I actually wanted to start drafting about Montana Brew Bar when Michelle extended the invite to me. What a coincidence!
My previous experience was good so I decided to go back again to try the dishes I have not tried during my previous visit. I will include my personal trip to Montana at the end of the post.
If you do a quick search on the Internet, you will see it saturated with good reviews of this place. Is it worth all the hype? Yes. Montana Brew Bar is led by a team of very passionate individuals. They are constantly experimenting and very willing to listen to customers' feedback. Feel free to tell them how you feel after trying!
Let me start with the drinks we have tasted that night.
The drink menu is not extensive but interesting. The team has come up with possibly the first cold brew coffee with coconut water.
Yuzu is a new flavour to have in the coffee. It is refreshing and I believe it will win many hearts.
This is the drink I ordered because I thought Gula Melaka will be sweet. However, Gula Melaka in coffee doesn't do any of that. Instead, it made the coffee sharper and more acidic. The caramel/toasted nuts is not obvious to my tongue.
If you like your coffee stronger, this might be your new obsession.
In a conical flask. I mean, how cute is that?! Sorry I find things like test tube/conical flasks cute.
The coffee is surprisingly smooth and it leaves a sweet after-taste. This is my favourite cold brew out of all we have sampled.
Montana serves a wide selection of waffles for you to choose from. They offer both sweet and savoury waffles. Now it is already hard enough to find savoury waffles, and even harder to find good ones. Glad I managed to try a couple of good dishes here.
Bulgogi waffles were first bake then pan-fried to crispiness. The fragrant fried flavour makes this dish very unique. Fret not, it is not oily at all.
The team reformulated the waffle blend and soggy waffles is something in the past. Can you imagine the waffles are still crispy and tasty after all the food photographing hahaa. The beef was cooked to tenderness and it worked really well with the waffle and the poached egg.
This is basically my favourite savoury dish. Must try!
Western food with a local touch. Well, not exactly Singapore-local but close enough! I know it sounds a little too innovative (aka weird) but the assam and crab went exceptionally well with Montana's waffles. It is good on its own or with the special gula melaka mayo sauce.
This is one of the more popular dishes they serve.
I actually tried this before and the chicken/salad was really spicy. However, this time round it is alright. The chicken is tender and juicy. Fried chicken waffles was quite good but it was outshone by the two more popular dishes.
This is actually a very interesting combination. You will smell the delightful scent of truffle oil even before seeing this on the table. Jalapeño Mac & Cheese waffles is two comfort food in one. And when Montana says Mac & Cheese, you get REAL Mac & Cheese in the batter.
Al-dente spaghetti pasta infused with spicy sauce/dressing. There is also a generous amount of sautéed bacon stirred into the pasta. I find the spiciness alright but some people may find it overwhelming. If you are have certain level of tolerance to spicy food, do give this a try.
We ended our night with two desserts, to be exact, two sweet waffles.
Don't misunderstand, this is not your typical black charcoal waffles. Black Velvet Waffles is made of black sesame. The black sesame gives a very subtle burnt, nutty taste. However, the taste is covered it is taken with the match (green tea) ice cream.
PS, you can choose to have fluffy or crispy waffles for this! I thought it is quite a nice idea.
The texture of the red velvet waffles is satisfactory, what's new? :) Coupled with strawberry shortcake ice-cream, this is one good dessert to have to end a meal. I am known to be anti-strawberry but I managed to wolf down quite a bit of strawberry shortcake ice-cream because.. it tasted so good.
What I loved most is the aromatic rose flavour that greeted me. I am quite a big fan of rose/rose flavoured food and scent (Chloe!) so this stole my heart. Highly recommend everyone to give this a try.
Menu for reference!
Though this is cream-based, it is still very light to me. The egg is a tad out of shape but the taste/overall is not too bad. In fact, I like this dish the most out of everything we have ordered on my personal trip. It may feel a little oily near the end of the meal.
Quite good, especially the fact that the pesto sauce is made from scratch. Not many places do that. But I figure I am not a pesto person; the flavour did not resonate with me that well.
As mentioned above.
We ordered Smoked Salmon Pasta as well but I don't know what happened to the photo. From what I can remember it was alright, nothing super exciting about this cream-based pasta. That being said, nothing too bad about it too.
PS: This is actually the third time I am writing this. I hope the write up is alright because I got bored repeating it 3 times.
Montana Brew Bar |
If you do a quick search on the Internet, you will see it saturated with good reviews of this place. Is it worth all the hype? Yes. Montana Brew Bar is led by a team of very passionate individuals. They are constantly experimenting and very willing to listen to customers' feedback. Feel free to tell them how you feel after trying!
Let me start with the drinks we have tasted that night.
The drink menu is not extensive but interesting. The team has come up with possibly the first cold brew coffee with coconut water.
Coconut Cold Brews |
Yuzu Coconut Cold Brew Coffee ($7.80)
Coconut cold brew with Yuzu and cream. Fruity with light floral fragrance, a soft mouthfeel and highlights the natural complexity of the coffee.
Yuzu is a new flavour to have in the coffee. It is refreshing and I believe it will win many hearts.
Gula Melaka Cold Brew Coffee ($6.80) Coconut cold brew with Gula Melaka. Lush notes of caramel, toasted nuts. |
This is the drink I ordered because I thought Gula Melaka will be sweet. However, Gula Melaka in coffee doesn't do any of that. Instead, it made the coffee sharper and more acidic. The caramel/toasted nuts is not obvious to my tongue.
