“1855 The Bottle Shop Diversifies”
Bistro 1855 is the new spacious watering hole that looks to be another city haunt. The Suntec City bistro is the next step in wine retailer 1855 The Bottle Shop‘s growth. One Friday night, we were welcomed into the dimly-lit bar’s open doors at the outer rungs of Suntec Tower 4.
Familiar tunes are acoustically performed at a comfortable amplitude by the Friday in-house duo Jessica Irawan. 2 other bands—Fuze Collective and Two Shades—play respectively on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 730–1030pm.
The simple interior is spacious and despite being quite crowded on a Friday night, has ample space between tables so you don’t have to jostle with other patrons. Conversations can be made without having to scream across the table.
The wine cellar emblematic of the Bistro 1855’s predecessor holds more than 500 labels from both the Old and New World, including a whiskey and sake collection. If desired, Jackie the sommelier will take you through the multitudinous racks that feature wines from South Africa to Bulgaria. A truly wide range of wines that are sold at retail price at the bistro too.
Op & Top ($14++). My meal was kicked off with a craft beer from the Netherlands. Don’t let its paleness fool you. While slightly leaning towards plain hoppy, it’s not your usual Tiger/Anchor/Heineken. It has a very strong citrusy aroma, some hint of the tropics; will definitely go for this over an American plain ale.
Apaltagua Envero Gran Reserva ($48). To pair later with the spread of meats. this bottle of full-bodied red wine (only served by the bottle) was presented to us. I especially enjoyed the lingering finish to the blackberry-rich flavour that encapsulates a tinge of spice.
Lamb Shank ($26++). The lamb shank dressed in red wine sauce was the first dish to arrive. A thick gravy embedded deep in the mash coats the highly tender lamb flesh that boasts also a delicious skin. You’ll find all the components to be skillfully prepared and likely be pleased with this order.
Beef Pinchos ($20++). A discernible chewiness precedes the bite-size beef pinchos that are chock full of beef flavour and copiously varnished with pepper. To add the slight note of sourness, blue cheese dressing is served on the side. Certain parts were a bit more springy though.
Mussels in White Wine ($18++). It is almost unfair to comment on the suspect freshness of the mussels, but at the very least, the savoury white wine sauce is appetizing, and works beautifully as a bread dip for the complimentary piece of bread.
Ham & Rocket ($20++). Juicy parma ham is liberally applied atop the pizza that also comes with a more than generous amount of rocket. Seeing how sizable and tasty the pizza is, I’d daresay this is worth every cent.
Soft Shell Crab ($15++). Not only does this dish look nothing like crab and more like battered prawn, it also feels like the shell is missing which typically comes with soft shell crab. Wasabi cream is generously coated on the batter, and delightful bonito flakes are littered in the mix. All in all, this mysterious blend comes highly recommended despite not really tasting like soft shell crab at all.
Lunch at Bistro 1855 presents a Salad Buffet option from an assorted table for just $12.90++. Add $5, and you will be blessed with a main course option from a range of 10. We got to try 2 of these 10 items, which we present below.
Pork Piccata ($5 salad buffet top-up). The average spaghetti and tomato base leave little to be desired, however I can applaud the crispy and large pork piccata slabs that is delectably infused with egg. The soft pork itself is a highlight.
Pacific White Fish ($5 salad buffet top-up). If it holds any bearing, note that the CEO of overarching Onion Group, Patrick Sng, finds this to be his favourite dish in the restaurant. The crispy skin of the tender dory fish looks drenched in cream, but that cream belies mash. I preferred the lamb shank to this, though that is not to say this wasn’t satisfactory.
Wings ($8++). Our meal surprisingly ended with samples of the bar snacks at the restaurant. This first batch of succulent wings are marinated with shrimp paste (like har cheong gai), and every bit as good as they appear.
Truffle Fries ($12++). A pungent vapour from the cheese strips and truffle permeates the air around the hot and crispy fries. I would definitely have this as a communal snack to share among drinks.
Spam Fries ($8++). Toothsome spam fries always work well for lovers of the processed meat. These ones are undoubtedly pleasing and crispy.
The extensive drink and food menus certainly impress at the newly opened Bistro 1855, a place flooded with promotions that I will see myself revisiting. Casual dining with live band and cheap booze sold at retail prices instead of marked up restaurant prices, Bistro 1855 is a top pick for hanging out on a weekend.
Expected damage: $35 – $45 / pax
Bistro 1855: 3 Temasek Boulevard, Suntec City, Tower 4 #01-643, Singapore 038983 | Tel: 6836 5994 | Website
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Bistro 1855 is available on The Entertainer App Singapore, which offers 1 for 1 main courses. Check out the app!