Salt Tapas & Bar

Barely a year and a half into opening Salt Grill on the 55th floor of ION Orchard, Australian celebrity chef Luke Mangan is already further expanding his empire here in Singapore with the recent launch of a second restaurant, Salt Tapas & Bar.

Decked with a dark wood façade, Spanish tiles and raw red brick walls with designer glass and mirrors, the outfit exudes a sense of industrial chic with laid-back Aussie vibes and very subtle Spanish undertones. That seems to be the general theme here - most dishes typify but a welding of ingredients from different cuisines turn the concept into what is at best modish Aussie dining and leaves us to deduce that ‘tapas' here is an abstract concept that has more to do with serving portions than with Spain's unique culinary tradition.

Starters range from simple bar bites such as marinated olives or spicy chorizo to charcuterie items like the ubiquitous jamon Iberico. There are also more eclectic dishes such as plump, juicy oysters in chickpea cumin batter, whose briny flavours were balanced by a refreshing tzatziki sauce served on the side. Beef tongue is hard to get right, and most places - if you can find them - tend to overcook and serve up rubbery versions of it, but here, the barbecued spiced beef tongue is deftly prepared to offer just the right bite, with a full and firm texture and flavour rounded off by the harissa yoghurt slathered on top.

Whole soft shell prawns generously seasoned with salt and pepper, and served with garlic aioli were an absolute delight to tuck into. We were also impressed by how well rich, contrasting flavours were matched in the roasted pumpkin with dukkah, Spanish blue cheese and caramelised pear and walnuts.

The seared Tasmanian trout was just par-cooked on the inside, which is desirable for showcasing the fish's freshness and delicate flavour, but it came topped with ribbons of jamon Serrano, which overwhelmed the fish and threw the dish off-balance. If jamon Serrano must be used, then less is definitely more - julienned strips of the cured ham would have done the trick.

Perhaps catering to the taste of the masses, the restaurant recommends its charcoal-grilled aged rib of beef cooked to medium doneness, but we asked for ours rare and found it to be just perfect. If you do not have a taste for leather boots, do not ask for it any more cooked.

Other recommended dishes that we found less remarkable include an arancini of wild mushroom with leek and taleggio, and tuna tartare with avocado, grapefruit and wasabi mayo.

Of the four desserts we tried, only the orange crème Catalan and the hot chocolate tart with salted caramel and caramelised banana made it to our list of recommendations. The baklava that accompanied the roasted figs looked extremely damp and unappetising, although it tasted fine. Even the churros, a Spanish classic, seemed a little undercooked.

Business is brisk with the restaurant packing in a lunch crowd made up of young business executives, expats, tourists and semi-retirees. The ambience makes for a perfect spot for convivial dining, although you will have to raise your voice a little to be heard over the music. Just take the ‘tapas' concept with a pinch of, well, salt.

#01-22A, Raffles City Shopping Centre, 252 North Bridge Road, 6837 0995