Replacing the Alba restaurant on the 10th floor of Cubus is Town, a bistro serving multi-cultural cuisine with focus on lighter and healthier ingredients.
The dining area is modern and clean, with hints of industrial touches. The windows overlook the buildings on the Lee Gardens side, and I imagine would be quite scenic when all lit up during the evening.
Town offered a 3-course set lunch (ranging from $178 - $220): starter, main and dessert. For the starter, it was a choice between Anti-Pasti Buffet and Broccoli, Smoked Salmon and Yoghurt. We all opted for the former. The buffet table offered standard salad items ranging from leafy vegetables, cous cous, cold cuts and so on. Quite refreshing and definitely more controlled than a free-flow all-you-can-eat/order brunch.
The bread basket was a warm and most breads used heavier dough, giving them the qualities of comfort food. Simple old goodness! We also ordered a bottle of Panna still water ($68), which is not pictured here.
Next up were the mains. Iberico Pork Loin, Corn, Pancetta, Celery Root, Peas, Quince ($220/set) was a safe fail-proof choice; the cut was meaty and with a bit of bite, while the sides matched the sweetness from the pork loin.
Our other main was Wagyu Beef Burger, Cheddar Cheese, Lettuce, Tomato, Red Onion Jam, Fries($198/set). Like the Iberico Pork, also a staple dish, but with a twist of red onion jam which complemented the heaviness of the patty quite well. Other than that, it can be described as a no-frills classic American burger.
Another main that we ordered was Beef and Pork Bolognaise, Spagettini, Porcini Mushrooms ($188/set). Again like the burger, was a classic entry to the American diet. The twist was the use of Porcini mushrooms instead of the usual button mushrooms, giving the dish a bit more bite and character.
The desserts were a choice between Strawberries with Mascarpone Cheese OR Upside-Down Pineapple Cake. The strawberries and mascarpone, I believe are a healthier option to the usual strawberries and cream. Those looking for a healthier fresh fruit option would appreciate this.
The Upside-Down Pineapple Cake, in my opinion, tasted exactly like the classic Cantonese bakery favorite Coconut Tart (椰撻)! The pineapple added a layer of acidity to the tart, and elevated it above your local bakery tart.
All in all, I appreciate the use of quality ingredients as I do the reinvention of classic dishes. I see a small step in the right direction, and do look forward to a bigger more adventurous leap for the menu. But then again, I have yet to sample the dinner menu, which may offer more interesting flavours and options versus the dependable (and rather unimaginative) lunch menu. Town is still a good choice for a straightforward meal with friends in a casual relaxed environment. read more