tcc – The Connoisseur Concerto Review: New Soft-Shell Crab & Seafood Tobiko Burger, Iced Cheesecake Cappuccino And More

The local cafè stalwart is kicking off 2019 by rolling out a new menu that innovatively zhngs up standard cafè fare. With a prawn and squid patty, hulking soft shell crab, wasabi-mentai mayo and two types of tobiko, it was almost as if they tried to stuff the whole cast of SpongeBob SquarePants into a burger.

Our crab was luxuriously creamy in the centre with crisp, stubby legs, and was devoid of any stinky metallic odour that signals seafood that’s past its prime. It was bursting with seafood savour from the medley of shrimp and squid, which had been minced to a smooth paste. According to The leafy vegetable’s mild, bitter edge and subtle crunch, contrasting savour and texture, flying under the radar to give a welcome new dimension to this heavy dish.

Another detail that complemented our seafood protagonists was the injections of sharp heat from wasabi-mentai mayo and wasabi tobiko. With creaminess, heat, crunch, concentrated seafood savour and pops of brininess from tobiko, we were impressed with the burger’s multi-faceted flavours.

Throw a stone in Tanjong Pagar and you’ll likely hit a cafè serving eggs Benedict. tcc – The Connoisseur Concerto spruces up this cafè staple with their Eggs Benedict, Two Ways ($19.50++) , instilling it with a fresh twist in the form of Japanese influence from yuzu and ikura. That “two ways” aspect comes from grilled portobello mushroom and a generous layer of smoked salmon, each of which cradle a poached egg.

Grilled Snapper With Matcha-Lemongrass Veloute ($23++) is one of the most eye-catching dish on their new menu, combining bitter Japanese matcha with the spunky and pungent South-East Asian flair of lemongrass. The attention-to-detail in plating was superb, bringing a fine dining-esque feel to our comfy cafè surroundings, as bubbles of foam lay tranquil atop our sauce.

What really impressed us was that the fish was enjoyable by itself, fresh and seasoned simply. With leaves of green chocolate that appeared like horns, our Chocolate & Raspberry Surprise ($13++) wouldn’t have looked out of place in Pokemon. Indulgent chocolate and fresh raspberries jive harmoniously, and is a taste combination that has stood the test of time.

It was bursting with bitter coffee taste that formed a wonderful contrast to the sweet vanilla ice-cream and Bailey’s. I’m hugely sceptical of blue drinks, but I’ll grudgingly admit that the Iced Blue Latte ($8.30++) was decently enjoyable.

This warm drink was even adorned with a taro chip, an indication that it was positively crammed with yammy savour. Cappuccino Cheesecake Blend ($8++) adeptly combined its two eponymous flavours, as the extravagant richness of cheesecake was backed up by coffee punch, resulting in a smoothie-esque texture.

Ambience at tcc – The Connoisseur Concerto Every outlet of this homegrown cafè is classy and comfy, with warm hues that make you feel at home. The verdict You’d be hard-pressed to find another local chain that churns out premium dishes at a consistently high quality like tcc – The Connoisseur Concerto does.

This review is brought to you by tcc – The Connoisseur Concerto.