Bold. That’s how we’d classify STRAY by Fatcat after a delicious makan-session. A purveyor of creativity, exotic and unique tastes when it comes to food, we knew we had to head down to STRAY by Fatcat to have a taste of their daring cuisine. From Alcoholic Butterbeer to their Instagram-Worthy Popping Spheres, Fatcat provided a dance of flavours on our palette that few restaurants could match at an amazing price point.

The meal started off with their famous Wagyu Black Pepper Bowl. A dish that is a traditional crowd-pleaser, Fatcat put a creative spin on it by adding Pink Ginger Foam. The combination of perfectly seared beef and onsen egg is hard to go wrong and Fatcat had it down pat. The ginger foam provided a refreshing change of taste; light, fluffy and pleasantly slightly sour. Opinions are split on this – half were enchanted by this gutsy combination, and the other half didn’t enjoy it mixed, but alone.

As self-proclaimed hardcore fans of Harry Potter, and as people who have tried various butterbeer options in Universal Studios and Singapore, we knew we had to order this. $12 gave us half a pint. The cream on top was slightly too foamy, but smelled amazing. Bits of grated butter could be tasted with every sip, and that was fantastic. However, the sweet aroma of the cream with the bitterness of the beer was not a combination we enjoyed, but I feel it would still be a pleasant delight for many.

To cleanse our palate after a delectable meal, we decided to go HAM on the desserts. Next on the menu was Keep Popping Spheres ($12), in which we went with all 3. The waitress kindly advised on starting on the lightest to the darkest in level of intensity.

All 3 spheres were a delight to pop in your mouth – we can really tell that STRAY’s chefs put in the effort to ensure that mouth-feel/texture is up to standard. The Lychee 荔枝 Sphere (Lychee, Rose Wine, Lime) had a very concentrated taste which was slightly overwhelming. It had a thick and velvety texture and had barely any alcohol taste within. The Blood 红酒 Sphere (Mandarin, Shiraz, Lemon) was a beautiful wine red. I personally enjoyed my wine savored, and the Blood Sphere showed that wine can be mixed with various liquids to be made even better.

The Lime 青柠檬 Sphere (Lime, Rum, Osmanthus) was my favourite of all – a refreshing taste swarms your mouth in an instant giving an influx of flavours. Slightly more sour than expected, it complimented the alcohol within making it seem like a non-alcholic dessert.. And the pop was very addictive.

With Salted Egg somehow still being the rage and as a personal fan of IRVINS Salted Egg myself, I knew I had to try and see STRAY‘s take on this dish. As Fatcat was an ice cream parlour before opening their restaurant, I had high expectations for this dessert.

The dish looked super appetizing. Black and gold never goes wrong, and the plating was IG perfection. Salted egg topped with delicious sauce trickling down every crevice of the soft serve onto the charcoal waffle was almost like casting a spell on all of us – with us frantically rushing to cut a slice.

The combination promised to be savoury and sweet – but I found it more savoury and to my liking. I can almost sigh while thinking of devouring this once more. At $18, the ice cream really felt like it’s worth the price – this was a dish done well with no cut corners. Real salted egg with ice cream truly made an amazing combination.

The Calamansi was the most underwhelming dish of all. With an exterior of chocolate and interior of lime, it was simply pure sourness overwhelming the dish.

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AS EASY AS ABC 儿时回忆, ($30) was a great finale to a great meal. Apple Yogurt, Beetroot and Carrot was perfectly re-crafted into a delicious dish which hits the nail on the head for taste, texture and performance. The waitress pours liquid nitrogen of Apple Yogurt, making for an amazing display of snow.

We were all scrambling for a taste of everything – the carrots were disguised as rocks and beetroot was a combination of textures – something like chewy ice cream. It was great tasting and super fun to eat – we didn’t know what flavours were hidden, and where, and had a good time finding everything out. This dish itself is worth taking the trip down to STRAY, and was the highlight of the meal.

With a surprise in every meal and a twist in every corner, STRAY by Fatcat are masters at their craft. It must be a great time being a chef here with literally no limits. This is a great place for dates with the food itself being a topic of conversation. For adventurous foodies, this exactly what you’ve been waiting for.

Contact:
STRAY by Fatcat
181 Orchard Road, #04-23, Orchard Central, 238896
11:00 am ~ 10:00 pm
6835 7317
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/straybyfatcat/

Working at the CBD area and finding an affordable food place in a comfortable ambience can be tough if you’re at Tanjong Pagar. A regular hangout spot, we visited The Essen @ Pinnacle (Pinnacle at Duxton), an upscale “hawker center” which is fully air-conditioned, provides free seating and is a great place to be to chill with friends or to go for a meal.

