FOC

This little restaurant and bar was a surprise to find in Singapore. The service was beyond exceptional and the food was fantastic. My favorite was the beef sliders with kimchi.

I had one of the best vacations a couple of years ago, cycling around the Catalan region eating affordable and excellent food everywhere. From Michelin-​starred restaurants (which I’m not sure is the best way to assess the more traditional dishes, but then again this region was under French protection at one point) to a home kitchen, the food in Catalunya is fantastic. If food was reason alone for granting autonomy, I say why not!
Anyway, let’s leave the politics aside and talk about FOC. I didn’t visit Can Jubany in Osona but I bet FOC is equally good. Spanish food by the Spanish, not too pricey and portions were sufficient (here’s looking at you, Serenity). I was craving some fideuà, which is like the ang moh version of hokkien prawn mee… and the chef gamely obliged with his rendition of squid ink fideuà. It was very tasty with a good amount of wok hei! We also had the croquettes, which had mashed potatoes so mashed it was practically a mouth-​watering purée; sardines with pickles 9gives your palate a good puckering up), fresh and very sweet tomatoes, the potatas bravas (kinda skimpy on the seasoning and not greasy… which I kind of associate with the dish but hey this will do) and the battered cod fish balls with apple purée (interesting but kind of mushy with not too distinctive flavors i.e. I couldn’t tell it was cod).
Up to this point, the food came out at a steady pace and then we had a long wait. I checked on the waiter and realized the kitchen had forgotten our grilled octopus and the egg with pork belly and truffle special… while the clock was ticking on when we had to vacate our seats because of the two cover policy and because I had a show to catch at the Art House. The octopus was served shortly and much as I had hyped up my dining partner on the wonders of Spanish octopuses (they are in fact ridiculously taught, smoky, crisp and mind blowing), the FOC version kind of disappointed. Time in the Josper grill somehow robbed the octopus of its juices, though I liked the char on top, so this was an «ehhh» dish that could’ve been so much better. The eggs with pork belly and truffles (what a combo right) never came and I think I actually paid for it in my haste. I didn’t check the bill thoroughly but on hindsight at $ 180 and some quick math off the website, I think I was charged for the dish that never went into my belly even though I would’ve loved to taste it.
Finally a note on the cocktails. I had the cuzco sour… because if you’ve hiked all over Peru you would have romantic memories of this lovely drink (not so much of the chicha). It was very balanced — the right amount of tart lime/​lemon and the requisite egg whites and bitters on top. My second drink was a Bangkok something, which I asked the waiter to recommend based on my preference for something «refreshing». It ended up being almost exactly the same as the sour except for some supposed chilli’s that were mild to non-​existent. Maybe I’m being a little picky but the mark of front of house would be one that watches both your food and drink selections and offers pairings that work with the food or takes you in a different direction from your first. I felt the team fell short here though it’s not surprising given how busy the restaurant was.
Nonetheless I enjoyed my meal at FOC, probably because the food and drinks came soon enough that I was willing to over look the slow service towards the end and the incorrect billing.

This place has a real NYC vibe for restaurants. Great tapas spot with food from Spain. The chef is a Michelin star chef and his food was legit. Staff was really nice like everyone in Singapore usually is. We ordered the lamb chops, beef sliders, cod fish balls, some mushroom dish and I forgot the last item. But everything was legit and tasted good. Would def come here again. I would suggest to def make a reservation. They book up quick as it is a trendy spot.
Peace from Doctor P

This is where spa aired come to eat so… That’s all said try chaparillo. arros negre and the wines.

