nydc, Wheelock Place

I don't remember when was the last time I had actually stepped into nydc (501 Orchard Road, #02-19 Wheelock Place, tel : +65 6736 3253). Like Modesto's, they were a fixture back from the times when I was still a student and at that time, they were the American restaurant/café that was the place to be seen in. For a time, they did well, expansion took the natural course and even later on, downsizing occured. Time took its toll and today, they're not so talked about anymore. Not with the souped up hotpot of eateries that are opening up in this era. Apparently, the nydc chain was founded by a real American couple back in 95.

I'm sure the menu has changed some throughout the years. I remember them being American Italian-ish with pastas, pizzas and meatballs along with their mudpies and chocolate what have yous. They're still on the menu, but some of the former have kinda become focused; if you catch my drift. How I ended up here today is happenstance.

We ordered their Lolli Pork Ribs purely out of curiosity. Man, this was actually quite good. As much as these guys don't look like a barbeque joint, the managed to do some decent ribs in a cocoa sauce coated in their chocolate soil. The last item tasted like dried brownie crumble which I suspect they are. The meat was quite tender and slid off the bone with relative ease. The flavours were savoury, sweetish and rich from the chocolate. Something to be enjoyed in small but cherished quantities. Certainly didn't see this coming.

What they called a Double Beef Booster was pretty much a Reuben sandwich. Which was on its own, pretty decent. By local standards. Unfortunately, we've had better at the same price point which left us not as impressed.

Then came the Hookin’ Brooklyn Chicks. Or their rendition of Buffalo wings. The marinate packed a light heat, but was quite sour. One wing was all it took before we decided that one was enough. On the bright side, they provided a pretty decent blue cheese sauce for their vegetable sticks.