Eatout at 49 Seats

My buddy of 10 years introduced this up-and-coming restaurant to me which is located at Kreta Ayer; a walkable distance from Outram Park MRT station from Exit H. It appears that the restaurant is called 49 Seats because it has exactly 49 seats in-house and if you had popped by when it's full house, well, too bad, you gotta sit outside and it's no longer like a real experience in 49 Seats!

Picture credits: hungrygowhere.com

It took us less than a minute to locate the signs and we made reservations beforehand, surprised that we could push forward reservations from 8pm to 7.15pm without any obligations from the staff. I'm not sure if the staff who served us is the boss or a normal staff because he is so fluent in talking and his accent sounded like some (okay I'm being very mean here) fashion stylist or, according to XL, her GP teacher. But you get what I mean? It's rare to find F&B crew with such fluency and professionalism like him and he does not have the Singaporean accent at all.

I researched beforehand that the tom yum seafood pasta ($14.90) and smoked duck pasta ($13.90)are the MUST-TRY foods. Without hesitation, I decided on the smoked duck pasta while XL got her tom yum seafood pasta so we could share. Her friend recommended cheese fries ($7.90)so she ordered it while I got one set of calamari rings ($9.90 for 10 pieces). To top it all off, we had apple ciders as the fruit beers ran out.

 As you can see that the lighting is not the best over there so I had overexposed the photos during editing - I can't tell apart my eyes and my eyeliner from the picture above. The atmosphere was rather lively because there is a family or two sitting behind us and a group of glamorously dressed young working adults sitting beside us. The staff were very attentive and foods were served in less than 20 minutes. In case you were wondering what brand of apple cider we had, it is called Somersby. XL said NTUC had offer on three bottles of apple cider but aiya... we pay for the atmosphere and not to come here and be aunties mah.

Sinful dinner after a tough week

Even for two starving girls, the calamari rings were below average and the cheese fries weren't as legendary as her friend had worshipped it to be - it tastes like KFC fries (crap I must stop making fast-food references). For my next visit, I would just order the pasta and try the dessert.

The tom yum seafood pasta was a tad spicy - maybe she added half a bottle of tabasco sauce when I ate it - and I don't think I can finish a plate. Thank goodness. It had a unique blend of tom yum and creaminess, much like a thick version of laksa soup base. The pasta wasn't as al dente but the sauce had compensated for it. Maybe when I'm on a spicy food binge I might try it.

My smoked duck pasta was daaaaaaaaa best! The consistency and cheesiness and milky flavour was just right and it didn't leave me satiated at all - well up to the last bite because I was rather bloated with the carbonation from apple cider. Although I would say I can prepare this dish as home with a cream base, spaghetti and frozen smoked duck from grocery store, I would come here because of the unique cream base they have. Therefore my conclusion is...

And a mandatory photo that XL requested so that she can let her friends know that she had visited 49 Seats.

Good place, good food worth the money and I'm hoping for a quieter ambience next time.

Directions to 49 Seats: Alight at Outram Park MRT station, head out of Exit H. Walk straight once you come up from the escalator, pass by Capitol Restaurant and Jean Yip Loft until you see Kreta Ayer Rd sign. Walk to the building opposite the indian temple and go to the left side of the building for 49 Seats.