One of the best dinners I’ve had in Singapore. Service was flawless, food was amazing. Worth every cent. Great for a fun night out when you’re in the mood to splurge a little. Total bill for 2 came up to $ 115 (incl. GST & service charge) without drinks.
We had:
— Mushroom croquettes ($ 10 for 4). Served fresh, each croquette can be finished off in 2 delightful bites. The inside is a gooey mess of cheese, cream and mushrooms. Wonderful starter to whet your appetite.
— Squid ink paella ($ 26). Perfect for sharing, also gorgeously photogenic. Each grain of rice was plump and flavorful and mixed with hidden octopus chunks, which was a pleasant surprise. It was topped with juicy prawns and clams and dollops of aioli. We wiped the pan clean. I must confess I never was a fan of paellas, but this one hit the ball out of the park.
— Grilled octopus ($ 22). Juicy octopus nestled on a bed of flavorful mashed potato topped with paprika. Only minor gripe was that some parts were so charred that I ended up tasting more bitterness from the burnt bits than the actual octopus. The octopus itself, on the other hand, was tender and meaty. Absolutely delicious.
— Iberico pork ribs & pumpkin mash ($ 30). Our least favorite dish of the night. Perhaps also because we were getting pretty full by then and this dish ended up feeling too heavy. The ribs were very fatty and the savory pork didn’t go that well with the sweet pumpkin. It was decent on the whole though.
— Chocolate Galaxy ($ 12). They bring the chocolate dome to the table and pour hot chocolate syrup over it on front of you, so you watch as the chocolate shell melts to reveal 3 mini profiteroles within. Ended up being essentially a chocolate «soup» with 3 cream-​filled profiteroles. We didn’t think we would be able to finish it, but we did! There were crunchy bits at the bottom which was a nice touch. Great for sharing.
Didn’t manage to try this time, but I’ve also heard good things about the mini chocolate burger and the watermelon gazpacho.
Will definitely return! Love this restaurant :)

It’s a smallish place but with a confident attitude about it. The cocktail list was never ending and I tried a couple they were both excellent! The Tapas was very nice as well, bcoz we had a few vegetarians in the group we stuck to mostly vegetarian and still I loved it, the cheese platter was excellent. Overall a good lace to go again. But it’s not cheap!

The food, throughout the night, did not disappoint.
We had the croquette as a starter.
Minus half a star for not having the foie gras slider when we visited last Friday. It was a dish I really wanted to try, but it was not available.
We ordered beef slider, which was tasty, but I guess it was just that.
The fried squid was definitely tasty, however, it came in small portion.
The special of the day, cauliflower, was really good and crunchy.
The fish and cheese (mac and cheese ball lookalike thing) was spot on. You gotta try this when you visit.
Another highlight is the black squid ink paella. I could come back again just to have a paella to myself, if they are not so particular about the whole reservation sms and dining duration.
The pork ribs were good, but not wow.
Overall, everything we have ordered that night is above average. I would definitely be back to try more dishes.
Minus another half a star for the pain of having to reserve on the phone with the missus who have hearing problem and make a fuss about replying «confirmed» by 3pm the next day and endless reminders that we have to leave by certain timing.

Flawless meal and one of the best I’ve had in Singapore. If you can, try to sit at the bar so you can watch in awe as the chefs prepare plates and the bartenders make drinks.
What I had:
Pork Tacos: When they first arrived, I was surprised at how small they were, but as soon as I took the first bite, I no longer wished for anything bigger. There was so much flavour packed into these little bite sized tacos, I’m still craving them a day later.
Potatoes Bravos: Delicious and delicate. A perfect starter that will not fill you up, but will make you anxiously await your next plate.
Grilled Octopus: wow. All I can say is wow. Perfectly cooked and perfectly seasoned, with a perfect char. I’ve had quite a bit of octopus and this rivals the best I’ve had.
French Toast and Ice Cream dessert: How can you go wrong with this, it’s a perfectly sweet dessert that isn’t too sweet and not too heavy. A great way to finish a great meal.
Smells Like Gin Spirit: I was hoping for a nice refreshing cocktail and that’s exactly what I got. I’m not much of a gin guy but decided to try this out and was pleasantly surprised.

