Bibik Gourmand

2012-02-19T15:41:00.000+08:00

Spa Goer - Banyan Tree Spa vs Mandarin Oriental Spa (Destin Asian Dec 11/ Jan 12)

2012-02-04T22:18:00.000+08:00

Bistronomy in Paris (Silver Kris)

2012-02-02T21:43:00.001+08:00

Paris Dining Redux in Epicure (Feb 2012)

2012-02-02T12:13:00.003+08:00

Modern Singapore cuisine (Discovery Magazine Dec 2011)

2012-01-27T16:43:00.000+08:00

Casa Bom Vento

2011-12-05T22:48:00.001+08:00

Interior of Casa Bom Vento - Photo courtesy of Alex Ang

In my years of writing about food, I’ve graced many Peranakan dining establishments: Guan Hoe Soon, Blue Ginger, Peramakan, you name it. But till today, none has come close to my endearing experience at Casa Bom Vento.

Not least because this wood-swathed restaurant with a mix-mesh of marble and wooden tables feels decidedly boutique. Service by the affable and youthful-looking chef-owner, Baba Lionel Chee, is warm without being imposing, and most certainly engaging.

As we discovered over dinner on a relatively quiet Wednesday dinner service, Chee got into the restaurant business when he bought Casa Bom Vento from a group of Eurasian partners in 1995. While business at the Eurasian restaurant suffered during the first two years, it took a turn for the better when the menu evolved to integrate Peranakan cuisine, thanks to Chee’s mother, Mrs Chee. In 2005, Casa Bom Vento moved to Seah Street but closed a year later with the passing of Mrs Chee. After a four-year hiatus, Chee re-launched the restaurant in late 2010 at the original Joo Chiat neighbourhood.

Helming the kitchen at the reincarnated Casa Bon Vento is Chee himself and judging by those plates of lush – and mostly tongue searing – Peranakan dishes, Chee seems to have mastered the soul of Nonya cookery, with some creativity thrown in for good measure.

Deconstructed ayam buah keluak - Photo courtesy of Alex Ang

Mrs Chee’s ayam buah keluak ($11.50) aptly named for inspiration from the late Mrs Chee, is served deconstructed – with the chicken pieces completely coated by the earthy goodness of the Indonesian black nut. While the blanket of soil may not be much of a visual feast, the chicken enveloped in buah keluak is a savoury treat for the palate.

Sambal sotong - Photo courtesy of Alex Ang

To stand out from other Peranakan eateries, Chee gives a twist to the classic sambal sotong dish by infusing it with a beautiful, if addictive, assam sauce spiked with red cut chilies and thin discs of vinegar-cooked sliced belimbing or star fruit ($15)........

Casa Bom Vento
477 Joo Chiat Road; 65-6440 0196

For the full story, read inSing.

a3 bar & bistro

2011-11-28T15:44:00.001+08:00

Salami pizza - Photo courtesy of Alex Ang

The opening of new Italian restaurants in Singapore seems to show no signs of abating, not least with the debut of yet another named a3 bar & bistro at Bukit Timah Road.

But unlike the others, a3 is decidedly unique. For one, the kitchen is helmed not by an Italian but a Sri Lankan national, Prabath Gunatilake, who spent the past 17 years as executive chef of Da Paolo group of restaurants.

“I am not a chef who can operate out of an office,” says Gunatilake, who opened the casual Italian bistro with an investor. “Cooking is my passion and I’m happy that I can return to the kitchen to personally create each dish.”

For a3, Gunatilake has crafted a plastic laminated menu of formulaic Italian dishes not unlike that of a pizzeria’s. You will find the usual assortment of starters, pastas, pizzas, fish and meats as well as desserts. But where a3 stands out from the rest are its attractive price points.

Carpaccio of beef tenderloin - Photo courtesy of Alex Ang

Starters at a3 cost just $8 to $16; a highlight of which is the jazzed up carpaccio of beef tenderloin ($16) which arrived with heaps of capers, olives, potato cubes, sundried tomato bits, wild rocket leaves and parmesan crisps...........

For the full story, read inSing.

A meal at Kilo is worth the weight

2011-11-25T17:30:00.000+08:00

Kilo's interior - Photo courtesy of Alex Ang

By virtue of its location on level two of a forlorn industrial building in Singapore's staid Kallang River Basin precinct, you'd expect nothing but canteen cuisine from Kilo, tel: (65) 6467 3987. But Javier Perez and Sharon Lee, proprietors of this newly minted restaurant, are delivering food that's more blue ribbon than blue collar.

With the help of chef Bryan Lee, who worked at the duo's previous venture, Raw Kitchen Bar, Perez and Lee have fashioned a menu of seriously fun fusion cuisine. It's influenced in doses by Perez's birthplace of Puerto Rico and by the couple's frequent business trips to Bangkok, where they co-own a Japanese-Thai restaurant.

Seavood ceviche - Photo courtesy of Alex Ang

"Kilo started with a Japanese menu but, along the way, we melded bold South American and Thai accents, and our guests seem to be enjoying it," says Sharon Lee. The ceviche, for instance, is re-imagined as a Thai-style salad, with heaps of baby spinach tossed with cubes of tuna, salmon and octopus in a soy dressing spiked with fish sauce and lime. Mains, such as the balsamic duck leg and baked salmon, are less playful but the latter is worth a repeat order just for the accompanying mound of divine, parsley-scented rice infused with basil and lemongrass.

Lemon tart - Photo courtesy of Alex Ang

"We wanted Kilo to be underground, hence the offbeat location," explains Perez on a packed Friday evening. As he speaks, he serves our concluding course of lemon tart — just rich and satisfying enough to make me hope that the restaurant's name isn't a reference to the extra amount one weighs upon departure.  

As published in TIME magazine.

Open Door Policy by Ryan Clift

2011-11-25T15:54:00.000+08:00

Steak tartare at ODP - Photo courtesy of Alex Ang

In yet another sign of the gentrification of Singapore’s oldest neighbourhood estate, another concept has debuted at the increasingly hip Tiong Bahru precinct. Since October 2011, Open Door Policy (“ODP”) has opened under the watchful eyes of Tippling Club's Ryan Clift, in collaboration with Cynthia Chua of Spa Esprit Group and 40 Hands' Harry Grover.

But while Clift is known for his iconoclast culinary approach, the food at ODP is anything but. For ODP, Clift has distilled a menu of ‘modern bistro fare with a rustic twist’. And befitting the unpretentious cuisine on offer, the trio has fashioned a decidedly rustic, if narrow, space of exposed brick walls with an eclectic assortment of recycled classroom tables and chairs.

Diners who wish to see the chef – in this instance, Clift’s former sous chef, Alex Phan – in action will do best to reserve the counter seats fronting a glass-wrapped open kitchen.

