Clarke Quay is currently the hippest, coolest place in Singapore's fickle clubbing and dining scene. It has a good mix of retail outlets, restaurants, bars and entertainment spots, all set in a charming and quaint historical heritage site. There is much to see, do and eat at Clarke Quay.
One interesting new addition is Highland Bar and Restaurant (Block 3B, The Foundry, #01-11 Clarke Quay, River Valley Road, Singapore 17901 Tel: 6235 9528) which serves authentic Scottish cuisine. I have yet to encounter a restaurant in Singapore which is dedicated to Scottish cuisine, and was delighted to find that Highlander Bar and Restaurant is committed to providing its diners a uniquely bona fide Scottish experience - from the traditional antler chandeliers and contemporary stills of Scotland adorning the interior to the lovely Scottish music and the tartan kilts worn by all its waitstaff!
One notable attraction is its warm and inviting wood-panelled bar, which features an extensive range of more than 200 whiskies by the glass (prices ranging from SGD 10 to SGD70 per shot)!
I started my meal with a traditional Scottish dish not commonly found in these parts– Haggis (SGD 15). Haggis is sheeps’ innards (heart, lung and liver) minced with onions, oatmeal and spices encased in sheeps’ intestines and boiled. It was served with “neeps and tatties” (turnips and potatoes). The haggis was tasty and hearty and didn’t smell strongly of offal. I was assured that the haggis is as authentic as it gets, as it is sourced directly from Scotland, and is not in anyway modified for the local palate. The “neeps and tatties” were smooth and creamy and went well with the hearty haggis.
The Scotch Eggs (SGD 10) were my personal favourite. The hard boiled eggs were wrapped in minced beef, dipped in breadcrumbs and then deepfried. They were light and crispy, and not at all oily or cloying. The best part was the whisky-infused mustard mayonnaise which provided a tangy creamy lift to this dish.
The Venison Sausages (SGD 18) were savoury and meaty, with a tasty spicy bite. Like the haggis, these delicious bits were sourced from Scotland to ensure that authenticity is not compromised.
My other favourite is the White Mealie Pudding (SGD 16). It’s not a dessert, it is actually savoury dish made with white mealie (a type of coarse grain, similar to oatmeal). It was delicious. It was nutty, crunchy and chewy with a unique texture. It’s not something that one can easily find outside of Scotland, so I would recommend that you try this dish here.
My main of Highlander Game Pie (SGD 28) was a hearty, rich stew of venison, quail and sausage, topped with a flaky crispy puff pastry. The meats were tender and were sufficiently infused with the rich stock in which they were cooked.
If meat is not quite your thing, go for the Grilled Royal Deeside Salmon (SGD29) which was well seasoned with rosemary and accompanied by a delicate whisky hollandaise. The fish was still pink in the centre and flaked off easily.
There are quite a number of desserts on the menu, and I would certainly have liked to try more.
As it is, I only had room for the Cranachan (SGD10) which is again a traditional Scottish dessert made of oats soaked in whisky, cream and honey and served with fruit coulis in a tall glass. It’s like an ice cream parfait, minus all the unwanted calories.
Highland Bar and Restaurant is a little piece of Scottish haven right here in Singapore, with everything reflecting the pride and history of Scottish heritage. Highland Bar and Restaurant offers a unique and truly enjoyable dining experience, which I would highly recommend.
One interesting new addition is Highland Bar and Restaurant (Block 3B, The Foundry, #01-11 Clarke Quay, River Valley Road, Singapore 17901 Tel: 6235 9528) which serves authentic Scottish cuisine. I have yet to encounter a restaurant in Singapore which is dedicated to Scottish cuisine, and was delighted to find that Highlander Bar and Restaurant is committed to providing its diners a uniquely bona fide Scottish experience - from the traditional antler chandeliers and contemporary stills of Scotland adorning the interior to the lovely Scottish music and the tartan kilts worn by all its waitstaff!
One notable attraction is its warm and inviting wood-panelled bar, which features an extensive range of more than 200 whiskies by the glass (prices ranging from SGD 10 to SGD70 per shot)!