Do you want a cup of this too? |
If you like your coffee stronger, this might be your new obsession.
Regular Coconut Cold Brew Coffee ($6.50) |
Coconut cold brew served with coconut ice sphere. Light sweetness with hint of coconut and a smooth soft finish.
In a conical flask. I mean, how cute is that?! Sorry I find things like test tube/conical flasks cute.
The coffee is surprisingly smooth and it leaves a sweet after-taste. This is my favourite cold brew out of all we have sampled.
How photogenic |
Montana serves a wide selection of waffles for you to choose from. They offer both sweet and savoury waffles. Now it is already hard enough to find savoury waffles, and even harder to find good ones. Glad I managed to try a couple of good dishes here.
Bulgogi Beef Waffles ($18) |
Sou vide Bulgogi Beef, Gochujang rice waffle, kimchi coleslaw and poached egg
Bulgogi waffles were first bake then pan-fried to crispiness. The fragrant fried flavour makes this dish very unique. Fret not, it is not oily at all.
One more! |
The team reformulated the waffle blend and soggy waffles is something in the past. Can you imagine the waffles are still crispy and tasty after all the food photographing hahaa. The beef was cooked to tenderness and it worked really well with the waffle and the poached egg.
Best of the night |
This is basically my favourite savoury dish. Must try!
Assam Crab Waffles ($18) |
Inspired by the Kedah Laksa; waffles made with a specialty of 8 spices served with crab meat, pineapple cucumber salsa and assam gula melaka mayo
Western food with a local touch. Well, not exactly Singapore-local but close enough! I know it sounds a little too innovative (aka weird) but the assam and crab went exceptionally well with Montana's waffles. It is good on its own or with the special gula melaka mayo sauce.
This is one of the more popular dishes they serve.
Southern Fried Chicken Waffles ($14) |
Southern-spiced fried chicken, tangy coleslaw served with corn salsa
I actually tried this before and the chicken/salad was really spicy. However, this time round it is alright. The chicken is tender and juicy. Fried chicken waffles was quite good but it was outshone by the two more popular dishes.
Jalapeno Mac & Cheese Waffles ($12.50) |
The original signature that started their waffle project - waffle-used jalapeño Mac & Cheese, truffle oil, tomato relish
This is actually a very interesting combination. You will smell the delightful scent of truffle oil even before seeing this on the table. Jalapeño Mac & Cheese waffles is two comfort food in one. And when Montana says Mac & Cheese, you get REAL Mac & Cheese in the batter.
Spicy Bacon Pasta ($14) |
Sauteed bacon, bacon bits, peas
Al-dente spaghetti pasta infused with spicy sauce/dressing. There is also a generous amount of sautéed bacon stirred into the pasta. I find the spiciness alright but some people may find it overwhelming. If you are have certain level of tolerance to spicy food, do give this a try.
We ended our night with two desserts, to be exact, two sweet waffles.
Black Velvet Waffles ($14) |
Black sesame waffle, black miso caramel with option of black sesame or green tea ice cream
Don't misunderstand, this is not your typical black charcoal waffles. Black Velvet Waffles is made of black sesame. The black sesame gives a very subtle burnt, nutty taste. However, the taste is covered it is taken with the match (green tea) ice cream.
PS, you can choose to have fluffy or crispy waffles for this! I thought it is quite a nice idea.
Red Velvet Waffles ($14.50) |
Red velvet waffle stack, strawberry shortcake ice cream, white chocolate rose syrup
The texture of the red velvet waffles is satisfactory, what's new? :) Coupled with strawberry shortcake ice-cream, this is one good dessert to have to end a meal. I am known to be anti-strawberry but I managed to wolf down quite a bit of strawberry shortcake ice-cream because.. it tasted so good.
What I loved most is the aromatic rose flavour that greeted me. I am quite a big fan of rose/rose flavoured food and scent (Chloe!) so this stole my heart. Highly recommend everyone to give this a try.
Menu for reference!
Drinks from Montana Brew Bar |
Food Menu! |
Southern Fried Chicken Waffles ($14) |
Southern-spiced fried chicken, tangy coleslaw served with corn salsa
As mentioned above
Truffle Egg Pasta ($16) |
Truffled egg, mushroom and cream sauce
Though this is cream-based, it is still very light to me. The egg is a tad out of shape but the taste/overall is not too bad. In fact, I like this dish the most out of everything we have ordered on my personal trip. It may feel a little oily near the end of the meal.
Pesto Chicken Pasta ($14) |
Season chicken slices, house-made pesto
Quite good, especially the fact that the pesto sauce is made from scratch. Not many places do that. But I figure I am not a pesto person; the flavour did not resonate with me that well.
Jalapeno Mac & Cheese Waffles ($12.50) |
The original signature that started their waffle project - waffle-used jalapeño Mac & Cheese, truffle oil, tomato relish
As mentioned above.
We ordered Smoked Salmon Pasta as well but I don't know what happened to the photo. From what I can remember it was alright, nothing super exciting about this cream-based pasta. That being said, nothing too bad about it too.
Pepper & Salt Test Tubes |
Montana Brew Bar
PoMo
1 Selegie Road #02-25
Singapore 188306
Nearest MRT: Dhoby Ghaut
Operating Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sun: 8:00 am - 10:00 pm
Fri-Sat: 8:00 am - 10:30 pm
PS: This is actually the third time I am writing this. I hope the write up is alright because I got bored repeating it 3 times.