But kitchen theatrics should not detract from the parade of affordably priced bistro fare on offer, not least truffle-perfumed, rough-cut steak tartare ($19) served with toast and potato crisps, arguably one of the best we’ve had. Equally stunning was the mound of 48-hour sous-vide braised beef cheeks ($29) that cut like butter – it arrived on a bed of heart-warming carrot puree, crowned with lashings of snow pea tendrils.......

For the full story, read inSing.

Wok & Barrel, Eco Gourmet Cafe, La Barca, Kilo Restaurant

2011-09-21T22:08:00.000+08:00

It has been a whirlwind of dinners past couple of weeks, not that I’m complaining. I’m patting myself on the back as I write this for some extraordinary food discoveries.

Rendang pizza at Wok & Barrel - Photo courtesy of Alex Ang

Wok & Barrel

You would have read the spread on Wok & Barrel (13 Duxton Hill; 65-6220 0595) in most media by now. I love how the gung ho Shen Tan has grabbed media attention as much for her apparently delicious nasi lemak (which I’ve not tried, admittedly, but Feran Adria had last year)–which she used to hawk at Maxwell Market – as for her modish Singapore cuisine. Tan continues to proffer her now famous nasi lemak with your choice of side dish- roast pork with five spices, beef rendang or mutton curry - by day. And at dinner, her pristine white bistro transforms into a cozy bistro serving modern Singapore cuisine. Call it business or kitchen acumen, you will still get to taste Tan’s roast pork from lunch, but only in the guise of the chi chi bak shor mee pasta with Tan’s heart-warming shredded roast pork and hand made tagliatelle. And the beef rendang reappears as rendang pizza at dinner, though Tan’s crust – which she has been perfecting over the last 10 years – is redolent of the Indian naan, which we absolutely adore. Tan applies her iconoclast instincts on the desserts with success too; not least the deconstructed Shendol (a play on the popular dessert of chendol) and the equally toothsome deconstructed pulot hitam.

Coconut sorbet with mango at Eco Gourmet Cafe - Photo courtesy of Alex Ang

Eco Gourmet Cafe

And though you might not have read or heard about Eco Gourmet Café (30 Labrador Villa Road; 65-6479 8885), take it from me that it is a hidden gem – pardon the cliché. With a venue so mysteriously tucked deep into the Labrador Park and a rustic setting – think Bali chic - completely shrouded in secrecy by lush foliage, it would have been a perfect venue for conducting a clandestine affair where whispers of sweet nothings triumph over food. Yet the kitchen surprised us with a parade of Asian-accented Mediterranean dishes that were, clearly, notches ahead of most cafés. The mound of goat’s cheese on a bed of tom yam jam was exceptional and so was the main of ribeye steak, which arrived a little undercooked but beautifully grilled on the outside and utterly rib sticking. Don’t leave without trying the coconut sorbet with mango shreds, a dessert not unlike your Thai mango sticky rice (sans the sticky rice, of course) and the divine concoction of red wine-steeped lychee drink with lime sorbet.

Raw tuna with cannelini sauce at La Barca - Photo courtesy of La Barca

La Barca

It is hard to convince foodies that a serious Italian restaurant would plonk itself at the staid Montbatten estate. But that’s exactly where La Barca (90 Goodman Road, Block C Goodman Arts Centre; 65-6346 5813) has planted itself, quite self-assuredly in fact, and this Tuscan restaurant boasts more than Italian wines and a beautifully cozy, spotlight-lit interior with art installations. Helming the kitchen is Michele Sorrentino, former chef proprietor of Antica Trattoria Botteganova - a two Michelin-starred restaurant in Siena that was subsequently sold in 2009. Sorrentino’s modern Tuscan cuisine stands out above many for his homemade sauces are refined, wholesome (they are prepared with minimum, if any, butter, cream and cheeses) and first rate. Like the smooth and savoury cannellini bean sauce perfumed only with garlic, sage, rosemary that accompanied the hunk of raw tuna; or the potato and leek sauce completely devoid of cream or meat stock that came with a near-perfect butternut squash-stuffed ravioli. To end on a sweet note, the pistachio parfait dusted with lime green pistachio powder is sublime and possibly the best dessert I’ve had in an Italian restaurant this year.

Interior of Kilo Restaurant Singapore - Photo courtesy of Alex Ang

Kilo

It wasn’t until we trekked down Kilo (66 Kampong Bugis, #02-01 Sam Tat Building; 65-6467 3987) at Sam Tat Building (in Kampong Bugis) that we realized La Barca’s location was comparatively more accessible. After a seemingly long drive – that didn’t seem to lead to anywhere - our GPS led us to the vicinity of the now defunct Kallang Gas Works. And on level 2 of the forlorn-looking Sam Tat Building was Kilo - all airy, dim-lit, rustic and somewhat romantic. It’s hard to put a finger to Kilo’s cuisine: it’s part Japanese and part Mediterranean, with Thai, French and South American accents like the seafood ceviche salad with rocket leaves and cubes of tuna, salmon and octopus marinated in fish sauce and lime; the sesame seeds-flecked tuna tartare spiked with wasabi; or the heady Cognac laced beef tartare with piquant tobacco sauce. They were all raw and downright delicious. There are cooked foods at Kilo too - such as the mains grilled ribeye steak and duck leg in balsamic sauce – and though these tend to be formulaic fare, they were prepared with finesse in particular the dish of salmon on a mound of heavenly basil-scented rice. Leave room for the lemon tart – simple yet simply refreshing. Kilo is going down in my books as the most interesting restaurant find this year though I’m not particularly excited about their reservations policy (call only after 4.30pm but not on Mondays please). And did I mention that Kilo only opens for dinner?

Capri Trattoria & Pizzeria

2011-08-18T15:17:00.006+08:00

Chef Michele Cuozzo and Luca Iannone - Photo courtesy of Alex Ang

Of late, Binjai Park seems to have taken off as a mini restaurant enclave, the same route that put the neighboring Greenwood on the local dining map years ago. Within a span of about 6 months, it has anchored Peperoni Pizzeria and mostly recently, Capri Trattoria and Pizzeria – both stable mates of the original Peperoni and La Braceria at Greenwood.

Those familiar with the charming Iannone brothers will remember - with fondness - how La Braceria has whet our appetites with luscious burrata cheese, the sweetest imported tomatoes, those umami-packed slivers of Parma ham, and – mostly – their heartfelt Italian warmth and hospitality.

Since March 2011, big brother Fabio Iannone has taken over a Singapore River-fronting space at Robertson Quay and named it after Italy’s favourite aperitif, Limoncello. With a stroke of luck, Limoncello’s been packing them in with juicy grilled Italian sausages and Fabio’s signature limoncello duck.

Interior of Capri Trattoria and Pizzeria - Photo courtesy of Alex Ang

Hot on the heels of Limoncello’s opening, Luca Iannone spotted a space at Binjai Park and after painstakingly creating a grotto-like interior of whitewashed stone wall and exposed bricks, is today the proud owner of Capri Trattoria &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp; Pizzeria.

