Those working in the CBD might be quite familiar with Moosehead Kitchen-Bar which is located at Telok Ayer Street (Near the exit A of Telok Ayer MRT Station). This July marks its 3rd anniversary. With that, Moosehead Kitchen-Bar has also undergone a minor renovation with a new look, hot new head chef, and a new menu! Wow, sounds exciting, isn’t it? So the curiosity in me can’t help but to check out this place!
Besides the Moosehead wall graffiti by Sticker Lady and the blackboard scrawled with the day’s specials, all the other walls are painted with pristine white paints. The furniture is now changed to something more comfortable and there is a full-length row of comfy banquettes with cushions.
So who is the new head chef? Chef Seumas Smith, is a scottish who started his culinary career at the age of 16. 8 years later, now aged 24, Chef Seumas has an impressive international resume which includes tenures at 1-Michelin-star Lords of the Manor and 2-Michelin- star Dinner by Heston, both in the UK, and Jason Atherton’s Esquina in Singapore!
One of the starters that we had was beetroot/ sumac yoghurt/ spiced ponzu/ almonds ($14). As most of the cooking are done using the Inka oven, it is almost a no brainer to guess that the beetroot was oven roasted till it is slightly caramelised. I like the clever move of infusing the ponzu with chilli padi to give the dish a little kick. With pomegranate, feta, sumac yoghurt, crushed almonds, spicy salad cress, it was just such a beautiful mess.
Cauliflower/ garlic miso/ leek confit, $14
Fried artichokes/ ricotta/ pickled lemon/ radicchio ($15)
Roasted asparagus with slow cooked egg, toasted buckwheat & mushroom dashi puree ($20)
Among the few vegetable starters that we have tried, the roasted cauliflower totally caught my attention. With that lovely char, smoky aroma and slighty crisp, it was like the perfect vegetarian’s steak! But to be frank, all of the vegetable dishes are so good that I bet any non vegetable eaters would reach out to have another serving of their daily greens here!
Bone marrow/ Ortiz anchovy/ garlic on sourdough, $10
Bone marrow mash potato/ bone marrow reduction $9
Bone marrow eaters, leaving Moosehead without trying these is such a big no no! The bone marrow mash & potato mash was cooked for 3 hours at 90 degrees before adding the butter, bone marrow jus and tarragon. If you think that sinful is a word overly used, trust me, this is really SINFULLY good! The bone marrow with Ortiz anchovy and garlic on sourdough didn’t disappoint as well. The lightly grilled sourdough offer a beautiful textural bite to the flavourful concoction of Inka-grilled bone marrow mixed with chopped capers, baby gherkins, diced shallot, Ortiz anchovy puree with garlic and extra virgin olive oil. ahhh, is this how heaven is going to be like? Yummers!
By now, the carnivore in me is craving for some meat. 4 hours slow cooked beef cheek/ celecriac/ wild mushrooms ($32) was so moist and juicy that it literally melt in the mouth and left you craving for more. I guess braising the beef cheek overnight does help to get that flavours in!
Slow cooked pork belly/ apple/ roast turnip/ cavalo nero ($31) was not something that I would usually order. Despite having not so welcoming pale looking exterior, this would take you on a gastronomic ride!
Almond cake/ yuzu crème fraiche ($10)
Roasted white pear/ citrus yogurt/ pistachio ($12)
Last but not least, do leave some space for desserts! Though the almond cake looks slightly dense, it was filled with nutty goodness that paired well with the refreshing yuzu crème fraiche. The roasted white pear was poached in sugar syrup, cinnamon, star anise and vanilla, which give it a lovely sweetness & slight caramelised flavour after roasting in the Inka oven. This is one of the hot meets cold desserts that I truly enjoyed.
With a new head chef, the concept behind Moosehead, Mediterranean-based cuisine with global influence including Spain, Greece, Japan, and Southeast Asia remains, you can expect the food, the place and the ambience to be as robust and vibrant! I would strongly recommend Moosehead for gathering, girls night out and even dating. Time to impress your date without getting a burn in the pocket! =)
Moosehead
110 Telok Ayer Street Singapore
Tel: +65 6636 8055
Operating Hours: Mon-Fri noon to 2.30pm (Lunch)
6pm to 10.30pm (Dinner)
Sat 6pm to 10.30pm (Dinner)
Closed on Sunday
Website
Facebook
Instagram
