OKB – our kind of bar, bistro (and bakery!)
PUBLISHED March 4th, 2013 01:00 am | UPDATED May 9th, 2018 03:13 am
Sadly it’s a rare event when you have the opportunity to dine somewhere which combines good quality ingredients in an inventive way, in a non-fine dining set up, so therefore without the fine-dining prices. But there IS one place which is a bit of a hidden gem, truth be told, that has managed to brilliantly, and unassumingly combine all these elements – OKB.
I wrote about OKB a wee while ago here when it was focusing on its scrumptious sweet treats. But things have moved on since then. So pay attention.
The good folks at OKB have amped things up a notch or two with the opening of their bistro, in that very same space. Expect rustic modern European food with an Asian twist, featuring small plates for sharing that combine an interesting blend of spices, with good quality ingredients at very reasonable prices.
Take the Haloumi & Tomatoes ($9) for instance. This was a chance to taste my all-time favourite savoury cheese as I’ve never done before. Fantastically tangy flavours bounced off my palate – haloumi plus the saltiness of fish sauce and the sweetness of the juicy lime leaf-marinated tomatoes. Quite a genius and daring creation, and one which produces a real explosion of flavours.
The Seared Scallops ($10) came with a good dose of the curious. Prepared with buak keluak oil skimmed off during the cooking of this quintessentially Peranakan dish..it delivers the unique smokey flavour that this infamous nut is well known for, combined with a slight sweetness, a little bit of bitterness and a subtle kick.
I loved the way the Hot Wings ($8) here are grilled, not fried… but don’t worry, nothing’s lost in terms of taste with these babies – quite on the contrary. These are juicy and succulent with a strong umami flavour courtesy of the belachan butter marinade.
Now I know what you might be thinking. Chicken breast = dry. No thanks! Think again. The Chicken ($14) here, cooked sous-vide (as many items on the menu are) is fantastically plump and tender. Cooked in laksa leaf beurre blanc (you’ve got to love the sound of that combination alone!) the starfruit (yes starfruit) pickle gives this dish a real tang. A thumbs up for a creative marriage of flavours that really works.
Now for the Beef ($18). Given the fact that the cut here is the chuck (found above the brisket) which is notorious for being traditionally very tough, it’s amazing that with their expert knowledge and of course their preferred sous-vide cooking technique, it is anything but. I loved the use of the Gula Melaka glaze here, a Nonya flavour rarely used in a savoury dish, which gave the beef a subtle sweetness to it.
Before we move onto desserts, a word on wine. Because OKB import their own wines, the selection here is extremely reasonably priced, ranging from only $6 – 11 per glass. Can that be true? Yes it can!
Now I’ve already had the pleasure of sampling their lemon cream and chocolate ganache tart a while back, so I plumped for the dessert of the day – Sticky Date Pudding ($7). As usual, this wasn’t your usual sticky date pudding…it can only be described as a parcel of cakey-biscuity-chewy-delightfulness with a flavour that carries you off to dessert heaven.
There’s no doubt that what OKB has achieved here makes it rather a hidden gem as far as foodies go, but whether it will stay that way after word gets out…well safe to say, you’d better hurry while it still is!
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Written by Ms Demeanour.
On this occasion, the meal was compliments of OKB
