197 322
NEW PLACES
197
July14
Sprigs
12 Purvis Street
6338 5844
Chef Shubri Basere’s commute hasn’t
changed much. After a three-year stint at
fine dining favourite Gunther’s, in March
he jumped ship to Sprigs – located right
across the street.
Like the chef’s former stomping
grounds, Sprigs is modern and super-
sleek. The menu here is officially
“contemporary continental”, or Modern
Euro, if you prefer, which covers a big
territory. Yet, the menu doesn’t set out
to be everything to everyone. It fits easily
on one page, and my dining companion
pointed out that she would readily order
five of the six main courses.
Have your soup and salad in one by
ordering
chilled pea soup with crab
salad
($15), a delightfully light puree
drizzled with
crème fraiche
and Ardoino
olive oil encircling a hearty portion of
blue swimmer crabmeat. Generally
speaking,
grilled langoustines
($26)
don’t yield much meat, unless they are
served piled high. They are here, and
generously bathed in a fresh tarragon
and garlic sauce.
It’s funny (and simpatica) when two
people have such different reactions to
a meal. My friend loved the langoustines;
I the soup. She took thirds of the
Cape
Grim Angus rib eye
($38), and I ate
more than my fair share of the
baked
cod with saffron broth
($33) with
capers, Kalamata olives and plum
tomatoes.
There were a few points of agreement
though: the salted truffle butter that
started the meal was unusually moreish,
and the
crispy chocolate and caramel
crumble
($12) that ended it a fitting
finale.
Monica Pitrelli
MUST-TRY DISH:
Baked cod with saffron broth
Baked cod with
saffron broth
Chilled pea soup with
blue swimmer crab
Crispy chocolate and caramel
crumble with toffee mousse,
sea salt and hazelnuts