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Most of the eateries in the East Coast Park cater to the families-in-flip-flops crowd rather than fashionistas. But with the opening of 1 TwentySix at the newly redeveloped Playground @ Big Splash, we have a soon-to-be-trendy exception. Outside, a series of decks amid tropical plants and seductively lit fountains forms a chic setting for your bar bites and cocktails. You can almost imagine the barge lights out at sea as the skyline of Monaco.
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Inside, the restaurant maintains its fun, modern style – the perfect setting for its equally playful, modern take on continental cuisine. The intimate, glassenclosed space features a mix of geometric shapes: chair backs that look like haphazardly stacked eggs, bar stools that resemble mini Indonesian gongs. The colour palette is warm, unlike the air-con that can get annoyingly aggressive.
This, fortunately, is not the case with the staff. They are friendly but not smothering and seem well-trained and well-timed in that subtle European style. Such service does come at a price, but combined with generous portions, incredibly fresh ingredients and the swish surroundings, the prices soon take a back seat to the pleasure of dining here.
Starters were nearly always a success and highlighted the kitchen’s creativity. A particularly striking soup had chunks of crab meat set afloat in a pleasantly salty dashi broth, covered by a sizeable dome of flaky, buttery pastry. You could almost taste the colour green in the fresh arugula salad spiked with a fruity, fantastic shaved parmesan – reason enough to go to this restaurant. The seared scallops were tender and blended surprisingly well with a fried egg and corn purée, whose sweetness played well against a tuft of bitter greens.
Mains were more hit and miss. The sea bass was sealed in a perfectly charred crust that preserved the moist flesh for dredging in a light and fl avourful cepe velouté. The beef shin ragout over pasta featured ultra-tender meat and pleasantly chewy pasta, yet the entire dish boasted only a dull earthy flavour that could have benefi ted from garlic, a dash of herbs or a shake of burgundy. The lamb two-ways came as a succulent tenderloin and gamey dry chop, and a nicely roasted quail was perched atop linguine bathed in an over-salted mushroom sauce.
Desserts, which looked like mini modern-art sculptures, were ultimately a let-down. On one occasion, the ambitious Dome Symphony – featuring more ingredients than an ice chendol, including champagne jelly, peach foam and lavender granite – was served with cake-like croutons that were clearly spoiled. The staff responded immediately, though, offering to fix us another and, when we refused (because we were truly full), removing it from the bill. It is the staff’s sincere interest in your dining experience that will ultimately turn this ambitious start-up into a true gem.
Words by:
Michael Franco1 TwentySix details
902 East Coast Parkway
Transport
Telephone 63482126
Main courses from $14.00 to $55.00
Open A la Carte: Mon-Sun 6.30-11pm; last orders at 10.30pm. Sunday Brunch: 9.30am-3pm. Gastro bar: Sun-Thu 6pm-1am; Fri, Sat & holiday eve 6pm-3am.
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Oh what a terrible evening. We made a reservation for 830 and arrived to find that they had lost it. We then spent 1 hour at the bar before being given a lounge to sit at. Our starters then arrived at 1030pm and mains were delivered at 11pm. All in all a very aloof lot of young inexperienced staff who laughed off our complaints. Never, never again!!!
Posted on Sun 24 Jan 2010 10:35:30
Was there having drinks at the bar its great
Posted on Mon 12 Oct 2009 17:05:35
My husband and I stumbled upon the place last Wednesday while we were looking for a place to have coffee. The band was triple awesome, plays great music!!! Fantastic place to chill out...will definitely go back again on Wednesday (sadly the band only plays that day)
Posted on Tue 03 Feb 2009 15:26:37
finally came back for a very long time!!! was there on last weekend, im surprised & shocked to see new faces?? maybe new managements changes! anyway, had their new menu. some of the signature still there except my mussels pasta... i miss them very much! but the food is tasty now & fyi its damn cheap now... im shocked after my bill was presented. so it wont be like occasionally tat i would drop by, nothing so special as the price & food is nothing to wow about like last time! but its fresh for sure... the managment have to think carefully wat they want to achieve.. confuse bosses i supposed!!! fine dining n now bistro style.... sad to say, the service crew have change for worst. i have to rise my hands up for my drinks, my bread, my bills... very sad. i still pefer the old team, friendly & smile always.. service needs to approved! all i can say, go for the cheap food now dun bother the service! food is good choice & good ala carte brunch they have..
Posted on Sun 28 Dec 2008 00:39:39
service all are new faces & im not sure what happen to all the old friendly staff.... again they hav a useless ang moh manager.... food was good. its so cheap now but no special about like old menu. but tasty & gd quality! bravo guys.. need to work on service crew now... they are s**t!
Posted on Wed 24 Dec 2008 16:41:33