Luca has invited an old friend and veteran chef, Michele Cuozzo. a former pizza chef at Al Forno in the mid 1990s, to helm the kitchen. This time, Luca and Michele have distilled a Capri-accented Italian menu that struts its stuff with some excellent finds in this part of town.

Portobello caprese - Photo courtesy of Alex Ang

A marvelous starter is the juicy and all-umami Portobello caprese ($18), thin eggplant slices sandwiched between broiled Portobello mushroom and a grilled tomato with melted mozzarella cheese. Equally divine is the not-so-Italian sauté capri ($22), succulent Australian black mussels sautéed with garlic, parsley and white wine.

Squid ink ravioli - Photo courtesy of Alex Ang

If you like wood fire baked pizza, you’ll be won over by the 14 varieties on offer. Not that we attempted, we couldn’t. We were ravenously tucking into the wholesome and flavoursome parchment paper wrapped linguini-like pasta baked with heaps of mussels, clams, squid and prawns ($22) when the next pasta, squid ink ravioli ($20) arrived, a seafood and mascarpone cheese-stuffed ravioli in home-made 6 hour-cooked squid ink sauce. But if you prefer ravioli with more kick, then the house specialty of ravioli caprese ($20) beckons. Here, the ravioli is stuffed with Italian herbs, intensely-flavoured caciotta cheese and the pungent aroma of Parmesan cheese in a tomato bath.

Sliced grilled beef with rocket leaves and parmesan - Photo courtesy of Alex Ang

Meat lovers will also adore the rustic simplicity of the sliced grilled beef ($29) resting on a bed of rocket leaves drizzled with balsamic vinegar and Parmesan cheese shavings. Served on a wooden board balanced on stilts, this ‘must have’ dish was rib sticking as it was heart-warming.

Trio of desserts (torte al limone, left) - Photo courtesy of Alex Ang

What really stole the show after dinner weren’t the desserts. Don’t get me wrong, we love the torte al limone ($9), an utterly moist limoncello-laced cake made with mama Iannone’s recipe, which is nothing short of divine compared to the many mediocre tiramisu we’ve had in Italian restaurants.

Capri espresso - Photo courtesy of Alex Ang

But the capri espresso ($6) is one espresso you should not miss: a single shot espresso crowned with a cloud of whipped cream with hazelnuts and chocolate sauce. This could be the best cup of espresso I’ve had since kopi luwak in Hong Kong.

It's interesting how the Iannone brothers have each carved a credible niche for themselves in Singapore's crowded F+B scene and yet excel. But while Capri Trattoria was 70-80% full on the night of our visit on a Tuesday night, it's situated just a few doors away from Peperoni Pizzeria. One has ethereal Italian charm and the other, deep financial backing. Can a small neighbourhood enclave like Binjai Park sustain 2 pizzerias? Only time will tell.

Capri Trattoria and Pizzeria

3 Binjai Park; 65-6468 4886

Keystone Restaurant

2011-08-11T12:49:00.007+08:00

Interior of Keystone Restaurant - Photo courtesy of Alex Ang

In the run-up to the celebrity chefs’ restaurant boom in Singapore, modern European restaurants – with the exception of Restaurant Andre and Fifty Three, of course - seemed to have dropped-off from the radar of many. Perhaps a nod to the concurrent trend towards more casual dining, many bistros, gastro bars and tapas bars have surfaced throughout the island.

But the recent opening of a clutch of modern European restaurants is, perhaps, a timely reminder to relook at what this segment has to offer.

Stanley Street, off the Shenton Way thoroughfare, is where you may least expect to find Singapore’s latest. Named Keystone Restaurant, for an architecture fixture that signifies resilience, Singapore’s newest kid on the modern European block is owned by a 26-year-old fresh faced Eddie Han who hails from Australia. Instead of opening yet another formulaic modern Australian eatery, Han has boldly tread the modern European line with a cuisine loosely described as a cross between the creative, produce-driven cuisine at Fifty Three and the vanguard-style offerings at Tippling Club. It's charcoal-grey interior, though, is faintly reminiscent of Gunther's.

The head chef, Mark Richards, cut his teeth at various kitchens including Momo’s in Melbourne, Ember, Heart Bistro and The Nautilus Project. And while Richards’ cooking resume has been consistently mainstream, he is now dabbling with decidedly progressive techniques, textures and presentations.

Amuse busche: wagyu with foie gras in dual texture - Photo courtesy of Alex Ang

During our dinner, the amuse bousche of Snake River wagyu arrived with foie gras in dual textures: smeared on the slate as an intensely savoury mousse alongside a monotonous mound of soil. More successful was the lip-smacking blended Kagoshima white corn macchiato served warm in a glass alongside chilled Alaskan king crab salad and a dollop of foie gras jam. The ensuing Asian-accented five-spice soup with shredded duck, which seemed homey at first, took a dive towards gimmicky when we were presented with a tou fu-stuffed syringe that squirted-out oodles of tou fu noodles.

Kagoshima macchiato - Photo courtesy of Alex Ang

Salat foie gras - Photo courtesy of Alex Ang

On a more vibrant – and less playful - note, the breaded rebuchon cheese enrobed in a fold of jamon iberico served with caramelized fig and sweet and zesty passion fruit sorbet was artfully plated and had divine balance of flavours and textures; as was the Salat foie gras resting on a crunchy hazelnut sponge with caramelized apple and apple mini macaroons.

Stuffed Berkshire suckling pig - Photo courtesy of Alex Ang

While Keystone’s mains are less left-winged, dishes like the Christmassy stuffed Berkshire suckling pig and coriander crusted Norwegian golden trout resting on a bed of seafood escabeche distracted us with an avalanche of ingredients and flavours.

But there was admirable simplicity in Richards’ 24 hour-sous vide Blackmore wagyu brisket basking in a pool of fragrant Parmesan polenta and the pristine hunk of sea bass, simply pan-roasted with vanilla-scented juniper berry cream sauce and shimeiji mushrooms.

If you want to stay safe through desserts, ask for the mango and apricot clafoutis, a refreshing yoked-souffle with heaps of mango puree, dried apricot and fresh mangoes; though chocolate lovers may be more intrigued with the chocolate-accented nutella bar. But for something a little more offbeat, more daring and more aptly Keystone, black ash pudding with adzuki beans and palm sugar glaze is a good place to start.

Until Keystone proves its worth as a fixture in the local modern European dining circuit, the greatest draw for diners is its price hook. An 8-course dinner tasting menu costs just S$118++ per head. In the wake of out-of-control inflation and skyrocketing degustation menus, Keystone is showing marvelous resilience in its pricing department. That, with Richards’ unbridled passion for produce and inventiveness, makes Keystone a worthwhile discovery.

