Having made a mark on Singapore’s culinary landscape, homegrown Gastro Bar Platypus Cantina have recently moved from East Coast Road to a brand new location at CityLink Mall.

Mexican-inspired cuisines and imaginative cocktails

Platypus Cantina’s unique selling point is their Mexican-Inspired cuisines with a local twist, accompanied by imaginative cocktails and an invigorating atmosphere. 

Through its unwavering dedication to delivering a vibrant, flavourful and diverse dining experience, Platypus Cantina captures the essence of culinary excellence.

Said Grace Chua, General Manager, Platypus Cantina, “Platypus Cantina is about more than just great food and drinks. We want to craft an experience that lingers in the hearts and minds of our customers. We strive to exceed our customers’ expectations, leaving them with unforgettable memories that lasts until their next visit.”  

Their humble beginnings 

Originally known as Platypus Test Kitchen, Platypus Cantina was once a humble passion project in the Singapore CBD when it was founded in 2009, serving pastas and Mediterranean food. 

Three years later, it became the Platypus Lobster Shack and Food Bar, serving gourmet lobster rolls and rice bowl creations. They expanded to Bugis Junction in 2010 under the Platypus Kitchen venture, focusing on pasta and Mediterranean-inspired cuisines. 

Driven by a need to continue innovating, the team reimagined their venture to Platypus Cantina when they moved to East Coast Road, introducing  range of creative cocktails and an extensive menu of Mexican delights, while remaining rooted to their origins.

A full-fledged menu 

The all-new Platypus Cantina at CityLink Mall boasts a full-fledged menu comprising of Mexican fusion foods such as:

• Quesadillas with Braised Tempeh topping ($13.90++)
• Pulled Pork Carnitas ($14.90++)
• Beef Carne Asada ($14.90++)
• Adobo Style Mutton Stew ($22.90++)

Indulging in a tasting menu

Media and influencers were invited to the all-new Platypus Cantina, where we had the opportunity to indulge in a tasting menu consisting of the following.

• Trio Nachos – Assorted corn chip, blue corn chip and red corn chip with 3 cheese queso dip, pico de gallo and homemade guacamole 
• Angry chicken wings – chicken wings tossed with in-house special recipe shaker spiced powder 
• Battered fish tacos – beer-battered fish, soft wheat tacos, pico de gallo, lime crema, corn and braised black beans 
• Pulled pork quesadillas – flour tortillas, jalapeños, pulled pork, 3 cheese queso dip and pico de gallo
• Cactus quesadillas – flour tortillas, jalapeños, fajita & lime, salsa verde and queso fresco 
• Pollo Asado (Spanish rice bowl) – Spiced Mexican rice, braised black beans, corn, jalapeños & lime crema 
• Carne De Res (Tomatillo rice bowl) – tomatillo spiced rice, beans, bechamel sauce, pico de gallo, cheese and queso fresco 

Favourites: Nachos and chicken 

Out of all the foods we tried, the nachos was definitely the most addictive and moreish. I was pretty much chowing on them the entire evening and I couldn’t stop! They were so fresh and very crispy, easily the best nachos I have tried in a while.

I could not really detect much difference in flavour or texture between the blue, red and normal nacho chips, but I can tell you that that they were all super yummy. 

They tasted especially good when eaten together with a big scoop of guacamole, which I felt had a slight sour note and moisture that balanced out the crunchy notes of the chips very well.

Another of my favourites was definitely the Angry chicken wings. As well, when you order this, the waiter also makes a show of shaking them in front of you on the table. Don’t miss out on this TikTok video opportunity! 

In terms of the taste, the chicken is extremely moist and juicy, and the batter is crispy and fragrant.

The spice powder used, has a mild hint of spice as well as some herbal notes which complements the natural flavours of the chicken very well, blending in perfectly with the taste buds. I definitely enjoyed eating every bite of this chicken. 

Tacos and quesadillas

For the fish tacos, this can be quite fidgety and difficult to eat, as the tacos can get undone rather easily and the sauces inside can splatter all over your hands. But they are good.

For the overall flavour, the notes I picked up were slightly sourish, together with a hint of savouriness. There is a combination of textures that hit the taste buds, from the soft notes of the fish, the chewiness of the wheat taco, to the tanginess of the black beans. It is quite complex.

In terms of the two Quesadillas that we tasted, I personally preferred the Pulled Pork version.

The Cactus quesadilla had pretty strong sourish and spicy notes, both of which seemed to clash together in my mouth. It was overwhelming and I found myself having to gulp down some water. 

As for the pork quesadilla, it also had a hint of spice, but the spicy notes seemed to have been balanced out by the presence of the pork, which added a savoury, meaty note to the sandwich. This savoury note had not been present in the Cactus quesadilla. 

Rice 

As for the two rice-based dishes, I personally preferred the Pollo Asado. This rice had strong savoury notes, with a hint of spiciness that balanced out the flavours very well.

The Carne De Res was stronger and richer in flavour. It also had some sweet notes to it, which competed with the savoury flavours in my mouth. It is quite nice to share with a friend, but I think it can feel quite cloying if you had to eat the whole portion on your own. 

Beverages 

For drinks, we had an El Classico cocktail to wash the food down. This consisted of lime juice, citrus, agave, nectar, chilli salt rim and Mexican beer. I thought it was quite a refreshing and thirst-quenching drink, with a hint of sweetness and saltiness to it at the same time. It was unusual and creative. 

This was only a small sample of the cocktails and margaritas available at Platypus Cantina, which has made a name for themselves for their drinks in the East, and have carried forward this reputation to their new location. One of their signatures is the Hell’s Angel Spicy Margarita ($14++), a fiery delight crafted with precision, with Mexican chili, succulent pineapple, juicy mango, spices and agave syrup.

They also have a range of Micheladas consisting of a fusion of diverse sauces, aromatic spices, fiery chillies and fruit purées which are combined together to form unconventional masterpieces. 

For those who want something strong, there is the Classic Dark & Stormy ($14++) consisting of a blend of El Dorado 12-year-old rum, handcrafted ginger syrup and a zing of lime.

Promotions 

A range of special promotions daily are available at Platypus Cantina to satisfy cravings and quench thirsts. Happy Hours are from 12pm-8pm daily and provide a rare chance to indulge in their unique cocktails from $8++. 

As well, lunch specials with savings of up to 50 per cent are available from Monday to Friday and showcase Platypus Cantina’s unique food creations, priced from as little as $9++.

Conclusion

Be it a gathering among friends, a special celebration or a joyous occasion, or simply a quick meal because you’re hungry, Platypus Cantina caters to a variety of occasions. 

With its fusion of Mexican-inspired soul food, tapas and beverages, Platypus Cantina offers an immersive gastronomical experience for the stomach.

Location

Platypus Cantina is at 

1 Raffles Link,

B1-23 Citylink Mall,

Singapore 039393

For more information, do visit http://www.platypuscantina.net