[SG] Mad For Garlic @ Clarke Quay

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Just as the name suggests, it's definitely the place for you if you're a fan of garlic dishes. I have always been intrigued by the menu as to the number of dishes they can whip up based on garlic itself. On an impulse since none of us could decide on where to eat, we settled on this with some recommendations. 

Entering at about 6ish in the evening, we were pretty surprised to find the place fully booked except for the open space area. It seemed pretty popular especially given that other dining areas along the Clarke Quay stretch was just empty at that time. 

Garlic Pane ($8.70)

A fanciful name, and I'd thought it came in loaves. Pretty ordinary garlic baguette but it was done quite well. Warm and soft flesh with a slight crisp to its skin, it was toasted just right and I liked that the crust wasn't too hard that left your jaws working too hard. The top was spread with an overly generous amount of garlic though, and it was a tad weird for us tasting such sweet garlic. The taste of garlic was a little too overwhelming for me, that it was a bit stinging on my my tongue. Perhaps a starter to kick-start our tastebuds on our garlic-y journey! Though well-toasted, I thought it was still quite pricey for a simple baguette garlic toast.

Nom Factor: 7.0/10 

Garlic Snowing Pizza ($23.50)
Sweet garlic pizza topped with shrimp and pineapple dice

I used to think that the white shreds were the garlic bits hence its name, but it was served without and only then I realised that those were the cheese shavings. The garlic portions were in fact, the golden fried slices sprinkled all over. I'm not a fan of garlic, but this tasted surprisingly good. The golden garlic flakes tasted like chips, and it was well complemented with a thin pizza crust that was moist enough to have a tad of a chewy texture, yet toasted to a slight crisp. The shrimps were the crunchy sort, which isn't my favourite type as it didn't have the sweetness of seafood, but it still made do with the dish. The pineapple dices then helped to round off the taste with the sweet juicy cubes, making the pizza well complemented. 

Nom Factor: 8.0/10  


Vongole Mare Pasta ($23.50)
Traditional pasta with fresh clam in white wine sauce

This seemed a bit odd to us, with too much sauce and the slight off-coloured pasta. It seemed a little like the Chinese E-fu noodles in my opinion. Nothing very fanciful about it, except for the generous amount of clams and squid that came with it. The sauce tasted nothing like white wine and it was a tad too watery that the pasta wasn't able to absorb much of its flavour. A pretty ordinary dish that I probably wouldn't pay that much for. 

Nom Factor: 6.5/10

Suicide Rice ($19.70)
Special fried rice with diced octopus, squid, and various kinds of spices

Upon ordering this, the waiter kept asking us if we were sure of our order as it had a double chilli sign beside the dish on its menu. We were so game that we confirmed immediately. When it came, I was glad to see the garlic chips on top again and moist pearly rice grains. After a few mouthfuls of it, I came to understand why the waiter had to double confirm with us on our order. The spiciness set in after a while and it basically numbed my tastebuds that I couldn't really make out the other dishes anymore. Thankfully this came last so I could still enjoy my previous dishes. Overpowering on the spiciness level, chilli lovers would enjoy this and the shiok-ness it brought! I can't comment much though since it was too much for me.

Nom Factor: 7.0/10 

I ain't a fan of garlic but i think this was pretty alright dining place. The pizza for one, sat well with me though I think most of the others were overpriced. Best to have the dishes shared like what we did, so you won't suffer from any 'jelat-ness' after eating. Also, keep a pack of mints handy after meal! 

Overall Nom Factor: 7.0/10 
Block 3B River Valley Road
#01-16 The Foundry
Clarke Quay, Singapore 179021
    

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