Keystone Restaurant
11 Stanley Street; 65-6221 0046

Bibikgourmand Rating: 13.5/20

Meii Sushi

2011-08-09T14:25:00.002+08:00

Facade of Meii Sushi

If you had followed K.F.Seetoh’s food adventures, you might have heard of Ah Hong, a ‘very private Japan-trained’ chef. Dubbed by Seetoh as a ‘top chef’, Ah Hong is in fact a local sushi chef and the former chef-proprietor of Marui Sushi, a Japanese omakase haunt at Cuppage Plaza that has since closed. That much is known of this gentle and bespectacled man who has, apparently, once dabbled with Japanese set meals at a Beach Road hawker stall.

Counter seats at Meii Sushi

Since early 2011, Ah Hong has resurfaced at Tanjong Pagar. His new restaurant, called Meii Sushi, is located on the ground floor unit of Tanjong Pangar Plaza and faces a row of shop houses along Craig Road. With an exposed shop front, Meii Sushi is decidedly less private than Ah Hong’s last outpost in Orchard Road, but that it sits only 16 guests hints at Ah Hong’s boutique intentions. Meii Sushi is, after all, a husband-and-wife run outfit where Ah Hong tends to guests at the 8-seater counter while his wife serves diners in an adjoining 8-seater dining room.

Meii Sushi is small, yes, but it is not always an oasis of calm. Don’t get me wrong, the guitar piece playing in the background was, indeed, ethereally soothing. But on the night of our visit, a group of Hokkien expletive-spitting blue-collar diners hogging the counter seats got a little rowdy after a few rounds of alcohol.

Omakase course at Meii Sushi

Notwithstanding that, Meii Sushi is a good find.

The restaurant has an extensive hand-written a la carte menu that features sashimi, sushi and the works. Worthy of mention is Ah Hong’s unadon ($22 at dinner), rice crowned with a handsome hunk of grilled eel, a favourite amongst the busy lunch crowd. His chiraishi sushi ($25 at dinner), a bowl of rice topped with chunks of sashimi, however, suffered from lack of flavours from the absence of sakura debu (pink fish flakes) and those pearls of juicily salty fish eggs..........

The full write-up is available InSing.

'Must have' at Meii Sushi: Omakase

Meii Sushi

Blk 7 Tanjong Pagar Plaza, Craig Road #01-108; 65-6220 3466

Bibikgourmand Rating: 13.5/20

SANTI by Santi Santamaria @ Marina Bay Sands Singapore

2011-08-05T12:59:00.008+08:00

The late Santi Santamaria - Photo courtesy of SANTI

“I don’t cook Spanish cuisine, I cook Santi’s cuisine,” the late Santi Santamaria ("Santimaria") once said to me when quizzed about the cuisine that would unveil at his namesake restaurant, SANTI, at Marina Bay Sands.

It was the first quarter of 2010 and I was interviewing Santamaria at St Regis Singapore in anticipation of his new opening. The heavy-set former chef proprietor of Can Fabes was in town with a full kitchen cast – including Daniel Chavez, current executive chef of SANTI - in tow to conduct culinary master classes at the Spanish Arts Festival.

The late Santi Santamaria with Daniel Chavez in the background - Photo courtesy of SANTI

It was a timely appearance in Singapore for the 7 Michelin-starred Santamaria who was catapulted to culinary limelight when he became the first Catalan chef to receive 3 Michelin stars in 1994. His flagship restaurant, El Racó de Can Fabes, housed in a centuries old grey stone house where he resided with his family, had consistently plucked 3 Michelin stars in the past 17 years.

Not bad for an autodidact chef whose stable of restaurants grew over time to include Santceloni in Madrid, EVO in Barcelona, Tierra near Madrid, Ossiano in Dubai and, in mid 2010, SANTI in Singapore – where Santamaria tragically collapsed at the age of 54.

Until his passing, the world had seemed most captivated with Santamaria’s public spat with fellow Catalan chef, Ferran Adrià of El Bulli, on the latter’s controversial application of molecular techniques on gastronomy. Still, little was known to the masses about Santi’s cuisine.

Wags occasionally call it Spanish.

Yes, SANTI serves up one of the most complex and floral first-pressed Spanish extra virgin olive oil to go with the basket of rustic breads. And yes, you’ll also find the prized acorn-fed, 4-years cured jamón ibérico de bellota sourced exclusively from Joselito Farm. SANTI also boasts a sophisticated marble-topped tapas bar with a confection of plush leather seats for guests to chill out over Spanish small plates.

Interior of Santi - Photo courtesy of SANTI

But before you jump to conclusion and conjure up images of rustic dishes served in an interior reminiscent of a Spanish meson, truth be told that SANTI is very much a fine dining restaurant. You dine in a contemporary space with soaring ceiling framed on one side by grey-hued stonewalls festooned with kaleidoscope of blow glasses and, on the other side, floor to ceiling glass windows offering unapologetic views of the malls below.

And as I discovered over dinner almost 6 months after Santamaria’s demise, Santi’s cuisine is anything but Spanish. It is, in Santarmaria’s own words, cocina de Mercado, or market cuisine, which revolves around fresh and seasonal produce prepared with Santamaria’s Catalan-adapted French cooking techniques.

On that note, there are no au courant techniques, no tricks nor foams or jellies to be found at SANTI. Just crisp and fresh ingredients cooked a la minute to tease out the natural flavours in the produce.

Befitting the grandeur of space, service led by General Manager, Joan Lopez, is first rate – it’s professional without being stuffy and the well-lubricated service machine delivers near-perfect staff orchestration.

Interior of Santi - Photo courtesy of SANTI

If you get into Lopez’ good books – which shouldn’t be difficult if you conduct yourselves with utter grace despite the size of your ego or thickness of your wallet – you might even score yourself a table at one of 3 semi-private crystal box rooms. Couples and the occasional celebrities would appreciate the privacy of the elegant crystal box.

At SANTI, there is a limited a la carte menu proffering communal items like suckling pig and Catalan fish and seafood stew; but a quick glance of the menu revealed none of Santamaria’s signature dishes of veal shank, gambas ravioli, or steamed pork jaws with caviar. Shocking? That’s market cuisine for you.

Not that it affected us. We came hungry for the 8-course dégustation menu (S$260++) and were convinced, after a celebratory toast of 2009 Louis Roederer Brut Rose champagne, that we should attempt Chef Chavez’ beautifully plated novelle cuisine from the carte blanche menu (S$385++).

Market cuisine at SANTI - Photo courtesy of SANTI

And Chef Chavez’ parade of surprises, a good 14 courses – majority of which were seafood - came in exquisite bite-sized doses that delivered a night of unalloyed delights. To start, there was Spanish octopus basking in a single shot glass of gazpacho alongside a tomato-smeared crusty toast crowned with folds of Joselio ibérico. Following that, a perfectly executed blanket of chopped New Zealand red snapper tartare with avocado and apple bits cloaked with a good measure of oscietra caviar. The surprise continued with homemade capellini tossed in fish bouillon with Sri Lankan crabmeat and tomberry tomatoes (the smallest in the world) in a basil sauce refreshed with a zest of lemon.

