The Place The dining scene at Little India and Jalan Besar has evolved quite a bit this year, joining CreatureS (which opened earlier this year) in the vicinity along Dickson Road is Roots Kitchen Bar. Currently in its soft launch phase since September, Roots Kitchen Bar serves mainly European fares at affordable prices. With a rustic entrance and brick-like interior, the restaurant prides itself in serving fine European fare at casual dining prices, with no service charge or GST. Helmed by Chef Alvin Tan with previous stints at Les Amis au Jardin and Boathouse restaurant at Fullerton Hotel, there is a good mix of options on the menu, from brunch fares to pasta to meats. The Food We were genuinely surprised at the competitive pricing. The Full English ($15) and Eggs Benedict & Caviar ($15) from the brunch section, Ocean Crab Pasta ($18) and the Seared Atlantic Sea Bass ($24) from the mains section are just some of the value for money items we sussed out from the menu.

For a start, we tried the Egg & Truffle Mousseline ($4) topped with caviar. It sounds like a luxurious starter but it was a real bargain for the kind of ingredients being packed in this cold dish.
We always love to start with some soup. Don’t miss the Wild Mushroom Soup ($12) with Braised Leek & Hazelnut Gremolata. We like it rich and creamy this way. All the soups and sauces here are prepared from scratch.
Pie & Eggs ($11). Pulled pork, sauteed onion, mushroom, fresh basil and cheese. Very hearty mains, will recommend you to have this with a hot coffee, your morning cannot be more perfect!Comparatively, the Baked Sweet Potato Fries ($15) with Stewed Pork, Jalapenos & Crumble Feta was a tad too dry for us even though we thought the combination were interesting.
Ocean Crab Pasta ($18) with Crabmeat sauce and Lobster Bisque surprised us. If you are a fan of lobster bisque, this is a pasta you should not miss. The affordable pricing is a plus.
Rants The restaurant is still firming up and fine tuning its menu in this soft launch phase (expected to be officially opened early next year), do expect further changes to its menu. And yes, braving through the bad traffic at the area is going to be another headache for some.

Will I Return Again? For the value offered at Roots Kitchen Bar, we are tempted to say it’s worth a return visit. Moreover, there is no GST or service charge to sweeten the deal further; not least the hearty food prepared here.

TheRantingPanda says:
Taste bud: 3.5/5
Hole in the pocket: 3/5
Ambience: 3.5/5
Overall Experience: 3.5/5

Roots Kitchen Bar
30 Dickson Road
Singapore 209512
Tel: +65 6291 5679

Opening hours
Monday to Sunday: 11am to 11pm (Closed on Tuesday)

Ranted by The Ranter and Rantee