The Food Located in Rochester Park, I have been wanting to check out UNA after hearing rave reviews about it. The One Rochester Group brand is housed in a big compound, in an old colonial style bungalow with alfresco seating amidst the lush garden. The venue is quite ideal for private events given the space, where you can even have your own bartender or the chef to cook privately for group.

The Food Helmed by French Chef Jean Philippe Patruno with more than twenty years of culinary experience including stints at various Michelin star restaurants, the cuisine at UNA has a strong focus on Spanish cuisine. The menu is clearly segmented into tapas, appetisers, small and large portion mains and grills, and of course desserts.
I would recommend starting off with some tapas as there are some worth trying ones on the menu. For hot tapas, the Grilled Octopus ($25) is one of the many specialties at UNA, where the grilled octopus comes with a bed of mashed potatoes. The freshness and soft texture of the octopus were amazing, and special mention goes to the equally good mashed potatoes.
There is a full bar offering wines, premium  spirits, mixers and a selection of artisanal cocktails specially created for UNA. One of the must try includes the Tio Pepe Sherry, where UNA is the first Tio Pepe Sherry Bar in Asia, showcasing some of the world’s best Sherries from top Spanish wine producer Bodegas Gónzalez Byass.

How about a toast to pair with the tapas?
For a taste of Ibérico, the Ibérico Ham Croquette ($14) is an equally addictive bite, filled with creamy béchamel.
I love clams so I could not resist trying the Grilled Clams with Sherry ($18). The portion of the clams is quite generous, which is great for sharing. The sherry broth is tasty yet not overly dense, so it was a delight to have it solely without the clams as well.
Instead of going for the usual Seafood Paella in the rice version, we tried the Seafood Fideuà ($62/$82) instead. This dish is a Barcelona-style paella prepared with Fideuà pasta and fresh seafood such as mussels and prawns. The Fideuà pasta is quite a refreshing take on paella for me as it was my first time having paella in this fashion, where thin noodles like vermicelli were used. Overall, I prefer this noodle version over the typical rice rendition.
I was excited to try some items from the Grills section as the food is prepared over charcoal and apple wood. The Suckling Pig ($35) is one dish I would recommend. Served with mashed potatoes, the crispy skin and succulent meat are two main components I look for in a good suckling pig rendition. Glad that this version from UNA makes the cut.
The Carabineros Prawn ($20 each) is highly recommended to us as well, which uses premium giant cardinal prawn lightly grilled to retain its sweetness.
Saying that the desserts section is tantalizing is such an understatement. Priced at $12 each, we were torn between some of the great choices such as the Churros & chocolat, Panna cotta with popcorn and the Bitter chocolat ice cream, olive oil & sea salt. How about having all three at a go?

My favourite of the lot has to be the Bitter chocolat ice cream, olive oil & sea salt. The dark Valrhona chocolate won me with its rich and intense flavour, combined with the tinge of olive oil and sea salt, the overall taste is a sophisticated chocolate decadence.
The Churros & chocolat is a close second with its almost perfect crispy texture and dark chocolate sauce. This is probably the closest taste I can get to the Spanish equivalent. The accompanying light honey ice-cream is a refreshing touch to balance the Churros flavour.
For something different, try the Panna cotta with popcorn, which consist of light crème pudding with sherry apricot pure, topped with popcorn fluff. Kudos to the creative use of popcorn.

There is a full bar offering wines, premium  spirits, mixers and a selection of artisanal cocktails specially created for UNA. One of the must try includes the Tio Pepe Sherry, where UNA is the first Tio Pepe Sherry Bar in Asia, showcasing some of the world’s best Sherries from top Spanish wine producer Bodegas Gónzalez Byass.

Rants Beware, there are mosquitoes at the outdoor seats. But the thoughtful service team have prepared 3M Insect Repellent stickers for all diners to ward off these evil flies. 

Will I Return Again? The ambience at UNA is relaxed and casual, and it feels like I was away from the hustle and bustle of the city momentarily. The garden setting also adds to the romantic factor, so this is also quite an ideal spot for first dates if you are out to impress. For me, I will be happy to simply enjoy the hearty Spanish fare!

Make your reservation instantly at UNA here.

TheRantingPanda says:
Taste bud: 4.5/5
Hole in the pocket: 4/5
Ambience: 3/5
Overall Experience: 4/5

UNA
1 Rochester Park
Singapore 139212
Tel: +65 6773 0070

Opening Hours
Monday to Saturday: 5pm – 11pm
(Dining starts from 6pm)

Ranted by The Ranter