Molten Diners: Sauce-Centric Eatery Serves “The Twist” Lava Sauce Made With Real Twisties & Creamy White Pepper At Upper Thomson

Decent western food at an affordable price usually reminds us of Astons and iSteaks. My family enjoy them pretty often as we love different meats, so it’s a great singular place for us to get in all our likings.

When I passed by Molten Diners along Upper Thomson, its bright orange signboard caught my eye.  I hang around the area pretty often so I immediately noticed that it was new.

The menu intrigued me as they serve the usual western fanfare paired with unique sauces that I have never tried before. The prices start from S$7.90 which I thought was reasonable. I told myself that I had to visit this place one day, and so I did.

Diving straight into their offerings, we had the Molten Signature (S$3.20) whilst we waited for our food to arrive. It was a Mandarin orange soda drink, which was very light and refreshing. I liked the subtle fizziness of it, together with the orange slices that added a touch of sweetness.

The first main that arrived was the Harissa Chilli Salsa Chicken Steak (S$13.90). As you can tell by the name, the sauce was their hot chilli pepper blend that was generously slathered over the chicken.

The chicken was succulent, which acted as a nice base for the sauce. I tasted the chilli salsa on its own and it was super flavourful with a variety of spices used. It definitely packed a punch with a hint of tanginess.

It was good, but unfortunately a tad too spicy for me as I do not have the best spicy tolerance. Nonetheless, I could forsee spice lovers enjoying this very much as they go together really well.

There were a whopping 14 sides for diners to choose from, with some less common offerings such as Ratatouille. I personally love this stewed dish as it’s an easy way to get in your daily dose of vegetables. It was very appetising with all the spices used and I liked how the vegetables were appropriately soft.

The second main we had was the “The Twist” Lava Golden Crispy Fish Fillet (S$14.90). If you are wondering if they’re referring Twisties the corn snack, yes, you’re right. This was the owners’ favourite snack, and they made it into a speciality sauce.

As I took my first bite, I was blown away by how delicious it was. The thick slab of fish was smooth and flakey on the inside. It was a perfect contrast of flavours with its crispy batter, half garnished with viscous pumpkin sauce topped with pounded twisties crumbs.

In spite of the varying textures, they complemented each other well, which enhanced the entire flavour profile of the dish.

Even when it was cold, it still retained its crispy batter and moist centre which are signs of a well-prepared dish. We had Soba Noodles and Baked Raisin Rice as the sides, which were both delightful. The noodles were lightly seasoned with a generous helping of furikake, and the raisin rice was equally appetising with bursts of sweetness from the raisins.

The third main we had was the Karala Creamy White Pepper AUS Grainfed Ribeye 120 days (S$26.90). Weighing 250g, it was a hefty piece of meat and I was glad it was cooked medium-rare as per my request.

The meat was tender but the cut was a lil’ too fatty for my liking. I would choose a different cut next time, perhaps the sirloin instead. However, the white pepper sauce was a twist of our Asian cooking which I enjoyed.

Black pepper sauce tends to be too heavy for me, and the white version was milder and less complex. The addition of cream also mellowed down the spice level which I appreciated.

We were kindly given little sampling pots of the Yakiniku Mushroom and Mushroom Swiss sauces to pair with the beef as well. The former was clear-based and leaned more towards the savoury side which my dining partner preferred, whereas I liked the latter better. It was creamy with chunks of caramelised onions and mushrooms in it that was so tasty even on its own.

The last main that we got was the Yuzu Butter Char Grilled Scottish Salmon (S$21.90). The salmon itself was flakey with a subtle sweet aftertaste. It was thoroughly cooked with a nice char on the exterior, although I do prefer my salmon slightly undercooked for a buttery texture.

But the highlight again was the sauce. The sauce was light but still managed to bind and elevate the entire dish altogether. The butter provided a base of additional richness which enhanced the natural fishy taste while the yuzu added a tinge of tartness.

While this sauce was good, the Gorgonzola Blue Cheese sauce they kindly offered me to try blew my mind. They only pair it with steak at the moment, but it should definitely be an option with fish. I had it with a piece of salmon and it was so good.

Pungent and savoury with a creamy umami-like edge, it really heightened the flavour profile of the fish. I also dipped a piece of the crispy fish in the sauce and it went together perfectly.

The salmon was paired with Cream Corn and Mac & Cheese. I favoured the latter better as I love myself a good mac & cheese. Whilst it was creamy and delectable, there was a tangy touch to it.

There wasn’t that usual heaviness to it and the shells were cooked till al dente, strong enough to hold up the rich sauce. It wasn’t jelak at all and it was something I would gladly eat a full portion of as a meal.

No meal is complete without dessert. And so, we went for their Molten Speciality Chocolate Lava Mud Pie (S$12.90).

I have high expectations for desserts, but this decadent one really takes the cake. This dessert takes six days to make as there are multiple layers to it. First, there’s the digestive biscuit layer for a nice crunch. Then, they are triple-layered with chocolate ice cream, coffee and vanilla.

All three flavours go so well together, like zhng-ed up neopolitan. The ice cream used is from Häagen-Dazs, which explains the slightly steeper price tag. It is a hefty dessert which can be easily shared.

As if the mud pie itself isn’t great enough, it was topped with almond crumb and drizzled with chocolate fudge. The warm and luscious fudge made it a delicious combination of warm and cold. It was so good and albeit its huge size, I finished it.

No regrets though, it was worth every single calorie. Its quality even surpassed many dessert speciality stores that I have been to.

Molten Diners definitely set a whole new standard for Western cuisine. The specials may be a tad bit more expensive than the usual, but their unique sauces are definitely something I would be willing to pay extra for.

Also, the delicious corn croquette that is only available with their specials makes it all the more worth it. They also have appetisers beside the usual fries like Wasabi Shrimps and Crispy Breaded Japanese Oysters with a truffle mayo dip.

While I do think some tweaks can be done to the menu to make their sauces a greater highlight, they did mention they are working on it. If you are in the area, give Molten Diners a try and I’m sure your tummy will thank you.

Expected damage: S$7.90 – S$26.90 per pax