The menu said “curated for 2”.
Looking at the dishes on our table at 11Westside, that seemed like a useful reminder. This was a sharing menu. Kevin was entitled to some of it too.
I joined Kevin for a media tasting at 11Westside in Asia Square Tower 1 on 22 October. Arranged through COCO PR, the visit introduced the restaurant’s new menu, with Mexican-inspired dishes ranging from tableside guacamole to chicken fajitas.
We were there at lunchtime, although the invitation described this as a preview of the new dinner menu.
The man behind the menu
Before getting into the food, I spoke with Chef Yong Soo Do, Liberty Group’s Group Executive Chef. Born in Korea and raised in Canada, he grew up surrounded by good cooking. His mother’s family were chefs, but they discouraged him from following them. He started washing dishes at an Italian restaurant anyway. A chef gave him the chance to learn, and after 7 years, he was running the kitchen.
Hong Kong broadened his experience across different cuisines. There was also a return to his roots: when an opportunity to cook Korean food arose, he turned to his mother and aunts for their recipes. Eventually, his work expanded from creating dishes to developing restaurant concepts, including helping bring 11Westside to Singapore.
His comparison stayed with me: a chef is an artist, while running a restaurant means organising the whole show. Food, service, atmosphere and commercial realities all need attention. He now has a deeper respect for humble eateries that keep customers returning for decades. That is the kind of lasting business he wants to help build.
First, a little theatre at the table
The tableside guacamole gives you something to watch before you start eating. The tasting menu describes avocados mashed to order with lime, coriander, onion and jalapeño, served with house-fried tortilla chips.
The preparation takes place beside the table, with the bowl of guacamole becoming part of the spread.
It is a fitting way to begin a meal built around sharing. The chips, guacamole and other dishes sit in the middle, ready for everyone to help themselves.
Choriqueso and a reason to keep the chips nearby
Alongside the guacamole was choriqueso, a combination of melted cheeses, Mexican chorizo and caramelised onion.
It arrived in a dark pan, with the chorizo and garnish in the centre of the cheese. Lifting a chip gave us a chance to capture the cheese stretch.
This is where a sharing meal becomes quite practical. You already have the chips. Now there is another pan to put them to work.
The guacamole and choriqueso also make a useful visual contrast: a bowl of chunky green avocado beside a pan of melted cheese. Both belong in the centre of the table.
Corn that deserves its own plate
The Baja Corn Elote came as long sections of grilled corn, arranged around a portion of sauce.
According to the tasting menu, the dish brings together sweet corn, Baja spice, brown butter, lime, cotija cheese and chipotle mayonnaise.
The presentation makes it easy to see the seasoning and char on the corn. It also gives the corn a place of its own in the meal, rather than leaving it as something squeezed beside a main course.
Three tacos, then the fajitas
Our tasting menu listed 3 tacos.
The Beef Cheek Taco pairs slow-cooked pulled wagyu beef cheek with Monterey Jack cheese and beef consommé. The consommé comes separately, giving this dish another element beyond the tortilla and filling.
The Baja Fish Taco uses beer-battered fish with cabbage slaw, pico de gallo and chipotle aioli.
The Pollo Asado Taco brings grilled marinated chicken together with salsa roja, coriander and red onion.
The chicken continued with Sizzling Chicken Fajitas, served with sautéed vegetables, warm tortillas, crema, pico de gallo and guacamole.
A tortilla goes on the plate, followed by the filling and toppings. There is a little more participation involved than simply picking up a finished taco.
It suits the way this menu is served. Several dishes, a shared table and a meal you put together as you go.
A mural worth looking up for
Between the food photographs, I also took several pictures of the large mural beside the booth seating.
The figures and dramatic composition fill the wall above the brown upholstered seats. It is a sizeable part of the room’s character, and worth including alongside the close-ups of the food.
The wider view shows how the artwork wraps around the booth, with the light hanging above it. It gives the seating area a different feel from a plain restaurant wall.
Chef Yong’s point about organising the whole show gives this another context. The cooking is one part of a restaurant visit. The space, the welcome and the interaction at the table also contribute to what people remember.
A look through the drinks menu
I also photographed the drinks menu for readers who want a sense of the choices alongside the food. These are the menus from our visit, rather than a record of drinks we sampled.
The wine pages sit alongside a separate selection of spirits and beer.
There are also non-alcoholic choices, with sections for mocktails, specialty Mexican sodas, soft drinks, tea and coffee.
These photographs show what was listed on 22 October. Check with the restaurant for current availability and prices.
Where to find it
11Westside
8 Marina View, Asia Square Tower 1, #01-05
Singapore 018960
Instagram: @11westsidesg
This visit was a hosted media tasting. The menu photographed was prepared for the tasting and should not be treated as a priced set available to every diner.
Have you visited 11Westside, and which dish would you put in the middle of the table first?
