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SINGAPORE: If you love your meat so much that you’re willing to go the whole hog (or cow in this case) you must be willing to play the high stakes on steaks. Going up against the likes of Mortons, Black Angus Steakhouse, Jerry’s Barbeque & Grill-Breezy, is the Bedrock Bar and Grill.
While the name may draw up images of Fred Flintstone and his gang from the cartoons series, the place is no laughing matter.
Headed by avid gourmand Keith Loh, the steak joint at the Pan Pacific Serviced Suites in Somerset offers a wood-fired grill in the kitchen to create that distinct flavour.
So serious about his steaks, Loh commissioned a trendy New York design firm AvroKo to recreate a New York-style steak house for local diners.
The interior is done up impeccably well using dark wood and dim lighting, set off by shelves that hint at the well-stocked wine list.
Diners will also enjoy the open kitchen concept where chefs ‘entertain’ with their preparations.
Catering most likely to local tastes, dinner starts off with warm Mediterranean style flat bread, with roasted garlic and French salted butter.
The new spin to commonly-served garlic bread had a good texture.
Resident chef Nabil, who serves the puffed pita-like bread hot from the oven had a yogurt to accompany the staple which led into a Smoked Tomato Soup.
The use of San Marzano tomatoes home-smoked with applewood, gave the soup a sweet richness which some may find a little too sweet rather than tangy.
The first winner for the night in my books was instead the other meal starter, dubbed ‘Ham and Cheese- Our Way’.
This dish comprises paper thin slices of Spanish Iberico ham (from black pigs) with aged Manchego cheese and quince paste.
These come in bite-sized portions and even if you don’t like mixing sweet with savoury as I do, you’ll find the combination of the sliced ham and the jam-like quince paste simply irresistible.
The taste is priceless and a must try.
Although it’s a steak joint, those who aren’t carnivores can drop by to share a meal.
My main course was Crispy Skin Seabass with Roma tomatoes, red wine vinegar syrup and olive tapenade.
The imagination went wild but the taste-buds didn’t, unfortunately.
This dish was rather bland and there was no crisp crunch anywhere.
Maybe it was a case of fish out of water in a steakhouse, so my dinner group turned to the signature dish – Bedrock Pepper Steak, an American Wagyu sirloin.
This dish confirmed that the Bedrock Bar and Grill is for local palates.
The black pepper sauce served as an accompaniment was fiery, while the juicy and tender steak was bursting with flavour.
If you love your steak, and Pepper steak, this version will have you over the moo-n.
Ending off the meal was Apple Crumble – a warm chunky apple and raisins bake with walnut streusel, topped with vanilla bean ice cream, and The Dark Side, a rich chocolate cake served with sour cream.
The Apple Crumble was just okay but if you are a fan of dark chocolate, you will relish the delight of the Dark Side.
The main beef with the Bedrock Bar and Grill is its location.
While it may be in the heart of town at Somerset, it is surrounded by ongoing construction which makes it pretty inconspicuous.
While the food may not have you going Yabba-Dabba-Doo as the famous resident of Bedrock would, it is well made up by the service.
The service crew is knowledgeable and able to explain menu items in detail for ordering the right dish – which is especially important as prices aren’t too wallet-friendly. - CNA/vm
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