for add-ons. The 6 dishes in this platter are as follows.

The Salted Egg Mid-Wings (SGD $12) feature 5 skewers of chicken mid-wings, moist and tender in texture, grilled till it takes on a smoky savoury sweet flavour. The chicken meat comes off easily from the bone. Coated in luscious salted egg yolk aioli sauce, which lends a salty eggy flavour profile. A fresh salad completes this. Nice drinking snack.

Salted Egg Mid-Wings (SGD $12)

Salted Egg Mid-Wings

Salted Egg Mid-Wings

The Buah Keluak Ayam (SGD $12) features a large piece of chicken thigh, with a juicy tender texture, grilled till the skin turns slightly crisp, and the chicken meat juices run clear. Nicely smoky savoury sweet on its own, the flavour is emboldened with earthy savoury buah keluak rempah / pangium edule seeds spice paste. Flavour is more accessible than other versions, being less intense. Good!

Buah Keluak Ayam (SGD $12)

Buah Keluak Ayam

Buah Keluak Ayam

The Grilled Vegetable Platter - Shiitake (SGD $9), Asparagus (SGD $14), Vine Tomatoes (SGD $10) has a medley of smoky grilled vegetables, executed such that all their textures remain juicy or moist. The shiitake mushrooms are lightly seasoned with salt, having an earthy salty flavour and a meaty bite. The asparagus is crunchy and vegetal smoky sweet, but the surprise was the garnish of salty fermented soy beans and garlic, which was so addictive. The vine tomatoes are incredibly juicy sweet with a hint of vegetal sour, dressed in salt and a house special marinade. Good!

Grilled Vegetable Platter - Shiitake (SGD $9), Asparagus (SGD $14), Vine Tomatoes (SGD $10)

Grilled Vegetable Platter - Shiitake, Asparagus, Vine Tomatoes

Grilled Vegetable Platter - Shiitake, Asparagus, Vine Tomatoes

The Quarters Fried Rice (SGD $14) is a new entrant, a tasty dish of white rice stir-fried with garlic and 2 kinds of salted fish. That said, while I love the delicate smoky aroma within, I did wish the flavour of the salted fish was more pronounced.

Quarters Fried Rice (SGD $14)

Quarters Fried Rice

Quarters Fried Rice

The Baby Back Ribs (SGD $24) features a half slab of pork ribs, marinated in the house special barbecue sauce, which is sweet and slightly tangy. Served with a fresh garden salad and hot crisp fluffy fries, the pork meat comes easily off the bone. Best eaten while hot, as it tends to dry out when it cools.

Baby Back Ribs (SGD $24)

Baby Back Ribs

Baby Back Ribs

The Angus Ribeye (SGD $38, 250g) features a thin but moist slab of sliced beef ribeye steak, served with sides of fresh garden salad and hot crisp fluffy fries. The beef is executed to a perfect medium rare, with a tender and moist texture, and bold savoury flavour. Garnished with a house special smoked salt, which lends an enticing smoky salty taste on the palate, making you yearn for more. Good!

Angus Ribeye (SGD $38, 250g)

Angus Ribeye

Angus Ribeye

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The aptly named Fwah! (SGD $18), is a big burst of flavour. From the delicate crunch of the crisp toasted white bread, which serves as a foil to hold up the rich, luscious, floral sweet pandan kaya / screwpine leaf coconut egg jam, to the creamy scrambled eggs surrounding it, everything about this is pure comfort Singaporean breakfast food. Made decadent with the addition of luxurious foie gras, smoky and savoury and fatty all at once. Shiok.

Fwah! (SGD $18)

Fwah!

Fwah!

The Ooh La La! (SGD $16) will make you exclaim just that, with its generous portion of fresh clams, coated in the house special chili crab sauce. You get the plump, meaty chew of the clams, with a sweet spicy flavour, but without the fiery burn. The mild heat will appeal to most, especially those who prefer their food to be less spicy / not too spicy. Satisfiying communal dish that pairs well with drinks.

Ooh La La! (SGD $16)

Ooh La La!

Ooh La La!

The Butter Poached Lobster (SGD $68) features a whole lobster, licked by the charcoal grill, poached in butter, drizzled with a little lemon juice. Succulent, fresh, and meaty sweet, with a hint of savoury and sour from the sauce, smoky on the nose. Completely deshelled, this is so easy to eat, yet so luxurious and delicious. Freshness is assured because this requires a 2-day advance order. Well worth getting if you have an advanced reservation plan.

Butter Poached Lobster (SGD $68)

Butter Poached Lobster

Butter Poached Lobster

The Duriancanboleh (SGD $8.50) retains the same price, but more importantly, is just as good as ever. The creamy smooth, wobbly durian creme brulee custard is fragrant with the aroma of Mao Shan Wang / Cat Mountain King durian. Crack through the satisfiyingly thin, caramelised crust, and you'll get a luscious scoop of fruity sweet custard. The durian taste is nicely present, without being overpowering or sour. However, if you prefer the flavour of durians strong, or with some fiber from the fruit, you'll be disappointed by this. Personally, I loved it. Highly recommended!

Duriancanboleh (SGD $8.50)

Duriancanboleh

Duriancanboleh

The Durian Kaya Bomb (SGD $12) is best described as a flavour bomb of a dessert. Love the choux pastry puff, with its semi-firm, semi-chewy texture, and fragrant bready aroma. The rich, smooth, creamy filling of Mao Shan Wang / Cat Mountain King durian is well blended with pandan kaya / screwpine leaf coconut egg jam, giving it a floral fruity sweet flavour. Best eaten in 1 mouthful, where it just bursts and surprises the palate with its cool, delicious taste.

Durian Kaya Bomb (SGD $12)

Durian Kaya Bomb

Durian Kaya Bomb

The Quarters constantly strives to improve their menu offerings and the quality of their dishes, having kept this philosophy over the last few years. Their latest iteration combines a back-to-basics approach of charcoal grilling with their creative and delicious house-made sauces. The result; exciting dishes with familiar flavours that are definitely worth trying.


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Reserve a table now @ The Quarters

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