Great Barbeque Treats at Affordable Prices

What

Barbacoa is barbeque caterer City Satay’s maiden sortie into restaurant firmament. Best remembered as the vendor which peddles sticks of aromatic marinated meats to sold out crowds of aunties and uncles at every food fair at Expo and the wholesaler of such meats at hawker centres, the restaurant’s shared proximity with western cuisine cousins Aston’s and Swensen’s could either mean a bold move to invite diners to eschew the comfort of established eateries for the appeal of a promising new venture – or a careless move to spell doom. Thankfully, City Satay executes the perfect culinary wherewithal to prove that the decades of experience in barbeque meats under its belt is just the right ingredient for a western themed restaurant.

The cosy space it occupies on the second level of City Square Mall is more than ample to accommodate a sizable slice of patrons on a busy weekend but we aren’t so sure if the various Wild West ornaments are necessary. The walls are plastered with framed photos of ostensibly random cowboys and Red Indian sculptures, with a massive cowboy outfit which we feel is nice, if a tad florid. We also like that Barbacoa shares the concept of an open kitchen so anyone with a penchant for kaypoh-ness can peep into the food preparation space to STOMP any lazy chef.

The Food

When the restaurant boss disclosed the news that Barbacoa does not tax its customers for service, we received it with fine surprise. Under the less than desired economical certainty today, the presence or lack of a service charge could make or break a deal for the more price conscious diner. This financial sentiment extends to the dishes, with prices ranging from $4 to $9 for starters and soups and $10 to $22 for main courses. While Barbacoa is primarily a barbeque, roast and grill restaurant, they also offer a wide selection of pastas and desserts for the more picky taste buds.

Skip their ordinary satay and head for the more atas Skewers Combo ($8.90) which comes with a pair of Jamaican chicken, honey mustard flavoured chicken and Cajun beef sticks. Where the standard strips of satay thin in diameter, the skewered bite sized morsels balloon in circumference. The Jamaican chicken punches with a spritz of spiciness while the slick of sweet honey mustard mops well with the juicy white chicken. The Cajun beef is pleasantly seared with its meat decorated in a pinkish hue. For a slightly more piquant blend of flavours, dip the skewers into the thick barbeque sauce provided with the dish.

The Roast Pork with Apple Sauce Dip ($14.90) breeds much familiarity with a certain hawker dish but the roast pork here purloins the benefits of an expensive oven to quickly tear away from its inspiration and produce a perfectly charred meat that feels firmer. Both slabs of meat come with the same crispy skins we love our roast pork for. Unfortunately, the apple sauce dip is questionable. On its own, it is congealed and packs a cutting flavour but it fails to match the roast pork. With the order, you can choose from a few sides limited to vegetables, salad, fries, baked potatoes and mashed potatoes. We hope that they are still experimenting with more sides as the variety is a little disappointing.

We close our meals with their signature Baby Pork Ribs ($13.90 for half a slab). Our ribs arrive clothed in honey sauce but they also offer black pepper if you prefer a more devilled treat. Moist and tender, the meat falls off the bones with ease as we pitch our forks and knives in. The chefs are careful not to perfume the ribs with a stench that is too cloying so what’s served is meat that hits all the balanced notes with a smoothly honeyed taste. Like the Roast Pork, this main course also comes with 2 sides, both of which are relatively ordinary.

Grab onto the opening offers with special lunch sets which discount a handful of the main courses. They also rotate dishes for their one-for-one offer. With such great food at affordable prices, we wouldn’t mind returning for a second round.

Address 180 Kitchener Road, #02-39/40, City Square Mall
Opening Hours Daily 11.30am – 10pm
Tel 6634 1884
Website http://www.barbacoa.sg/

Review by Loh Yong Jian