SINGAPORE – At Spanish restaurant Asador in Joo Chiat, you can pay $128++ to share a meal with a table of strangers. For this introvert, it is a terrifying prospect made bearable only by the assurance that an evening at Asador is never an evening wasted. 

Under the glow of the rustic chandelier fashioned from Spanish grapevines, break bread (sourdough, $13++) and slather it with house-smoked butter, light as air. 

Asador is outfitted with rustic decor, like the chandelier made of grapevines.

PHOTO: ASADOR

Savour the nutty fragrance of the jamon Iberico as you crunch through cristal bread and grated tomato ($16++ for two pieces), then pop a slice of anchovy toast ($10++ for two pieces) into your mouth, letting the slippery salinity extol the wonders of Spanish produce. 

If you sign up for 8 Perfect Strangers, your dinner is curated by the chef and paired with wine. It is a welcome element of surprise for those looking to enliven their evening in this corner of Joo Chiat, a quiet street typically shrouded in homey calm.

If you dine a la carte, however, you can take your pick from an array of wood-fired plates. Old favourites like the Spanish suckling pig (from $98++ for a quarter) remain mainstays, but on the refreshed menu they are joined by newcomers such as roasted chicken with prunes, olives and shallots ($42++), and mussels in Nduja cream ($32++).

If you crave something gamier, go for the grilled lamb neck with pumpkin puree and chimichurri ($48++) or the rump cap with red wine-braised onions ($58++). 

You could end the night with an excellent Basque cheesecake ($16++) that hits all the right notes or you could head to the back of the restaurant, past the toilet and the full-length mirror that marks an apparent dead end. Beyond lies the 60ml bar, a jazzy speakeasy that is far too good to stay secret for long.

Kick back with a reverse espresso martini ($22++) or a half dozen Japanese Hyogo Oysters ($38++). The lights are low and the music flows like honey. Whether you walked in with trepidation or confidence, the night welcomes you into its fold.

Where: 51 Joo Chiat Place MRT: Eunos Open: Noon to 2pm, Fridays to Sundays; 5.30pm to midnight, daily Info:

www.asadorsingapore.com

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