The Penny Black 2025
27 Boat Quay
http://pennyblack.com.sg/
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| Fried Mars Bar (SGD $13) |
Authentic British English Pub Grub
(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
Spent about SGD $62 per person.
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Named after the world's first self-adhesive postage stamp, The Penny Black is the quintessential Victorian English public house. With an interior almost exclusively designed and built in London, an 'al-fresco' area overlooking the Singapore river, and a private function area for events, The Penny Black is truly an escape into traditional England / London public houses.
Ambience at The Penny Black transports you to Victorian London, with its authentic dark timber furnishings and a genuine red post box. The dimly lit ground floor tavern is lined with high tables and a long bar, while the upstairs lounge offers comfortable sofas and a quieter vibe. Al-fresco seating along the Singapore River allows diners to soak up the buzz of Boat Quay as live music sets the mood.
Service at The Penny Black is friendly and efficient, with staff demonstrating good product knowledge as they engage diners. While busy nights mean a slightly longer wait time, staff work quickly, from fulfilling orders to cleaning up tables. They also offer screening of sporting events, creating a lively atmosphere.
Food at The Penny Black is traditional British English cuisine, with the kitchen priding itself on fresh daily preparations using premium ingredients. Signatures are reliably and consistently executed. Portions are large and generous for individuals. Prices command a premium, budget about SGD $62 per person.
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| The Penny Black Signage |
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| The Penny Black Facade |
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| The Penny Black Seating |
The Cider The Taunton Medium (SGD $14) is an apple cider, brewed by The Taunton Cider Company in Churchstanton, Somerset, South West England, England, United Kingdom Of Great Britain And Northern Ireland. It has a clear yellow golden colour, with aromas and tastes of straw, leather, green apple, and lime. The body is smooth, semi-dry, and sparkly, with fruity earthy bitter sour sweet grainy flavour, and a lingering citrus finish.
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| Cider The Taunton Medium (SGD $14) |
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| Cider The Taunton Medium |
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| Cider The Taunton Medium |
The Beer Guinness Draught (SGD $16.50) is a dark Irish dry stout, named after Arthur Guinness, and is brewed by Diageo PLC in Dublin, Ireland. Among the most famous beers worldwide, this has a deep, dark black brown colour, with a creamy white foam head. The aroma and taste is similar, consisting of smoked malts, roasted coffee beans, faint caramel, and barley. The body is rich, velvety smooth, almost creamy, with a bitter sweet grainy flavour.
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| Beer Guinness Draught (SGD $16.50) |
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| Beer Guinness Draught |
Enjoyed the Beer Sloan's Bitter (SGD $14), which seems to be a curated seasonal craft beer on tap. At the time of this post, this beer has no online presence or information whatsoever.
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| Beer Sloan's Bitter (SGD $14) |
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| Beer Sloan's Bitter |
The Beer Kilkenny Irish Ale (SGD $15) has a dark ruby colour with a smooth foam head, a malty taste with hints of caramel, toffee and roast, slight bitterness but smooth texture, and a light malt aroma. Beer Kilkenny Irish Ale can be traced back to the 14th Century, where it was first brewed in Ireland.
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| Beer Kilkenny Irish Ale (SGD $15) |
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| Beer Kilkenny Irish Ale |
The Cocktail Pimm's Lemonade (SGD $16) features a refreshing blend of Pimm's No. 1 gin botanical liqueur, lemonade (lemon juice, water, white sugar), and lemon slice, though now it's served without mint leaves. Has a zesty sour tangy sweet herbal boozy flavour, so good.
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| Cocktail Pimm's Lemonade (SGD $16) |
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| Cocktail Pimm's Lemonade |
An exorbitantly priced Soft Drink Ginger Ale (SGD $7), which true to form of most ginger ale soft drink beverages, has a fizzy light texture and sweet spice flavour.