I get the hype.
This place is buzzy (even on Mondays), with quirky décor, great music, and top notch food. The cocktail menu doesn’t seem to end, and I love how they break it down by easily identifiable flavour profiles like refreshing, floral, and spirit driven. I tried the Lord Sidecar– loved the sage and it was a great starter for a hot and humid day.
I was surprised at the patatas bravas– their rendition had a saucy kick to it. The grilled foie gras sliders were very rich, definitely a treat meant to be filed under «sometimes food only»! My husband and I were also impressed with the Black Mediterranean Squid Ink Paella. A mouthful to say, but when that mouthful’s in your mouth, it’s damn shiok.
My only constructive feedback was that it was slightly warm where we were sitting. We were at the end table opposite the bar/​kitchen. I noticed we weren’t that far from the ceiling AC unit; not sure if it was on at all.

Craft cocktails and small plates with a Western theme? Come to mama.
They impressed me when I walked in the door, the hostess squeezing me in on the spot despite no real opening for quite awhile. The waitstaff was fantastic all around.
The cozy atmosphere, the view of the kitchen and bar, and the hustling of the staff gave the place quite a bit of positive energy. The eclectic décor included a couple of large colorful busts looking down which was vaguely reminiscent of Carnival.
Quite a range of libations, I did sample a couple. I was honestly a bit disappointed with the «Smells Like Gin Spirit” – I was hoping for a cocktail like an Aviation but got something I’d expect at a New Orleans Sno-​Ball stand instead. Perhaps fitting for a balmy Singapore evening, though. The Don Martinez, however, was smoking (on many levels) – tequila-​based deliciousness.
An extensive selection of Spanish themed tapas that you would expect adorned the menu. I’m sure they are delicious, but I went for the «World Tapas» instead. Delicate scallops, pulled pork mini-​tacos, and beef-​cheek sliders. Every item I ate, they completely nailed.
I loved the dessert «burger». I’ll admit that when I first saw a picture I thought it a bit contrived and scoffed at the notion, but decided to try it anyway. It was so cute – the delicateness of the dish made it more reminiscent of a toddler’s toy cheeseburger rather than a slider. Strawberry «tomato» and mint «lettuce» added to the effect. A nice thin chocolate shell crunch with a light creamy filling, it was pleasing to the palate as well as the eye.
Bravo.

We had five dishes.
— baby squid w/​aioli
— scallops
— pulled pork sliders
— pork belly and cauliflower
— foie gras sliders
Absolutely love the sous-​vide pork belly and creamy cauliflower purée dish. Cant stop thinking about the playful foie gras and shiitake sliders or the buttery pulled pork buns.
Scallops were good, but slightly overlook from the ponzu.
Skip the baby squid. The batter on the squids were thick and made it heavy.

I came here with my family during our Singapore trip. We had some laksa earlier that morning, but my brother was super adamant about going to FOC for lunch. The décor was pretty cool — some weird light sculptures in the back. My nephew was quite fascinated by them.
The service was impeccable. Our waiter was super awesome.
The food was equally awesome. We ordered the following things: Ham croquette, octopus Galican style, squid ink paella, grilled Iberico pork ribs, pork belly & cauliflower purée, cod fish fritters, grilled scallops with soy caviar, foie gras sliders.
Honestly, everything was really good. Highly recommend the squid ink paella!

It’s interesting to see what passes for tapas in Singapore, but FOC really nails it down with some excellent selection of very unique plates as well as the classics. We actually just left the ordering to our server who planned the following dishes: Jamon Iberico, Scallops with soy caviar and bonito stock, beef cheek sliders, and slow cooked octopus. We really appreciated the thicker slices of jamon iberico, which allows one to fully savor the cured ham. The scallops were outstanding and totally worth the price of $ 18 for a pair. The beef cheek sliders was my least fave — very good flavor but not a big fan of the texture. And I loved how the octopus was paired with some earthy potato. I will definitely come back to try some of the classic tapas, but the first visit was definitely solid. Their bar program is also way above average for a restaurant with some really interesting house cocktails. But I tend to stick with the classics, and I was very happy with the Americano made with Amer Picon. The place gets packed, and with good reason. Definitely a fun place that also takes their food and drinks seriously. The small plates can definitely add up but it’s also well worth the price.

