FOC PIM PAM
# 01-29, Claymore Connect, 442 Orchard Road, S(238879) (next to Orchard Hotel) T 6100-4242
It’s a Friday night. The recently refurbished tapas joint FOC Pim Pam at one end of Orchard Road is teeming with couples and groups of friends having a fun night out. There are diners seated in the main dining area, at the tapas bar and on the outdoor terrace. Despite the crowd, it isn’t hard to get the staff ’s attention. The confident service team give good recommendations and thoughtfully explain the dishes in detail.
To begin, you can munch on crusty bread topped with tomato, or croquetas with ham and mushroom, but we suggest saving room for other more substantial dishes. Everything we order impresses, from the wellcooked paella with Iberico secreto and mushrooms to the deeply flavoured prawns laced with light potato foam.
The patatas bravas is a fixture here. Pim Pam’s unique version comprises multi-layers of crispy potato slices ( like a mille-feuille) topped with dollops of creamy aioli and spicy tomato sauce. Before taking a bite, we slather the rich sauces over the stacked slices of spud.
Next up, succulent barramundi with crispy skin is served with Idiazabal cream cheese and morsels of “gnocchi” filled with light pumpkin puree. Just when we think we are too full to stomach more dishes, the lamb chop arrives, partnering a punchy eggplant tartare anointed with a welcome smokiness from the josper. We finish everything on the table.
There’s the typical churros to savour as your sweet finale. But for something light and refreshing, we recommend the lemon lemoncello – comprising limoncello sorbet and meringue shaped into a lemon. The dessert is a blend of sweet tartness and voluptuousness.
Pim Pam’s wine list features over 150 labels of red, white and sparkling wines spanning the Spanish regions. The highlight is the collection of sherries, said to be the most extensive range in Southeast Asia. With faultless food, wine and service, we recommend this place for a casual, unpretentious and delicious night out.