Barracks@Dempsey

My virgin experience at the new Dempsey Road dinning hangout was truly mixed. The plan was to try out "Prime Society" but that was shot to dust as they were hosting a rather high profile private party.

With, that we headed to Barracks, another big feature at Dempsey as it is built upon the previous army camp and hence the adoption of the name. However the nomenclature is the only thing that remained nostalgic about it's heritage, the decor, the food, the school uniform-donning waiters/resses took on a more trendy approach.

There is a choice of out-door or in-door seating. Considering the possibility of visiting frogs, seating inside would be a wiser choice. Even so, back-to-nature still predominates. Within, there are choices to either have simple dining tables with simple plastic chairs, or Victorian-styled plush rigid framed chairs, or dining by candle-light outside with a panoramic view of what nature has to offer. Big parties can opt for the long wooden tables or the 'Green House' - a little glass-house tucked nicely in a corner for private parties.

In the middle of the restaurant sits a little display area where large glass jars containing a variety of tea and cookies providing the finishing homely touches to the dimly lit and romantic ambiance.

The menu is extensive, and hence, so were our orders. We ordered some appetisers, mainly along the familiar lines of the bread medley and 3 assorted chunky dips, and improving from the side menu offerings - potato fries sprinkled with truffle oil, and grilled corn on the cob that came highly recommended. There was an overwhelming selection of exotic and crazy sounding salads. For the cows and grass-eaters, that's good new for you.. *barf* for me.

The food, unfortunately, did not come army-style: rigidly to-time and at exactly 20-zero hour. The wait in-between appetizer and mains warranted a second order of truffle oil fries - which, is superb by the way. Skinny and crisp, like all fries should be, these yummy little finger foods came with such a lovely after-flavour of musky truffle, heavenly.

Fries a frenzy, our dinner finally arrived. Our fresh crab meat Capellini was mixed with a delightful creamy base, not too overpowering, but flavourful enough.
The veal cheeks were tender as expected but a little lacking in taste and disappointingly, lacking in size.

The food, is sadly forgettable and nothing of impact that will draw me back to this place. The ambiance is probably its main drawing power right now as it's score well for first dates. Perhaps if the menu, changes, or the portions got bigger for the fries, I would find myself back in the barracks.. but that's only a promised 'maybe'.

Barracks8D Dempsey Road
Tel: 6475-7787.
http://www.dempseyhouse.com/