Salt Grill and Tapas Bar @ Raffles City

Salt grill and bar first created waves when Ion Sky opened and at that point I was interested after a launch event I attended. They opened a literal down to earth version at the ground floor of Raffles City, from heaven to earth? The place has been plaqued with teething problems since the open – Closed for an extended weekend because of a leaking roof.

Two dining options – al fresco for car watching or inside for a firehouse cosy setting. Tables were placed too close for comfort though, conversations made could be heard within earshot, uncomfortable much! This entry was written from two separate visits, yes I was so sold I headed back for two weekends consecutively.



Greens.

Limited items.

Tempting.



Lovely ceiling lights!



Napkin rings.



Luke Mangan Sangria ($17)
Brandy, cointreau, orange juice, red wine, lemon juice, sugar syrup, lemonade, lemon, lime and orange wedges

White Sangria ($17)
Brandy, cointreau, orange juice, chardonnay, lemon juice, lemon, lime and orange wedges

Lighter than the red, both had fruity undertones. Brandy based cocktails aren't for everyone though, I ended up with a headache thereafter.

While I was tempted by the Jamon Ham staring at me straight in the face, we went for the friendlier Parmesan and Truffle Fries ($10)  to kickstart the night. Crispy fries with a generous drizzle of truffle oil and parmesan cheese. For the portion, this had to be the most value for money item on the menu.



Ready to be un-capped. Lift the pearly shells up to reveal the aphrodisiac.



Oysters served natural, smoked tomato salsa ($5 each)

Sprinkled with rock salt, the oyster was not huge but the sweetness shone through and lingered in the most memorable way. 

Crispy Soft Shell Prawns with Chilli and Garlic Aioli ($15)  

This made us furrow the eyebrows – to be honest, prawns can be eaten wholesale when fried till crisp yet the description did get me stunned for a nanosecond. 

Fried till crisp, this was the perfect company for beer. Spices and herbs made such a joyful dish of it, meaty little crustaceans were so delightful to eat alongside mustard and a dash of lemon. What annoyed most were the inevitable jabbing of the gums by the sharp pincers of the prawns. A small price to pay for such a treat!



Taco of tempura prawn, pineapple salsa, chipotle aioli ($13)

It was a tempura prawn burger in the form of a taco - delicious much! The crisp tempura meets flavourful dressing and finally an equally delish taco.



Wagyu sausage, soft polenta, capers and tomato ($14)

While the wagyu was not that discernible but it was a tasty sauce with a complementary polenta. The grainy texture was easy to like as were the capers and tomato.

Sumac spiced veal and pork meatballs, fontina mash ($14)

I have lost count of the number of times I have chided myself for falling prey to wagyu meatballs – the lack thereof bite and most times being all but mush. This was the case even with an outstanding mash. Three petites to the song of 14 buckeroos or five for twenty-two, pricey stuff and not quite worth the hype.

Seasalt Caramel Icecream ($4) lacked the oomph that the tapas dishes exhibited. Came across as a demure interpretation of a flavour that could have wowed. Icy without the usual creamy finish, I was disappointed.



Churros and chocolate ($11)

After the greasy dense churros attempted at a Spanish place, Chef Luke Mangan did justice to this spanish snack - I foresee my future Spain travels featuring this as a staple or even a trail of its own. Crisp layer with a cottony soft texture and dusted with cinnamon sugar. The bittersweet chocolate provided much contrast.



Luke’s liquorice parfait ($12)

Signature of Salt Grill at Ion, I loved the crunchy cookie as much as the parfait. Lovely flavours that hinted more of pistachio than liquorice. Fell head over heels for the zesty rinds embedded.

I have always thought of tapas as solely Spanish and encounters so far have been far from ideal. Chef Luke Mangan however, brought the game home. Tastefully executed and well flavoured, returns are on the cards. Note the plurality. Salt Grill and Tapas Bar is an Ember in the making, worth the numerous revisits.

Salt Grill and Tapas Bar
Raffles City