The Gong By Drinks & Co. Tasting Session 2022
1 Kim Seng Promenade
#01-128 Great World
Opening Hours:
Daily: 10am - 10:30pm
https://drinksandco.asia/
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 Chubby Botak Koala, msginginly, and Epicurious Caniggia.
 |
| Chilean Black Cod (SGD $37) |
Delicious Dishes & Fine Wines
(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 $37++ per person.
.....
We visited the newest outlet of The Gong By Drinks & Co., also known as The Gong, located in a corner of the revamped Great World shopping mall. True to their relaxing casual wine bar and restaurant vibe, and offering a wide range of drinks and delicious Western and Asian dishes at wallet-friendly, affordable prices, The Gong remains suitable for everyday dining.
 |
| The Gong By Drinks & Co. Exterior |
 |
| The Gong By Drinks & Co. Interior |
Ambience at The Gong is modern, spacious, and relaxing. There's ample seating both indoors and outdoors, both neatly arrayed with sturdy modern furniture. A large fortune goldfish bowl draws the eye at the entrance. The outdoor al-fresco seats offer a view of the surrounding greenery, while the sheltered area means it's usually cool. The indoor restaurant seating is open and spacious, with warm decorative lights and a mosaic of checkered black-and-white floor tiles. A wine rack and bar takes up a length of a wall, allowing diners to browse for bottles. The space can also be blocked for private events.
Service at The Gong is professional, friendly, and engaging. Staff are polite and courteous, quickly welcoming and seating guests. They display good product knowledge on the menu, being able to offer recommendations and introduce dishes as they serve. I observed them engaging and chatting with diners, gathering feedback and ensuring a pleasant dining experience. Cleaning up is done periodically throughout the meal, and they work quickly and efficiently to clear tables when diners leave. Their wine knowledge is decent, though the vast range does make it challenging; better to reference google for information.
Food at The Gong draws on Western and Asian influences, including American, British, French, Italian, Chinese, Malay, Thai, Japanese, and Singaporean cuisines. The menu has good variety, with Head Chef Wan now having moved here to lead the kitchen team. They execute on dishes well, serving restaurant quality plates that look good and taste great. Ingredients are fresh, and they also offer vegetarian and gluten-free options. Portions are sized either for individuals, or for communal sharing. Prices remain affordable and wallet-friendly compared to other restaurants. Budget about SGD $37++ per person for a meal with drinks here.
 |
| Lucky Goldfish |
 |
| Lucky Goldfish |
 |
| The Gong By Drinks & Co. Philosophy |
 |
| Exotic Flower Vase |
The Mocktail Virgin Mojito (SGD $13) features juicy lycees on a skewer, and together with the fresh mint, has a herbal fruity sweet flavour.
 |
| Mocktail Virgin Mojito (SGD $13) |
The impressive looking Mocktail Virgin Margarita Mango (SGD $13) has a mound of juicy mango cubes with a rim of salt. This gives a lovely fruity sweet salty contrast of flavours.
 |
| Mocktail Virgin Margarita Mango (SGD $13) |
The Wine Little Giant Pinot Noir 2021 (SGD $59) is a red wine made from 100% Pinot Noir red grapes, by the Little Giant small-batch winery in Adelaide Hills, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia. The colour is pale maroon, a sign of youth, with aromas and tastes of strawberry, cherry, oak wood, and beech mushroom. The body is thin, light, and smooth, with fruity earthy bitter sweet flavours, soft tannins, and a lingering finish. Very young and vibrant, easy drinking, but may not appeal to everyone.
 |
| Wine Little Giant Pinot Noir 2021 (SGD $59) |
 |
| Wise Words |
The Sourdough Bread With Kombu Butter, Balsamic Vinegar & Olive Oil (SGD $6) is a good starter. With a crisp crunch, the crusty toasted sourdough bread tears apart, holding decent bready sour sweet flavour. Picks up the balsamic vinegar and olive oil dip fairly well, which lends an earthy sour sweet nutty flavour. The housemade kombu butter, which has bits of kombu seaweed churned into the creamy butter, has a nutty earthy salty milky sweet flavour, perfuming the dish. Good!
