As we do more incognito tastings, we can understand why some readers are lamenting that food reviewers are not objective with their reviews. There are occasions when the food is just ‘okay’, but the reviewer doesn’t feel the pinch of paying $X for a mediocre food, so to them (we are also guilty of this) it is really not that bad. Ok! This review is an incognito tasting, and the cost of the food is paid by the reviewers.
Sorry to digress, and let us get back to the review of 1933.
We headed down to 1933 at Capitol Piazza for an early dinner before an event. They claim to serve the finest renditions of 1930s cuisines such as Hainanese Kampong Chicken Rice and Nanyang Curry Chicken in a bread bowl, and they marry Asian flavours with Western influences for a unique Southeast Asia regional style. Right.
And we ordered the following dishes.
Cappuccino $6 – So pretty, our cappuccino came with 1933 on top. A good change as we are truly sick of Latte art. No complaints with the coffee!
Mango Peach Tea $8.00 – Fruity and refreshing, but we have no idea why Ms X ordered a hot drink in this scorching weather. Pretty glassware too!
Forest Mushroom Soup $12.20 – The portion of the soup is pretty big and I’d suggest 2 persons to share the soup if you want to have space for a main course and desserts. The consistency of the soup is chunky and not too watered down. But this soup is definitely too salty. (Ms X informed us that an hour after having this dish, she felt really, really thirsty. Ms X only had this soup as a main course)
Angus Rib Eye Steak $31.90 – We absolutely hated this dish. Ok, the vegetables were fresh, and that’s it. The cut of the meat is too thin and the meat was stringy and chewy (we ordered a medium steak). It wasn’t overcooked, so there must be something wrong with this Angus beef. Tooooo tough, and the sauce was bland. Definitely did not tingle my senses as mentioned in the menu. This dish made me mad, maybe that’s what they were referring to.
Golden Chicken Cordon Bleu $24.60 – As we tuck into this dish, the skin on the outside was crispy, and the meat was soft and well seasoned. As we work our way into the middle of the chicken, the middle of the chicken where the ham as the cheese was, the chicken meat wasn’t cooked thoroughly. Why! We really wanted to like this dish even though the portion was so small for a main course!
Hainanese Kampong Chicken Rice $16.80 – Yay! Their signature dish, it must be good right? Sadly, no. Not sure if this was the standard but I was served chicken thigh and a portion of a chicken wing. The chicken was tender and not overcooked. But, why is the chicken meat so cold? The chicken feels more like a cold dish instead. And I am very certain that the sesame oil used to flavor the chicken isn’t what other chicken rice place uses. The sesame oil was overpowering and had a slight bitter after taste (tastes like Pagoda brand sesame oil you buy from NTUC). The soup was nice though, reminded us of Soto Ayam and the rice is fragrant and fluffy. Love the ginger sauce they provided as it was spicy unlike the watered down ones you get from other restaurants.
Pandan Chiffon $8.90 – This is the best dish of the meal. Soft and fluffy, and totally delicious when you slather on the Gula Melaka. I can have 2 portions of this alone. Stealing this from a fellow blogger, this dish is a MUST TRY!
Verdict: The food here isn’t impressive, but it’s not that bad. But when paired with the hefty price tag, I am not returning to 1933 for dinner. I’ll just order a coffee and that delicious Pandan Chiffon when I am around the area. They have nice ambience and service, but it’s too expensive for an upmarket cafe that sells mediocre food.
1933 Singapore
15 Stamford Road #01-83 Singapore 178906 (City Hall MRT)
Tel: +65 6348 3660
Opening Hours: 10am – 10pm
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/1933.SG