Frames

First impressions count and Frames certainly scored high in that aspect. Its chic and minimalist interior, chilled tunes, low lighting and an eclectic ambience derived from the frame-lined walls; each encasing an inspired moment or memory, roused great expectations. With headily excited taste buds, we were ready to “let (Frames’) masterpieces of taste paint a picture of bliss on my palette!” as promised by the menu. But truly, in this case, the pictures outshone reality.

A confused menu that didn’t quite cut the description of “fusion” left us stumped with what to order. Sambal Udang was followed by Chicken Tikka and a Cheeseburger - a bizarre succession that mirrored the rest of the menu which encompassed almost every continent. For starters, the mushroom soup, though not unpleasant to the palette, sat uncomfortably somewhere between creamy and chunky and when left untouched for a couple of minutes the mushroom pieces separated themselves from the liquid. The calamari is a better option as it came in a very generous portion. Full marks for portion size and this was the case throughout the meal.

The pasta selection was probably the most credible choice on the menu and we opted for the lasagne, a classic and a true test of good grub. An image of delicious pasta, minced beef, béchamel sauce and cheese entered our heads - the reality however was what appeared to be an entire tin of chopped tomatoes upon a bed of mince and pasta. The garnish consisted of lettuce leaves naked and pretty unexciting. The steak on the other hand was excellent. Despite no enquiry as to how we would like it done, it was served medium rare which was luckily, spot on. The ‘signature gratin’ on which it sat was delicious - cheesy and creamy, it was perfect comfort food.

The shared dessert was the highlight, a dark chocolate cake mousse to die for. The only complaint in this instance was a lack of dessert menu or options, but when you have a taste of heaven like this - perhaps you don’t need it.

Text Sara Egan