Goatee – This One-Month-Old Bar is the New Kid on Bali Lane

Goatee’s friendly owners, James and Gloria, were thinking of a name that was “cute, easy and fun to pass around”, yet still had “kind of a classic feel to it”. Well, the name Goatee certainly is catchy! Goatee’s logo also encapsulates the owners’ vision — the aesthetically-pleasing geometrical goat instantly caught my eye. According to the owners, the geometric goat logo on Goatee’s entrance was designed by a friend, and I must say that the designer did a pretty good job.

Goatee currently serves their mains till 9 pm, and bites till 10 pm. Of course, we had to order their signature dish — the Goatee Homemade Chicken Burger ($15). As there was an ongoing promotion, we were able to purchase the Sirloin Steak ($16) with a glass of house wine for just $20! If you do the math, the house wine is essentially a mere $4. However, the owners did mention that Goatee has only been open for a month, and does have plans to revamp their menu into one that focuses on tacos (which were unfortunately not available at our time of visit).

We were given the choice of either red wine or white wine. We opted for the latter which was a Rive Gauche Chardonnay wine from France. Sadly, the white wine seemed to be a tad diluted.

Then, the Sirloin Steak ($16) arrived. At first glance, the steak looked overcooked. However, we thought, or rather, we’re hoping that it might just have been more cooked on the outside. Regrettably, our worst fears were confirmed upon slicing the steak into two. The beef looked tough as nails on the inside and was a far cry from the perfect medium-rare. Needless to say, chewing through it was quite a nightmare. While we were quite disappointed, James did look extremely apologetic and explained that their head chef was not at Goatee today, thus they were facing several issues. I felt quite bad for him, and he looked sincerely sorry. Goatee did not offer to send us another steak, unlike other establishments which would at least have offered.

The sirloin steak was served with an accompanying sauce that tasted like chicken stock, which helped salvage the dish a little. However, I have to say that even with the best seasoning, it is impossible to save the dish. The piping hot wedges which were crispy on the outside and soft on the inside were quite delightful though.

Finally, the Goatee Homemade Chicken Burger ($15) arrived at the table. Sandwiched between the burger buns are tomatoes, onions, cheddar cheese, and a very juicy chicken patty. The thick homemade chicken patty was moist, tender, smooth and springy. It was very flavourful, and definitely a far cry from the aforementioned sirloin steak. However, we did find it a little too salty. Nonetheless, the lightly toasted burger buns were buttery, and the fresh tomatoes balanced out the saltiness of the patty. The rocket leaves on the side were dressed in balsamic vinegar, which added some tanginess. 

The owners at Goatee are friendly and sincere, and I guess it was just bad luck that their head chef was not present on the day that we visited. I’ll give them the benefit of doubt, and attribute the teething issues to the fact that they have just opened a month ago. Well, at least the music and ambience here is not bad!

Bali Lane is just a stone’s throw away from Beach Road, why not check out our Ultimate Beach Road Food Guide to get some inspirations on what to eat there?