Boomarang

Two weeks ago, I managed to steal some time to lunch with Brad and Marina. It was a treat to chill over an unharried meal in the middle of a crazy week.



I'm not particularly fond of crowded places, which explains why I am very much a homebody. Singapore is becoming ridiculously congested, so when I arrived at Boomarang, I was thrilled to see this spacious, sprawling eatery.



Being Aussie-owned and managed, it had a welcoming, laid-back vibe that is quintessentially Australian. I swear I could hear Waltzing Matilda while I waited for my food.

With the lunch crowd already thinned out (it was 1.30pm when we met up), the place was literally ours, apart from the few tables of tai-tais and expatriate families ... which was nice. I hate dining cheek by jowl and having to tune in to other people's secrets.

Take note though, if you are claustrophobic like me, it's packed here on weekends. My friend came recently on a Sunday, and she found the place teeming with the brekkie/brunch crowd.



As this was a food tasting session, the portions you see were deliberately kept small upon our request. Foodwise, I'd say more hits than misses. Here's what we sampled:


Appetisers: Scallop & Wanton.
A strange combination, I thought, but the scallop was fresh, so I had no complaints.


Smoked Salmon With Toasted Brioche & Horseradish Sour Cream.
This was really nice. The salmon had none of that salty, fishy taste, while the brioche was buttery and soft. I would love this for brekkie, actually!


Pepper & Lime Calamari.
Oh dear, the batter was disappointingly soft and soggy. And the calamari tasted flat. The grilled peppers which were buried under that bed of veggies, however, were a different story. They were so sweet and tender, and literally stole the show from the calamari.


Chicken Parmigiano with Napolitana Sauce, Shaved Leg Ham, Tasty Cheese and Salad.
Excellent! The breast meat was moist and tender, while the cheese remained light and gooey. Don't you just hate it when some places overdo the cheese to a leathery texture?


Peppered Kangaroo Loin with Sweet Potato Mash, Rocket, Beet Relish and Garlic Aioli.
Brad and Marina had this. I sat out. OK, I did try one teeeeny, weeeeny bite upon everyone's cajoling, but that was it. No thank you.


Panfried Salmon Fillet with Saffron Baby Potatoes, Asian Greens and Olive, Tomato & Basil Salsa.
The fish was supremely fresh and perfectly seared, but it would have been a forgettable salmon dish if not for the salsa. The salsa single-handedly delivered the punch.


Sticky Date Pudding with Vanilla Bean Ice-cream and Butterscotch Sauce.
A pudding so moist and spongy, it was a delight to eat. With that decadently rich vanilla bean ice-cream? Heaven! Apparently, the pudding is made from a recipe passed down from the chef's grandmother. And nope, he didn't divulge any further details, unfortunately.


Pavlova with a Trio of Berries and Double Cream.
The double cream didn't do a thing for me. I would have personally preferred freshly whipped cream, or more of that yummy vanilla bean ice-cream! Still, the pavlova was competently done.


Flourless Chocolate Cake with Quintro Poached Strawberries and Double Cream.
Gasp, more double cream?! Also, I wished they hadn't smothered the poor cake with sauce. Let the onus lie on the diner to decide how much, I say. It was a pity because the cake had a nicely dense and moist texture on its own.


Caffe Latte.
Coffee which was velvety smooth. Loved it!

For more information on Boomarang, visit their website here.

Boomarang
60 Robertson Quay
#01-15 The Quayside
Singapore 238252
Tel: +65 6738 1077

Many thanks to Boomerang for hosting us, and Ms Marina Mathews of Crocmedia, for arranging this lunch.