Great cocktails and great food.
Do try their crackling pork and their paella. Superb! Rsvp is a must eventhough it’s for weekdays.

We went to dinner here on a Friday night.
The décor is cool, hip, feels like a trendy bar/​tapas place in Manhattan.
We started with a cocktail that was excellent (probably the best I have had in Singapore) — Smells Like Gin Spirit — which was a perfect start-​off-​the-​night cocktail as it was herby and refreshing. Hubby had the special gin and tonic which he really liked.
We had 5 or so tapas. Our favorites were the toasted bread and tomatoes and croquettas — classic that are hard to do wrong, but were both very good. The black paella was only okay — honestly, the paella at Pasar Bella is better. The french toast for desert was very good — carmelized, chewy french toast with vanilla ice cream — and a great way to end the night.
I will be back but might make it a cocktails and a couple of starters thing, versus an entire night as there are just so many places to try in Singapore.

Amazing place, never thought there would be a place like this in my home town of Singapore. I’ve been a fan of good tapas since my Movida experience in Melbourne, and so those familiar with that place, we have our very own cool tapas bar on our own door step now.
Its been almost a week since I’ve been there, and I still remember the dishes I had. The suckling pig is not something they have everyday, if they have it on the menu the day you are there, have it. I can’t name many occasions when pork has melted in my mouth!
The anchovies on coca bread is a must try, as is the braised beef. And that Foie Gras, you want that flavor to stay in your mouth forever.
Here’s my other recommendation, if you’re in small group, ask to sit at the bar. Its not only about watching the cocktails being served up, but also watching the chef and ESC prepare all the dishes in the kitchen. Its certainly part of the experience.

I feel a little self-​conscious, giving FOC only three stars amidst all the 4 – 5 star reviews so far.
The bad first, since it weighs heavily on my mind. I hate that they do two sittings, one at 6:30pm and the other at like… 9. It’s ridiculous. Some of us work till 7 ish, 8, and there’s no way we can wait till 9 to have dinner. So the only time I’ve eaten at FOC is for a work dinner, when the entire office got off work early, just so we could eat here. Other than with such special arrangements? I’m basically never going to be able to dine here on a weekday.
The food was… good. Not mind-​blowing. Not amazing. Just… good. And not even enthusiastically good. Granted, I didn’t order items off the menu, we had a pre-​ordered selection of the menu because we were such a big group, but I think we hit many of the popular items.
The octopus was good, but not the best, or second best I’ve had in Singapore. The eggs scrambled at the table with fried potatoes, brilliant idea, but the hot-​plate wasn’t hot enough to actually cook the eggs, so we had very raw egg white, slightly cooked egg-​yolk, and brilliantly crisp potato bits. The watermelon gazpacho was tasty and very addictive, and I’d definitely order it again… if I do go back. The seafood paella was popular with some, though the seafood taste got a bit overpowering by the 4 – 5 spoonful. Mushroom croquettas? Brilliant. Creamy, practically fall apart croquettas with a strong distinct mushroom taste. Really good. But better than a good creamy jamon croquetta? Unfortunately… no.
So maybe you’ll enjoy FOC more than I did if you’re a fan of cocktails. I didn’t order any because I was driving, and was having wine.
But right now, I’d rather head to UNA for my tapas fix.

