SINGAPORE (THE NEW PAPER) - Mount Faber is one of the most underrated attractions. The view from there is glorious. Throw in a cable car ride and going up there becomes an occasion.
However, while the view is good, the food is usually a by-the-way thing, and frankly, trying to compete with the view leads to certain failure.
But Spuds & Aprons tries. It is offering both view and food that is tasty and safe. The menu - recently refreshed with a tapas section, along with new mains added - can be thought of as schizophrenic.
It tries to be many things at once, but at its heart are simple and understandable dishes that are mostly inexpensive.
It takes the safe East-meets-West route to ensure that everyone has something to eat.
But when nature has done its job to provide a stunning backdrop, you don't really need the food to be the best - as long as it tastes good enough, and it doesn't break the bank.
For a hearty, simple meal, the Gorgeous Beef Guinness ($28) is it. The cubes of beef are cooked in Guinness Stout till tender and served over a mash.
It is tasty, competent and comforting, even if it isn't particularly exciting.
From the new tapas section is the Thai Green Curry Chicken with Rice Crackers ($14). The minced chicken and rice cracker provide texture, and the green curry adds subtle heat. Again, it is nothing groundbreaking, but it is meant to be familiar.
I thought I would like the vegetarian salad Portobello Perfection ($15) as I love the mushroom. But the balsamic reduction overwhelms everything in the bowl, leaving it very one-note. It would benefit from more variety in textures too.
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Address and Opening Hours
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Spuds & Aprons, 109, Mount Faber Road,
Weekdays noon to 11pm, Weekends 11am to 10pm,
Tel: 6337-9688
The Wicked Fries & Gravy ($10) is evil. It wrecked my diet. I was told this is a signature dish and had remained on the menu after the revamp. I can understand why. The fries are covered with a blanket of six cheeses.
And if you want, you can dip them into the brown gravy. The salty and cheesy combination works.
Chempedak is a fruit that either you love or hate. I've met very few people who are on the fence about it.
I love it, so it was no surprise that I took to the Chempadak Bread & Butter ($12).
It is such an aromatic and subtly sweet dessert that the scoop of vanilla ice cream is redundant. In fact, I would prefer a scoop of chempedak flesh instead.