As we devoured these zen plates with a Spanish-biased wine pairing by the brilliant Chef Sommelier, Paco Galdeano, Santi’s cuisine was taking shape. Here’s a confluence of Catalan influence with the late chef’s deft take on novelle cuisine that has a decidedly French approach, sans heavy butter and cream.

Market cuisine at SANTI - Photo courtesy of SANTI

And Santamaria’s philosophy on market ingredients continued to shine through at dinner with a French smoked eel served with morsels of foie gras (note: paired brilliantly with Galdeano’s 2007 Jorge Ordonez N1 Selleccion Especial Moscatel from Malaga). Or Malaysian baby calamari cooked with short grain rice in an ink sauce perfumed with black truffle shavings. And New Zealand langoustine with lentils and girolle mushrooms in a champagne butter sauce. But most riveting was the salad of sliced American kurobuta pork jaw with a riot of pumpkin slices, black truffles and raw almonds, a most refined take on pork that was delicate as it was flavorsome.

After the discovery of starters, our duo of mains arrived. First, a roasted rabbit stuffed with rabbit liver, roasted garlic and piacada catalane; and then a roasted pigeon with olives and potatoes followed. This could well be a sequence issue; but by the tenth course, we were hardly game for gamey meats. But the beauty of market cuisine is such that by the time you visit, the menu would have been refreshed.

Notwithstanding that minor hiccup, the dazzling performance culminated in sublime desserts including a finale of passion fruit pavlova with carpaccio of pineapple, that was sweet as it was refreshingly zesty.

Cheese trolley at SANTI - Photo courtesy of SANTI

The ensuing cheese trolley (ask for the Parmesan-styled, aromatic and salty Mahon from the island of Minorca) and tray of petit fours came as no surprise. We knew by then that we were trekking down the beaten track of French-influenced haute cuisine. Only that Santamaria’s nouvelle cuisine has a Spanish soul - and rightly so.

In remembrance of Santi Santamaria

SANTI

Marina Bay Sands, 10 Bayfront Avenue; 65-6688 5592

Also published in World 50 Best Blog

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Best omakase in Singapore

2011-07-19T15:02:00.009+08:00

Assorted sashimi - Photo courtesy of Kruiya Penthouse

When you say omakase, or “it’s up to you”, in a Japanese restaurant, you are, in essence, entrusting the entire dinner experience to the chef.

The chef then deftly crafts a series of courses -- usually comprising sushi, sashimi, grilled and/or simmered dishes -- using the freshest Japanese ingredients he has in store.

But while Japanese-sourced ingredients were prized in the past, many Singaporeans have shied from these in the wake of recent events.

With strict checks in place on imports from the disaster-hit Tohoku region, Japanese restaurants were left scrambling to source ingredients from alternative venues, both in and outside Japan.

Some restaurants, like Tatsuya, are trekking further afield to Chiba, Fukuoka and Hokkaido for their seafood supplies. Others, like Waku Ghin, have pulled all the stops on Japanese imports.

Now, with confidence in Japanese restaurants restored, we sniff out the best venues to experience chef-driven omakase.

Marinated botan shrimp with sea urchin - Photo courtesy of Waku Ghin

Waku Ghin

Why come:

This is the closest you can get to the perpetually wait-listed Tetsuya’s in Sydney; only that Waku Ghin offers a more intimate, more exclusive experience. Rooted in Tetsuya Wakuda’s brand of French-accented Japanese cuisine, the restaurant sits 25 diners per session (at 6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.) but there are 13 staff running the floor -- this means that one staff member looks after two guests at any one time.

What to expect:

Dine among high society types, C-level executives and celebrities in one of four teppanyaki grill rooms where the chef will wow you with a eight- to 10-course degustation which may include marinated botan shrimp with lobes of sea urchin crowned with a mound of caviar; gorgeously seared wagyu alongside freshly grated wasabi and crisp garlic chips; and braised Canadian lobster beaming in a tarragon-flecked shellfish stock.

Source of ingredients:

None of Waku Ghin’s ingredients are sourced from Japan currently.

Price: S$400.

2/F-03, Marina Bay Sands, 10 Bayfront Ave.; +65 6688 8501, www.wakughin.com

Interior of Tatsuya - Photo courtesy of Tatsuya

Tatsuya

Why come:

Ronnie Chia, the 46-year-old chef-proprietor of Tatsuya, has been plying the Japanese culinary trade for 32 years and is one of a handful of local chefs to have a huge fan base among Japanese food aficionados. Today, Chia has four Japanese chefs working under him. and his antique pine counter seats -- which sits just 23 guests -- fill up more quickly than you can say "sushi."

What to expect:

“For omakase, we serve nothing but the best,” says Chia. Indeed, Tatsuya’s eight-course meal is highly imaginative with creations such as a fried lotus root ball stuffed with chicken in a yuzu-scented broth packed with enoki mushrooms, sliced leek and shitake; sashimi of hotate (scallop), salmon and tobiko-studded sweet ebi; and a mini-degustation of Chia’s jazzed-up sosaku (creative) sushi casting, amongst others, a kampachi sushi crowned with pearls of caviar and a deliciously flambéed hotate sushi stacked against a morsel of foie gras.

Sources of ingredients:

Mainly Japan, outside the Kanto region.

Price: S$190.

22 Scotts Road, Goodwood Park Hotel; +65 6887 4598

Sushi - Photo courtesy of Shinji by Kanesaka

Shinji by Kanesaka

Why come:

This venue serves near-perfect purist-style omakase using only pristine fish and seafood (no beef, chicken or pork please) prepared by five clean-shaven Japanese chefs. The kitchen is led by master chef, Koichiro Oshino, a Tokyo export from two Michelin-starred Shinji Kanesaka, where Oshino honed his culinary craft over the past 20 years. Two Japanese okami hostesses hover in the background to provide unobtrusive service.

What to expect:

A dinner experience at Shinji by Kanesaka briefly teleports you to Tokyo where you dine on a hinoki wood counter in the presence of native Japanese chefs who prepare your multi-course dinner.

The omakase may surprise you with an amuse-bouche of junsai (gelatin-covered shoots of water shield) basking in wasabi-spiked dashi; sudachi (Japanese lime)-laced deep-fried baby ayu fish; and a star cast of 10 Edo-style sushi including the aji (horse mackeral) sushi crowned with a dollop of minced spring onion and ginger and a soya-marinated tuna zuke sushi.

Source of ingredients:

Japan only, outside Kanto region.

Price: S$300.

