Boca Restaurant on Bukit Pasoh Road

I was on my way to D.Bespoke for cocktails one evening when I noticed a little Portuguese place just a few doors down (6 Bukit Pasoh, 6221-0132). I had already eaten, but just a few days later, a colleague of mine mentioned that this place was supposed to be fantastic. So I was excited to finally come here tonight, and he was right...the food was delicious. Those clams above were done perfectly: they were fresh, savory, and seasoned just right. A small pot of Bacalhau à Brás was delightfully rich and soothing too. Yes, this has instantly become one of my favorite places in Singapore, and I'm definitely coming back.

Epilogue: In the past week or so, I've been back here twice. The first time, I was delighted that they had a lunch set featuring Bacalhau à Brás at a very affordable S$25 (US$20). But the second time was a big letdown, with horrendous service upstairs (couldn't even communicate with the staff), and a few uninspiring dishes, including a ho-hum octopus as well as some pork that was disappointingly dry. OK, so maybe this isn't one of my favorite places in Singapore anymore. But I will come back for the sinfully rich Bacalhau à Brás or maybe the Açorda. And sit at the counter where the more polished staff are, not upstairs.