Verdict: 7.5/10

Parmesan and Parsley French Fries (S$6/+)

This simple dish made a classic entry to the dining table with its alluring aroma from the melted Parmesan cheese. As parsley is typically a mild-flavoured herb, we felt that it failed to enhance the bold cheese. The french fries were done the way it should be, crisp on the outside, warm and soft on the inside. As the grated cheese was drizzled sparingly across the french fries, the distribution was rather disparate so expect to taste the french fries plain or with clumps of cheese. It was a good offering but nothing spectacular to wow.

Verdict: 7.0/10

Soups

The chefs had thoughtfully distributed the 3 types of soups ordered into smaller portions for sharing. Referring to the above picture, starting from top down, we had the celery soup with croutons, pumpkin soup and Caesar salad soup. The celery and pumpkin soups were off the menu items and subjected to change as they were 'Soup of the Day' and the normal offering would come at S$9/+. The Caesar salad soup, on the other hand, is a regular feature on the menu and is priced equally. 

Personally, we found it rather upsetting that the celery soup was a touch too raw in flavour though it might suit the palate of some. By the time the soup came to me (which was admittedly quite a while later), the croutons was completely soaked so it was rather distasteful but other dining companions gave praise to the well-toasted croutons to complement the smooth soup.

Verdict: 8.0/10

B&G - Biscuits and Sausage Gravy (S$6/+)

Apparently this was quite an acclaimed dish on the starters' menu according to those familiar with the restaurant. I was expecting something crispy and crunchy when I read biscuit off the menu so this somewhat messy presentation threw me off guard quite a little. I found it too heavy to be lined up as a side dish for the savoury sausage gravy was rather satiating on my appetite at least and you would not really want that ahead of a heavy meal. There was a slight salinity in the gravy and the finely diced spring onions gave an interesting twist in flavour. You could taste some of the finely diced sausage in that gravy but quite frankly, I would not coin the carbohydrates in this dish a biscuit as it tasted more like a buttery scone. I hesitated at the thought of a second serving and while others at the table bagged praises, I had a different opinion to match.

[Edited] Thanks to sweegeok and Jayne who had brought to my attention that the biscuit for this dish had its origin in the States and Canada which were similar to the British scones that I am more familiar with after the years of living over there. It is often made with buttermilk and traditionally served as sides. Like the cornbread detailed above, they do not need time to rise before baking and are henceforth termed as 'quick breads' by chefs and bakers alike!

Verdict: 6.5/10

Fried chicken, crushed la ratte potatoes, spinach (S$18/+)

Personally, it would probably be the last thing on my mind to order a fried chicken dish on an adventurous food tasting session. This was however their signature dish so it would be a shame to walk away not having a bite of that crispy batter coating the tender and moist chicken. The chef obviously pampered his proteins with delicate care and it was evident in the chicken breast portion that we shared. Despite being the leanest cut, it was well-prepared and the flesh was succulent and tasty. One would expect a deep-fried dish as such to be overwhelming greasy, this was surprisingly a clean and crisp rendition. The batter stole the limelight with a golden-brown crust where you could hear the crispness with each crunch.

Affable Chef Ryan was most gracious in sharing the secret recipe in creating that addictive batter. Unexpectedly, bourbon was a key ingredient and not forgetting the all important touch of acidity from fresh lemons. He later added that the temperature for frying the chicken had to be monitored and should ideally be within 320-325 Fahrenheit Celsius. When probed for further ingredients and preparation methods, he stopped short and warmly reciprocated with a smile.

On a separate note, the dish served seemed slightly different from what was written on the menu. Our fried chicken and the greens were served separately but I reckon that on any given day, it should come complete on one plate. We liked that good quality ratte potatoes were chosen which were characterised by its unique nutty flavour and smooth buttery texture. Excellent complements for the fried chicken for sure.

Verdict: 9.0/10

Braised beef cheek, smoked potato purée, brussels sprouts (S$26/+)

That saucy gravy left an impressionistic mark and reminiscing that beautiful unami taste was enough to make me swallow my saliva while writing. The flavours were bold and savoury to say the least. It seemed like a harmonious unison of brown, barbecue sauces and beef stock simmered down to an intense gravy. I had mixed feelings about the red meat after trying a few mouthfuls with my concern on quality assurance in preparation and cooking. We tried the the protein served on 2 separate plates and had distinctly different verdicts. The first tasted too dry and stiff for my liking with the beef coming off in strands while the other plate was spot-on brilliant, with a moist tenderness. The crispy deep-fried red onion strips gave a much desired crunchy texture to the main and hint of sweetness as it was mildly caramelized. I thought that while the accompanying complements such as the smoked potato purée and brussels sprouts were prepared flawlessly, the star failed to shine on its own accord.