The Parlour Mirage Tasting Session

The Parlour Mirage Tasting Session
140 Owen Road

https://www.facebook.com/theparlourmirage/

This was an invited media review. I did not pay for the meal during the free hosted tasting session.
Attended with representatives from Purple Taste, and Chubby Botak Koala.

Hokubee Gyu Donburi (SGD $24)

Tasty Tapas, Yummy Yakitori

(Ratings: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 = Worst and 10 = Best)
Overall: 8
Ambience & Setting: 8
Food & Beverage: 8
Service: 8
Value for Money: 8
Budget about SGD $45++ per person.


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A place for creatives, by creatives. Established in October 2020, The Parlour Mirage is a craft beer gastrobar, art workshop, and music recording studio all-in-one. Located in the Farrer Park area on a quiet stretch of Owen Road, The Parlour Mirage is owned and operated by The Music Parlour Singapore, a music recording company that aims to champion Singaporean musicians. With 12 craft beers on tap, most of which are rotated seasonally, The Parlour Mirage is a great place for drinks and bites.

The Parlour Mirage Signage

The Parlour Mirage Exterior

The Parlour Mirage Interior

Ambience at The Parlour Mirage is relaxing, eclectic, or lively, depending on which area of the creative-curated space you're in. Thoughtfully designed to evoke emotions, the main dining area is warm and inviting, with earthy tones offset by faux greenery, the warm lighting overhead complementing the sturdy comfortable wooden and metal furnishings. There's vibrant bathrooms, and staircases that transport you into different spaces - from a blank white canvas workshop space, to the cozy black sound-proof recording studio.

The Yellow Brick Washroom

The Purple Brick Neon Staircase

Seating

Service at The Parlour Mirage is friendly, casual, and informative. The 4 founders, some of whom will be present during peak dinner periods, can share deep insights into how dishes are designed and prepared. However, the average staff will probably only have cursory product knowledge, sufficient to offer recommendations. Staff are quick to greet and seat guests, and will clean up efficiently when diners leave. I note there's opportunities for staff to accord diners personalised attention, as the overall space only accomodates several groups of customers.

Chilling Area & Staircase

The Music Parlour Signage

Studio

Food at The Parlour Mirage features Modern Japanese, Italian, and Mediterranean cuisines. As they're a gastropub, think light bites and one-bowl meal portion sizes, with platters designed for communal sharing. The kitchen serves up pretty plated dishes, and more importantly, each component was well-executed during our visit. Ingredients are fresh, and I understand several items are handmade. Prices are reflective of an upper mid-range gastropub, so be prepared to spend slightly more, especially on drinks. Budget about SGD $45++ per person.

Band Room

Band Area

Beer Taps

The Beer Woodstock Mr Brownstone (SGD $16) is an award-winning medium-bodied brown ale, brewed by the Woodstock Brewery in Woodstock, Cape Town, Western Cape province, South Africa. It has a deep brown black colour, with aromas and tastes of hazelnut, roasted cocoa beans, vanilla, and wheat biscuit. The body is smooth, rich, and velvety, with a smoky nutty sweet flavour and a crisp bitter finish, capped with an off-white foam head. Said to be so popular at its release, that it quickly sold out, with only 11 bottles remaining at the brewery.

Beer Woodstock Mr Brownstone (SGD $16)

The Beer Heretic Caramel Moo-chiato (SGD $18) is a unique Imperial milk stout brewed by the Heretic Brewing Company in Singapore. It has a charcoal black colour, with aromas and tastes of Madagascar vanilla, milk, caramel, and chocolate. The body is smooth, well-rounded, and creamy, with an earthy milky sweet floral flavour, and a short finish. Like robust coffee but boozy, enticing and nice.

Beer Heretic Caramel Moo-chiato (SGD $18)

The Chicken Karaage (SGD $12) was delightful, with the pieces of fried chicken karaage being crisp and juicy, with bold savoury salty spice flavour. Served with creamy mayonnaise dip on the side, to provide a cooling contrast to the piping hot chicken. Good!

Chicken Karaage (SGD $12)

Chicken Karaage

Chicken Karaage

The Fried Cheese Balls (SGD $10) are addictive nuggets of round little fried cheddar cheese balls, coated in a crisp batter, seasoned with thyme and honey. You get the crisp crunch, the bright burst of floral herbal sweet notes, followed by the salty savoury cheesy flavour within. So yummy, we could just keep popping these with a good movie. Highly recommended!

Fried Cheese Balls (SGD $10)

Fried Cheese Balls

Fried Cheese Balls

Fried Cheese Balls

Sampled the Bread & Dips Platter (SGD $10 for 3 dips, tasting portion), which was served in tasting portions; I understand the regular portion sizes are larger. The Bread Pita (SGD $3) was soft and fluffy, with a spongy texture that picks up the dips easily, and has natural bready sweet flavour. The Bread Fried Mantou (SGD $3) is crisp on the outside, spongy on the inside, with a deep bready savoury flavour.

The Dip Asian Slaw (SGD $3) is properly crunchy, but the chilled salad has a sour sweet vegetal flavour that is rather an acquired taste. Loved the delicious Dip Grilled Sweet Butter Corn (SGD $3), the corn kernels being juicy with smoky vegetal grainy sweet flavour. The Dip Hummus (SGD $3) was excellent too, with its creamy grainy texture and deep earthy sweet savoury flavour. The Dip Guacamole (SGD $3) was creamy and thick, with bright vegetal sweet flavour. Unfortunately, the Dip Tzatziki (SGD $3) was too watery, though the milky zesty vegetal sweet flavour was present. The Dip Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto (SGD $3) was unique, its creamy texture holding bright smoky vegetal sweet herbal flavour.

