Tapas Club, Orchard Central
Here in Singapore, foreign cuisines are a plenty. However, it is rather difficult to find good and authentic ones. When it comes to Spanish food, Tapas Club is now my favourite go-to spot.
Here at Tapas Club, sit back and relax over some Sangria (from $12 a glass) and up beat Spanish music.
Enjoy the huge variety of Spanish appetisers and snacks, or more commonly known as tapas.
We tried the Croquetas De Jamon ($11.90). These ham croquettes are a common snack in Spain and are made with a filling on creamy bechamel and chopped jamon ham, then topped with more ham!
Next, we tried something that became my favourite dish here. The Berenjena Con Mie ($9.90) are thinly sliced eggplant chips that were coated in a tempura like batter and fried to a crisp. It is served with a drizzle of honey for a sweet touch. I personally am not a fan of eggplants, but this dish somehow made it to the top of my all-time favourite!
Spanish food, unlike Mexican food, is not very spicy. So when we first tried the Piquillos Rellenos ($12.90), we were actually delighted to not meet with a fiery monster. The piquillo pepper is a variety of chili that is common to Spain. And for this dish, the piquillo peppers are deep-fried then stuffed with a filling of ground beef, bechamel and onion, enveloped in a demi-glace sauce.
This super cute tapas is another must-try in my books. The Cojonudos ($13.90) originated from the villages located near the border between the regions of Castile and La Rioja in Spain. At Tapas Club, a slice of crisp Chapata bread is topped with Fermin Chorizo – a dry-cured sausage made from the famous Iberian pork of Spain, and a fried quail egg.
I’ve tried all sorts of burgers before, but this is the first time I’m trying a deep-fried squid one! With the Bocata De Calamares ($10.90), a brioche bread roll is filled with deep-fried squid rings instead of a meat patty, served with a classic alioli sauce and a touch of a spicy red sauce for a punchy finish.
And now onto some mains, or Tapas+ as Tapas Club would call it.
For some meat, try the Filete De Ternera ($20). Served medium-rare, this steak is accompanied with a dollop of homemade garlic aioli.
This is the Pulpo A La Brasa ($24), which is a beautifully charred grilled octopus imported from Spain and served with paprika oil, pimenton powder and a side of garlic aioli and crispy potato wedges.
Spanish food is not complete without some paella!
We tried the Arroz Negro ($26), which is essentially squid ink paella with cuttlefish and clams. The paella rice is cooked al dente in a flavourful seafood stock that gives a full bodied, rich and briny flavour. The paella is served with dollops of garlic aioli, best stirred together before serving for a creamy finish.
And now, on to dessert! Just a word of advice, the dessert here are also meant for sharing, as they can be very heavy.
The Mouse De Chocolate Con Platano ($10) is a super dense chocolate mousse, served with caramalised banana on the side. As much as I love this dessert, this takes at least 2 people to finish.
My favourite dessert here is the Mousse De Queso Con Frutos Rojos ($10), which is Tapas Club’s very own deconstructed cheesecake. Another dessert best shared with someone, this is served with huge dollops vanilla cheese mousse, a crumbly buttery crust and a sweet-sour homemade berry compote of strawberry, raspberry and blueberries, drizzled with a caramel sauce.
And last, but not least to complete a whole Spanish meal, we had the Churros Con Chocolate ($10), which basically is sticks of fried churros served with a side of chocolate sauce. Just perfect!
Spanish food is all about sharing, so get your friends and family and head on down to Tapas Club for some great Spanish food!
Tapas Club
181 Orchard Road,
#02-13 Orchard Central,
238896 Singapore
Opening hours:
Mondays to Thursdays – 12pm-2pm; 5pm-10pm
Fridays – 12pm-2pm; 5pm-10.30pm
Saturdays – 12pm-10.30pm
Sundays – 12pm-10pm