The hype: From the guys behind fondly loved Singapore restaurants like Forlino, L’Entrecote The Steak & Fries Bistro and Sabio by the Sea, comes this new mussels and fries concept that offers something not seen before here.
The vibe: Cool, casual and breezy. Choose to dine (or just drink) out by the five foot way or head inside the shophouse establishment and pull up a high stool or leather chair. The soft white and blue tones add a sense of balminess to the place.
The food: There’s nothing quite like what BTM Mussels & Bar offers in Singapore. It may not be anything groundbreaking, but a much-welcomed addition to the scene nonetheless. Before moving on to the stars of the menu (which are the mussels, of course), first try the surprisingly good Benelux items.
Inspired by Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg cuisine are dishes like the Bitterballen ($8) and Tomate aux Crevettes ($16). The former is a fried crisp ball snack made using rich beef roux, while the latter is a tomato stuffed with fresh shrimp and dressed in mayo and herbs. Both make for great appetisers.
But it’s the Le Croq-Truffle ($18), BTM’s take on the classic croque monsieur, that truly amazes. Packed inside each grilled sandwich are elevated ingredients like black truffle, comte cheese and serrano ham. They are then served sliced into finger sizes, a seemingly small but significant convenience that actually improves the bite and texture of each chomp.
On to the mussels—all sourced from trusted suppliers in Europe thanks to Chef-owner Olivier Bendel’s connections. When in season, we love the bouchot, a clean and sweet mussel that soaks up plenty of the broth’s flavours. All mussels are served by grammge, starting from 500g ($36). While that’s certainly shareable for two, get the 750g ($48) to avoid peckishness at the end of your meal. If you’re a mussel fiend though, the 1kg ($58) option is always available.
As for the mussel flavours, we’re enamoured by the classic Marinieres. Cooked simply in white wine, butter, parsley and onion, it allows the mussel’s natural sweetness to shine through. Meanwhile the Ardennaise, with added bacon, gives the dish a nice touch of smokiness, while we’d recommend the Au Roquefort for blue cheese lovers. There’s also the Thailandaises and Au Curry, if you’re feeling more in the mood for Asian flavours.
The drinks: There’s a good range of wines, beers and classic cocktails to choose from, but start with the summer fruit-infused beers ($12) for something refreshing. It’s actually made using Stella Artois from the tap, then given either a pomelo grapefruit, passionfruit, raspberry or lychee (our fav) treatment.
It’s worth mentioning they have a choice selection aperitifs and digestifs too. Whether you’re in the mood for creme de cassis, Calvados, Armagnac or port, they got you covered.
Why you’ll be back: Their mussels induce an addiction we simply can’t resist. That, and a croque monsieur that puts all others to shame.
