Wall St Bistro caters to a demand for quality contemporary bistro fare in the quiet neighborhood of Siglap.
By Yong Yung Shin
CN PHOTOS: Michael Chan.
With a name like Wall St Bistro, you’d expect it to be located somewhere downtown near Shenton Way or at least within the vicinity of the CBD. But no, this recently opened eatery is tucked away in the cozy neighborhood of Siglap, awash in neutral tones of black, white and dark brown.
The linear design themes strike a comfortable balance between cosmopolitan chic and neighborhood coziness, which is exactly what Sean Ong, who co-owns the place with a partner, had in mind for the place—the concept is to stay away from semi-fine dining while serving up bistro fare, sans the pre-cooked, microwaveable ingredients, that is.
And in case you’re wondering, the name is inspired by Ong’s day job in the commodity trading industry as an IT professional, who wants the place to be an oasis of sorts for harried executives working downtown.
N.Y Strip Beef Steak
There for dinner one evening, we sampled some of the kitchen’s offerings. While the Caesar Salad (S$7) was a standard affair of well-tossed baby romaine lettuce with bacon, quail eggs, onions, bell peppers, cherry tomatoes and crouton homemade cream sauce, there was also the less typical Baked Escargot Mushroom (S$10)—snails in upturned button mushroom caps, juicy to the bite, the earthiness tempered by saltiness from the melted butter crumbs.
At the recommendation of the wait staff, we tried the 7 oz. prime marbled N.Y Strip Beef Steak, a handsomely marbled piece of striploin steak that was full of flavor, slightly chewy, served with a wild mushroom sauce and thick cut fries (S$36), good down to the last forkful.
If the fries taste especially good, that’s because it is the product of a more-elaborate-than-usual cooking process; the fries are broiled, then frozen before they are deep-fried, rendering a satisfying crunch with each bite. The Fish & Chips (S$15) fared well too, being the breaded kind instead of the battered variety, with a non-too-greasy texture, served with malt vinegar.
Pasta Aglio Olio With Mixed Mushroom
Vegetarians can have their fill too, with sandwich, pasta and vegetable stew options; try the Pasta Aglio Olio With Mixed Mushroom (S$12); we reckon it will go down well with even the meat-lovers.
While Wall St stocks a fair variety of beer and wine, we like the intriguing Cinnamon Ice Tea (S$4.50); garnished with sprigs of mint and cinnamon sticks, it is a light, fragrant concoction without the unpleasant tannin aftertaste. The Summer Ice Tea, with orange, lime, lemon, raspberries and honey, tastes as good as it sounds too—a good accompaniment if you are chilling out at its al fresco section in the current weather.
It is also working on a weekend brunch menu, and given the children and pet-friendly policies (there is a kids’ menu), we can imagine its weekend mornings will get a bit busy. If you’re looking to host private gatherings, dinner parties and corporate events away from the urbane hustle and bustle yet be guaranteed of quality fare, be sure to give this place a ring.
Wall St Bistro
1 Figaro Street
Singapore 458322
(65) 6445 5669