 |
| Sourdough Bread With Kombu Butter, Balsamic Vinegar & Olive Oil (SGD $6) |
 |
| Sourdough Bread With Kombu Butter, Balsamic Vinegar & Olive Oil |
 |
| Sourdough Bread With Kombu Butter, Balsamic Vinegar & Olive Oil |
Served on their signature toasted sourdough bread, the Tuna Tartare (SGD $20) features chunky diced raw tuna cubes, marinated in ponzu (light soy sauce, lemon juice, white sugar, mirin rice wine, black vinegar, katsuobushi / bonito flakes, kombu seaweed), paired with thick avocado cream and juicy caviar. Each bite of the tuna tartare has a luxurious vegetal bready earthy meaty sweet savoury salty flavour. I wish it was more refreshing instead of savoury though. Worth ordering!
 |
| Tuna Tartare (SGD $20) |
 |
| Tuna Tartare |
The Gong Salt & Pepper Squid (SGD $20) features tender chunks of calamari squid, coated in a thin, crisp all-purpose flour batter spiced with salt, black pepper, garlic, sugar, and red chili. This results in a deep and robust savoury salty spice sweet flavour. Served with a drizzle of lemon juice. Very nice, a yummy sharing appetizer. Remains among the best salt & pepper squid renditions I've had. Highly recommended!
 |
| The Gong Salt & Pepper Squid (SGD $20) |
 |
| The Gong Salt & Pepper Squid |
The Mushroom Pizza (SGD $22) is tasty, though it differs quite widely from the prior version. This new version has the same signature crispy thin pizza dough base, topped with tender white button mushrooms, chunky black truffle paste, gooey mozzarella cheese, and notably, soft free-range eggs. Bite in, and you get a pleasant hit of robust vegetal bready earthy sweet savoury salty eggy flavour. Worth ordering!
 |
| Mushroom Pizza (SGD $22) |
 |
| Mushroom Pizza |
 |
| Mushroom Pizza |
The highlight of our visit was the Chilean Black Cod (SGD $37), our favourite dish here. The large and fresh fillet of Chilean black cod fish is tender, moist, flaky, and smooth, luxurious with mild sweet savoury flavour. Served over a bed of Chef's edamame rissolo, a risotto-like blend of arborio rice, immature soy beans, kale, seaweed, and garlic. This has a crunchy wispy chewy texture with grainy salty vegetal sweet nutty flavours, complementing the fish. Loved every bite of this, will order again. Highly recommended!
 |
| Chilean Black Cod (SGD $37) |
 |
| Chilean Black Cod |
The Mixed Grill Meat Platter (SGD $52) is a delightful platter with a variety of meats, all well-executed and delicious. The Satay Chicken was tender and moist and well marinated, carrying smoky sweet savoury spice flavour. Good! The Roasted Garlic was soft and tender, with smoky vegetal spice sweet flavour. Good! The Argentine Beef Ribeye has a lovely medium rare doneness, tender with a succulent juicy chew to texture, and bold meaty savoury salty flavour. Highly recommended! The Grilled Cabbage was soft with a light crunch, and has enticing vegetal sweet spice flavour, yum. Good!
The Pork Ribs Balinese has a kicap manis glaze, with tender moist pork meat that pulls away easily from the bone, and a comforting smoky meaty sweet savoury salty earthy flavour. Highly recommended! The experimental Pork Ribs Gochujang is more of an acquired taste, with tender pork meat that borders dry and moist, carrying smoky meaty sweet herbal spice flavour. Could be improved. The Sausage Pork was lovely with its juicy snappy texture and bold meaty salty savoury spice flavour. Worth ordering! Loved the Australian Rack Of Lamb, which was tender and juicy with a succulent chew, and bold smoky meaty savoury sweet flavour without being gamey. Highly recommended!
