Fish and chips | S$13.90/+
Unlike the typical British style of fish and chips which uses a wet batter for a crispy texture, this version is slightly different as it was done the shake 'n bake way. Presumably a healthier option compared to the conventional version that we are more used to, the dory fillets were seasoned before being cooked. As a result, the flavours were well-infused into the tender white fish which were well complemented with the homemade tartar sauce. Do expect a slight variation in terms of texture as it comes in the form of bread crumbs rather than a crispy batter.
For the more adventurous, you can have a choice of tartar, mayo, ranch, veggie and tsunami dip. If in doubt, do check with the friendly crew on the floor to ask for recommendations on what go best with your food.
At the price, we thought it was surely value-for-money as the box packed a generous amount of the skinny fries sprinkled with Cajun spice. A clear winner for me among the other teasers on the menu.
And of course, the light bites that was served upon us being seated. These cuttlefish sticks were carefully air-fried to keep it crisp for a lovely crunch. For those in the mood, do have a pint of beer to go along and FOC has a happy hour promotion from 4 - 7pm, a 1-for-1 on their Heineken draught! If you fancy, you can even get a box of it at just S$10.
Ciderfall | S$17/+
If you think that beer is not quite the drink for the ladies, fret not as this lovely cider would surely pacify them. A blend of ice lemon tea, apple cider elderflower and sugar syrup, the concoction was plenty to share among two to three. With a mildly sweet after taste, it would be a perfect remedy to help you recover from the spicy bag of crabs!
Upon stepping into the restaurant, we were immediately charmed by the rustic interior which obviously saw much efforts by the owners to recreate an ambience and experience similar to how it is in the states. Expect some familiar hit music that tops the chart to go on in the background while you tuck in to your sumptuous meal!
Surely some interesting graffiti left by some of the customers who had visited FOC and with the number of different nation flags scattered across the walls and pillars, you would imagine quite a diverse crowd of foreigners who had similarly gotten their hands dirty!
While there are a few other similar restaurants out there that has such a concept of hands-on dining with no utensils and seafood in a bag, our meal at FOC definitely stood out as one of the more outstanding ones we had of late with the quality of ingredients. Making no compromises to standard of food served, the prices are also wallet-friendly (no GST is charged, just 10% service charge), making it a suitable venue for families and close friends only. Well, unless you do not mind exposing the ugly side of you eating with messy fingers and the possibility of crab shells hitting your date, then please proceed.
FOC has thoughtfully taken care of this by providing all guests with a disposable apron and if you are worried about staining your hands (though personally I feel that this would take the fun out of eating), there are also disposable gloves) On a plus side, for the 90 minutes or so of dining, you would hardly be texting or checking on your phone since I would expect that both your hands are messy and dirty then.
FOC has a promise that reads "Everyone who walks through our doors, walks out as a friend". We certainly hit it off with some of the young service crew on the floor who seem to be full of energy and also the owner of the restaurant. An experience that was unforgettable indeed but more importantly, the meal at FOC made our calories count.
Overall verdict: 8.5/10
Full of Crab
195 East Coast Road
Singapore 428900
Tel: (65) 6348 8195
Website: www.fullofcrab.com
P.S: Special thanks to Eldric for the invitation and FOC for hosting us!
