Astons Reloaded

There’s been a lot written, talked and blogged about Astons Specialities. So there really isn’t very much further to say about it is there?

That’s what I thought until I got a lot of requests from my makankakis to organize dinner at the new Astons Specialities that opened on the 4th of August. So ok.

Organizing this was not easy. Being busy people who work for a living, scheduling this became difficult so the whole exercise was aborted for this. Which was excellent!

Anyway, feeling bad, I decided to try one more time. Astons Reloaded. Success! *Punches Fist in the Air*

Turns out everyone was available for Friday. So I ordered 7Kg of Prime Roast for 15 people, which works out to be 466.66666666666667g of beef for everyone.

Which some people felt may not be enough. Private emails were sent, debate ensued, protesters protested. Finally, by secret ballot, 8kg was decided.

Actually no. There was supposed to be another makankaki coming making it 16 people which would reduce the amount of beef to 437.5g. As this cannot be tolerated especially in polite society, an additional 1kg was ordered.

Turns out the 16th guest could not make it, but the die was cast. So it became a 533.33333333333333334g serving of beef each.

What a rollercoaster ride.

Anyway, when we arrived at Astons, it was packed with a crowd waiting outside to get in. The turnover of guests was pretty good. Making reservations is a good thing; the telephone is a friend.

The new place was definitely bigger and more comfortable. Unfortunately the two air-conditioners cooling the place was insufficient which was sad because it made eating difficult because of the humidity. Service was hurried and a little slow because of the huge crowds.

The prime roast just came out of the oven when we arrived, but needed sometime to cool off, so started with the appetizers of Onion Rings, Pasta Salad, Potato Salad and Coleslaw.

The Onion Rings were excellent. You really just can’t stop eating them. Crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside and full of onionly flavours.

I forgot to take a picture of the Pasta Salad, but it’s in here somewhere. The point here is that you should also order this. Cold pasta dribbled with what we discern to be Olive oil, it was refreshingly good!

The other side that you should order is the Coleslaw. Crunchy and tangy, it’s the real thing! Most coleslaws we get at the generic “western” food stalls are cold, colorless and glued together with gobs of mayo. What’s missing from those is the tang that adds a delicious twist.

Then suddenly, like a stealth bomber, the prime roast descended upon us. Cooking 8kg of beef is not easy. It had to be cut up and served in many platters.

The prime roast is not available on the menu as a regular item as it takes about 3 days to prepare, so it has to be ordered in advance. I try to do this one week ahead.

While I ordered medium rare, as there were different platters and lots of meat, the cooking was uneven and most of the platters contained beef that was well-done.

Aston Soon, the owner explained that the cooking portions were cut small so that we didn’t have to wait too long. The unfortunate side-effect is the over-cooking. Alas.

The problem with beef being well-done is that you lose the flavour. And the meat that day was very lean with little fat, so what you get is a dry piece of beef that can be an ardous chewing exercise for some.

The other thing of note is the wine sauce. Ooooh… the wine sauce… Considered to be an important food group by itself, it greatly enhanced the flavour of the beef. This must not be missed.

As Nature abhors a vaccuum, so even with bigger premises, Astons is still filled to the brim with customers. There were quite a few big groups of people there, but we were the rowdiest.

Teens with punk rock t-shirts and metal spikes on their lips were a little annoyed at the noise we were making, public nuisance-like.

At the end, we could not finish all 8kg. I suspect there was like 1kg left which we ta-pau’d into 3 packs for lunch tomorrow.

FYI: Stir-frying the leftovers in the wine sauce is a very good thing to do for lunch.

Another unfortunate thing was that there was no dessert available. And it was 11pm, all the dessert shops were closed. Our suggestion was for Aston to have just one or two very good desserts like an Apple Crumble and Brownie with ice cream (of course).

Despite the heat and cramped spaces, we had a great time at Astons.

Posted on 20th Aug 2006 in Food and Drink, Makankaki, Meat, Western

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There Are 33 Comments

bottomless pit commented on August 20, 2006 at 5:51 pm

Fantastic. Prime Rib!!!!!! and so much of it…i think you might have cause a shortage of cows.haha. How much did it cost per share…. would go try it out…. good cuts are not easy to come by.

Ivan commented on August 20, 2006 at 6:19 pm

Actually, it was only two cows.

The cost came up to about $34 per person. Not too bad, but you need to order in advance.

curious commented on September 9, 2006 at 5:41 pm

The prime roast looks yummy….
Would love to try it!
Astons’ address and contact details please?
Many thanks!

Ivan commented on September 10, 2006 at 7:03 pm

@Curious: The address and contact are: 119 East Coast Road. HP 9147 4627.

curious commented on September 10, 2006 at 10:08 pm

Ivan: Thanks for the details. Will try to make a trip there for the prime roast – hopefully soon…

yapnelann commented on October 5, 2006 at 12:04 pm

IT sounds to me that you are not as satisfied with your prime roast as you wish. I understand why especially when you mentioned about the chewing exercise on dry meat…….the worst I dread when eating steak, not to mention the calories build up in my body after swallowing it.

I personally feel that eating steak has to be a truly enjoyable experience with each bite being juicy and full of flavour, so yes I would always go for medium rare. The standard of cooking in Singapore is not really good, so to prevent being served raw meat dripping with blood, sometime I would order medium…….