 |
| Mixed Grill Meat Platter (SGD $52) |
 |
| Satay Chicken & Roasted Garlic |
 |
| Argentine Beef Ribeye & Grilled Cabbage |
 |
| Pork Ribs Balinese |
 |
| Pork Ribs Gochujang |
 |
| Sausage Pork |
 |
| Australian Rack Of Lamb |
 |
| Sampling Pork Ribs & Grilled Cabbage |
 |
| Sampling Pork Ribs & Grilled Cabbage |
 |
| Mixed Grill Meat Platter |
Chef Wan created the Burnt Cheese Cake (SGD $15) while experimenting during the COVID-19 circuit breaker while working from home. His rendition is a fusion of an American cheesecake and a Japanese cheesecake, being equal parts fluffy soft dense creamy moist in texture, rather like a pudding. Has lovely light cheesy sweet smoky flavour, enhanced with juicy strawberries which contrast with a fruity sour sweet note. A drizzle of balsamic vinegar with its sour sweet earthy notes helps alleviate the richness, nice. Good!
 |
| Burnt Cheese Cake (SGD $15) |
 |
| Burnt Cheese Cake |
The Gong By Drinks & Co. has now launched their High Tea Set (SGD $45++ for 2 pax), suitable for 2 people. Available daily from 2pm till 5pm, each set consists of 4 savouries and 4 sweets, plated in a beautiful elegant carrier.
 |
| High Tea Set (SGD $45++ for 2 pax) |
 |
| High Tea Set |
 |
| High Tea Set |
The Truffle Arancini has a crumbed rice ball stuffed with cheese, served over spiced cream and perfumed with truffle oil. Crunch in and you get the moist gooey softness, with earthy grainy savoury milky salty spice flavour. Worth ordering! The Burrata Cheese On Sourdough Toast has creamy fresh burrata cheese on crisp crunchy toasted sourdough bread, with juicy diced heirloom tomatoes to crown it. Has lovely milky vegetal bready sour sweet earthy flavours. Good!
I passed on the Pan-Seared Foie Gras as I was too full. The Tuna Tartare With Avruga Caviar Shot is exactly like the appetizer of the same name. Good!
 |
| Range Of Savouries |
 |
| Truffle Arancini |
 |
| Burrata Cheese On Sourdough Toast |
 |
| Pan-Seared Foie Gras |
 |
| Tuna Tartare With Avruga Caviar Shot |
Loved the Roasted Apple Crumble, which has roasted granny smith green apples, black raisins, and biscuit cumble on a spoon. With a crunchy chewy juicy texture, and bold fruity sweet grainy flavours, I can see this work as a regular dessert. Good! The Burnt Cheese Cake is exactly like the dessert of the same name. Good!
I passed on the Tiramisu as I was too full. The Brie Cheese Cracker With Blueberry is nice, with a salty savoury grainy crunch of the crispy biscuit, the creamy soft brie cheese with milky sweet flavours, and the juicy blueberry with fruity sweet flavour. Worth ordering!
 |
| Range Of Sweets |
 |
| Roasted Apple Crumble |
 |
| Burnt Cheese Cake |
 |
| Tiramisu |
 |
| Brie Cheese Cracker With Blueberry |
Sampled the Tilly Tea Perfect Pairing, which features a blend of mulberries, mulberry leaves, bergamot flower petals, and jasmine flower blossoms. Has a fragrant aroma of floral earthy sweet flavours, calming and soothing. Good!
 |
| Tilly Tea Perfect Pairing |
 |
| Teaware |
 |
| Teaware |
 |
| Teaware |
 |
| Feeling Fancy |
Overall, we loved the relaxing casual ambience at The Gong By Drinks & Co., and their friendly engaging service. The variety of food and drinks is sufficient for repeat visits, and their affordable wallet-friendly prices means you can dine at The Gong almost daily without breaking the bank. Glad that we've found The Gong, it really is a gem of a restaurant.
.....
.....
CONVERSATION