Top Pub Food and Excellent House Pours in Tanjong Pagar @ Bluemist, Singapore
Do you remember Cheers? That beloved American sitcom centered around a pub and launched the career of Woody Harrelson.
Bluemist may be the Singaporean version of the beloved pub in Cheers.
Bluemist is situated in Tanjong Pagar (beside Tanjong Pagar market) under an HDB block. It has been around forever and has built up its loyal clientele. Like Cheers, the decor is well-worn and homey. Run by the owner herself and long time staff, they are familiar and friendly with their regular customers.
Being a pub, they have an extensive beverage (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) menu. Also, they have possibly the best tasting, and certainly the best value for money house pour menu. Unlike most restaurants which offer Chilean or Argentinian wines as house pour, Bluemist offers New Zealand wines at great prices.
We road-tested all the house pour wines and will recommend below how to pair them. Read on.
Piccini Prosecco Venetian Dress Mondo DOC NV $12/glass $11 during happy hour – till 8pm
Veneto, Italy
A rich and refined bouquet, with notes of white fruit and a delicate scent of white flowers transforming the sensory journey into an emotional experience.
Absolutely delicious. The tasting note above is highly accurate. In fact, all the tasting notes for the house pours (and included in this article) are highly accurate.
This ice-cold, refined prosecco makes an excellent aperitif and is highly recommended to be enjoyed on its own or paired with the Risotto with Black Cod.
Risotto with Black Cod $21.90
Risotto cooked with light cheese, truffle oil and topped with a pan-seared black cod fish.
The cod was light, sweet and free of fishy stink. It was lightly and perfectly seared. The sear marks are beautiful and add just that bit of crisp.
The highlight here is the risotto. It may be the best risotto I have ever tried. The sweetness of the broth has completely (I mean completely) permeated the rice. The cheese and truffle oil come through. Btw, they used legit Italian risotto rice and they have carefully cooked it to the right degree of al denteness.
The sweetness of the prosecco would balance the cheese and the truffle oil nicely. The acidity of the prosecco would cut through the cheese too.
Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc $13/glass $12 during happy hour – till 8pm
Marlborough, New Zealand
Wine Spectator 85 pts, Robert Parker 85 pts
Stunningly aromatic, with tropical and citrus notes.
Ice-cold, citrusy and refreshing. I highly recommend it to be paired with vegetarian Vietnamese Spring Rolls.
Vietnamese Spring Rolls
Vegetarian $12
Chicken $12
Salmon $14
In-house made spring rolls, deep fried
The spring rolls are pretty and they look uniform. They arrived piping hot. The green inside the golden skin was just too beautiful and irresistible.
The citrusy acidity of the Sauvignon Blanc cuts through and balances the grease of the spring rolls nicely.
Oyster Bay Merlot $13/ glass, $12 during Happy Hour – till 8pm
Hawkes Bay, New Zealand
Wine Spectator 88 pts, Robert Parker 86 pts
Vibrant, alluring flavours of juicy black plum and sweet berry fruits.
Oyster Bay Pinot Noir $14/ glass $13 during Happy Hour – till 8pm
Hawkes Bay, New Zealand
Wine Spectator 88pts
Aromatic cherry, bright red berry and juicy black plum
Both of these New World reds are highly drinkable and can be paired interchangeably with either of the two excellent mains below.
Beef Stew $24.90
Beef cheek stew with herbs and in-house sauce. Served with mashed.
The beef fell apart very easily. The real test here was the carrot. It was soft, which means they really have cooked it for a long, long time. The sauce was unbelievably rich and decadent. It should be weaponized.
Grilled Chill Ribeye Beef Steak $30.90
Served with daily veg, fried or mashed. Served on a sizzling plate or normal plate.
A real surprise. The steak was a sizeable piece with only a little fat (good for health and good value for money). I recommend using the gravy on the side for the fries and simply enjoy the steak with a bit of salt sprinkled over it. It was delicious, rich and satisfying.
The simply grilled vegetables have got excellent colour and beautiful grill marks. They are sweet and provide an excellent balance to the satisfying meatiness of the steak. Sometimes, the simplest solutions are indeed the best solutions.
The fries have got such excellent crisp that they taste like they are factory made.
What I like most is the attention to detail—– they have got good old fashioned caramelized onions underneath the steak. Steak and onions is a classic, almost forgotten combo. I am so glad Bluemist stuck to this time-tested favourite.
Yolkless Cheesecake $6
It is not any less delicious than cheesecakes made with yolks. So go ahead. Indulge without guilt.
Irish Coffee $12 (with Bailey’s or Jameson)
This is my first time trying Irish coffee with Jameson. I think I prefer Bailey’s as Jameson burns more.
I am impressed with the top notch food and excellent house pours. Though it may not look it, there certainly are a lot of gems to be mined here.
