Food Review: Tinto Restaurant At Dempsey Road | New Spanish Dining Concept With A Hidden Gorgeous Veranda

The Place Located in Dempsey Hill, the newest kid on the block is Tinto, a new Spanish restaurant which took over the space of the now-defunct Moonbow. Taking its name and inspiration from the Spanish name for red wine, vino tinto, Tinto restaurant is helmed by husband-and-wife chefs Daniel and Tamara Chávez who are also behind the nearby Canchita Peruvian Cuisine.

The space of Tinto is divided into the main dining hall with a high ceiling, and a hidden veranda with a lush greenery view behind a secret door. This is also the only Spanish restaurant in Dempsey currently.

The Food Expect the likes of tapas, paellas, fideuas, Spanish wines, and more on the menu which is currently the same for lunch and dinner. From Andalucia to Catalonia, Seville to Valencia, the menu traverses Spain in search of its many regional flavours.

My meal started with tapas dishes like the Gazpacho (S$10) – Cold Tomato and Japanese Cucumber Soup, Raspberry Vinegr, Heirloom Cherry Tomatoes. A refreshing starter, the interesting bits here are the raspberry vinegar and bread within the cold soup.

The next tapas dish I had was the Cangrego (S$18) – Crab & Avocado Salad, Lime, Green Apples, Fine Herbs, Sour Cream. I like the creaminess of this dish from the sweet crab meat and creamy avocado. You also get that zesty bit from the lime and added burst of texture from the salmon caviar.

The Gambas Al Ajillo (S$28) is my favourite tapas dish I tried. I love the sweet flavour of the prawns and it is also very fragrant as the prawns are cooked in Roasted Garlic Oil and Dried Chilli and Garlic Chips. The Light Potato Puree beneath the prawns is creamy and buttery, and it soaks up the essence of the prawn jus as well.

The last tapas I had was the Pulpo A La Brasa (S$32) – Grilled Spanish Octopus, “Mojo Rojo” Canario, Catalan Lentil Stew. You get bits of tender Spanish octopus cooked sous vide for 4 hours then grilled, where you get that bit of slightly charred texture. This is served with Catalan Lentil Stew spiced with saffron alongside the classic Canary Islands Spanish sauce – the “Mojo Rojo” spicy red pepper sauce.

For mains, the Fideua Carabineros & Setas (S$62 / $S118) is a main highlight which is traditional Spanish noodle paella. I am more used to paella as a rice dish, so this version is quite an interesting one to try for me. The noodle texture here is spaghetti-like, where it soaks up the lobster broth and dried sherry wine. It is topped with seared plump Mediterranean Sea carabinero prawns and grilled organic mushrooms and finished off with creamy truffle aioli. Overall, the flavour is rich and appetising which is great for sharing.

That said, I prefer the De Pulpo & Chorizo (S$36 / S$68), a quintessential Spanish dish originating from Valencia. Tinto’s version of this signature paella is cooked with saffron-flavoured Bomba rice cooked from scratch along with chickpeas, where you get a crispy socarrat (bottom layer of rice). It is a very flavourful dish from the savoury stock and Mediterranean spices, and the rice tastes even better when mixed with the accompanying piquillo pepper aioli sauce. It is also topped with chunks of grilled octopus and pork chorizo sausage.

For meats, I had the Conchillo (Leg – S$54),essentially Roasted Spanish Suckling Pig where you can choose the loin or leg parts. The meat is served with potato puree and orange reduction along with petit salad by the side. I thought that the skin could have been crispier, though the meat itself is very moist which is great.

For desserts, you cannot go wrong with the Churros con Chocolate (S$18) where you get freshly made churros powdered with sugar and drizzled with a glossy chocolate sauce, then served with a house made light and airy vanilla pastry cream.

Alternatively, there is also the Frutas & Pacharan (S$18) which showcases seasonal fruits glazed with Spanish brandy, double cream & port wine reduction.

For beverages, the wine list showcases an all-Spanish lineup of wines, sherries and brandies from across Spain. Well-known regions such as Rioja, Priorat and Ribera del Duero are duly represented, alongside unique finds from areas like Jumilla, Toro and Monsant.

Rants Prices are relatively steep, though that is not unexpected for restaurants in Dempsey as well.

Will I Return Again? Overall, the flavours of the dishes I had at Tinto are generally on point. This is a great new addition to Dempsey, which I feel has been starting to get a little sleepy in the past two years. The dining hall is more ideal for group meals, while the lovely veranda space suits a romantic date.

This was an invited tasting, though all opinions expressed are our own.

TheRantingPanda says:
Taste bud: 4/5
Hole in the pocket: 4/5
Ambience: 4/5
Overall Experience: 4/5

Source: Ranted by The Ranter, The Rating Panda