Along the Rocher River in the offbeat Lavender district sits Tocha Bistro. Tocha (pronounched tor-shay), the Portuguese word for ‘torch’ provides a gentle glow of the river and a little haven away from hectic city life. At first glance you would not notice that this bistro bar is located mere steps away from the bustling Victoria Street with its buses and cars zooming past. The bistro has a 110-dining capacity, with its 80 alfresco seating right along the river which is perfect for bigger groups wanting to take in the light breeze in the late evening.
Apart from its signature Western fare, Tocha Bistro is famed for its alcohol selection, particularly the holistic range of Whiskies – a personified extension of the owner’s love for the spirit. However, to start off our night we decided to start off with something a bit lighter.
The Sex on the Beach ($15.00) had the perfect balance of alcohol to sweetness. It is a classic cocktail which you can’t really go wrong with. Be sure to pop by on Monday nights where it is Crazy Hour all night long!
The first dish to arrive was the Braised Lamb Shanks ($16.80). The meat was falling off the bone and didn’t can be eaten with a fork and no knife. It is served on a bed of mashed potatoes, baby carrots and covered in a rich red wine gravy.
A perfect bar snack to share amongst friends would be the Chicken Wings ($10.80/3pcs, $15.80/6pcs). They were fried to perfection, crispy on the outside but still very juicy on the inside. However the highlight was the sambal chilli, it had a pleasant kick to it and made you go back for more.
The most disappointing dish of the night was the Smoked Duck Roll ($6.80). While the smoked duck itself was very tasty, the bacon, tomatoes and greens were kind of just there. In addition, the tortilla wrap was not toasted enough and just felt very stodgy.
My favourite dish of the night was the Top Shell ($9.80). The top shell sea snails were very tender and was liberally covered in a Thai inspired dressing which was quite spicy yet very addictive. Be warned that your mouth will start to go a bit numb but you will still want to keep eating it.
The Iberico Pork ($22.80) was one of the more pricier dishes on the menu. Tender pork cutlets, fried till crispy gold and juicy within, served with a corn-on-the-cob, as well as baby potatoes and spinach on the side.
The Grilled Salmon ($15.80) that we had strayed a bit from the menu came with green beans (instead of asparagus), sautéed potatoes and baby carrots. The skin was crispy while the salmon very tender and flakey. The tangy and citrusy honey mustard sauce compliments the freshness of the pan-seared fish.
The Tiger Prawn with White Wine Sauce ($13.80) was a lighter pasta and felt like a palate cleanser compared to the previous dishes. The tiger prawns were plump and juicy and worked well with the white wine sauce.
The final dish served was the Cajun Chicken Burger ($11.80). The grilled chicken thigh was tender and crispy and had the standard fare of tomato and mixed lettuce in a sesame seed bun. The mozzarella cheese gave the burger an overall creamy finish which was delightful. Unfortunately at the time the fryer was broken so were not able to try the fries.
Whether you’re feeling a little bit peckish to feeling like you want a full meal, Tocha Bistro has something for everyone. But why not order a few drinks, order a few dishes and share?
Tocha Bistro: facebook | instagram
Tocha Bistro
500 Jalan Sultan
#01-20 Hotel Boss (199020)
Opening hours:
Sun-Fri: 12pm-1am
Sat & Eve of PH: 12pm-2am
*** This was a hosted tasting. ***
