Club Meatballs: Spaghetti And Meatballs & Other Meatball-centric Dishes Near Chinatown

Speciality restaurants are sprouting faster than I can keep track of them, and now, we have a place that caters especially to those who love their big, juicy meatballs.

Club Meatballs at China Square Central aims to do great justice to the well-loved, hearty hunk o’meat that we commonly see in many a-pasta dishes.

The place opens up directly to the bustling Cross Street and pumps upbeat tunes to get diners to wind down and kick back. The vibe of the place was very lively indeed, even for a place situated in the CBD on a Saturday afternoon!

Fans of superfoods will take to their Quinoa Salad (S$15) easily. Brimming with quinoa, pomegranate, roasted pumpkin, pumpkin seeds, feta, mint and citrus vinaigrette, the acidity of the dressing was quelled by the full-on starchiness of the roasted pumpkin.

The entire salad was brought to life, surprisingly, by the pomegranate, working in unison with the sparse sprinkling of mint.

I don’t know about you, but I have definitely never heard of Tofu Steak (S$20). Dressed simply with vegetable couscous and dribble of honey ginger soy glaze, this dish was oddly satisfying in spite of the lack of meat.

I liked how light this dish was, and even more satisfied that a meat-heavy menu offers just-as-delectable sides and main plates!

Low-carb options aren’t out of the question here, as you’ll get to enjoy pure protein with the Ginger Pork Ball Lettuce Cups (S$14 for three). These meatballs are a little different as they carry quite some tanginess and hints of sweet-sour from the sesame chilli dressing. I thoroughly enjoyed these, no doubt.

When a childhood favourite is served in bite-sized portions, you know there’s no staying away. The Mac N Cheese Balls (S$12) were deep-fried to perfection, encapsulating a warm, gooey, cheesy core.

The only gripe I had was that they were slightly under-seasoned, and after popping a few in my mouth, I was unwilling to spend my carb allowance for the day on any more.

Speaking of cheese, there’s even more cheese hidden in their Shepherd’s Pie (S$18). There’s also a surprise awaiting you as mini lamb balls take place of traditional minced beef. It’s obviously not news that this dish was easy to chow down, with its familiar tender chew and luscious mash.

The only reservation I held about it was that it was leaning towards the bland end of the spectrum, and I actually felt compelled to add a healthy dose of salt and pepper to make it palatable.

Meatballs on pizza? Yes, please! The Club Meatball Pizza (S$22) is categorised under ‘Beer Bites’ on their menu, but I reckon it’d serve to satisfy you even more than simply an accompaniment to a chill pint.

Loaded with plenty of meat, it comes with beef meatballs, salami, ham and bacon. The drizzle of barbecue sauce really added a punchy note of acidity that cuts through the heavy savouriness of the multi-meat pizza. I also appreciated how thin the crust was, because let’s be honest, I’d rather allocate my daily calorie count to mostly meat.

Want more than just balls? Club Meatballs also serve Beer Braised Beef Short Rib (S$28). It’s slow-cooked in dark beer, which was very prominent on the nose upon closer inspection.

The short rib was fork-tender, and I really wish the mashed potatoes that cradled it tasted just as supple. Instead, it was rather pasty and dense, making me leave behind more than half of the starch behind and polishing off the short rib only.

The last main was the much-anticipated CMB Spaghetti And Meatballs (S$15). The meatballs were juicy and had adequate flavour, but I felt the sauce lacked the quintessential rich tomato flavour.

For a dish that’s supposed to be quite an iconic representation of the restaurant’s concept, it could’ve done just that bit more to win me and my taste buds over.

For those who’ve always been asking, “Why is there not a place that just sells meatballs?”, your wish has come true. In spite of a handful of dishes which I found to have come up short, I still think meat lovers will want to give this place a go. From one who’s passionate about meats, you have my word.

Expected Damage: S$15 – S$35 per pax