[Review] Group Gathering with Fusion Dishes at The Communal Place in Joo Chiat

During the earlier phases of COVID-19 in 2020 and 2021, many of us were cooped at home with nothing much to do – well, the chefs at The Communal Place took this opportunity to refine and revamp their menu, which now includes new dishes that aim to align with the establishment’s goal of being a place to foster genuine connections and inspire hearty conversations.

The outlet at Joo Chiat is rather spacious and tables are aplenty, which makes it a rather good place for friends to gather and share some mains!

We were treated to a complimentary mini Welcome Drink ($8), which features their daily fruit infused mix, soda, and pomelo pulp – a rather refreshing starter to the meal with a unique colour!

To combat the heat, we also sampled two of their drinks: Iced White ($6) and Iced Passion Fruit Oolong Tea ($5.50). While the oolong tea taste was rather strong for the latter, I would have loved for the passion fruit to shine through further to allow the drink to be sweeter. Nevertheless, the drink portions are rather reasonable for their prices!

For starters, we ordered their Burrata Salad ($24) which came with a generous portion of burrata (125gm), several slices of smoked salmon as well as a salad made out of mesclun, beetroot and pickles. I thought the burrata went well with the fresh salad and was sufficiently creamy.

We also sampled a new addition to their menu – the Octopus Chorizo ($18). Apart from octopus leg, the dish features chorizo sausage and pepperocini layered onto Belgium mash. The team at The Communal Place shared that this dish was accidentally created when their chefs challenged each other to reinvent the classic Bangers and Mash with octopus! I quite liked this dish as there was a good spicy kick – I’d describe the gravy to resemble that of chilli crab sauce! However, my guest found that it was a little strong-tasting for his liking. I’d recommend the dish for those who enjoy saltier flavours, or those who are fans of seafood.

For our Main, we had their Foie Gras # Miso ($26). This dish featured linguine cooked with cream and miso paste, topped with bacon, tobiko and foie gras. This was probably the dish we enjoyed the most! The foie gras was sufficiently creamy and a good mix with the al dente pasta. Even towards the end, I did not feel that it was overly milky or filling, and we were left wanting more!

From their communal sharing plates section of the menu, we tried their new dish – the Porter House Steak ($49) which features Porter House T-bone steak (above 500g) and meat sauce. The steak was seasoned with herbs and had a strong black pepper taste. While I appreciated the generous portion with regards to the price, we felt that the steak was a little dry for a medium rare order, and would have loved it if the cuts were more tender.

To end off our meal, we shared two of their desserts – the Chocolate Dome ($21) and Waffle Ice Cream ($16).

Before we could consume the Chocolate Dome, we got to mess around a little with the food as the dessert is enjoyed after one drops the hollow chocolate ball onto a glorious mixture of gelato, honeycomb, cheesecake, nuts, berries and popping candy. An interesting experience that’s perfect for the ‘gram!

The combination of nuts and sweet treats was rather satisfying and I thought that popping candy was a nice touch that reminded me of my childhood.

The Waffle Ice Cream was a decently-sized portion and is a classic dessert that can always be counted on to end off a hearty meal.

Before we left, we enjoyed one last drink – their Fizzy Yuzu ($8) mocktail, which was rather refreshing and a drink I’d recommend.

In overall, I would most recommend the burrata salad and the pasta, as well as the Chocolate Dome for its novelty. With several other fusion dishes on the menu, I’d probably be back to gorge on the Foie Gras # Miso as well as try out more new dishes, such as their Smash (Meat)Ball and St. Louis Pork Ribs!

The Communal Place

Address: 465 Joo Chiat Road Singapore 427677

Opening Hours: Open daily from 11am to 10pm