Note: We visited BTM Mussels & Bar before Circuit Breaker and did not share food/drinks with anyone.
From the folks behind acclaimed, Riviera Forlino, L’Entrecote and Sabio, BTM Mussels & Bar is a mussel-focused restaurant in Duxton. It’s a nod to restaurateur Olivier Bendel’s experience in being the first to popularise Belgium’s signature ‘mussels-and-fries’ concept throughout France.
The menu at BTM—short for back to mussels—centres around communal dining, so expect sharing plates, tartes flambées, charcuterie and cheese boards alongside an alluring selection of original mussel dishes. All the mussels are prepared in a myriad of styles popular throughout Europe as well as certain renditions that you will find familiar.
Summer Fruit-Infused Beer
BTM Mussels & Bar has elevated Belgian’s pride and joy pilsner, Stella Artois, with a medley of refreshing summer fruity flavours. Kickstart your hearty feast with their fruit-infused beers that would surely ease your palate into the courses to come.
The selection of fruity flavours, though limited, features a good variety of characteristics. So if you prefer sweet, you could opt for either Raspberry or Lychee. On the other hand, if you wanted something with a little more zing, you could consider Pomelo Grapefruit or Passionfruit.
The Raspberry (S$12++), though a tad sweet, had a nice tartness to it, underscored by the berry’s signature profile. The pilsner’s undertones of floral, hoppy and fruity maltiness nicely complement the sweetness of the raspberry. The result? A delightful beer that’s crisp and light. This summer cooler makes it approachable even for those who aren’t huge fans of beer.
The tangy and zesty Pomelo Grapefruit (S$12++) is a citrus-forward alcoholic beverage with a pleasant sourness that works well with the beer’s maltiness. Much like a shandy, it’s incredibly easy to drink and pairs well with rich, meaty dishes.
Les Tartes Flambées
Their food programme adopts a tapas style, so don’t expect massive mains. But instead, a slew of delightful sharing plates and platters that cater to groups of all sizes. Among their list of sharable delights, we highly recommend their Les Tartes Flambées. It’s a type of flatbread that comes dotted with a variety of delicious toppings; ranging from smoked bacon and caramelised onions to escargot. It’s basically a pizza, or rather, the French rendition of what they perceive a pizza to be. But boy does it work!
The Escargot Tartes Flambées (S$26++) boasts a dollop of parsley butter, escargot, sweet caramelised onions and a generous amount of fresh arugula. When it comes to France’s most iconic hors d’oeuvre, you’ll almost never find escargot without garlic and butter. The combination of the three works terrifically well and it’s further amplified with the caramelised onions’ sweetness and stickiness, coupled with the crunch of the flatbread’s crisp layer.
Buchot Mussels Marinières
Needless to say, their Les Moules and Frites (Mussels and fries) are a must order. Their mussels used to come directly from various parts of Europe throughout the year. But in light of the recent COVID-19 pandemic, they’ve had to look for alternative sources—namely from local farmers. While local mussels tend to be smaller in comparison to their European counterparts… They more than compensate with their natural sweetness, brininess and pronounced flavour!
Served in a myriad of styles and flavours that serve to complement the natural flavour and salinity of these plump, juicy morsels, each order comes with a generous basket of crispy shoestring fries. Among their repertoire of choice sauces, all created by Olivier himself—of which we were told boasts 250 strong—, we opted for the classic Marinières (S$36++ per 500g, S$48++ per 750g, S$58++ per 1kg). It sees a generous portion of mussels poached in an aromatic sauce comprising white wine, butter, chopped parsley and finely diced onion.
Buchot Mussels Thailandaises
Showcasing Olivier’s culinary prowess, his encyclopaedic knowledge of ingredients and his willingness to push boundaries—especially for someone who hails from a French culinary background—, his Thai-inspired, Thailandaises (S$36++ per 500g, S$48++ per 750g, S$58++ per 1kg) is truly a delight from start to finish.
Swopping gentler aromatics like parsley with punchier flavours such as kaffir lime, lemongrass and chilli, he has broken through the confines of an otherwise, ‘safe’ approach, creating a bloody tasty dish that bridges the gap between experimental and approachable.
Grand Marnier et Oranges Confites Soufflé
Round out your meal on a sweet note with their Grand Marnier et Oranges Confites Soufflé (S$23++). It’s a freshly-baked soufflé accented with citrus and slivers of candied orange. The real kicker to this seemingly harmless dessert comes in the form of a generous dousing of Grand Marnier orange liqueur of which you’re encouraged to do yourself. Get it nicely balanced or boozed up beyond recovery—they leave it up to you.
You can order online via https://www.dhm.com.sg/ or WhatsApp +65 8121 3247. Enjoy complimentary islandwide deliveries for orders >S$75. Self-collect & delivery services are available from 11AM to 9PM daily.
Address: 5 Duxton Hill, Singapore 089591
Contact: +65 6690 7562
Nearest MRT Station: Outram Park
Disclaimer: We were guests of BTM Mussels & Bar, but all opinions remain our own.
Read our guide to bars and supper spots in Singapore.
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