If you are/were a clubber, chances are you’ve mourned for the demise of Butter Factory last year when it shut its doors for good. A year on, the void left by the once popular club has been physically filled by Scottish restaurant and bar UsQuBa.
Newly opened last month, UsQuBa is of course as different as night and day from the previous tenant. When we were there, it was a picture of serenity. Located on the second floor of One Fullerton, it boasts a stunning view of the Marina Bay waterfront. This 120-seater restaurant sets you at ease; it is definitely a perfect location to enjoy a nice relaxing meal.
The restaurant derives its name from the Gaelic ‘Usquebaugh’ meaning Water of Life, or simply, whisky. If you have not already guessed, Scottish whiskies are the calling card of UsQuBa. You would be faced with displays of fine Scottish whiskies the moment you enter the restaurant. All of them have been specially sourced and are available for sale.
Foccacia with Truffle and Cherry Tomatoes
As for the cuisine, they serve Scottish fare with an Asian touch. We had Focaccia with Truffle and Cherry Tomatoes to kick off the meal, but it was the starters – the Orkney Islands Scallop Ceviche (S$25), Seared Foie Gras (S$21) and the Ravioli of Pork Cheeks (S$21) – which impressed us. I especially enjoyed the Orkney Islands Scallop Ceviche. This beautifully plated dish is served with horseradish snow, sea urchin and compressed cucumber and apple, which perfectly complements the sweet scallop. While I have never been a fan of horseradish, I found myself wanting to have more of it; eaten alone, it simply melted in the mouth like ice. I tried it with the scallops and it really enhanced the taste.
Orkney Islands Scallop Ceviche
The Seared Foie Gras, topped with spiced persimmon and pickled apple, is another plate of heaven. Weirdly enough, it was paired with a piece of waffles. But all was forgiven when I took a bite of the perfectly seared foie gras. The tanginess from the apples helped to balance the richness of this dish.
Seared Foie Gras
The Ravioli of Pork Cheeks is also specially cooked with porcini sauce, port wine reduction, confit onion and red radish. I am generally not a ravioli person, but I could find no fault with this dish. Not surprisingly, the chef makes his own pasta. We learnt that the whole pasta-making process takes a tedious 2-day period. The pork cheek enveloped in the pasta pillow is actually braised for 26 hours, as the soft and flavourful filling of the ravioli.
Ravioli of Pork Cheeks
The standard of the starters raised our expectations for the mains.
Being a beef lover, I would recommend the Duet of Aberdeen Angus Beef (S$56). The dish serves the beef in two ways — grilled tenderloin and braised short ribs. My preference is for the grilled tenderloin, which was cooked to perfection (we asked for medium). My little gripe is that I wish there was more of the grilled tenderloin; I was left wanting more.
Duet of Aberdeen Angus Beef
The UsQuBa Fish and Chips (S$32) is a unique take on the traditional fish and chips we are all so familiar with. Truth be told, we had expected it to be the traditional fish and chips; the dish turned out to be a deconstructed version of fish and chips in the form of sous vous cod, served with mushy peas and mint, and pommes maxim. Sous vide is usually a fail-safe method of cooking your meat whilst sealing in the moisture. It works beautifully for beef and salmon. This was the first time I had tried sous vide cod. While I am pretty sure it’s not something new, I felt that the sous vide cod did not work for me; I could taste the fishiness in it.
UsQuBa Fish and Chips
There are five options for desserts. The one which caught our eye on the menu the Singapore Breakfast (S$11), which is essentially peanut butter bread pudding served with raspberry coulis and a dollop of kaya ice-cream. It was a dessert with an interesting local twist and we loved it. On the other hand, chocolate lovers would find delight in the Chocolate Delice (S$15), which is Bailey’s ice-cream served with mixed berries.
Singapore Breakfast
Chocolate Delice
So, is UsQuBa a worthy (physical) replacement for the once-great Butter Factory? The mains may not have quite live up to our expectations, but then again we have tried only two. In the hope that the other mains are as good as the starters we had, we might just make our way back to visit this Scot again.
UsQuBa – Scottish Restaurant & Bar
One Fullerton, #02-03B
T: +65 8723 6378
E: [email protected]