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| Soft Drink Ginger Ale (SGD $7) |
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| Soft Drink Ginger Ale |
The Morel Mushroom Soup (SGD $15) carries a creamy thick texture with deep vegetal earthy salty savoury herbal flavour, warm and soulful. Made from a blend of morel mushrooms, cepes / penny bun mushrooms, and button mushrooms. Served with a fluffy soft brioche bread bun that has bready buttery sweet flavour. Good!
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| Morel Mushroom Soup (SGD $15) |
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| Morel Mushroom Soup |
The Scotch Eggs (SGD $15) are lovely. In the centre is a wobbly soft poached egg, surrounded by tender minced pork sausage, coated in a crisp golden panko breadcrumb batter. Cut in, and you get the runny egg yolk. Each mouthful is a burst of bready sweet meaty savoury eggy earthy herbal flavour, delicious. Served with thick worcestershire sauce on the side, lending a sour tangy zesty savoury flavour. Good!
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| Scotch Eggs (SGD $15) |
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| Scotch Eggs |
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| Scotch Eggs |
The Tenderloin Beef Cubes With Blue Cheese Dip (SGD $22) appetizer features chunks of tender juicy beef tenderloin cubes, seasoned with salt and black pepper, grilled to perfection. Carries robust meaty savoury salty peppery spice flavour. Served with a creamy blue cheese dipping sauce, which lends a pungent cheesy earthy salty milky flavour, serving as a nice contrast. Good!
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| Tenderloin Beef Cubes With Blue Cheese Dip (SGD $22) |
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| Tenderloin Beef Cubes With Blue Cheese Dip |
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| Tenderloin Beef Cubes With Blue Cheese Dip |
Served throughout the day, the English Fry-Up (SGD $21) is a hearty all-day breakfast, with each component ingredient being well-executed. There's crunchy toasted farmhouse bread and luscious unsalted butter with bready grainy buttery sweet savoury flavour, warm soft baked beans in tomato sauce with vegetal earthy sweet flavour, chewy thick-cut pork back bacon with smoky meaty salty savoury flavour, bouncy grilled button mushrooms with vegetal earthy salty savoury flavour, 2 wobbly soft sunny side up eggs (or eggs of your choice) with eggy sweet flavour, juicy grilled tomato with vegetal sweet sour flavour, crisp potato hashbrown with starchy salty savoury flavour, and a snappy juicy British English pork sausage with smoky meaty savoury salty flavour. Enjoyed this. Highly recommended!
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| English Fry-Up (SGD $21) |
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| English Fry-Up |
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| English Fry-Up |
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| English Fry-Up |
The Roast Beef Daily (SGD $23) features thick tender strips of slow-roasted prime beef loin, hand-carved and carrying meaty savoury flavour. Served with creamy smooth mashed potatoes with grainy savoury sweet flavour, crunchy pickled carrots with vegetal sour zesty tangy sweet flavour, juicy boiled snow peas with vegetal earthy sweet flavour, crunchy baby corn with grainy vegetal sweet flavour, and soft spongy Yorkshire pudding with bready savoury sweet flavour. Completed with a thick brown meat gravy which lends robust meaty salty savoury flavour. Highly recommended!
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| Roast Beef Daily (SGD $23) |
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| Roast Beef Daily |
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| Roast Beef Daily |
Enjoyed the British English Indian fusion dish Chicken Tikka Masala With Biryani And Papadum (SGD $19). This has a base of fluffy loose long-grain basmati rice biryani with grainy earthy sweet flavour and a lovely aroma, paired with chicken tikka masala curry comprising tender boneless roasted chicken chunks in a thick spiced curry gravy with smoky meaty savoury salty earthy spice flavour. The curry gravy is made with made with garlic paste, ginger paste, salt, powdered turmeric, powdered cumin, powdered coriander, powdered fennel, powdered cinnamon, powdered cloves, powdered cardamom, fresh diced tomato, diced red onions, water, and powdered chili. Served with crisp papadum with grainy savoury flavour. Highly recommended!