#02-20 Raffles Hotel, 1 Beach Road; +65 6338 6131, www.shinjibykanesaka.com

Interior of Kuriya Penthouse - Photo courtesy of Kuriya Penthouse

Kuriya Penthouse

Why come:

Kuriya Penthouse probably offers the best omakase-with-a-view in Singapore. And because they recently slashed the price of omakase dinners to just S$150++, the cost of feasting on chef Yoshihiko Koezuka’s omakase has become very affordable. Did we mention that he once served dinner to Emperor Hirohito?

What to expect:

An eight-course dinner that may feature a sublime smoked octopus drizzled with Shodoshima island olive oil with sashimi and sushi; Hida beef from the mountains of Gifu prefecture sandwiched between a morsel of sauteed foie gras; and simmered lobster with Kyoto white miso.

Source of ingredients:

Predominantly Japanese with a sprinkle of ingredients sourced from alternative venues such as ocean trout from Australia and baby abalone from Korea.

Price: S$150.

8/F Orchard Central, 181 Orchard Road; +65 6509 4222, www.kuriyapenthouse.com.sg

Duo of oyster in soy vinaigrette - Photo courtesy of Alex Ang

Meii Sushi

Why come:

This 16-seater hole-in-the-wall Japanese restaurant run by chef proprietor, Ah Hong, and his wife offers the best value-for-money omakase (S$100) in town. We also hear that K.F. Seetoh of Makansutra is a fan of Ah Hong’s omakase.

What to expect:

No frills eight-course omakase that may run the gamut of wasabi-spiked marinated octopus sashimi, de-shelled oysters in a soy-laced vinaigrette, sumptuous grilled yellow tail fish cheek, smelt fish tempura as well as sashimi, sushi. However, there was no rice dish nor desserts to end the meal.

Source of ingredients: Ah Hong is not telling.

Price: S$100.

#01-108, Block 7 Tanjong Pagar Plaza, Craig Road; +65 6220 3466

As published in CNNGo.

Pizzeria Mozza @ Marina Bay Sands by Mario Batali

2011-07-09T10:03:00.008+08:00

Pizzeria Mozza by Mario Batali - Photo courtesy of Pizzeria Mozza

Famed American celebrity chef, restaurateur and TV personality, Mario Batali, made headlines recently with Del Posto - one of Batali’s 16 F&B concepts. At US$1,126 (or S$1,385 approximately) per head for a 12-course dinner with mandatory wine pairing, Del Posto crowned the list of New York City’ most expensive prix-fixe menus.

Thankfully, Batali’s culinary exports to Singapore - Pizzeria Mozza and Osteria Mozza – are considerably more affordable. Pizzeria Mozza (“Mozza”), in particular, stands out with a pocket-friendly menu beaming with 19 pizzas ($18-$38) and small plate offerings including a dozen of antipasti ($13-$18), salads ($8 to $19), charcuterie ($15-$32), open-faced bruschette ($6 -$15) and panini sandwiches ($16-$22). There’s also a limited menu of piatti del giorno, or today’s specials, proffering an Italian main dish – such as fish, lamb or a pasta- each day.

Lovely as this may sound, the pesce en cartoccio ($32), or fish wrapped in parchment paper, that we wanted was shockingly sold out by the time we were seated at 7.30pm. Not that we didn’t want to start dinner earlier; try calling Mozza for reservation and you’ll understand our frustration. It took us 4 to 5 tries over 2 weeks to get through to Mozza – even then, we had to conform to their insanely rigid dinner schedule (they don’t take reservations at our dinner time of 6.30pm, the next available slot for dinner was 7.30pm).

Once you’ve scored a table (note: sit at the pizza bar fronting the wood fire oven if you want to see the pizza chefs in action), you’ll sense the heartbeat of Mozza. It is convivial and very loud, thanks to the booming music playing in the background. Yes, it’s a hip venue to hang out with friends over pizzas.

But haute pizza it isn’t.

Fennel sausage pizza - Photo courtesy of Pizzeria Mozza

I can’t say that the rye flour or the malt in the pizza dough, or the fact that the dough sat for 36 hours before it was baked, made a positive difference to the dough texture or taste. I am no pizza scientist. But yes, the not-too-thin 10” pizza crust is somewhat chewy, a little charred at the broad-rim and certainly denser than some of the Neapolitan and Roman pies I’ve had.

The starters were not flawless too. The generous strips of ..........

The full write-up is available at inSing

'Must haves' at Pizzeria Mozza:

Nancy's chopped salad, butterscotch budino

Pizzeria Mozza

#B1-42/46, 10 Bayfront Avenue, Marina Bay Sands; 65-6688 8868

Bibik Gourmand Rating: 12.5/20

CUT @ Marina Bay Sands by Wolfgang Puck

2011-07-05T16:38:00.010+08:00

CUT's facade - Photo courtesy of CUT

Since CUT by Wolfgang Puck debuted at Marina Bay Sands (Singapore) in late 2010, tongues have been wagging about how it has swiftly dethroned a then-reigning steak chain, conveniently nicknamed M, as the de rigueur steak house in Singapore.

M was the go-to fine dining venue for plump and premium, if costly, beef cuts; and now there’s CUT – bigger, apparently better and equally pricey.

You don’t need to be reminded of CUT’s draw: Michelin star-wielding celebrity chef who has, at last count, 3 CUT restaurants – and a fourth opening in London soon - in his vast culinary empire that spans multiple concepts and cuisine types including Chinese.

Yes, celebrity chefs draw celebrities and so Tom Cruise, Katie Homes, Steven Spielberg and Kate Capshaw have reportedly been sighted at Puck’s CUT outlet at Beverly Wilshire.

CUT's dining room - Photo courtesy of CUT

Not that I spotted any celebrities this time; not in CUT’s somewhat dim-lit and romantic setting overhung with what seemed like micro bulbs balancing on rows of beams.

The bar at CUT - Photo courtesy of CUT

And CUT is hardly the fine dining restaurant that it’s cut out to be. Not if you come expecting starched table linens and a refined air of haughtiness. On the contrary, you dine on rustic placemats amidst a convivial, almost boisterous, crowd (some of whom are chilling out at the bar) – these are, albeit, happy high rollers from the nearby casino and corporate types on expense account. On that note, smart are the foursomes who reserved 1 of the 7 alcoves for privacy.

Porterhouse steak - Photo courtesy of Marina Bay Sands

They all come for the same thing: premium cut steaks that will create a dent in their credit cards. There’s American, Australian and Japanese wagyu alongside USDA and Australian Angus varieties; some are corn-fed, others are grain-fed; majority are wet-aged, yet one is dry-aged. And of course, there’s a myriad of cuts including rib eye, fillet mignon and the ever-popular porterhouse but it doesn’t help that some, like the Australian Angus fillet mignon, New York sirloin and rib eye from Rangers Valley are served bone-in and others, without bone. The matrix is mind-blowing, if a little confusing.