Bread & Dips Platter (SGD $10 for 3 dips, tasting portion)

Bread Pita (SGD $3) - Pictured $1 Tasting Portion

Bread Fried Mantou (SGD $3) - Pictured $1 Tasting Portion

Dip Asian Slaw (SGD $3) - Pictured $1 Tasting Portion

Dip Grilled Sweet Butter Corn (SGD $3)

Dip Hummus (SGD $3) - Pictured $1 Tasting Portion

Dip Guacamole (SGD $3) - Pictured $1 Tasting Portion

Dip Tzatziki (SGD $3) - Pictured $1 Tasting Portion

Dip Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto (SGD $3) - Pictured $1 Tasting Portion

Bread & Dips Platter

Really enjoyed the Kushiyaki Chef's Choice Platter. This a large and filling sharing platter with a variety of kushiyaki skewers. The Skewer Tori Momo / Chicken Thigh (SGD $4.50 for 2 skewers) is tender and chunky, with mild sweet savoury salty flavour. The Skewer Buta Bara / Pork Belly (SGD $6.50 for 2 skewers) is chewy and tender, with deep savoury salty meaty flavour. The Skewer Shake / Salmon (SGD $9.50 for 2 skewers) has nice thick flaky chunks, with lovely sweet savoury oily flavour. The Skewer Gyu Kyubu / Beef Cubes (SGD $9.50 for 2 skewers) is succulent with a juicy chew, and has bold meaty savoury salty spice flavour.

The Skewer Nasu / Eggplant (SGD $4.50 for 2 skewers) is juicy and soft, with deep vegetal earthy sweet salty flavour. The Skewer Okura / Okra (SGD $4.50 for 2 skewers) is overcooked, crunchy and dry with vegetal sweet burnt flavour. The Skewer Eryngii Kinoko / King Oyster Mushroom (SGD $6.50 for 2 skewers) is bouncy and slippery, with mild earthy vegetal sweet salty flavour. The Skewer Hotate / Scallops (SGD $9.50 for 2 skewers) is succulent and juicy soft, with bright sweet smoky flavour. The Skewer Uzurano No Tamago / Quail Eggs (SGD $4.50 for 2 skewers) is a burst of juicy eggy sweet flavours. The Skewer Tori Tsukune / Chicken Meat Ball (SGD $4.50 for 2 skewers) has lovely contrasting tender crunchy texture, with robust meaty savoury salty sweet flavour.

Kushiyaki Chef's Choice Platter

Skewer Tori Momo / Chicken Thigh (SGD $4.50 for 2 skewers)

Skewer Buta Bara / Pork Belly (SGD $6.50 for 2 skewers)

Skewer Shake / Salmon (SGD $9.50 for 2 skewers)

Skewer Gyu Kyubu / Beef Cubes (SGD $9.50 for 2 skewers)

Skewer Nasu / Eggplant (SGD $4.50 for 2 skewers)

Skewer Okura / Okra (SGD $4.50 for 2 skewers)

Skewer Eryngii Kinoko / King Oyster Mushroom (SGD $6.50 for 2 skewers)

Skewer Hotate / Scallops (SGD $9.50 for 2 skewers)

Skewer Uzurano No Tamago / Quail Eggs (SGD $4.50 for 2 skewers)

Skewer Tori Tsukune / Chicken Meat Ball (SGD $4.50 for 2 skewers)

Kushiyaki Chef's Choice Platter

The Hokubee Gyu Donburi (SGD $24) is a delightful rice bowl. Over a bed of fluffy soft sticky Japanese white rice with grainy sweet flavour, is laid medium rare chunks of Hokubee meltique beef, a type of beef which has fats introduced into lean meat in order to give the appearance and texture of marbling (via the traditional French culinary method 'Pique'). The beef is chewy and tender and juicy, with bold meaty fatty savoury salty flavour. Accompanied by strips of crisp shredded pickled daikon radish with sour sweet vegetal flavour, and a runny onsen egg with eggy sweet flavour whose golden yolk oozes out to coat everything in a silky smooth sheen. Good!

Hokubee Gyu Donburi (SGD $24)

Hokubee Gyu Donburi

Hokubee Gyu Donburi

Traditionally a type of gelato, the Stracciatella (SGD $15) here is reintepreted instead as a savoury appetizer, though it could adequately pass as a dessert too. Confusing! It's a glorious mess of burrata cheese, seasonal fruits (we had torched persimmon and caramelised peach), red radish, corn kernels or asparagus, and honeyed mixed nuts. With contrasting crunchy juicy soft tender chewy textures, and bright floral sweet vegetal fruity earthy nutty flavours, this was actually rather tasty and pleasing on the palate. A bit more honey or maple syrup, and the use of sweeter fruits, would make this a dessert. Good!

Stracciatella (SGD $15)

Stracciatella

Stracciatella

We enjoyed our visit to The Parlour Mirage, and will return for more! Love the relaxing ambience, friendly service, delicious food, and interesting range of craft beers. Do pay them a visit!


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