Indulgz

Located at Tan Quee Lan Street, Indulgz Bistro is an ease to find. In one of the shophouses on the street, this affordable lifestyle boutique bistro tags itself with serving “European Cuisine with an Oriental Touch”.  

Indulgz’s interiors are classy, modern, yet fun. It’s like fine-dining without the stress and embarrassment of cutlery confusion. The restaurant counter is backed by a cheerful polka-dotted wall, while stylish chairs and classic couches dot the 50-seater eatery. Quite schizophrenic, but it all works out attractively. Pretty lamps hang from the tall ceiling, while glass panels let the natural light stream in cosily during the daytime – perfect for a day of relaxing with a well-deserved slow meal, none of those power lunches, thank you! 

 

Indulgz has a vast menu for all courses, perfect for days when you’re feeling peckish for a variety of tastes. The food is very reasonably-priced for the fine service and food quality. Their homemade soups are priced from $4.50 to $4.90, while the selection of mains, including entrees, pastas and wraps, go from $9.90 (Linguine Aglio Olio) to $23.90 (Char-grilled Rib Eye Steak).

 

Other menu items include a lip-smacking list of smoothies and milkshakes, light bites, waist-disregarding desserts and a darn fine selection of wines. Some of their more interesting menu items include Deep Fried Camembert Cheese with Berry Compote ($9.90), which has basked in impressive reviews around the island, White Gazpacho ($4.90), a chilled cucumber soup flavoured with yogurt, garlic, onion and parsley, Tangy Raspberry Salad ($7.80), a salivating fusion of mesclun, sour raspberries, eggs and raspberry vinaigrette, and Chef’s Crispy Pasta with Chicken Mushroom Cream Sauce, angel hair pasta deep fried till crisply golden, then drenched in a rich cream sauce with Portobello and chicken slices.   

 

Indulgz’s menu changes every few months, giving you more incentive to visit this rare, pleasant find of a bistro. 

 

Service at Indulgz went way over my expectations. Christin, who was the server for the day, held the epitome of service quality— she was attentive, helpful, tactful, and most impressive of all, genuine. “If you need my help on recommendation, just tell me”, she said with a smile. Waiting time for the courses to arrive was a pleaser, but obviously it was also contributed by the lack of crowd.  

 

Tomato & Basil Soup ($4.50) Indulgz’s Tomato & Basil Soup “with homemade crunchy croutons” wasn’t bland or overpowering, as most such soups turn out to be. The chef had delightful control over its saltiness and sourness, and best of all, the soup wasn’t too watery. The croutons, however, were a let-down – disappointingly mushy, unlike what they menu had proclaimed.  

 

Garden Salad ($5.80)– The Garden Salad was a light portion of aragula, shredded carrot, and red & green lettuce tossed in honey balsamic dressing, and sprinkled with sunflower seeds. The veggies were crisp & fresh, with just the right amount of sweet & tangy dressing. Crunchy toasted sunflower seeds and the assortment of veggies contributed to a superbly pleasant mouthfeel. Quite refreshing for a starter, and it paired very nicely with the soup! 

 

Linguine Aglio Olio ($9.50), add Chicken ($2.50) – I wasn’t blown away by the Aglio Olio, partly because it didn’t look too photogenic when it arrived at the table. The linguine was pleasantly firm, and it didn’t taste too bland, but it didn’t excite the tastebuds either. I opted to add chicken to the pasta for an additional $2.50, expecting the pasta to be carpeted with thick chicken strips, but was rewarded with sporadic chicken bits tangled in my linguine instead. The serving size was substantial for lunch, leaving just enough room for dessert, and in truth, it’s the desserts that you should try. 

 

Banana & Chocolate Royaltine ($4.50)Dessert was probably the best part of the meal. When I asked Christin what cakes were available for the day, she rattled off the list by memory, taking the effort to explain in detail what each cake consisted of. Cake selections included New York Cheesecake, Blueberry Cheesecake, Brownie- with or without nuts, Chocolate Truffle, and their best-selling Banana & Chocolate Royaltine, which was an artery-clogging association of thick chocolate ganache, soft chocolate sponge, fluffy chocolate cream, banana slices, precariously-balanced on a nutty chocolate cookie crust. Perfect. I was won over once she said ”chocolate cookie crust”. So I got it, and it was so much better than I imagined. Apart from how the cookie crust had lost a bit of its crunch from sitting on its crust bum for a tad too long, this cake totally won its Secret Recipe counterpart crumbs-down. The presentation of the cake was also impressive; every cake slice had the word “Banana” gracefully piped in cursive, atop its thick dark chocolate ganache frosting. I swear, it was at least 0.4cm thick and an avid fan of mouth roofs.  

 

Indulgz offers their Set Luncheon catered to busy executives. These sets, which come in 1, 2 or 3 courses, are available from Tuesday to Friday, and cost an affordable $8.90, $9.90 and $10.90 respectively. And they’re all nett prices! Indulgz is the place to dine in if you want a refuge from crowds, especially during lunch hours. I was the only customer there at 12pm and honestly, I don’t think it’s because they serve bad food. My biggest gripes were the limp croutons and the fact that it cost me a dollar for a big glass bottle of cold water and a slice of lemon squeezed through its neck. The food and its prices are decent, the menu will spoil you, the presentation deserves thorough commendation and mostly, the service was impeccable. Just the place to return to over and over again.