[Tasting] The Sampan @ 63 Boat Quay

It's been over a year, hence a good opportunity to revisit and to check out the new menu. Here is the link previous visit. Thank you Kris (@msginginly) for the invite, and The Sampan team for taking care of us that night.

shopfront

featured menu board

On previous visit, our group was seated right in the center of the restaurant and this time round, we were at the alfresco area with beautiful view by the riverside.

evening view

Happy Hour is still 8pm, but there's also a whole day special where Stella was going for just $9.90+ for  pint. WOoo! But I was intrigued by a 'Liang Teh' under the alcoholic beverage section. "What's this Liang Teh" I asked. Turns out this is a locally brewed beer by The 1925 Brewing Co. Cool! A chrysanthemum lager, it says. Must try, right? Hahahaa!

Liang Teh (The 1925 Brewing Co. Joo Chiat) @$10+

The lager was light, and only a hint of the chrysanthemum with a touch of sweetness. Perfect for our hot humid weather.

behind story

Complimentary cold/warm water is available and if you opted for cold, a jug would be left at the table. Service staff size was lean on weekdays, but they will attend promptly with a gentle wave.

Mocktail @$10+

Let's get started on the food, shall we?

small plates to share

By this time, it was nightfall. Good view, good food, good company!

Glazed Soy Sesame Chicken Salad @$12+

whets the appetite

The glazed soy chicken salad was interesting as there's some fish muruku snack thrown in as toppings. That familiar taste sent us in a loop. Hahaa!

If you prefer something spicier, go for the Singapore Rojak Bandung Salad.

Singapore Rojak Bandung Salad @$13+

This salad has cuttlefish in small bits, kangkong (eh, then this was derived from cuttlefish kangkong dish?), quail eggs (hard boiled), taukwa cubes, crushed peanuts, honey pineapples and sweet red sauce (mee bandung sauce, I think). Overall, this salad was of stronger flavours and just so satisfying. Yummy!

Or, if you prefer meatless appetiser, try the Szechuan Style Tofu & Shitake Mushroom. There's wok fried mushrooms and bell peppers underneath the tofu. Visually, the tofu looked 'rugged' and that's a good thing. Milder flavours for this dish in comparison with the salads.

Szechuan style Tofu & Shitake Mushroom @$8+

Let's move on to the mains. If you prefer seafood, try the Javanese Styled Fish Wrapped in Banana Leaf. For small eaters, no worries as the portion was just right. The grilled seabass was snug in the banana leaf. Fish was firm and the yellow rice could hold its own.

Javanese Styled Fish Wrapped in Banana Leaf @$19.50+

If you prefer duck, then perhaps the Five Spiced Szechuan Duck Breast served with Pimentos Pomme Puree may be more of your thing? The dish was visually appealing, and deep fried kale, what's not to like? The interesting part was the puree. So so creamy! For me, I'd like to combine the airy-slight bitter of the kale with the sweetness of the pomegranate and topped with the rich creaminess from the puree. Slather all those on top of the duck and enjoy! Oooh, not forgetting that tiny tiny burst of peppercorn numbing flavour if you happen to bite into one of those.

Five Spiced Szechuan Duck Breast @$19.50+

The Chicken Roulade served with Red Sauce and Asian Achar was good too, though it was a tad lacking in its visual appeal.

Chicken Roulade served with Red Sauce and Asian Achar @$19+

I'd reckon that the chicken roulade dish as a lighter tasting one. It's flavours were mild and the red sauce was of the masak merah variant but since there's only a spoonful of it on the meat, the taste was subtle. Felt somewhat festive when having the roulade, as it has stuffings in it. Don't forget the achar. Loved those pickles!

Sliced Beef Mee Goreng @$14+

For finale, we had the Sliced Beef Mee Goreng. Not the typical noodles as this looked more like mee pok/pad thai variant. Beef rump was used and it was a tad tough. The noodles were springy and enjoyable although leaning slightly towards the sweeter side. But no worries, just bite onto one of those chili padi to balance it out. Yums!

Overall, The Sampan serves up good quality Asian food, and with adequate selection of drinks for Happy Hour. A tipple with good food, sounds about right. Enjoy!

Thank you Kris, Herman and The Sampan for the invite. Thank you Chef Ahmad and team, for the delightful tasty food!

The Sampan

Address: 63 Boat Quay, Singapore 049851

Website: https://www.thesampan.sg/

Contact: 6732 1698

Business Hours: 

Mon to Fri: 11.30am to 12am

Sat: 5pm to 12am

Closed on Sun