Watch the video below for a sneak peek on their new offerings:
Fireside, a concept under the Cupping Room group, is all about open-flame grilling and allowing the flavour and complexity of each ingredient to shine. Expect dishes from seafood, vegetables, and meat, including desserts all grilled and smoked with punchy flavours of smoked embers using binchotan charcoal and firewood from lychee, almond, and applewood. Not confined to one culinary direction, the restaurant initially opened in 2021 with executive chef Miguel Gallo at the helm, featuring a tasting menu of hot and cold dishes fired with flavours of smoke from their open-fire grill. In September 2022, head chef Jaime Ortolá (formerly of La Paloma) took over the kitchen, changing the offering from a tasting menu to an à la carte and set options that can be paired with approachable wines, beer, and cocktails. Along with grilled premium cuts of meats from Australia, Italy, and Spain, Fireside signature and crowd favourites such as the mouthwatering carabinero made with Scarlet cardinal prawn served with flambadou forged beef fat drippings can still be found on the menu. New additions include a rotating weekly special from chef Jaime’s kitchen, which changes based on the freshest produce available at the restaurant. This special utilises the freshest seafood or vegetables and may sometimes include Norwegian wolffish – a bottom-dwelling fish with white meat that can be compared to crab or lobster.
Must-tries include appetisers charred padron peppers ($178) cooked on coal served with smoked mentaiko cream drizzled with crispy corn, tasty lobster roll ($298) served with chunks of lobster, burnt crab mayo, smoked salmon roe on a buttery black brioche (which is sometimes served with Japanese uni whenever available on chef’s weekly special). Meat lovers can gorge on Aveyron lamb belly ($338) topped with burnt eggplant and pistachio gremolata or Australian Blackmore Wagyu ($348/100g), which can be served with an indulgent tin of 30gr Royal Kristal caviar on top (+$548). Other highlights include aged and cured seafood, including open-flame grilled clams in smoked clam soup with XO sauce ($298), dry-aged Ma Yao fish (threadfin) ($498) aged for five to seven days and grilled over a mix of coals and lychee wood paired with a side dish of charred baby kale with smoked sesame dressing ($98). End your meal with savoury and smoky desserts, including Burnt milk ice cream ($98), burnt frozen almond mousse ($118), and the new popcorn ice cream dulce de leche served with toffee, banana, and chocolate sponge.
For group gatherings, you can book a table in their private dining space or sit by the outdoor balcony during cooler months. But, the best seat in the house is the counter seating, where you can see all the action from the flaming grill, but of course, expect to end your meal smelling like a deliciously flamed dish.
