Tapas Club – Orchard Central
In the Singapore culinary context, there is always some interest in Spanish cuisine. Tapas Club, situated in Orchard Central is a restaurant set up with a focus on serving authentic Spanish cuisine at an affordable price. The space lends itself to a casual tapas dining concept. The decor has glazed wall tiles, wrought iron grills and wine barrels. The celebratory music adds to the upbeat vibe of the restaurant.
The Orders
Since the restaurant aims at serving tapas, the plates are perfect for sharing. The menu hits the right spot in its simplicity and attempts to showcase Spanish dishes by keeping it minimal in terms of ingredients. Bar snacks in a Spanish restaurant are incomplete without ordering a plate of ‘Patatas Bravas’ . The crisp and deep-fried potatoes blanketed in spicy brava and alioli sauce were a good start to the meal.
Next, we ordered what turned out to be my favourite dish of the meal – the ‘Croquetas De Setas’ which are basically Mushroom Croquettes. These were deep-friend, made wonderfully creamy using Bechamel and turned out to be extremely tasty tidbits of Spanish goodness. I know quite a few people who are not a fan of mushrooms – but this dish is highly recommended.
A unique dish to try here is the ‘Padron Peppers’ which originate from the region of Padron in the northwest of Spain. These tiny peppers are cooked with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt. They are usually mild in taste. The Tapas Club version had a certain amount of juiciness to it and tasted better with a squeeze of lemon.
We also tried the ‘Spanish Omelette’ which is a fritata made up of potatoes and eggs in an open-faced style. The omelette was well seasoned, dense and rich. It can be easily shared and can be considered a “main”.
For a more filling option, we ordered the ‘Vegetable Paella’ which was loaded with greens. The rice was cooked with the right amount of smoky and charred flavour and the vegetables were cooked al dente that added to the texture and colour. On the whole, a good dish but it was lacking in salt.
For an overall reasonable and authentic Spanish tapas casual dining experience, Tapas Club is worth a visit.
| In a Nutshell | Deelightful Rating |
| Cuisine Type: Spanish | ★★★1/2 |
| Nearest MRT: Somerset | |
| Address: 181 Orchard Road, #02-13 Orchard Central, Singapore 238896 | |
| Timings: Mon-Thu: 12pm – 3pm, 5pm – 11pm ; Fri-Sun: 12pm – midnight | |
| Website: http://www.tapasclub.com/ |