Dad had read about
Big D's Grill (a hawker stall serving Bistro fare) in Today and wanted to try the
Kurobuta Pork Chops with Homemade Apple Sauce. He showed me the article and being the carb freak that I am, I was instantly drawn by the
Anchovy Pasta.
We were early and were told that we would have to wait for 15 - 20 minutes as the grill had just been switched on and needed time to get heated to the ideal temperature. Since we had already made the trip to the coffeeshop, we weren't going to leave without trying the food.
My parents and brothers had eaten at the now defunct Soul Kitchen before and were fans of the Chef-Owner Damian D'Silva's cooking. I was curious and was dying to try the anchovy pasta as it consists of 2 of my favourite ingredients.
Unfortunately for Dad, they didn't have any
Kurobuta (aka Black Pig or Berkshire pig) Pork Chops that day so he settled for a regular
Pork Chop. It was served with stewed pinto beans which Dad didn't like, so I happily picked off his plate. The pork chop was a tad overdone and was tough. Maybe the Kurobuta Pork Chop would have fared better due to the higher fat content and marbling of the meat. That said, if you're a bean lover (like me!) you'll love the pinto beans! Its such a refreshing change from canned baked beans (which I absolutely detest) and have a nice bite to them due to the harder skin and a tasty, mushy interior.
Mum ordered the Baked Snapper with Tomato Sauce. It was not too bad but definitely not something that would have me running back for more. In spite of that, the tomato sauce was definitely made from scratch and thus deserves special mention for not having come straight out of a can/bottle. It was served with mashed potatoes, which enlivened the delicate flavour of the fish.
My brother ordered
Bangers & Mash. As the portion looked pretty small, I declined to take any from him. The sausages looked tempting and I resolved to try this when I return.
Whilst I resisted the sausages, I succumbed to the allure of my Mum's mashed potato. It was deliciously rich, smooth and creamy. Man, this is one of the ultimate comfort foods around! We couldn't get enough of it and ordered an extra portion of mash.
Though all the dishes that we've tried so far were not particularly outstanding, we were pleasantly surprised to discover that the
Anchovy Pasta was awesome! Though the spaghetti had been cooked just a little beyond
al dente, it had a decent texture but more importantly, it was coated with the rich, briney flavour of anchovies! The anchovies had been ground to a paste and mixed into a creamy sauce that had the texture of mayonnaise. The sauce was reminiscent of
Anchoïade, a Provençal purée of anchovies, garlic and olive oil. It is traditionally prepared with a mortar and pestle then served with grilled bread or as a dip to accompany crudités.
The anchovy sauce here was spiced up with sliced chili padi which helped to counter the perceived "fishiness" of the anchovies. Mum loved this dish so much that she ate almost half my plate of pasta! That left me with no choice but to order another plate to sate my hunger. This is definitely a
MUST-TRY!
We didn't have room for desserts but I suppose that can wait for our next visit. The meal set us back by about SGD18 per person but it was decent bistro cuisine albeit in a coffeeshop setting.
Big D's Grill Block 18 Bedok South Road, #01-87 Kim Koon Coffeeshop, Singapore 460018 Telephone: +65 9662-7040
Operating Hours: Lunch: 12pm to 2.30pm (except Thursdays) Dinner: 6pm to 9.30pm (Daily)
PS: Please note that the servings are not large but that's great if you want to try a few different things. Apparently, the Kurobuta Pork Chops and Wagyu Steaks are good, I shall have to try that out on another visit. :)
Update:
Big D's is now located at a coffeeshop in Block 46 Holland Drive (unit 01-359) - across the road from Buona Vista Swimming Complex and to the left of Buona Vista Community Club
Open daily for lunch (12pm-2.30pm) and dinner (6pm-9.30pm). *Closed every Tuesday*