I started my meal with a traditional Scottish dish not commonly found in these parts– Haggis (SGD 15). Haggis is sheeps’ innards (heart, lung and liver) minced with onions, oatmeal and spices encased in sheeps’ intestines and boiled. It was served with “neeps and tatties” (turnips and potatoes). The haggis was tasty and hearty and didn’t smell strongly of offal. I was assured that the haggis is as authentic as it gets, as it is sourced directly from Scotland, and is not in anyway modified for the local palate. The “neeps and tatties” were smooth and creamy and went well with the hearty haggis.The Scotch Eggs (SGD 10) were my personal favourite. The hard boiled eggs were wrapped in minced beef, dipped in breadcrumbs and then deepfried. They were light and crispy, and not at all oily or cloying. The best part was the whisky-infused mustard mayonnaise which provided a tangy creamy lift to this dish.The Venison Sausages (SGD 18) were savoury and meaty, with a tasty spicy bite. Like the haggis, these delicious bits were sourced from Scotland to ensure that authenticity is not compromised.My other favourite is the White Mealie Pudding (SGD 16). It’s not a dessert, it is actually savoury dish made with white mealie (a type of coarse grain, similar to oatmeal). It was delicious. It was nutty, crunchy and chewy with a unique texture. It’s not something that one can easily find outside of Scotland, so I would recommend that you try this dish here.
My main of Highlander Game Pie (SGD 28) was a hearty, rich stew of venison, quail and sausage, topped with a flaky crispy puff pastry. The meats were tender and were sufficiently infused with the rich stock in which they were cooked.
If meat is not quite your thing, go for the Grilled Royal Deeside Salmon (SGD29) which was well seasoned with rosemary and accompanied by a delicate whisky hollandaise. The fish was still pink in the centre and flaked off easily.There are quite a number of desserts on the menu, and I would certainly have liked to try more.
As it is, I only had room for the Cranachan (SGD10) which is again a traditional Scottish dessert made of oats soaked in whisky, cream and honey and served with fruit coulis in a tall glass. It’s like an ice cream parfait, minus all the unwanted calories.
Highland Bar and Restaurant is a little piece of Scottish haven right here in Singapore, with everything reflecting the pride and history of Scottish heritage. Highland Bar and Restaurant offers a unique and truly enjoyable dining experience, which I would highly recommend.
Zen's postscript: This post has been published on AsiaOne Wine and Dine at http://wineanddine.asiaone.com.sg/reviews/restaurants/others/20070221_001.html
This is a bowl of the lip-smacking delectable treat - it is full of good things like thick slices of abalone, slippery fish maw (cooked twice in boiling water, then boiled in the soup), sea cucumber and dried scallop. It was full of that umami richness, and it was boiled so long that the soup was almost gelatinous, so that one's lips felt a little gummy after drinking it.
I ordered the tom yam kung (SGD12), which was very good. Tart, spicy and chockful of fresh seafood. There was squid, cod, prawns, all very tasty. It wasn't too sour, wasn't too spicy. There was a slight hint of lemongrass, which was delicious. I drank up every drop.
Then I had the pad thai woon sen (SGD18), thai fried noodles with transluscent mung bean noodles (known locally as tung hoon). One can also choose to have traditional pad thai with thin rice noodles. It was a large portion, which can be shared between 2 or 3. It was very well fried with a wok-fragrance that comes with good control of the fire.
The dessert buffet (SGD7) was extensive. I chose my favourites - the mango sticky rice, steamed sweet tapioca drizzled with coconut milk, and pandan pudding. All were very good. I later also had a serving of Thai red rubies, made of waterchestnuts in coconut milk.
My starter of baked gratin of cheese and broccoli was good. The portion seemed a little small. I was scraping my plate every time I scooped up a bite, which means that the serving of was too thin.
DS' starter of grilled prawn salad was nice and tasty.
I had the braised beef with mashed potato, a hearty savoury and tasty dish. The potato was fluffy and smooth, and the beef was tender.
DS' grilled sea bream was delicate, and served on a bed of peas and some green mash. Pretty good.
Our dessert was panna cotta with mango and a macaroon on top. The panna cotta was a little too stodgy for me, almost pudding-like.
My lunch of mixed grill with peas, mushroom, tomato and baked potato was very filling. There was rump steak, gammon steak, lamb chops and sausage. All were rather dry and overcooked, seeing as it was not really a fine dining restaurant. 
DB couldn't finish his roast beef with yorkshire pudding either. I tried a little and also found it overcooked.
The most fun part of lunch was the Bailey's chocolate shots. It came in real edible chocolate cups!
The roast pork with apples was a good pairing. It was quite fatty, and the skin wasn't crackling type, more like braised. It was not bad.