Tidbits From Pasarbella@Suntec and Hard Rock Cafe Singapore

Pasarbella's second venture at Suntec City promises to be a more scaled down affair, resembling more like an upmarket food court. The selections are a mix of Asian and Western culinary concepts.

From cajun seafood to Korean fried chicken and Vietnamese pho, there is a bit of everything for everyone.

The space itself is much smaller than its Bukit Timah sibling, but with its high ceiling and thoughtful seating layout, it never feels cramped nor claustrophobic.

Sarnies is here and if you are like me, who enjoys their coffee brew will find the same exceptional cuppa here. Beyond that, a few other outlets stand out for me.

An An Viet

The beef pho is surprisingly good here. Nice strength in the broth which counts most in a bowl of pho, and well cooked beef slices that did not go over with the doneness. And the noodles here are authentic too, balanced with a combination of comforting rice flavour and bite.

Ribs

Hidden almost at the deep end of Pasarbella is the meat stall, and the ribs are beautifully pulled off. Presented in a shiny coat of glaze, the ribs have a terrific infusion of marinate that simply escapes most rib joints here.

Also, the meat is cooked to perfection as it literally falls off the bone almost willingly and without much coaxing. I was more than coaxed by the marriage of flavours and moisty porcine meat. Lovely.

Sarnies

Served in black paper cups, the coffee actually stands out both in taste and in looks. That darkened appearance oozes a bit of mystique and class, and their latte art is gorgeous as ever. The coffee hardly needs any introduction and for almost everyone enjoys this which goes to show how drinkable and coffee friendly it is to the masses.

Char Kway Teow

Hard Rock Cafe is beyond an institution now. It is a bedrock and symbol for those of us whose adolescence is defined by the music of Culture Club and Spandau Ballet, the 80s equivalent of New Wave and Brit Invasion.

While some of the music still works, the sight of Fenders and Gibsons in this establishment takes one back. And not surprisingly, some of the established food still resonates with this generation. Not to be resting on their rock laurels, they have also some Asian concoctions that I was not aware of until now.

Their char kway teow dish certainly looks the thing, though a lack of wok hei and moisture makes this less than desirable at the current stated pricing. But, it can still be enjoyable if you look past the hawker greats lurking just around the corner.

Nasi Goreng

The nasi goreng plate is a striking dish though. Imbued with sufficient wok hei this time, the spice quotient nicely considered, the dish is a burst of classic Asian flavours. A couple of sticks of satay, or sate and an aesthetically pleasing sunny side up round up the dish nicely.

Brownie

The legendary Hard Rock Cafe Brownie certainly lives up to its reputation. Coming straight from the oven, the ice cream is superfluous. It is the chocolate air of a dessert that reminds you how good this American classic can be.

Take it or leave it, it is based remembered as a sign of our times, which happens to be a classic Prince tune in the eighties. And yeah, it has stood the test of time too. A bit like Hard Rock Cafe Singapore.

Pasarbella@Suntec
3 Temasek Boulevard
01-455

Hard Rock Cafe
50 Cuscaden Road
02-01