What the Basque? Say hello to the latest tapas joint in town – Kaixo! CLOSED
PUBLISHED February 15th, 2013 01:17 am | UPDATED May 9th, 2018 03:13 am
There’s yet another new tapas joint in town, and it’s quite a gem! But what… another tapas restaurant? I hear you say. Ah but there’s something a little different about this one. Because this is the place to sample a little bit of the Basque Country (that’s a region in the North of Spain for those who are geographically challenged).
Stepping in from the buzz of the main road, the hustle of Tanjong Pagar Road feels a world away once you’re nice and settled in at the intimate eatery that is Kaixo. Greeted with friendly and efficient service, things are off to a good start.
So what can you expect from the tapas here?
Firstly a small but perfectly formed menu – every single bit of which looks as interesting and appetizing as the next, with some old favourites as well as some new contenders present.
This is the place to try some Pintxos – a type of tapas which is served on bread with various toppings, much like finger food. This is really the way they do tapas in the Basque country. Sounds simple, and it is – but to rather tasty effect.
We loved the fish toppings including things like tuna or anchovy sitting atop roasted red pepper – but they are also available with Iberico ham or smoked salmon ($4 a piece – usually sold in a platter of 3 or 5).
But while these were a nice start, the best was yet to come!
The Gazpacho ($8), an old favourite of mine, is really good here. Full of flavour, and a rich texture, this got a thumbs up.
The Cappuccino of Pumpkin, Lentils and Foie Gras ($14) was a bit of a wow! moment. The impossibly smooth texture of the puree and foam played beautifully with the foie gras nestled underneath. Delicious.
The Roasted Scallops with Leeks ($14) were well executed, cooked just as they should be and paired tastily with braised leeks.
The Spanish Omelette ($12) was – hurrah! for once, nigh on perfect. Moist on the inside, and cooked just-so on the outside, it also had just the right amount of seasoning (yes no over-salted Tortilla for us!).
This latest addition to the tapas dining scene certainly deserves its place for quality tapas made with fresh ingredients to delicious effect. And seeing as Kaixo means hello in Basque language, we certainly think that Kaixo is worthy of our Nomads saying hello to.
Written by Ms Demeanour.
Photos courtesy of Kaixo.