There’s a blazing fire that is out to turn up the heat on Hongkong Street and that is FOC Restaurant, a new Spanish dining concept and cocktail bar. FOC is an inspired collaboration between Michelin-​starred Chef Nandu Jubany, Chef Jordi Noguera formerly from FoodBar Dada, and award-​winning mixologist Dario Knox previously from Catalunya Restaurant. Yes it’s a star studded team!
Expect a contemporary small plates menu with Catalan and Mediterranean influences, complemented by a selection of inventive cocktails. They even created a selection of Asian inspired tapas which were honestly pretty darn good.
HITS!
Cochifrito. Crispy Pork Taco ($ 14/​2pcs). This is one of my favorites if not the top favorite dish. This is FOC’s take on the Mexican taco, and that crispy shell was too addictive. It’s like a really awesome fried wanton skin filled with tender pulled pork. I really liked the crispy pulled pork. I didn’t even mind the dou miao and I don’t even like bean sprouts. Now could we have this in jumbo size or what?
Bocata de foie-​gras a la brasa y shitake marinado. Grilled foie-​gras with marinated shitake and green apple ($ 22/​2pcs). Loved that broiche bun with a glossy blistered exterior. It was very crunchy and extremely buttery. Even though the foie gras was on the oily side, it had a nice creamy texture and i liked that the green apples added that tinge of tartness.
FOC Hamburguesa de chocolate FOC chocolate burger ($ 12). Now here is one carefully crafted dessert burger made from white chocolate, vanilla mousse, strawberries and mint leaves. You should eat it all together for a balanced review of this dessert. The combined flavors of the smoky caramel, sweet milk chocolate and the tart strawberries were delightful. The cream in the ‘bun’ had a marshmallow texture too!
DRINKS! Innovative, strong and very affordable! They start at $ 13 and cocktails are available ALL DAY. Say WERTTTT!
MISSES
Vieiras con caviar de soja. Scallops soy caviar ($ 20). It’s scallops, and it’s nicely seared and it’s in a salty soy. There’s really nothing else to it.
«Cansalada» confitada con pure de coliflor. Confited pork belly with cauliflower purée ($ 14/​4pcs). Bland. Fatty. Bleah. Give me that cauliflower purée on its own.

FOC was by far the best dining experience I had on my recent trip to Singapore!
A friend of mine staying at a hotel nearby suggested it as a place to try as it had only recently opened and is owned by Michelin star chef Nandu Jubany. Tucked away down dark and dingy Hong Kong street, about 200metres from the bustling Clarke Quay, this it is probably the last place you would expect to find such an amazing tapas and cocktail bar.
From the moment we stepped inside it was obvious that we had been eating at all the wrong places on our trip up until now. The décor was modern and trendy with the crowd to match and the team were all young, friendly and incredibly accommodating. As it was a Saturday night and the restaurant was completely packed (I would recommend making a booking), we sat at the bar and were entertained all night by the open plan kitchen and lively staff.
Compared to everywhere else we visited on our trip, we were impressed with the prices given how good the food and overall experience was. The prices ranged from $ 8-​$ 30 per plate, but obviously being tapas you will need a few! We ordered 6 dishes between 3 of us and a dessert each and every one of them was excellent!
Unfortunately I was not drinking on the night we visited. I always love a good cocktail and the drinks menu at FOC looked amazing… and judging by the drinks on the tables around us they were!
The menu at FOC was also very instagram-​friendly — especially the chocolate dessert burger made from chocolate and ice-​cream with a strawberry, mango and mint filling. It is so cute that we had to order one just for a photo! I had the apple pie for dessert which was a deconstructed version and possibly the best dessert I have ever had!
They also have valet parking out the front of the restaurant for a fee if you are planning to drive.
Overall this place is the whole package — Excellent service, food and atmosphere. If you are in Singapore and looking for a great dining experience you really need to go here!