But if price is an accurate barometer for quality of flavour, steak connoisseurs should not miss those pink and finely marbled Japanese wagyu from Shiga prefecture, priced from S$210 per 170g slice of New York Sirloin to S$280 for a 230g portion of rib eye steak.

Should you consult the charming and obsequious crew led by General Manager, Adam Crocini, they may likely defer you to the trio of tastings of New York sirloin - $225 will buy you 120g of Snake River Farm American ‘Kobe’ style steak, 120g of USDA prime corn-fed beef and 60g of Shiga prefecture Japanese wagyu. But that’s not after a table-side introduction to CUT’s star cuts: the American, Australian and Japanese wagyu.

Now, the steaks: they are all rubbed with a blend of 13 herbs and spices, smoke-grilled with a kiss of apple wood and tossed briefly into a 1,200 degree Fahrenheit broiler for that char effect. Our USDA Prime New York sirloin steak and Snake River Farm American wagyu – also a New York sirloin cut – were both beautifully grilled to reveal a subtle smoky tang, the edges were slightly charred and crunchy while the inside revealed a lovely medium rare pink. The USDA cut had a refined minerality to the chew while the American wagyu oozed a richness coated in umami. Kudos to executive chef, Joshua Brown, for the steaks well done (or rather, medium rare)!

To keep the mains company, pick from a list of more than 10 sides such as creamed spinach with fried organic egg, mac & cheese or potato tart tartin. These sides are charged separately and they do rapidly add to the tab. But here’s a piece of sage advice: if you’re planning on ordering salads and starters – which we suggest that you do - go slow with the sides.

Maine lobster - Photo courtesy of Marina Bay Sands

Yes, CUT is not just about fine steaks. It struts its stuff with quite a handful of surprising successes on its salads and starters menu that had us rapt. Two of my personal favourites, a blue fin tuna tartare sandwich and a carpaccio of Hokkaido scallops, are enticingly Japanese-accented – the former is laced with wasabi aioli while the latter is crowned with shaved myoga (Japanese ginger) in a wasabi-spiked ponzu dressing - perfect to go with a heady glass of hand-crafted umami cocktail from the bar. And if you’re out to impress, the gargantuan main of pan-roasted Maine lobster enrobed in a fragrant black truffle sabayon effortlessly passes as a starter for a group of 4.

Bone marrow flan - Photo courtesy of Marina Bay Sands

But CUT is not just about high cuisine; there are some exemplary palate openers that will not look out of place in a gastro-bistro. There’s a dish of heirloom tomato wedges with red onion shavings, goat’s cheese, Spanish anchovies and aged balsamic, and a surprise of warm bouillon-braised veal tongue with a riot of micro rocket greens in a shallow bath of salsa verde; and also a custard of bone marrow flan served alongside an addictive mushroom duxelle, both to be layered on warm toasted brioche.

To cut to the chase: we love M, it’s probably still a prime venue for prime steaks. But with Puck’s celebrity-pull and his exciting menu that proffers a discovery of wagyu (and more), CUT is, henceforth, my de facto champion.

CUT

The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands, 2 Bayfront Avenue, Suite B1-71; 65-6688 8517

Bibikgourmand Rating: 15.5/20

Also published on World 50 Best blog.

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Shinji by Kanesaka

2011-06-29T15:36:00.017+08:00

Aji (horse mackeral) sushi - Photo courtesy of Shinji by Kanesaka

I’m no sushi savant. Those petite pillows of vinegar-laced rice draped with raw fish rarely excite me to the point of exuberance.

But there I was, still ruminating about the sushi at Shinji by Kanesaka (“Shinji”) almost 2 weeks after a dinner there.

No, I did not just returned from Tokyo.

I was on a mission to discover Singapore’s best omakase restaurant for cnngo and I think I’ve found it at Shinji in Raffles Hotel.

I would have visited Shinji sooner had detractors not cautioned that the restaurant lacked lustre. To that claim, I can now conclude that these detractors are not fans of Edo-mae sushi (a classic style of sushi preparation that dates back to the Edo period of 1603 to 1868); or that their palates have been tainted by those foie gras or caviar-studded sosaku sushi (or creative sushi), currently all the rage in some Japanese restaurants.

I don’t have a preference, not for sushi. But I do know an excellent sushi when I taste one – breathtaking fish, deftly cut then served on slightly warmed, hand-pressed sushi rice.

Team of Japanese chefs at Shinji by Kanesaka - Photo courtesy of Shinji by Kanesaka

At Shinji, the sushi is prepared behind the hinoki-wood sushi counter by a team of 5 clean-shaven Japanese chefs. Chief among them is master chef Koichiro Oshino, who spent the last 20 years plying his craft with Shinji Kanesaka, the 2 Michelin star Tokyo chef this restaurant is named after.

Toro (tuna) sushi - Photo courtesy of Shinji by Kanesaka

To the unaccustomed eyes, the starkness of these northwards-depilated chefs may appear unnervingly monastic. But as the dinner unfolds, your focus shifts to their edible work of art. Not least the degustation of sushi by Chef Oshino - about 10 morsels of them – which may include a shima aji (yellow jack), ika (squid), otoro (fatty tuna), aji (horse mackerel), maguro zuke (soy-marinated tuna), ebi (prawn), anago (saltwater eel) and tamago (egg custard). Some are dressed under a whisper of soy and wasabi, others are crowned with a dollop of minced ginger and chopped spring onions, yet some served sheer alongside grains of salt for dipping.

But, mind you, Shinji is not just a sushi restaurant. It is a menu-less omakase restaurant; which means that no choice is afforded to diners, you simply surrender to Chef Oshino’s whim. And while the spotlight is on the parade of Edo-mae sushi made famous by Shinji Kanesaka (in Singapore), the succession of other fish and seafood plates that ensue - all 13 courses of them, to be precise - are no less stunning.

Lest you come expecting top grade wagyu, be aptly reminded that Shinji only serves fish and seafood in its omakase. There’s an addictively sweet and pungent deep-fried baby ayu fish, in-season during our visit at the inception of summer; a trio of graded bafun, murasaki and brine uni (sea urchin) sashimi on a bed of diced nagaimo (mountain yam) with seaweed jelly; and botan ebi ko gunkan, a sashimi of botan shrimp topped with pearls of coral-green botan eggs alongside deep fried botan head.

5-hour steamed awabi (abalone) - Photo courtesy of Shinji by Kanesaka

The cooked food's equally stellar. Think cubes of tuna cheek grilled yakitori style with leek or, if the chef fancies, a marbled hunk of tuna steak. If you’re lucky, you might even land the 5-hour steamed Hokkaido abalone, perfect on it’s own or with a sprinkle of salt. Or the Hokkaido hairy crab, which is first blanched, painstakingly picked of it’s flesh and stuffed back into it’s own shell, then served with a vinegar-spiked dashi dip.

