the feast, catch-up session
we hardly meet up for running sessions nowadays, since one of the team smiley’s twin brother opened a stall, our catch-up makan session ensued.
salut, located at blk 119 bukit merah lane 1, is unlike your normal kopitiam serving up local hawker fares. it is a conglomeration of cuisines – french, german, swiss, american. one of the little details that make it start out is the blue and white chequered vinyl tablecloths. do be prepared to share tables or wait for an empty table as the crowd gets huge especially during the weekends.
it is always good to have a bigger dinner group, and able to share and taste the different food varieties. our primary orders were from the immanuel french kitchen. the chef is none other than the twin brother of our team smiley.
pork belly ($15.40)
the braised pork belly in kakuni style was awesomely…soft and tender, and the layer of collagen simply melts in your mouth. sitting beneath the heavenly pieces of meat was the duxelle mushroom, which complements well with the potato foam and the onsen egg.
sous vide chicken breast ($12.60)
sous vide is a french method of cooking food seals in airtight plastic bag in a controlled water bath temperature for more than the normal cooking times. the result from it is an evenly cooked and the retention of moisture from the food. that was what caused the chicken breast meat to be soft and succulent. the mushroom and the creamy risotto that accompanies the chicken was perfect. that was the first time i had chicken breast, without getting tiny bits of meat stuck in between my teeth.
we also had the french duck leg confit ($14.90) when the reminder of the team smileys arrived. it was the most popular dish, after all, duck confit is synonymous with french cuisine.
we sat right in front of stew küche, and simply cannot ignore the plates of pork knuckle served out from their kitchen.
whole german pork knuckle ($25)
if a whole pork knuckle is too much for you, you can opt for the half portion ($15). the skin was super crispy and you couldn’t get enough of it. the meat was surprisingly tender and goes well with the sauce. a side of mash potato and a local twist of achar provides a balance to the otherwise carnivore meal.
i’ve seen burger patties replaced with instant noodles on wok stars and a local blog, and finally get to check out the ramen burger by 面miàn by the travelling c.o.w.
crab salad ramen burger ($12)
it was almost impossible to eat it like a burger, especially with the generous serving of the crab salad. the ramen burger was nonetheless, crispy on the outside, soft and chewy inside. like any other burgers, it comes with a side of fries.
we spotted chicken wings on almost all the tables around us. two wings pte ltd specializes in fried chicken and wings. the chicken wings are only fried upon order. this results in longer waiting time, but the promise for better quality fried wings.
12 pieces chicken wings ($24)
the wings come in 4-pcs ($8.50 )and and 6-pcs ($12.50) options. you leave your contact number with them, and they will send you a sms when your order is ready. each wing is succulent and tender, with the a crispy skin. i thought i had the crispiest skin chicken wing from 4 fingers, but two wings win hands down on the size and quality.
there are 2 drink stalls, one serving crafted beers and the other, brown sugar, serving bubble teas on top of canned drinks, fruit juices and hot beverages.
i ended the meal with a banana ice-cream by jolly-bell, the only desserts stall that sells home-made ice-cream, tarts and tiramisu. the stall owner is a relative of the famous macarons stall in pasar bella, and you can also find those little delights here.
i like the concept of salut, atas food in a kopitiam setup. i would definitely like to head back for the other stalls i’d missed, the pork knuckle and the duck confit.
