Mediterranean Food Galore!

While it is located outside the more hip and happening part of Orchard road, Esmirada at Orchard continues to acquire a sort "X" factor among its patrons. Indeed, with its warm rustic ambience, and charming and professional service staff, Esmirada at Orchard is certainly a great choice for a night out with friends or colleagues after a long week at work.

The place also offers al fresco dining on its lovely patio, and there is also a cozy wine bar adjoining the restaurant that provides an extensive selection of wines. And, it is probably one of the few restaurants in Singapore where the smashing of plates is encouraged by the restaurant. (The Esmirada "Zorba" – an ancient Greek habit of smashing plates for good luck – occurs most Friday/weekend nights at around 9pm.)

Nonetheless, for a foodie like me, it is not the classy bar or inviting ambience that draws me back to Esmirada at Orchard, but its wide-ranging yummy and scrumptious Mediterranean dishes.
 
A great start to a meal at Esmirada at Orchard is the "Esmirada's Famous Garlic Bread" ($6 for a baguette size). Accentuated with flavors of fresh garlic and toasted to the right degree of crispiness, the garlic bread is frankly one of the best served in Singapore. I often have to stop myself from eating too much to save space for the other lip-smacking dishes.

For those who prefer healthier appetiziers, Esmirada at Orchard also boasts 7 salad dishes that range from $10 to $17.50. While I have never tried them, the "Esmirada's House Salad" with the usual greens, grilled beef tenderloin, garlic prawn and scallops certainly looks like at item worth ordering.

The options for the main courses are equally varied – pasta, seafood dishes, Moroccan cous cous, paella, skewers, steaks, etc. Yes, you can find just about every famous Mediterranean dish here. And, the amazing part is  that all these dishes are all well-executed and delicious. My personal favorites are the Rib-Eye Steak served with special herb butter ($39) and the Linguine Vongole ($20). The steak is succulent, well-grilled and seasoned, and cooked to the degree you ordered. The pasta, served with a generous portion of fresh clams, is flavorful and creamy, but yet not too heavy. Furthermore, the dishes in Esmirada at Orchard are very fairly-priced, and one would be expected to pay a lot more for the same quality and quantity of food at other restaurants in the city.

For those with a sweet tooth, Esmirada at Orchard also serves some mind-blowing desserts, such as its award-wining Tiramisu with kahlua ($9) and the "Melting Moments" – freshly baked chocolate tartlet with maple walnut icecream and cherries ($12). - PY