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| Chicken Tikka Masala With Biryani And Papadum (SGD $19) |
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| Chicken Tikka Masala With Biryani And Papadum |
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| Chicken Tikka Masala With Biryani And Papadum |
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| Chicken Tikka Masala With Biryani And Papadum |
Loved their Fish And Chips (SGD $26). This features line-caught wild white fish, in this case, flaky firm tender barramundi fish, filleted boneless but with tail left on. It's coated in a light golden crisp crunchy ale and all-purpose flour batter, carrying meaty sweet savoury salty flavour, enhanced with an optional splash of thin malt vinegar for added sour zesty tangy flavour. A bed of grainy mushy peas with vegetal earthy grassy sweet flavour, and a basket of fluffy skin-on thick-cut potato chips with starchy salty sweet flavour, accompany. A creamy tartar sauce with milky tangy zesty sour sweet flavour, thick tomato ketchup with vegetal sweet flavour, and a wedge of lemon completes. Highly recommended!
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| Fish And Chips (SGD $26) |
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| Fish And Chips |
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| Fish And Chips |
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The Salmon Fillet (SGD $22) features a large flaky tender fillet of deboned and pan-fried salmon fish, with a crispy skin, carrying enticing meaty savoury salty sweet fishy flavour. Served over a bed of creamy smooth mashed potatoes with grainy sweet savoury buttery flavour, crunchy snap peas in pod with grassy earthy vegetal sweet flavour, firm baby corn with grainy bitter sweet sour flavour, and tender baby carrots with vegetal sweet earthy flavour. A splash of lemon juice lends a sour zesty tangy flavour. Feels so wholesome. Highly recommended!
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| Salmon Fillet (SGD $22) |
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| Salmon Fillet |
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| Salmon Fillet |
A classic pub grub, the Cottage Pie (SGD $19) features a tender juicy stew of minced beef, carrots, and yellow onions, alongside fluffy creamy mashed potatoes. The oven baking has rendered the exposed surface golden and slightly crisp. Carries lovely starchy sweet meaty salty vegetal savoury flavour. Delicious, finished every bite of this. Highly recommended!
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| Cottage Pie (SGD $19) |
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| Cottage Pie |
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| Cottage Pie |
The Beef And Guinness Pie (SGD $24) is a misnomer, as it's more similar to a Beef Stew With Puff Pastry, rather than a pie. Still delicious, with a large bowl of piping hot beef stew, filled with tender beef chunks, crunchy celery, and tender carrots, carrying meaty savoury salty vegetal earthy sweet peppery spice flavour, big and bold. The puff pastry is flaky and crisp, with grainy bready sweet savoury flavour. Good!
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| Beef And Guinness Pie (SGD $24) |
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| Beef And Guinness Pie |
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| Beef And Guinness Pie |
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| Beef And Guinness Pie |
The classic British English Apple Crumble (SGD $13) dessert features chunks of juicy tender granny smith green apple, baked with triple sec orange-flavoured liqueur and crunchy pine nuts, topped with a crumbly crunchy home-made crumble (made with all-purpose flour, white sugar, and butter), dressed with crunchy green apple slices, juicy blueberries, juicy strawberries, and a creamy smooth scoop of vanilla ice cream. Combined, this carries lovely fruity sweet sour nutty buttery floral earthy flavour. Portion is large, suitable for sharing. Highly recommended!
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| Apple Crumble (SGD $13) |
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| Apple Crumble |
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| Apple Crumble |
The Fried Mars Bar (SGD $13) features mini mars candy bars coated in beer battered and deep-fried. Has a crisp exterior and a gooey interior, the filling of chocolate and caramel carrying candied sweet chocolatey flavour. Not greasy, which I appreciate. Served with a creamy smooth scoop of vanilla ice cream with floral earthy sweet milky flavour, a touch of chocolate drizzle, and beer batter crumble. Highly recommended!
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| Fried Mars Bar (SGD $13) |
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| Fried Mars Bar |
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| Fried Mars Bar |
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CONVERSATION