I asked my friend Ning when she would be free to celebrate her mid November bday. and she said let’s do dinner this Thursday. She’s busy with med school so she has to seize the day (evening). She said try FOC? I had heard of it but had thought another tapas bar ok whatever.
Made bookings early. ok left a voice message to callback to add an additional person and they didn’t call. FOCING service I thought to myself but I called back and they were helpful as can be. Thereafter, it was all uphill.
We arrived just before 7pm on a Thurs night and the place was getting full. We hadn’t asked but they had given us 3 girls counter seats on the leftmost side of the counter right in front of Chef Jordi. Getting to ask him about the food (even the ones not destined for us), watching him and the other staff hard at work, chatting about his recommendations and preferences really added to the experience.
We had Croquetas de setas (Mushroom croquettes) $ 8. Cuatro unidades (4 units). Sorry the nod goes to Binomio on this one. The batter was slightly overfried (but the 4^th piece which I did not eat was noticeably a shade lighter in colour than the other 3) and the inside was full of bites of (maybe?) porcini mushrooms. Tasty and mushroomy but Binomio wins for the smooth cream filling evenly exuding mushroom flavour. Both places seem to serve the croquestas on the same dab of garlic mayo.(incidentally the same garlic mayo dabbed on FOC’s black rice paella and Binomio’s squid ink pasta fideua).
We had a daily special recommended by Chef, he called it the huevos dish and it was basically potato pieces fried with crispy edges served with an egg on top and in a skillet. Simple but again very yummy and perfectly seasoned (ie not too salty).
One of Ning’s and my favourites (Nadia doesn’t like tomatoes) was the watermelon gazpacho with charcoal olive oil ice cream. We ordered one portion to share and Chef Jordi thoughtfully split the ice cream into 3 separate bowls. The gazpacho was incredibly smooth and tasty and tomatoey with just a touch of sweetness from the watermelon. Nadia doesn’t like tomatoes (other than fresh ones in salad or in the background like pizza sauce) but she loved the icecream mixed with the gazpacho and ate up every last drop of her portion. That’s how good it was.
Food was very tasty without being cloyinging rich and greasy which can be the risk of Spanish restaurants (in Spain as well as here!). The black rice (arroz negro) with seafood paella $ 22 was luscious without visible separated oil unlike Binomio and La Bomba and Sabio). The plumpness and bite of the rice was perfect, really good quality rice handled well.
Another strong recommendation by Chef Jordi, the grilled ribeye at $ 35 was meltingly tender and served medium rare. Originally I thought he was talking about the 1kg beef on the bone. and I asked «Erm.too much for us 3?». He said No! Just nice for sharing.(I was thinking OK. maybe we look very hungry) and later when I realised it was a ribeye steak portion PHEW I told him about the intiial misunderstanding and we had a good laugh about it. This was 150g and we were all commenting how tender and juicy and really good the meat was and my other 2 friends also raved on about the grilled peppers served on the side of it.
Note on the cocktails. Nadia had the Smells Like Gin Spirit $ 14. Tasty and refreshing gin version of a mojito. I had the Chef’s favourite, Bloody Jordi also $ 14 and is a bloody Mary type with an Asian sour twist. Looking at the description again that must be the Kimuchi no Moto (korean kimchi base). Dario the mixologist said it had 1.5 shots of tequila in it. I couldn’t taste the alcohol but he said it was not meant to be a strong alcohol forward drink. It’s true the spices and tomato was the prevalent sensation and not everyone will like that flavour combination but it was interesting to try something new. My friends all commented it was so savoury like a soup and it did go down very easily. I suppose it’s a silent killer but I was happy to get on to the excellent house wine — I had the Angelitos Negros 2013 at $ 10.50 a glass!
After all that Chef asked if we wanted a small bite each. He then prepared 3 pieces of scallops topped with their soy «caviar» (tapioca sago) so we could have 1 each when the standard serving is 2. Fresh juicy and plump w slight char $ 16.
We went through the courses very smoothly (all tapas but felt like a proper dinner all the way) and happily ended with the chocolate burger at $ 12 and the Torrija $ 10.
Overall food was fresh, not overstated, not over-​seasoned, refreshing, very yummy but not bludgeoning on the palate.
A small portion of Torrija with a candle and with happy birthday written in dulce de leche on the plate was served complimentary. And unexpectedly, even the valet (from Purple Valet) waited to close all our doors for us as we got into the car. I don’t know if that’s part of the restaurant training but kudos.