Nestled amongst a group of restaurants flanking the Singapore River at Quayside, Robertson Quay, you will find Tapas24, a Spanish-themed restaurant serving traditional tapas and some incredibly innovative vegetarian tapas options.
In Singapore, Head Chef Carolina Garcia Santamaria runs the kitchen and comes from the Tapas 24 restaurant in Barcelona, helmed by the famous chef Carles Abellan. Chef Carolina has focused on vegetarian and seafood options, making the restaurant an ideal spot for those seeking a meat-free celebration for this coming festive season. I visited Tapas 24 with the sole purpose of tasting the curated festive menu that featured vegetarian choices.
First up was the Tár Tar de Tomate. Inspired by the traditional steak tartare, the Tomato Tár Tar is a vegetarian dish comprising Roma tomatoes, shallots, capers and pickled cucumbers. When served, it looked like a steak tartare. Beautifully presented with a small side of toast, this was a masterpiece of culinary deception. It was delicious, slightly tangy and perfectly paired with the toast. Memories of that first taste still linger as I write this article. I wish I could buy this as a treat to take home.
Next came the Pimientos del Piquillo Rellenos de Ceps, porcini mushrooms stuffed in piquillo peppers, a variety of chilli with a sweet taste and little heat. The piquillo peppers are stuffed with a creamy combination of porcini, shiitake mushrooms, onions, black pepper, brandy, and a bèchamel sauce. The mushroom flavours are rich and satisfying. The dish comes with a sauce made from piquillo peppers, wine, cream and Grana Padano cheese.
The third dish is a winner; Tostada de Escalivada. This classic Catalan dish presents a medley of roasted vegetables, fat slices of anchovies and green olive mayonnaise stacked beautifully on toasted Coca bread, a flatbread from Catalonia. At Tapas24, the coca bread is flown in from Spain, so authenticity is never doubted. For me, this was the stand-out dish at lunch. The crunchy texture of the coca bread, married to the soft, roasted vegetables and the piquancy of the anchovies, was faultless.
I was intrigued by the addition of an impossible meat dish; this time, it was the "Impossible" Mandonguillas con Samfaina, which is plant-based meatballs immersed In a Catalan ratatouille. It has an excellent taste and is also a visually appealing dish of meatballs. Definitely comfort food, hearty and thick. It would be perfect for mopping up with bread. If you have doubts about impossible meat, set them aside and simply savour the taste and flavours of the home-cooked Catalan favourite.
The punctuation mark of this superb lunch came from Chef Carle's famous chocolate cake, El Pastel de Chocolate de Charles. Described as chocolate cake on the menu, it was akin to a serving of chocolate mousse, made with 70% Belgium chocolate and cream cheese. Rich, firm, topped with salted caramel almond bits and chocolate dancing in your mouth. A wonderful ending to a quick lunch visit.
The very reasonable prices and ample serving portions are a pleasant surprise for diners. It easily caters for big groups and would be an ideal corporate event venue, with inside and covered outdoor seating.
Tapas24 is a value-for-money restaurant and is tempting enough for me to plan a second visit to sample the other choices from their Catalan-inspired tapas menu. To Chef Carolina and the team at Tapas24, enhorabuena!
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