Malaysia
Singapore
Thailand
As the haze slowly dies down, people are starting to go out again. It was nice to see people chatting and connecting at Summer Folks Cafe & Steakhouse on Beach Road. When I got there, I was greeted by several breeds of adorable doggos – I’m assuming they were there for doggy training.
It was a blistering hot day, so I immediately took refuge in the cafe. Despite its balmy lighting, the AC provided much relief for my friends and me. As I sat down, my eyes couldn’t help but peruse the interior.
As I mentioned, the lighting was warm, but the AC made it nice and cool. The place was surrounded by glass windows that stretched from the ceiling to the floor, giving us a nice view of the doggos.
Also, I’d be remiss not to mention their gifts section, which included Pokémon cards for sale, as well as some free (I’m assuming) discard Pokémon cards by the cashier. One of my buddies hovered over that shelf for a long time. Like a moth to a flame.
What to order at Summer Folks Cafe & Steakhouse
I find that going anywhere with 3 dudes will eventually mean that you’ll be arguing over the menu for ages. Luckily, Summer Folks offers a Snack Platter (S$24.80), which made our lives so much easier.
The platter features 4 items: crunchy and fatty roast potatoes, Taiwanese-style calamari, tater tots, and creamed spinach. At the centre was a small portion of tartar sauce.
The tater tots were nicely salted, not too oily and overall a decent bite. The roast potatoes were slightly better, with a hint of rosemary perfuming the glassy crust.
However, the highlights of the snack platter (S$24.80) had to be the creamed spinach and the calamari. The delicate creamed spinach was rich and cheesy from the snowy parmesan. Despite being so creamy and rich, it didn’t feel overbearing.
And then comes the calamari. I was fully expecting a basic calamari ring. Boy, was I wrong. They were cut into strips and seasoned with a Taiwanese seasoning powder made from paprika, chilli powder and S&P. It added a smoky, spicy kick, making it oh so moreish. It was the first to disappear.
Curry Cafe: Secluded HDB void deck eatery with over 60 dishes like curry chicken & $1.20 prata
For the mains, we got 2 items: Cold Crab Angel Hair (S$16.80) & SF Meat Platter (S$118.80). Yes. We went overboard. Totally worth it once you’ve tried it.
Firstly, the Cold Crab Angel Hair (S$16.80). This dish was almost necessary for the hot weather that day. I’m kind of on the fence when it comes to cold, savoury dishes. But this dish in particular really convinced me there’s a place for it. The crab meat was fresh and sweet. There were also healthy chunks of prawn that had a more meaty texture compared to the delicate crab meat. The dish was also topped generously with tobiko and kombu.
This dish grew on me. The first flavour you get is salt. Like the best-tasting salt you have ever tasted. It’s only then that you realise the tobiko and kombu were seasoning the dish. The pasta was nicely cooked, with a slight bounce despite how thin it was. Now, I will warn you, if you have any seafood issues, this dish might not be for you. After cleaning the plate, we found that the fishy aftertaste overstayed its welcome. Luckily, we had a giant platter of barbecued meat to clear our palates.
The SF Meat Platter is a firm reminder that Summer Folk is also a steakhouse. After tasting each component, I wonder why they don’t just become a steakhouse completely! At the platter, you will be greeted by smoke. They lit a stalk of rosemary and placed it on the platter, perfuming the entire affair. The sight was mouth-watering, too. There was a roasted half spring chicken, 3 beef skewers, 3 turkey cranberry sausages and last but not least, a huge bone-in beef short rib. It also came with 2 sauces: brown sauce and Beurre Blanc sauce.
Let’s get straight to it. The chicken was alright; the meat was juicy, but the skin was painted with a sauce that was way too sweet for me. The turkey sausage was lovely. It had a nice snap and had a herby filling with a slight tang from the cranberry.
Now, for the highlights. The skewers were a great surprise. The marinade was slightly spicy, smoky and unctuous. I would compare it to some of the best kebab spots in Singapore. Even the roasted peppers added a much-needed change in texture. But the best part of the platter had to be the short rib. It was tender, fatty and oh so rich. The crust was caramelised, giving it a lovely crunch and a bitter note to the bite. It’s pricey, sure, but this is something you treat yourself with.
Now, normally, I don’t really care for the drinks. Most of the time it’s just a type of coffee that, to me, is nothing special. But the Sea Salt Yuan Yang (S$6.80) is something else completely.
It has the best parts of Thai milk tea, sea salt caramel and a fruity espresso all in one. It was also a much-needed kick that fueled me for the rest of the day. My buddy Ben was practically begging to order another cup. Mind you, he finished the first cup by himself basically.
Who is Summer Folks Cafe & Steakhouse best for?
This is a place for the bros and the gals. It’s definitely entering my rotation of spots to go to with the friend group. I would suggest to the staff that they should maybe add some games to play while we wait for our food. Though to be fair, the dishes came out staggeringly fast. Also, hosting a Pokémon trading event would be fun.
I also noticed a lot of families in the cafe. The kids’ menu was surprisingly diverse and affordable, so if you want a spot for the fam, Summer Folks has got you covered too.
How to get to Summer Folks Cafe & Steakhouse
You can get to Summer Folks Cafe & Steakhouse quite easily. The nearest MRT station is at Bugis (green and blue lines). The MRT connects to Guoco Midtown through an underground pedestrian link. The walk from the MRT to Summer Folks Cafe & Steakhouse is 5 minutes at most. Esplanade MRT station on the Circle Line is also quite close, 10 minutes max on foot.
If you are taking the bus, the Shaw Towers stop is close to the building. When you arrive, you’ll be right at the building where Summer Folks Cafe & Steakhouse is located.
Do we recommend Summer Folks Cafe & Steakhouse?
If you’re looking for a cafe to try, Summer Folks Cafe & Steakhouse should be at the top of the list. Overall, every dish was great. There were 1 or 2 great items that I would return solely for. Given the friendly and warm environment, it’s hard not to recommend this cafe.
Do note that the SF Meat Platter is only available after 5pm on weekdays, along with the other items on their steakhouse menu. But on weekends, the steakhouse menu is available all day.
Also, we went on a Saturday, and there happened to be a dog training program right outside. So while my friends and I were stuffing our faces, we watched many adorable breeds of dogs perform tricks, run around and, all in all, just be extremely cute. But I won’t let a few cute pups cloud my judgment. Okay, maybe a little.
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