When writing about places, I could usually classify them into different cuisines and tell people that "so-and-so serves (insert country) food." But what if you don't want to be stuck with simply pizza/pasta or burger/steak, preferring choices inspired by different countries? Here's where Charly T's comes in!
With the second branch located at I12 Katong (first being at Nomu, beside The Grand Cathay), Charly T's creations are influenced by flavours of Europe and North America. Bright and casual with cushioned armchairs, the cafe has a self-service ordering system with food served to your table, adding only GST to menu price.
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Blending in the nonya touch of Katong area, the cafe also has a peranakan-styled semi-private room, as well as an outdoor lounge with live screening of sports matches. A pity that they don't have plans to broadcast Euros here.
Green Flash ($6.50)
With a mix of Green apple, Orange and Pineapple, it was indeed a thirst-quencher and refreshed me for the tasting dinner ahead. Orange flavour was most prominent among the three fruits though.
Rotisserie Chicken, Original Recipe ($13.00 for quarter chicken + 2 additions, $24.00 for half chicken + 3 additions, $42.00 for whole chicken + 4 additions)
Marinated for more than half a day before being slow-roasted, the Rotisserie Chicken are being promoted as the signature dish here. However, as you would have known by now that I have little regards for the (poor) bird, I can only say that you should really request for your favourite chicken parts while ordering, lest you end up getting something that you dislike chewing on.
Taste-wise, the original flavour was pleasantly smokey with a slightly crisp skin. That, I like!
Rotisserie Chicken, Kansas City BBQ & Black Pepper ($15.00 forquarter chicken + 2 additions, $27.00 for half chicken + 3 additions, $46.00 for whole chicken + 4 additions)
But it was the BBQ one that delighted me most with its more savoury and somewhat more marinated flavour. The black pepper one, on the other hand, wasn't as spicy as I would have preferred and felt like a saltier version of Original. All these were further complemented with juicy, tender thigh meat.
Sides: (Clockwise from top) Macaroni & Cheese, German Potato Salad, Fresh Vegetables, Butter Garlic Rice)
Sauces: (Clockwise from top) Charly T’s Original Sauce, Creamy Roasted Sesame Sauce, Chermoula Sauce, Kansas City BBQ Sauce
We also sampled some of the side choices that would come with the chicken. Standing out was the Mac & Cheese with its infusion of cauliflower and usage of light cheese sauce, making the whole bowl palatable right to the last macaroni. Veggies and rice were pretty normal, while the potato salad's sourish gravy wasn't quite my thing.
Sauce-wise, I completely finished the BBQ and almost cleared the Sesame. while the cilantro-based Chermoula and Original were again not things that I would like.
Kalua Pork ($16.00)
I'm having mixed feelings about this Honolulu dish too. Firstly, the drool-inducing, wobbly skin has been removed for a healthier bite and healthy eating ain't exactly in my books (Fats? Run it off la!). However, the layer of lean meat right below the skin was very nicely done with its tender texture, easily pulled apart with your tongue to enjoy the juicy flavours. Then the problem comes again with the following layers getting drier and more bland, which is expected given the structure of pork bellies.
If its up to me, I will serve just the first lean layer for this dish and use the rest for a pulled pork burger, served with their BBQ sauce of course!
Jumbo Schnitzel Burger ($14.00), CT's Beef Burger ($10.50)
Despite the usage of breast meat, the huge chicken burger was actually much better than I have expected as the thin, flattened white meat was more tender and easier for marination, much like how Taiwanese do their chicken cutlets.
Served with nacho, the beef choice wasn't exceptional but still a decent burger to munch on.
Kaiserschmarrn ($14.00)
Now this was simply awesome to end off the meal. Don't ask me how to pronounce the Austrian-German dessert, but the shredded pancakes were served warm and sprinkled with sugar and raisins, perfectly complemented by homemade vanilla bean ice cream. Very comforting like how a apple crumble does for me!
While there wasn't a main course that wow-ed, I appreciate how the cafe tries to introduce homemade flavours into familiar dishes, providing a variety of choices than sticking to a single cuisine. And as I try to pronounce Kaiserschmarrn, I can see myself returning for a second helping soon!
Charly T's
112 East Coast Road
#03-15 I12 Katong
Tel: 6636 4701
Father's Day Promo: Complimentary Bottle of Beer for All Fathers with every order of CT's Beef Burger! (11 - 17 June 2012)
Special thanks to Janice of FoodNews for the invite!
Taken with Nikon D70
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