My question is : would you do it all over again?if not, what would you recommend in aston if you do visit the next time? btw, did you try their wagyu?Thank you.

ivn commented on October 5, 2006 at 2:37 pm

@yapnelann: Yes, I would do it all over again. In fact I went back 3 weeks later. Astons basically does a great job if he is not rushed. Big groups are difficult for everyone. I did not try their Wagyu, but I had their Black Angus which is pretty reasonable and it was good. Two things to remember at Astons: 1. Cooking quality suffers if you have a big group because Aston, bless him, tries to serve everyone at the same time. 2. Ask Aston NOT to add the sauce directly to the steak. Separate it. And try the Coleslaw, Onion Rings, Pasta Salad and Fries!

food.recentrunes.com » Blog Archive » Cafe de Amigo at Funan Centre commented on October 29, 2006 at 11:04 pm

[...] I had for the past year seriously cut-down my intake of beef steaks, especially rare and medium rare steaks. Of course, I am not a monk and hence do not deny myself when it is time for steak. [...]

Kenneth commented on August 27, 2007 at 11:00 am

Yesterday, 26th Aug I went to Aston around 4p.m+. Wanted to try something new and order the Lamb Chop. Waited very long for the food to arrive even it is not crowded. When the food comes, my first bite into the lamb chop is a huge disappointment. The meat is not hot and worst of all, not even warm! Lots of fats on the lamb! I am totally disappointment with the QC for Aston now.

Ivan commented on August 27, 2007 at 11:27 am

@Kenneth: Oh dear, the long wait must have raised the expectations and anticipation. Which Aston’s did you go to?

Richard Tan commented on September 9, 2007 at 1:59 am

Hi dude, your steak is better than Morton’s but don’t tell Corwin about it.
Cheers.

Ivan commented on September 10, 2007 at 1:19 am

@Richard Tan: I’m sorry, but huh?

Richard Tan commented on September 13, 2007 at 3:53 pm

Dude,
have time for coffee sometime?

Ivan commented on September 13, 2007 at 8:37 pm

@Richard Tan: Are you referring to me or the “Dude!” in your previous comment? I am a little confused.

Richard Tan commented on September 24, 2007 at 6:36 pm

Boy , you are getting old and can’t remember your buddy 5689

Ivan commented on September 24, 2007 at 10:03 pm

@Richard Tan: You are right. I don’t remember.

Richard Tan commented on September 25, 2007 at 2:35 pm

Loo, how’s the family? ring-a-bell?

Ivan commented on September 25, 2007 at 5:18 pm

@Richard Tan: Nope. Sorry.

steven commented on October 5, 2007 at 2:24 am

Yesterday, 4th oct I went to Aston around 3p.m+. Wanted to try something new and order the Lamb Chop and Wagyu. I was a

Ivan commented on October 5, 2007 at 9:14 am

@steven: And? You’re keeping me in suspense!

Richard Tan commented on October 5, 2007 at 4:52 pm

Great to see you guys feature on TV , 5 Thumbs Up !

Ivan commented on October 6, 2007 at 4:53 pm

@Richard Tan: Thank you!

steven commented on October 9, 2007 at 2:54 am

was so disappointed that my girlfriend had the wagyu doneness was not right.The side coleslaw was bitter and not fresh.It standard has dropped dramstically.why are ya guys being feature on channel 5?

Ivan commented on October 10, 2007 at 1:39 am

@steven: I would advise you to send the steak back if it was not done properly. Likewise, you can send the coleslaw back too. Perhaps you would like to try Astons Prime couple of doors down. As for Channel 5, I don’t think I’ve ever been on it. When did you see it?

jas commented on April 28, 2008 at 7:20 pm

i have been there, i’ve tried the prime sirlone.. its worth while.. (=^v^=) but i forgot is aston halah? cos i would like to bring a malay frend there..

Ivan commented on April 28, 2008 at 7:39 pm

@jas: I don’t think Astons is Halal, but do call them and check.

AlanRaj commented on November 7, 2008 at 10:01 pm

Hi,

I am bringing a group of students to Astons.Was wondering about the price range there.

Ivan commented on November 8, 2008 at 3:35 pm

@AlanRaj: It would be better to give them a call to arrange for a package deal for your students. I’ve found Astons to be very accommodating.

roger commented on November 13, 2008 at 8:25 pm

hi ppl……….any recommendation for the western food in aston……as in the best

Ivan commented on November 13, 2008 at 11:06 pm

@roger: did you even read my entry?

Shermaine commented on March 29, 2010 at 11:18 pm

The service is getting worst. I’ve always been a great fan of ASTONS and went there frequently until today there’s this new bald manager at SUNTEC CITY on 29/03/2010, 7pm and my friend and I ordered black pepper chicken. As we are only 2 pax, he made us sit right beside the entrance and both of us are carrying bulky bags after a meeting. Best thing is he let us sit in a 6seater but he only let us occupy 1/3 of the table, and we have to hold on to our bags and laptops while eating !!!! THE RESTAURANT IS LARGELY EMPTY. I AM SO INFURIATED AND ANGRY AND THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A MINI-CELEBRATION OF THE SUCCESS OF OUR DEAL. another couple came in and he asked them to sit beside us when deep inside, i still see many tables empty…

sucky service. and they gave us wrong side dishes as well. asked them to change nicely then give us a sour look. no more ASTONS for me. BOTAK JONES for the win.

hong lim commented on March 29, 2010 at 11:25 pm

Astons services are getting worse. I have read your comment Shermaine. I bet they are hiring those incapable supervisior as they are cheaper than capable ones. And those incapable ones like that bald manager, put on some air, thinking that the restaurant he is managing will gonna have some big business hence he puts you in such a sucky area.

I tell you guys, customers are always right, he shouldn’t have treated you this way. What a bad service given by Astons.
I shall never go to Ashtons again. THey lost 2 loyal customers.

New York for the win.

ivan commented on March 30, 2010 at 8:53 am

@Shermaine: That is rather shocking. Did you insist on being seated at a better location? I would recommend that you direct your feedback via email here: http://www.astons.com.sg

We should stand up to bullies and demand to speak to upper management.

@hong lim: So, what was your negative experience with Aston?

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