With its California gold-rush theme, this restaurant stands out from the others at Groove. The earth-hued walls block the sunlight from leaking in, and mining paraphernalia help ram home the concept.

 

While Tales of Gold Mine’s PR spiel reads like the restaurant’s doing fusion, most of the dishes here have a distinct direction: American or Chinese. Both deliver pleasant if not outstanding flavors, as if the chef’s first priority is to please everyone.

 

On our last visit, business was pretty quiet, and not unlike other restaurants in Groove, Gold Mine seemed a little over-staffed. While the waiters were attentive and responsive, they weren’t particularly forthcoming with food or drink suggestions. However, sticking with the menu’s recommended offerings, we weren’t disappointed.

 

As a starter, the crispy brie nuggets (B250) have a nice, crispy bite that’s complemented by a warm and gooey interior. We like the hint of honey, too, but the accompanying dried fruits taste sweet and sugar coated. The chipotle fries (B250) come with a wellflavored chipotle cheddar cream, avocado chunks, chopped onion and some chili powder. While the condiments are tasty, the thick-cut wedges are rather mushy.

 

On the Asian side of things, the mantau (Chinese steamed buns, B350/3 pieces) are wonderfully balanced when eaten with the accompanying five-spice duck breast and pickles. The salmon and lime quinoa salad (B450), though a little overwhelmed with cilantro and mint, bursts with freshness thanks to the low serving temperature and chopped cucumber mixed throughout.

 

Sadly, the BBQ pork baby back ribs (B450) don’t live up to expectation. Despite being tender and juicy, the heavily glazed, overly-sweet sauce overpowers the pork’s flavor and all the smoky aroma. One of the recommended desserts, the frozen passion fruit tart (B170) is another failure; its tart shell too moist and not at all crumbly or crispy.

 

Despite some sketchy moments, though, Tales of Gold Mine mostly does the job as an easy-to-access place for straight-up comfort food. Corkage B500

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This review took place in May 2015 and is based on a visit to the restaurant without the restaurant's knowledge. For more on BK's review policy, click here.