Traditionally, a tavern is place where travelers recharge with food and drinks before carrying on their journey. Here at Sidewalk Tavern, it does more than that and even features various sports channels which they have on a large flat screen television. Established in April this year, this venture is started by a husband and wife team and the missus helms the daily operations of the tavern. Located along East Coast Road, this restaurant joins the culinary scene of the popular Siglap area and is distinguished by its servings of country western cuisine. It is highly accessible by public transport and reaches right at the door step of the tavern.
The Vibe
This restaurant carries an air of nonchalance, where one can sit their afternoon away as well as chatting with friends till the wee hours of the night. Adopting a homely approach, the tavern is minimally decorated with humourous posters adorning its walls. Al-fresco seating is also available and it also carries a rustic feel as it is housed in a shop house.
The Food
The steak here takes centre stage and it is every meat lover’s dream to indulge in the variety of steaks here with wild abandon. Sourcing from a local supplier, Jane, the owner, ensures that the freshest produce is delivered to the tavern. All steaks are accompanied with side dishes like baked potatoes and salad. Begin with one of the crowd favourites, the Sizzling Rump Steak ($18.90). The rump is a cut of meat that is tender and has a chewy texture. The meat had a distinct grilled smoky flavor was done to medium. One of the tavern’s specials is the Steak Diane ($13.90), which is a fillet steak with Diane sauce, which is a home-made special sauce. The Diane sauce deserves special mention as it comprised of sautéed onions and mustard in a brown sauce. The accompanying sauce complemented the steak well.
Moving on to other meats, we had the Fillet Mignon ($19.90) and the Mixed Grill ($14). The Fillet Mignon is a fillet medallion wrapped with bacon and grilled to perfection. The fillet is soft and tender on the inside with the exterior being firm and fragrant. The streaky bacon added more kick into the flavour of the dish. The Mixed Grill featured a steak, lamb chop and veal sausage. The veal sausage was flavourful and the lamb chop was succulent and juicy.
The dish that kids would clamour for is the Spaghetti Marinara ($9), which is seafood pasta with tomato base. The pasta was drowned in sweet tomato sauce with fish, prawns and mussels. The pasta was done al-dente and the seafood was distinctively fresh. Another hit with the kids would be the Chicken Parmigiana ($8), which is a deep-fried cutlet of chicken topped with tomato sauce and cheese. It is highly addictive and Jane tells us it’s their largest seller.
To bring a sweet ending to the meal, have the Apple Crumble with Ice Cream ($6). It is a home-made secret recipe that is passed down from the owner’s relatives. Topped with coconut shavings, the warm and soft apple crumble pleased the sweet tooth of mine and the ice cream proved to be a worthy sidekick as well.
Although we didn’t get a chance to try any, there is a reasonable selection of popular Asian dishes available for those dining as a group whose members have varying tastes.
The Service
The wait staff is polite and helpful. A testimony to the great service provided is the banter between the staff and its regulars of the tavern.
