You might not have heard of this little place, tucked away in the SCWO Centre, but Torte is reminiscent of the kind of café you’d be missing if you’re from Melbourne or San Francisco, say.
While its name immediately calls to mind foods of a decidedly sweet nature, their savories aren’t to be overlooked. With no indoor tables whatsoever (it’s a small setup), we found ourselves a prime spot out front and friendly executive chef Jason Ong, otherwise affectionately known as pai kia (Hokkien slang for gangster) chef to his regulars, came over to offer some suggestions.
We gladly took him up on them, and went with two of the dinner specials ($13) for the night, grilled chicken leg and basa fish. The former was a nicely done substantial portion of meat, sauced with rich brown gravy, and accompanied by fragrant, fluffy Arborio rice (so delish we wanted bowlfuls) and fresh mixed mesclun. Our lightly battered fillet of fish arrived on top of a mountain of potato wedges (which could have been more crisp), along with a side of the same salad; clearly Ong believes in the benefits of a balanced diet: protein, carbs and veggies all included.
Despite how full we were, we’d set our hearts on having some of their namesake dessert, the chocolate torte ($3.50), and while we were at it, some strawberry cheesecake ($5.50) as well. Ong’s flourless rendition wasn’t layered, but was appropriately dense with a hint of coffee. However, it was the baked cheesecake that we found really addictive.
Granted, the menu is limited: just a handful of sides, mains and desserts, but servings are generous and undeniable value-for-money. A real find.
