We went to Beanstro at Ngee Ann City two Saturdays ago for a food tasting session. I was quite happy to be seated right at the back of the restaurant because the kids can get very restless so it was nice to have some space for them to move around.

What I like about Beanstro:

It’s in a great location and it’s really convenient to stop and have lunch there in the midst of a power shopping trip. Beanstro is halal certified so I can have a nice American-style meal there with my Muslim friends or colleagues. The menu is extensive, there’s a lot to choose from, the servings are generous and the plating is appealing. The servers are friendly and attentive (not just to our table but to the people seated around us as well). Best of all, they open from 8am to 11pm! This is a big plus if your kids wake up insanely early on weekends.

Possible improvements:

Some of the items we tried were overly rich and heavy, and coupled with the generous servings, can be difficult to finish! The halal versions of food that is traditionally not halal because of certain key ingredients were uneven in standard, some being better than others.

The cream of asparagus was the soup of the day. It’s quite ordinary but the taste was acceptable and the bits of asparagus in the soup added a nice crunch. The kids liked the cheese toast floating in the soup.

The tuna nicoise was very substantial and the salad came with a generous serving of yellow-fin tuna loin. The sesame seeds added texture to the slices of tuna but I think the salad would have benefited from a squeeze of lemon to perk the entire dish up a little.

The Eggs Benedict was a rich dish so it is a bit heavy for breakfast but it’s okay for brunch or for sharing. It tasted quite authentic even though chicken ham was used. I generally like my Eggs Ben to be served in the traditional way on an English muffin but the Vienna used in their version is pretty good too.

I like my spaghetti vongole with white wine so this halal version was not very satisfying for me. There were a lot of clams though and the spiciness gave the pasta a kick. Surprisingly, Adam really liked this even though it was spicy! He would slurp up a few strands of spaghetti, cry and whine and demand a drink, then eat some more!

I love their cheesecake. Always a great way to end a meal. You can’t go wrong if you order this for dessert.

For a halal tiramisu, the Beanstro version is not bad. Again, a bit heavy on the palate but a decent substitute if you can’t take alcohol for whatever reason.

On the whole, it was a positive experience for us and I plan to go back to Beanstro, perhaps with some of my colleagues. But I will take their generous portions into account and order a few items to share!

Beanstro Takashimaya is at #B1-37 Ngee Ann City.

Disclaimer: This review is written based on a food-tasting session I was invited to. All opinions are my own.