Providore (Mandarin Gallery), Singapore

I popped into the newly opened Providore at Mandarin Gallery along Orchard Road.  The owners and team of Providore were previously the management behind Jones the Grocer.  Like Jones the Grocer, Providore offers gourmet products.  Providore’s first outlet is called “Warehouse” located in Outram.  As the name “Warehouse” implies, it is a huge space selling cookware and gourmet products.  It does not, however, offer cooked food.  Providore’s outlet at Mandarin Gallery is the first outlet to do so.

I heard that they offer tapas-style small dishes for sharing.  Always interested in tapas, I popped in to try.

I first tried the Sauteed Prawns, with Chorizo, dried chilli and capirete sherry vinegar (S$14.50 + 7% sales tax).  The smell of vinegar was really strong.  I mean, really.  But the shrimps tasted all right though.  The Chorizo was a highlight—it tasted authentic.  Though the bread wasn’t extraordinary, this dish really needed the bread to go along with it.  Otherwise, the vinegar would have been too tart.  One of the shrimp wasn’t properly de-shelled.

Hmm…..

Next, I tried the Grilled Mackerel Crostini & Crispy Bacon, with roasted cherry tomatoes, basil and tomato vinaigrette (S$18.50 + 7% sales tax).  The cherry tomatoes were perfectly roasted. The rest, average.

Then came possibly the best dish I tried that day – Grilled Asparagus & Wrapped in Prosciutto, with poached egg, black truffle vinaigrette & red shiso.  They used good asparagus (firm, fresh, with great snap), so the battle was half won. With the prosciutto and sauce, it came together well.

My final dish was the Roasted Beetroot and Goat Cheese, with watercress, candied walnuts, endive & croutons. Well…..

By then, I was a little antsy to leave.  No dish had really stood out.  Everything was a middling “B”. The flavours were unremarkable.

I tried the Red Velvet Cake and Café Latte.  The Red Velvet cake was just flour, red food colouring and vanilla butter icing.  And it costs S$6.90.  The vanilla butter icing had a bit of old fashioned charm to it, but it was nowhere near exciting. The café latte (S$18.50 + 7% sales tax) was non-descript.  It could have been a cup of latte from anywhere.

Still determined to sift out a star from this place, I ordered the  Chai Latte (S$6.50 + 7% sales tax).   It was……well, average.

Having tried 4 dishes, 1 cake and 2 beverages, I left satisfied but unsatisfied.

Oh well, live to fight another day.