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Brian Kennett

Amateur Chef and Boozy Traveling Foodie Extraordinaire

Tortuga Tapas Bar & Bistro @ Katong

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Tortuga Tapas Bar & Bistro @ Katong

download Tortuga Tapas Bar & Bistro @ Katong

We truly are so verfy lucky living in Siglap and being foodies as a family. We always have new stuff to try. Always. And all within 10 minutes of home, hence we love living on the East Coast so very much. We have walked past this place once, and I saw my best dud Ruthers and gang recently frequented so… With nothing planned for dinner last night, it was time to try out Tortuga Tapas Bar & Bistro @ Katong. And believe me, folks, it did not disappoint. This joint is right up there with the best of the very best. This is quality food. No frills. It is tapas. It is just amazing. As you will see and hear below.

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They don’t talk about themselves much. No website from what I can find. No idea whom the Chef is, albeit I think we met him table-side. Some cracking Facebook reviews though, so hopefully this wee blog fits in there nicely too.

They are using both floors of the shop-house. It is a humble place, a homely place, a family place. We loved it. The staff were awesome and extremely attentive and helpful, be proud of that Tortuga. We got to meet Chef, albeit briefly. I think he might have wondered which table it was that kept ordering a 2nd dish of what had just been served ha ha!!! Yep, it was family Kennett. We could not help ourselves. I had a sneak peek in the kitchen and it was galley small, which amazes me, even more, to see the quality of food coming to the table during a busy service. Great work guys. Amaze-balls.

So my friends take our advice and visit them at 95 East Coast Road, Katong. I also reckon a wee phone call would be sensible as it was busy busy folks 6581 9022. Come and see the guys at Tortuga Tapas Bar & Bistro @ Katong. Let’s have a look shall we at food ordering family Kennett style.

Tortuga Tapas Bar & Bistro @ Katong
First up was two helpings of Serrano Ham with Cherry Tomato. I had to get two or Jude would have punched me more than likely. We all love this, but this is Jude’s big time favourite. That and Japanese Wagyu. OMG what have I raised ha ha. This was stunning. Almost melting. We did try to order a third but they had sold out. Whoops, so we had another mixed meat platter. One thing to also call out with this was the tomatoes. Served in that incredible Olive Oil again, and also infused with garlic cloves. Hell yes!!!
Tortuga Tapas Bar & Bistro @ Katong
We had to have the Duck Liver Pate. Homemade just like the incredible sourdough bread. This was damned good. We even ordered another bread basket to make sure we got rid of every last piece. Simply delicious.
Tortuga Tapas Bar & Bistro @ Katong
These were called Mammoth & Mixed Marinated Olives. Seriously some of the best olives ever to hit this gob. The Olive Oil was TOP drawer and they had some Chili, garlic and fresh orange rind in there too. Salty and sweet and citrus. Amaze-balls olives.
Tortuga Tapas Bar & Bistro @ Katong
I did not take a very good photo of the menu, and again these guys are quite reclusive having nowhere I can find where the menu is published. From memory this is caramelised KatalanI figs, with Serrano Ham, and a cheese I cannot recall. Bloody nice. Savoury sweet and a hit of multiple textures to boot. Yeah baby this was good. Oh yeah and a hint of Thyme as you can see too.
Tortuga Tapas Bar & Bistro @ Katong
Pinchos Moreno’s, or Iberico Pork Skewers. Bloody brilliant littles cubes of porky goodness, charred to smoky perfection. Yummo!!!
Tortuga Tapas Bar & Bistro @ Katong
Champinones al Ajilllo. Some beautifully ‘meaty’ Spanish mushrooms in garlic and that amazing Olive Oil again. Picking up a theme with that Olive Oil yet? It’s everywhere, and rightly so. You could literally bathe in it, it is so good.
Tortuga Tapas Bar & Bistro @ Katong
Albondigas de Cordero. AKA Lamb Meatballs served with a Tomato sauce. Let me just add that this sauce was one complex thing. It had lashings of Olive Oil, garlic and mint (yes MINT), and likely about 10 other secrets in there. I literally did lick the bowl clean and will absolutely be trying to copy that tomato sauce for a ChillaxBBQ event coming up in 2 weeks. Incredible sauce.
Tortuga Tapas Bar & Bistro @ Katong
I think this was just down as Grilled Artichoke. We ordered one. We all had 1st bite. I ordered a 2nd helping immediately. A stunning artichoke dish. Charred but not burnt. That Olive Oil in there again. Smoky with a subtle hint of pickle coming through too. Wow!!! I could never be vegetarian, but these would help with the cure that’s for certain.
Tortuga Tapas Bar & Bistro @ Katong
The fishy gang, of course, had to get a Paella. This is Tortuga’s Paella Nero, where they have added squid ink to the rice. This pan is literally overflowing with goodies from the sea. Half a Main Lobster, Clams, Squid, Baby Octopus, Prawns, and Mussels. This got thumbs up from the fishy crew, but my very choosy wifey was referring back to our mate Edward’s as her favourite of all time and still is. It has to be said, his is bonkers good. But this one surely did look nice.
Tortuga Tapas Bar & Bistro @ Katong
Grilled Iberico Pork Chop up next. The very same happened. I was supposed to sharing this with Jude. I had one bite and ordered another one immediately. This is when the Chef came upstairs I think to check us out. The Spanish Salsa this comes with is just off the charts. I kid you not I was drinking it at the end. And, yes I will be trying to recreate this in kitchen Kennett as this was just insanely good. The Chop was smoky, cooked to perfection, crunchy but not burnt, charred and ooooooooh everything good about perfectly cooked pork. That was how it was. Jude ended up eating a whole one, so bloody good job I ordered a second. Just an incredible dish.
Tortuga Tapas Bar & Bistro @ Katong
Sadly crew at Tortuga. The best is not saved until last. A disappointing Crema Catalana, or Spanish creme brûlée. Maybe it is how it is done in Spain, not France – but it was over-cooked for us. All four of them. The taste was nice with cinnamon and orange, but again we compare back to our French Chef in Bali, Mr Salans whose creme brûlée will live with us forever as the very best. Never mind.

Tortuga Tapas Bar & Bistro @ Katong become our new best buds in Katong, specifically for when we are craving superb Tapas. We had our usual mixed bag family or English, Filipina, and mixed Japanese and Filipina and all lover every single morsel of our dinner tonight. The food is so very fresh and so very delicious, and at very reasonable $ too. It’s 10 minutes on a bus for us, so we will be seeing these guys a LOT moving forward. It is a Kennett Family Favourite now, and Long may that continue. If you fancy some Tapas, look no further on East Coast. Go and – Enjoy!!!

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