Arbite: European food with a Singaporean twist in Serangoon Gardens
PUBLISHED April 29th, 2014 01:05 am | UPDATED May 22nd, 2017 05:18 pm
Restaurant names are a lost art. It’s usually the first thing that the customer hears – the first chance to lure him into spending his hard earned cash – yet nonetheless most of places take it for granted. Too many of them simply give up and go with the name of the chef, a distinctive dish, or the neighbourhood. Boring. Arbite is not one of these places – their name evokes an original wordplay between the act of biting and the German and Danish words for ‘work’. It’s also a nice translation to the restaurant’s proposal: European favourites with a distinctive local touch – or bite.
The menu comprises starters, main dishes, all-day brunch fares and desserts. Our starter, Mushroom Vol-au-vent ($10.90), was nice enough, very delicate with a tasty, cheesy filing. However, it lost much of its appeal when it was followed by the Duck and Eggs ($13.90) – which is featured in the breakfast menu – and possibly one of the best starters we had in a long time. An interpretation of eggs benedict, instead of the bacon, ham or even the less usual smoked salmon, you get a mouthwatering duck rillette spread along with the muffin bread. The gamey taste of the duck goes perfectly with the richness of the hollandaise, and a hint of jalapeno brings it all home. Brilliant. The meal could have ended there, and we would have been happy.
Gladly, it did not. We then had the Lobster Mac and Cheese ($27.90), a big portion of seashell shaped pasta with tons of cheese and big chunks of lobster, topped with breadcrumbs and truffle oil. As comfort food as it gets – it has addictive appeal to it and is impossible to stop eating until the plate is empty. It was followed by the Beef Rendang with Homemade Tagliatelle ($23.90), a dish that truly embodies the restaurant’s proposal. Something distinctively Italian as tagliatelle paired with a Southeast Asian favourite. Classic, original, and truly delicious.
The Chocolate Cake with Ice Cream ($8) was a nice end to the meal. The chef’s wife – supposedly the one behind this recipe – delivers a smooth, soft cake that goes well with the vanilla ice cream. If you are feeling more audacious, however, there are other more out of the box suggestions following the restaurant’s ‘West-meets-East’ inspiration, such as the Gula Melaka Tiramisu.
Heading out, do observe the holes in the wall along the staircase, gracefully filled with charming Lego pieces. As they explain, the holes were caused by the previous occupiers of the building and intentionally preserved along with their own touch. The metaphor is irresistible – Arbite respects the culinary past while reinventing a brighter future, mini brick by mini brick.
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Written by Clyde. Photos by Bonnie.
On this occasion, the meal was compliments of Arbite
Read more reviews at Great Contemporary European at SELA: Review and Cook & Brew: Matching Beer with Comfort Food
