The Place Located along Stanley Street, I checked out Cudo restaurant, a new concept by Eleven Co. Group which is the same team behind Siri House and Moxie. Helmed by Group Executive Chef Steven Chou, Cudo is inspired by the spirit of modern Latin American cuisine. Opened for dinner, happy hour and lunch, and Saturday brunch, the interior of Cudo exudes a casual and fun ambience, suitable for date nights or group gatherings.   

The Food The menu is a sharing plate concept where there is a good selection of starters to share, followed by mains, pastas and desserts. For lunch, it does a good value S$28++ for 2-courses. I visited Cudo for dinner and started with the Cudo Cado (S$14), their version of guacamole.

Smashed avocados are combined with beef tomatoes, cilantro, jalapeno, garlic, lime juice and a touch of yuzu juice, along with chipotle oil and garnished with Cotija cheese, roasted pecans, pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds. It is served with a side of crisp plantain chips to have it along with the dip. 

The Warm Crab Queso (S$18) is Cudo’s version of a warm queso (cheese) dip, which is a blend of cream cheese, sour cream and ricotta. The dip is laced with Sakura ebi oil and crispy toasted Sakura ebi. Garnished with diced chopped green zucchini and finished with lump crab. It comes with a side of fried tortillas to go along with the warm dip. 

An addictive starter to try is the “Disco Fries” (S$16) which is a plate of ‘dirty fries’ that originates from New Jersey. This version is inspired by the Disco Fries Chef Steve enjoyed in Latin restaurants in Staten Island. French Fries are baked with mozzarella and Cotija cheese along with a brown gravy sauce made from a reduction of beef jus, paprika and garlic.

The garnish at the top of the fries is minced chorizo sausages along with sliced chorizo sausages, pickled red onions and a salsa Rosada (a blend of mayo, tabasco, black pepper and salt). The portion is quite huge, good to share for 3-4 pax. 

My favourite starter dish is the Torched Truffadito (S$24). I love the Japanese yellowtail which is slightly torched. The chipotle aioli dressing is light, and the yellowtail is paired with a delicious and light Ancho chilli truffle tiger’s milk dressing and garnished with local cucumber, radish and fried flour tortilla strips. 

The Carnedilla (S$12) is essentially braised US Short Ribs wrapped in tortilla, along with smoked mozzarella, smoked cheddar and caramelised onions. Served with a tomato salsa (tomato, red onion, jalapeno, lime juice, cilantro, oregano, cumin and chilli), it packs a robust flavour. 

The last starter I tried is the Calabaza (S$12) which is a big portion of sliced Japanese pumpkin which is roasted and served with Chipotle aioli infused with yuzu kosho. It is drizzled with pomegranate molasses, cotija cheese and pistachio dust. 

For pasta, I tried the Linguine Con Camarones (S$36) where squid ink pasta is tossed with grilled tiger prawns and an Ancho bisque (olive oil, sundried tomatoes, capers, white wine, ancho paste, fish and lobster stocks, heavy cream and chilli).

Finished with chipotle oil, it is quite flavourful and it comes with two big tiger prawns. I must say the portion is also quite big and good to share for 2 pax if you are not that hungry. 

For meats, the Grilled Seabass Fillet (S$32) is adorned with a parsley lime sauce and served with a fresh pineapple salsa with bell pepper, red onion, fresh cilantro and jalapeño. Expect a deboned and fresh fish, which is also quite light on the palate. 

For desserts, I first had the Toffee Plantain (S$15) – a plantain and banana sponge cake is topped with a banana mousse. This is served with vanilla ice cream and sliced plantain cooked in caramel and finished with orange zest. 

I also enjoyed the rich Chocolate Tart (S$16) topped with candied nuts and a tinge of chilli jam, which is quite subtle. 

Rants Nothing in particular.

Will I Return Again? Cudo is a relatively good value spot to dine in the CBD especially if you are looking for a more exotic type of cuisine to try. The flavour of the dishes is quite robust and even though it is branded as a modern Latin American restaurant, you are bound to find some familiar flavours in the dishes. It is also a plus that the restaurant is pretty much opened throughout the whole day, even between 3pm to 5pm where there is happy hour. 

TheRantingPanda says:
Taste bud: 4/5
Hole in the pocket: 3.5/5
Ambience: 3.5/5
Overall Experience: 4/5 

Cudo 
13 Stanley Street 
Singapore 068732 
Tel: +65 8221 6330 

Opening Hours 
Monday to Thursday 11.30am to 10.30 pm 
Friday & Saturday: 11.30 am to 11.30 pm 
Closed on Sunday 

Ranted by The Ranter