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The Communal Place, located on Joo Chiat Road, has recently kickstarted its new offerings on 13 June 2022, with the purpose of bringing people together to share a meal and strengthen bonds that were weakened due to the absence of gatherings during the pandemic.
Let’s rewind the clock back to that dreaded period when the Government imposed dine-in restrictions, shall we? Small families like mine had little problems dining out, but what about bigger families? The thought of having two seperate gatherings for a family of eight is just too tiring and difficult to organise.
Connection, Harmony and Reflection— these are the three main key points that are the focus of their new launch. If you observe the headings of The Communal Place‘s new menu, you would see “little sharing plates” and “communal sharing plates”, both of which encourage diners to share food together.
To start the ball rolling, I ordered their Octopus Chorizo (S$18) which was one of their new dishes. I learnt that The Communal Place used to serve bangers and mash. The Octopus Chorizo was created when the chefs challenged themselves to elevate this classic. It consisted of octopus tentacles, slices of chicken sausages, and creamy mashed potatoes drenched in a unique brown gravy.
The gravy was spicy, savoury and slightly acidic all at the same time. The chef explained to me that canned pepperoncini peppers were used, which are popular in the Mediterranean. They were chopped finely with the addition of garlic, chilli and onions that were the main components of their homemade chilli.
I’ve cooked octopus personally during my chef days and it’s difficult to get the texture right! The octopus was tender without the usual workout my jaw was subjected to from past experiences eating overcooked ones. The creamy mashed potatoes and sausages gelled all the elements of the dish nicely together— I am off to a good start!
The St. Louis Pork Ribs (S$28) were slathered in a tasty BBQ sauce and topped with sesame seeds. Though the chef explained to me that the ribs were prepared using a newly perfected 23-hour process that included a milk bath, my dining partner and myself felt that the meat could be softer. It came with a side salad with sliced pink radish and cherry tomatoes that helped cut the richness of the meat.
The Communal Place’s new dishes include Porter House Steak (S$49) which is a T-bone steak that’s seasoned with a simple herb rub to emphasise the natural meat flavours, and Smash Meatball (S$14) which consists of a wagyu patty with edam cheese served with pomodoro sauce and ciabatta.
Regulars of this cafe would know that their past dishes were miso-themed. Miso Salmon (S$23) and Foie Gras # Miso (S$26) were retained in their new menu, together with crowd-pleasers like Fish Tacos (S$14) and their famous Chocolate Dome (S$21).
As the famous quote says, “Food brings people together.” If you’re in the Joo Chiat area, pay The Communal Place a visit and have a hearty meal together with your family and friends.
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