There is something about dining at Cook & Brew on Level 33 of The Westin Singapore. The view of the CBD and Marina Bay district is so stunning, and you would appreciate the charming Singapore from yet another view.
The food offered at Cook & Brew is not quite the expected as well, with a spectrum of gastro bar favourites and modernised local comfort food.
After speaking with Executive Chef Aaron Foster briefly, he mentioned that he wanted to present food that is the bridge between fine dining and “what his own papa would love to eat at home”.
You cannot quite pinpoint where the food served originates from, because they are influenced by his background, culinary education, kitchen experience and travels.
To give you a slight indication, Chef Aaron grew up in Canada; his mother owned a Victorian-style restaurant; he trained under chefs such as Chris Zielinski and Massimo Capra; and helmed an award-winning bistro in Thailand some years back.
He is also one Western Chef who would eat a pig from head to tail, and thus you would see bacon, ribs and even pig’s ears somewhere in the menu.
Here are some dishes we tried at Cook & Brew.
Whipped Buffalo Ricotta with Truffled Honey & Grilled Bread ($12)
Never would I have thought that this would be one of my favourite items on the menu. What you get is a mash with sweet pumpkin-like taste, with an unmistakable aroma of truffle cream. Recommended.
Crispy Pig’s Ears with Paprika & Garlic Mayo
You are not reading wrongly. Pig’s ears, offered as bar bites best to go along with your drinks. The silvers of pig ears are thinly sliced, fried to crisp, then peppered with paprika. The pieces somewhat remind me of bacon, but with soft cartilage interior. Addictive, especially after being dipped in garlic mayonnaise sauce.
Bacon Wrapped Dates ($8 – seasonal special)
This is one very fascinating bar-bite dish. I initially thought the items were bacon-wrapped meatballs with the spiced tomato sauce. But as I took a mouthful, I then realised there were sweet fillings in the form of dates, and a touch of saltiness and creaminess (that I realised later was gorgonzola blue cheese).
Cook & Brew Bacon Cheese Burger ($26)
Ahh… a hearty burger of onion burger filled with crispy smoked bacon, English cheddar, sweet pickles and fried egg. But, my favourite parts were the large onion rings and shoe-string fries that you would find hard to keep your fingers off.
Singapore Chicken Rice Wrap ($17)
Chicken, pickled cucumber and sticky glutinous rice in a tortilla wrap, served with ginger, dark soya sauce and chill sauce on the side, and clear chicken soup in a little glass bottle (which reminded me of chicken essence).
The texture and taste bore huge resemblance to the dim sum Lo Ma Gai. Chef explained that he wanted to do a re-creation of our local dish to present something different.
The Chicken Parm ($27)
Friends from North America and Australia should be familiar with the classic Chicken Parmigiana, often served as an entree. The dish is given a slight modern twist, served as a main with breaded chicken cutlet marinated in basil and yogurt, swimming in tomato sauce, topped with buffalo Mozzarella.
USDA Angus Striploin Steak ($54)
The angus beef served here is reliably marbled and tender, complemented by roasted mushrooms, watercress, Stilton blue cheese and crispy buttered bread crumbs.
Smoked Bacon Caramel Chocolate Bar ($13)
What? This may stop you in your tracks. Smoked BACON on a chocolate bar? Intriguing. The bar filled with dates and hazelnuts with some gooeyness in the middle, reminded me of a home-made (or more correctly restaurant made) Mars bar. Think of the bacon like a thin sweet layer of wafer, that adds some crunch and tinge of saltiness.
Strawberry and Lemon Shortcake ($13)
A deconstructed dessert – lemon curd with base of almond cake on one side, marinated strawberries and whipped cream in separate containers. Mix and match however you wish.
Other than the dishes above, Cook & Brew’s signature Fancy Fish & Chips which is actually beer battered Nova Scotia lobster (available only during dinner) has been a mainstay, and there are local fares offered from Singapore-style Fried Noodles, Bak Kut Teh (with Australian beef ribs) and Duck Rice.
All can be matched with more than a hundred craft beers from 24 different countries. Expect the unexpected.
Cook & Brew
The Westin Singapore Level 33
12 Marina View, Asia Square Tower 2 Singapore 018961
Tel: +65 6922 6948
Opening Hours: 11am – 12am (Mon-Thurs), 11am – 1am (Fri), 5pm – 12am (Sat), Sunday Open For Private Events
http://www.cookandbrewsingapore.com
* This post is brought to you in partnership with The Westin Singapore.
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