I don’t often do restaurant reviews, and there’s a simple reason for it; I focus on things you sip or gulp, not those you munch on. Once in a while, though, a restaurant has an extensive enough booze menu that I’m inclined to at least give it a go. Of course, since it’s a restaurant, it’s more about the drinks complementing the food, rather than the food complementing the drinks, and I look at it from that perspective instead.
For those familiar with the area, Joo Chiat is festooned with food and beverage outlets of all sorts. Most of them are not worth a mention, with a few notable exceptions (AliBarBar, Cider Pit and Two Pigs Fly) coming to mind. What’s most disappointing is that there isn’t much going for the mid-priced ($30-$60) western food market. Fortunately, the team at the Wooloomooloo Group agrees with that assessment and opened The Chop House at I12 Katong.
It’s got the industrial chic that is so popular nowadays, though it still exuded a welcoming feel with its warm lighting and casual furnishing when I stepped in for the tasting. The food proved to be similarly welcoming and unpretentious.
As an appetiser, we had Shucked Oysters ($26++ for half a dozen) fresh enough to still have the sea tang on them. With oysters this good, there was hardly any need to embellish, and they were served with the usual medley of citrus, hot sauce and vinegar to balance the sweetness. Tasty, and not particularly expensive, considering the quality.
A highlight would be the Mussels Mariniere ($20++), cooked in garlic, white wine, shallots and celery. Unlike more pedestrian attempts at this dish, this one proved to have a balanced flavour which doesn’t lean too hard on the garlic, instead melding the ingredients beautifully in a fragrant, buttery sauce. Combined with the firm, but not rubbery, mussels, it is an excellent meld of flavour and texture. I’d happily eat this all day, and I’m not a huge fan of seafood!
While the seafood was good individually, I’d advise against going for Mixed Seafood Grill For 2 ($54++). While the fish was decent, the calamari and ironically, the mussels, were disappointing. The calamari was not as flavourful as I had come to expect, nor were the mussels in the platter anything out of the ordinary. On both counts, the texture was a tad too chewy. Might I suggest that you stick to the Mussels Mariniere instead?
If the platter didn’t inspire, then the meat dishes definitely won me back. The Aussie Burger ($24++) was hearty and sinfully delicious. With a sunny side up and a beetroot slice, it’s guaranteed to run all over your fingers, but the messiness is actually good; its part of the fun to lick the sauce off your fingers! And what’s a good burger without some beer to wash it down?
It’s a good time to mention the great beer list. With stiff competition from Brotzeit not a minute away and the various craft beer “hawkers” nearby, The Chop House has to work pretty hard to stand out. Fortunately, there’s a pretty good range available at The Chop House, and it even has Peroni on tap at one of the high tables. It also stocks Moritz, Pure Blonde, Mac’s Great White and my personal favourite, Weihenstephaner Weissebier, all fresh from the tap. I was a little disappointed that there wasn’t a dark ale on draft…but it’s more of a wish than a complaint. The light beers have excellent variation in flavours, from the lemony Pure Blonde to the wheaty Weihenstephaner, and go well with both the seafood and the red meat.
One can’t walk into a restaurant from the Wooloomooloo group and not have a steak. The quality definitely stood out on the USDA Prime Grain Fed Ribeye. Juicy, tender, and absolutely exploding with flavour. I’d actually suggest not bothering with the sauce and simply enjoying the flavours of the steak as is.
The big shocker of the whole meal was this little number below:
A ham sandwich? What’s so great about that? Nothing much…except it was far and away the best thing I tasted that day. I was shocked when I was told that it was meant as a light teatime snack; it deserves prime real estate in the menu. It’s amazing in its simplicity; shaved leg ham wedged between gruyere and monterey jack cheddar cheese and mortared with dijon mayo, but there’s nothing more deserving of the appellation “soul food”. At $8, it’s a bargain. I’d eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
The Chop House also has a pretty good drinks selection outside of its beer list and even a small bar for a pre-or-after meal tipple. You’d never go thirsty here.
There is no shortage of booze, but how good is it? I tried a couple of cocktails, and while competent, none in particular stood out. Take the moscow mule below; it had the flavours you’d expect in the classic…lime, ginger beer and a little kick from the vodka. The presentation was beautiful. Yet, it lacked a certain je ne sais quoi…that spark which makes a decent drink an exceptional one.
We ended off with desserts, which turned out to be delicious. I rather liked the Sago Gula Melaka ($6++) and the Apple Strudel Tortillas ($8++), which were both crowd-pleasers. They both had good varieties of texture, beautiful presentation and were not overly saccharine. The restaurant wasn’t stingy on the portions, and I’d suggest sharing these to spread the calories around.
Overall, I’d consider The Chop House a welcome addition to the neighbourhood. It’s got some truly great food at decent prices and a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere. The mussels and the ham sandwich in particular were exceptional, as is the beer menu. Sick of pretentious, overpriced food, yet want to enjoy the comforts of a full-service restaurant? Then definitely check out this casual-chic eatery on your next weekend in Joo Chiat.
The Chop House
112 East Coast Road, #01-13, I12 Katong, Singapore 428802
12pm – 12am daily
http://www.wooloo-mooloo.com/sg/the-chop-house-katong.aspx
