15 Minutes: A Re-review. [Closed]

Written by Mu Yao

I've been to 15 minutes quite a few times before, always thought it was one of the more pretty decent hangout places to be around with. Just like its motto suggests - it's really the vibe of "Friends, Food & Fame", with the ever occasional live band performing. It's a pretty happening place, with affordable restaurant-esque food with a laid back arty farty kind of warm ambience. Perfect for dinners with large group, as I did with my section reunion in NS and on two occasions with my photography society in JC.

So with a relatively positive experience, I had a pretty good idea of what to expect: it was my 4th time here anyway. But to say the least, I somehow felt a little... disappointed, but I can't put my hand to it. Maybe it was the food I guess.

The Menu offers albeit of what you call, umm, classed up pub grub, with exotic, almost gourmet-esque sounding titles of "Orange Miso Salmon". They even offer tapas on the menu (that's during their happy hour though, where they offer one for one alcoholic beverages). Salads, pizzas, pastas and some mains. I decided to try all three. haha.

Okay, so starting off with the nicest looking picture, I shall mention the Lamb Chops done in 2 ways ($15.90), and being the most expensive dish on the menu, I guess I immediately adopted a critical view towards it. But trying not to be prejudiced because of the price, I still tried to give an objective assessment of this. Sadly though, the lamb smelt too game-ly, and the portions were quite measly. Presentation was nothing to write home about, since I expected it at that kind of price. However, I have to say that the balsamic vinegar sauce provided a welcome refuge from the overwhelmingly game-ly flavour of the lamb, which made the taste a little more bearable. The oven-roasted potatoes (crispy on the outside, not too dry in the inside, just nice) and pasta salad (a little on the soggy side) were all pretty decent, bordering above average.

Next up would be the good ol' Fish & Chips ($12.90). This main is always a fairly reliable assessor of the performance of the kitchen - because its such a basic dish, it reveals alot about the culinary expertise of the chef. The batter, like the previous review pointed out, was chunky and crunchy, and it wasn't too oily as compared to when I came here the last time. Good job on that front, and being a person who is usually apprehensive about eating fish (because of the fishy smell), I was pleasantly surprised at the firmness and freshness of the fish. Its dry and a little flaky on the inside, not those kind of oily soggy crap fish flesh (ooo I like the alliteration!) that you see around at those hawker centres or kopitiams.

I shall move on to the pasta I ordered now: the 15 minutes style Spaghetti Bolognese ($9.90). To say the least, it was ordinary, mediocre and nothing to write home about. I felt the overwhelming flavour of the tomatoes in the sauce covering over everything else - all I tasted was tomatoes, tomatoes, tomatoes. And they really like to spam sauce, I couldn't even see my spaghetti! (see picture). Not worth it.

Saving the best for last, I had a taste of my sergeant's Asian Duck Pizza ($9.90). It was pretty pleasant to say the least, because it warmed and filled up my tummy on a rainy monday evening. Or maybe it was the conversations we had over the dinner table, but I recalled it being one of the better dishes of the night. The egg was done just right (the yolk wasn't too runny), the duck meat was tender, with the right amounts of fat (and not oil), and the little chunks of what seemed to be orange really gave the right accent to the possibly fatty taste of the pizza. The cheese didn't overwhelm, and provided a pleasant aftertaste and texture to the chunky, meaty pizza. This was a dish that I felt was above average, slightly better than the famed (and over-hyped) duck pizza served over at Timbre.

Service was pretty okay I must add, although I felt it wasn't as good as last time. They were pretty professional, their attempts at trying to be personable failed quite terribly, as they tried to pass off their "rehearsed conversational points" as generic attempts to relate to each customer. Oh well, maybe its just the lack of pretty girls, a sucker for them.

Being a full-service restaurant, they did have service charge and GST lah. Bill came up to about $179 for 10 of us, including drinks.

I left 15 minutes with a little hint of disappointment, but it didn't show as I left with my pretty awesome section mates and my sergeant, eager to go over to Paradiz Centre to play LAN. I could forget this experience, but the good thing about this place is that the laid-back vibe and the chillax atmosphere it exudes - something hard to find in full service restaurants these days. I think I'll still come back, with a little more caution, for its still the most convenient place I know that caters to large groups well without breaking our wallets.

Overall: 6.5/10

Ambience: 7.5/10

Food (inconsistent): 6/10

Value: 5.5/10

Date Visited: 12th April 2010, Monday

Address: Blk D, #01-01, 1 McNally Street, LASALLE College of the Arts.

Contact No.: 6333 5915

Website: http://www.15minutes.com.sg/

Operating Hours:

Mon - Thurs: 11.15AM-11.00PM

Friday: 11.15AM- 12.00AM

Sat: 11.15AM-11.00PM