Liver .... *tries not to barf*
I hate liver *uughhhhhhhhhhh*
Anyway there is a review on TODAYonline 11 July, 2005
From batter to best
Tor Ching Li
[email protected]
You can have it at BQ Bar, Father Flanagans, Molly Malones, The
Penny Black and Muddy Murphy's. Now add Mad Flemmings to the list
of pubs here that offers Irish-style fish and chips.
Executive chef Patrick Tan, a Boat Quay veteran of eight years,
joined Mad Flemmings last September as head of its kitchen. The
chef with a Midas touch for whipping up sumptuous pub grub had
honed his skills at The Penny Black and Muddy Murphy's.
Now Tan is determined to make Mad Flemmings the pub with the best
food at Boat Quay.
Judging by the house specials, it is almost there. The pub still
has kinks to iron out where service is concerned, Tan admitted. But
the food is beyond reproach.
In fact, the quality of the pub's Irish and English favourites is
close to that of restaurants.
There are salads and soups, steaks, sandwiches, burgers and an
excellent selection of pastas and thin-crust pizzas. For a start,
the warm seafood salad ($13), bathed in a light wine sauce, was
fresh and succulent.
Tan said the produce used in the salad varies as it is made from
the freshest available ingredients.
There is a plethora of main dishes to choose from, but you won't
regret choosing the good ol' fish and chips, done faultlessly to a
golden crisp here.
"The first thing I do when I enter the kitchen is taste the batter.
It has to be just right," said Tan.
"Just right" means the mix will give the dory fillet a light and
crisp coating.
The chips are broad, but not too thick; tasty, but not too salty.
There is a choice of dips to go with the fish: Freshly-made
mayonnaise, pickled onions and malt vinegar.
Meat lovers will find the Mad Flemmings burger ($12) utterly
satisfying. Take a bite of the succulent grilled beef patty,
tomatoes and crispy bacon sandwiched between a toasted
sesame-seed bun and you will be in burger heaven.
The pastas here will give Italian restaurants along the quay a run
for their money. The pan-fried blackened salmon with spaghetti
aglio olio ($14) is Tan's creation for health-conscious
diners.
While other pasta dishes are drenched in olive oil, Tan has
mastered a cooking technique in which pasta is partially steamed so
it is not oily and is perfectly al dente. The salmon, too, is done
just right.
Tan recalled one confused diner who had thought the salmon was
burnt. He explained that the dark coating is "a special blend of
spice" that counters any fishy taste.
A sweet ending comes in the form of the bread-and-butter pudding,
which at $5 is good value for money. Also available is the popular
Italian dessert, tiramisu.
A happy note lunch time is happy hours here. The Mad Flemming's
Mad Hours drinks promotion starts at noon and runs until 2pm, so
you can start the pub crawl early.
As a bonus, there is a $4.99 deal on the second order a the main
course.
Adding variety to his spice rack, Tan plans to create a
European-inspired menu next month.
Tor Ching Li
[email protected]
