Singapore 2015 - Dinner at Catalunya

Catalunya is reputed to be one of the best Spanish restaurants in Singapore. The chef was trained under the legendary Ferran Adria of El Bulli fame - and some of El Bulli's dishes have been carried over to this restaurant. The restaurant is located at the Marina Bay - with a full view of the Marina Bay Sands. 

This is a Spanish restaurant so of course, you start with some Tapas. First off was the ubiquitous Pan Con Tomate. A very simple but tasty Tapas with just bread, olive oil and rubbed with fresh tomatoes on top.

The Bikini Sandwich here comes in rectangles rather than the usual triangles. Stuffed with Jamon, cheese and truffles - this is one posh and tasty sandwich.

Next came the Avocado Roll - a dish that was carried over from the Adria brothers' Tickets Bar in Barcelona. Strips of sliced avocado are wrapped around shredded fresh lobsters, dressed with a Ponzu sauce and topped with Tobiko and Ikura roe. A luxurious dish that tasted wonderful and decadent.

Octopus Catalunya Style - grilled octopus with pork belly in creamed potato topped with Paprika. Another great dish with an interesting play on flavours, textures and mouthfeel. 

You can order a whole suckling pig here, but if you can't finish a whole pig thankfully they also serve the suckling pig in small portions. Unfortunately, this is not the best Spanish roast sucking pig I've had - the meat was tender, but the fat under the skin had congealed into an unattractive jell - a sign that the pork had been sitting for too long. 

The highlight of the night was without a doubt the Lobster Rice - a luxurious serving of rice cooked in rich lobster stock and topped with generous portions of lobster meat. This dish was simply divine.

 

We had 2 desserts - Catalan Ice Cream and Chocolate Fritters. Both were interestingly presented but taste-wise nothing unusual. The Chocolate Fritters were filled with molten chocolate inside.

The food at Catalunya is really great - with a couple of standout dishes which would make repeated visits worthwhile if you have a very deep pocket - the lobster rice and the avocado roll. The tastes and ambiance transport you back to Spain, saving you an air-ticket in the process. So even with the high prices - it is worth it. 

*Just found out that Catalunya at Fullerton Pavilion has closed permanently on 2nd June 2016. They are now looking for a new venue to reopen the restaurant. If for some unfortunate reason they never reopen - this post serves as my tribute to this great restaurant.