The Essen provides indoor and outdoor seating, and is has a variety of cuisines including Vietnamese, Thai, French and Western. It also serves alcohol; beer from the tap or bottled, wine and ciders, on top of your regular canned drink options. There’s something for everyone here!

Salted Egg Wings, $12.90 for 12

We started with appetizers from Two Wings, and opted for the Salted Egg option. Usually having the original, the Salted Egg option was truly addictive – it was the first dish we finished – the fried chicken was tossed in sauce (not drizzled on), and retains its crispiness while maintaining a juicy interior. Great on its own, you can choose to add a spicy twist with their home-made chilli sauce, which was delicious, spicy, and slightly reminded me of Ban Mian chilli. At S$12.90, it was decently priced. However, my pet peeve is that the 12 pieces comes in halves – so you’re only getting 6 full wings, which makes this pretty expensive.

Parma Ham, Cheese Pizza from La Stalla, $34 for 2

The next round of appetisers comes from La Stalla. We ordered a Parma Ham and Cheese Pizza, enough to feed 6 of us for round 2 of appetisers. We collected it after a short wait, but was not blown away. Personally, I found the crust to be too dry at the edges, and the pizza too thin. On the Cheese Pizza, it feels like I’m eating cheap melted cheese. The Parma Ham pizza was significantly better, but nothing to scream about. Overall, average pizzas good enough to pass, but not something that I’ll come back for.

Nachos Con Carne, Level 2 (Hot) Spiciness, Burger Buddies, $10.9

Burger Buddies is my favourite restaurant in The Essen, but their Nachos are pretty subpar. The Nachos has a stale texture with no crunch, and it quickly became an abandoned dish as everyone was turned off after one taste. The chilli on top is pretty alright, but overall I would not order this again, especially at this price point. However, they serve AMAZING burgers, which is my main course (later in this post).

Tuna Salad, Garçons $12.50

Next on the list, Tuna Salad from Garçons, a French store that serves premium quality food at a low price. In my excitement, I took a blur photo. The tuna was EXCELLENT and was one of the best I’ve had. They also served eggs on the side in a Japanese Soft Boiled style, which went well with the entire dish. Everyone agreed that this was one of the better dishes of the night and at $12.50, offered excellent value.

Foie Gras, Garçons, $16.90

Again from Garçons, the foie gras/salad combination was an excellent dish. The foie gras was perfectly grilled on the outside with a creamy interior, and provided a perfect combination with toasted bread. This was enough to whet my appetite, and is a dish that will keep me coming back for more.

Cheeseburger (add egg), Burger Buddies, $13.9 + $1

The Cheeseburger from Burger Buddies is easily the tastiest, most value for money and one of the best burgers in Singapore. Using premium beef and a choice of doneness for your burger (I went with medium rare), the burger, in my opinion, is a better burger choice than any other burger place in Singapore, easily crushing Fat Boys and has better value than Omakase Burger. With an egg added, the ooze from the yolk provided a good blend with its toasted bun and quality ingredients. With a choice of fries or salad on the side and its price point, it is no wonder that this is one of the more popular stores in The Essen.

Pad Thai | Viethai, 8.90

The Pad Thai at Viethai was relatively average, but its strongest point is that it is probably the cheapest meal here. I would select other options unless I have a strong craving for Pad Thai.

Our entire meal was paired with 2 bottles of wine and ciders available at The Essen’s bar/drink store, making The Essen a whole package worth coming for.

With its variety, affordable food and comfortable indoor (air-conditioned) or outdoor seats to choose from, the Essen is family, friends and work-friendly place to hang out at. With options for everyone, it’s easy to come to a place that is accessible, affordable and chill. With a projector showing the latest soccer game, alcohol and many options, The Essen is my favourite affordable place in Tanjong Pagar.

Contact:
The Essen @ Pinnacle
1 Cantonment Rd #01-01, 080001 (5 minute walk from Tanjong Pagar MRT)
10:30 am ~ 11:00 pm
6727 6066
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EssenThePinnacle/

Directions:

Tanjong Pagar MRT Station (EW15) take Exit A and walk towards The Pinnacle @ Duxton. Opposite Maritime House Bus stop number: 0551975, 167, 196 walk towards Block 1D.

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