Kopi talk Ambushed by Fast Casual European Dining

Thanks Gabriel for for the yummy review 
Posted by Gabriel
Since the addition of an extra half that mega-sized Jurong Point, there has been a huge surge in eating outlets at the mall. Ambush Fast Casual European Dining is one of the new establishments (ironically located in the old wing) that has been receiving some media coverage and which has been recommended to me by no less than three different friends.

Located where Billy Bombers used to be (for those who used to frequent the mall in the “good ol’ days"), Ambush is an oddly named (I’m not sure “Fast” is an appropriate adjective in a title, especially when coupled with “European Dining"), semi-open-air (i.e. no walls) restaurants that serves Italian cuisine at affordable prices. Alas, while the food was decent on the day I went, it failed to live up to the shining reviews all three friends had given it.

I had the slipper lobster with rustico sauce and spaghetti dish (you can mix and match your choice of key ingredient, your sauce and your pasta). The spaghetti had a stringy, succulent texture and the sauce, a tomato mixture with bits of mushrooms, was packed with ingredients and had a tasty oomph but the main event, the lobster, was soft and mushy (instead of being bouncy) and tasted slightly bland.

A friend had the baby scallop with Nori (shredded seaweed) with spaghetti in fish roe cream sauce, which proved to be one of the best dishes of the night. The scallops were soft yet chewy while the sauce was loaded with a generous serving of roe but yet was understated and not overwhelming or too filling.

Another friend had the spicy pork Bratwurst with rosti. The sausage was chewy and juicy, with a slight spicy taste, although the Bratwursts from Marche, an outlet famous for its sausages, are much tastier and better textured. The same goes for the rosti (again with Marche as the most popular benchmark), which is thin and crunchy and feels more like a mid-day snack (like potato chips) than a meal staple.

We also shared meatballs and chips platter, which has Ikea-style Swedish meatballs (an all-time favourite of mine) served with a side of fries. The fries were long and soft without being soggy (just the type I like; I’m not a fan of short, crispy fries) but the meatballs were soft and mushy and the gravy was bland, a far cry from Ikea’s classic dish.
The service was prompt and friendly, though, and the decor is pretty simple and apt, although its location and open-air concept makes for difficult-to-hear conversations.
Overall, while the food isn’t bad per se and the price is about the same as other restaurants of similar standard (the night cost each of us about S$15), it definitely did not live up to expectations.
The European Gourmet: The Grand Dining Tour of Europe
The Eastern European Cookbook