The arrival of a rice dish, in our case the sweet and creamy uni don, sea urchin tossed in rice and topped with chopped tuna, would signal the finale of your omakase journey.

The sheer breadth and depth of Shinji’s omakase is thrilling. I wish I could say that there was something that I did not enjoy from the lengthy course meal. There wasn’t. But I should highlight that, much to my chagrin, the petite shijimi clams that arrived in hordes with the concluding clear broth were too minute to be eaten; I much prefer the voluptuous and more pleasurable variety. In that instance, size mattered.

Shinji’s delicious bites of omakase shin will set you back by S$450 per head. Not cheap, but that’s a fraction of the cost of a return trip between Singapore and Tokyo.

When this writing career eventually pays (better), I am returning for Shinji’s omakase shin on my own dime. Till that happens, perhaps the more wallet-friendly omakase wa (S$300 per head) will be my ticket to sushi epiphany.

Shinji by Kanesaka

Raffles Hotel #02-20, 1 Beach Road; 65-6338 6131

Bibikgourmand rating: 16.5/20

Also published on World 50 Best Blog

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The Jackson Plan - British gastropub at Duxton Hill

2011-06-23T16:45:00.008+08:00

Bar at The Jackson Plan - Photo courtesy of The Jackson Plan

It’s not very often that gastropubs make an appearance in Singapore, much less an authentic one. Which explains our enthusiasm for a pub grub experience at the newly-opened The Jackson Plan.

Dining area at The Jackson Plan - Photo courtesy of The Jackson Plan

At first glance, the Peranakan tiles, galvanised steel bar counter and mismatched antique wooden tables and chairs in a ship light-lit dining space at The Jackson Plan looked unnervingly local – albeit with a smart, post-industrial edge. But after a few sips of vintage ale and a banter or two with Irish barman, John Kernan, who runs the floor, you know you’re not far from getting the real deal.

Fisherman's pie - Photo courtesy of The Jackson Plan

But it was Scottish chef, Christopher Dungan, who aptly stamped the seal of British gastropub authenticity as much with his heavy Scottish twang as with his hearty gourmet pub fare. Don’t miss Dungan’s exceptional smallplates of smoked meshed mackeral ($12.50) served in tin can with rye toast and crisp discs of crab cakes ($16.50) topped with petite poached quail’s egg.

And while the signature fisherman’s pie ($21.50) will sparkle with a sprinkle of salt and greater intensity of shellfish flavour, Dungan’s saucy saltmarsch lamb ($28) beckons with flesh so tender that it falls apart at the prod of a fork.

But it is with the desserts that Dougan will prove his culinary prowess; not least with the divine farquhar mess ($11.50), a generous serving of whipped cream-blanketed mangoes doused in gula melaka. Now, that’s going down in my book as one of the best desserts I’ve had in a while.

The Jackson Plan is a raw diamond waiting to sparkle for Singapore's hungry pub-crawling crowd. Ironically, we have Italian restaurateur, Beppe De Vito of Il Lido and Forlino, to thank for this authentic British gastropub experience.

The Jackson Plan

40 Duxton Hill; 65-6866 1988

Bibikgourmand Rating: 13/20

Waku Ghin by Tetsuya Wakuda

2011-06-15T10:54:00.007+08:00

Tetsuya Wakuda - Photo courtesy of Waku Ghin

Tetsuya Wakuda (“Wakuda”), Australia’s most iconic chef, needs no introduction.

Of late, much has been written about Wakuda: how his San Pellegrino World 50 Best ranking plunged from 4th in 2005 to 58th in 2011; or about Wakuda’s slide from 3 hats at The Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide – a position which he has held since 1993 – to just 2 hats in 2011.

Some say Wakuda has slipped.

I can’t speak for Tetsuya’s, Wakuda’s eponymous restaurant in Sydney. I’ve never so much as graced this 45,000 square feet temple of haute cuisine where the much-coveted tables are blanketed with the famously out-of-fashion damask tablecloths. Neither has my palate embraced his signature confit of ocean trout.

If Wakuda did indeed fall, he is now magnificently resurrected by way of his boutique outpost, Waku Ghin, in Singapore. This much I witnessed during a recent dinner at Waku Ghin; almost a year after it’s debut at Marina Bay Sands.

At about 10,000 square feet, Waku Ghin is by no means small but that it fits a maximum of 25 diners per sitting (at 6pm and 8.30pm nightly) says something about the intimate experience Wakuda intends for his deep-pocketed guests. Yes, C-level crowd, celebrities and puffed-up hair high-society types are but a common sight at Waku Ghin where dinner goes at $400++ per pop.

Grill room at Waku Ghin - Photo courtesy of Waku Ghin

But the first thing that strikes you upon entry at Waku Ghin may not the grandeur of space, or the silky fabrics overhung on the lofty ceiling, nor the luxurious mother of pearl paneled wall surrounds; but, possibly, the buzz of the gentle-spirited black-clad staff. An eye-popping 13 service staff runs the floor here – you don’t have to be a Mathematician to work out the intimate 1 staff –to-2 guests ratio.

Befitting Waku Ghin’s part-Japanese root (the other part is European), dinner is served in one of 4 counter-style grillrooms, much like a teppanyaki-style chef’s table, where the chef performs his culinary swagger over an induction flat bed griddle - engineered by Wakuda himself – complete with gleaming copper pots.

And the dinner? It is modern European with bold Japanese accents served tapas-style over 10 courses (number of courses may defer seasonally).

Marinated botan shrimp with sea urchin and caviar - Photo courtesy of Waku Ghin

You don’t have to be reminded of Waku Ghin’s famously photogenic uni (sea urchin) dish, lobes of uni basking in it’s own shell with lucid morsels of botan ebi marinated in frozen egg yolk custard and crowned with glistening pearls of oscietre caviar. The ethereal contrast of creamy uni with plump botan ebi and a burst of saltiness from caviar, when washed down with sake, is beyond praise.

The impeccably marbled Japanese Ohmi wagyu, often touted as the ‘Rolls Royce’ of beef, is yet another culinary trump card at Waku Ghin. Here, slivers of delicate wagyu are rolled up, deftly seared on the grill and served with a spike of freshly grated wasabi or with yuzu-scented soy sauce alongside crisp garlic chips. The lusciousness and umami of the wagyu that envelops your palate is seriously addictive; this wagyu is reason enough to plan my next visit soon.

And the voluptuous de-shelled Canadian lobster, precisely-braised and served basking in a fragrant pool of tarragon-flecked shellfish stock is proudly old school yet visually dramatic. “That’s my favourite,” exclaims the gorgeous and equally voluptuous celebrity sitting next to me.

The culinary opulence may continue with a Tasmanian abalone, precisely grilled until it gives a near-perfect bite, quartered and served on a bed of polenta with tomatoes and garlic cream; or, if you are lucky, a pristine soup of white asparagus with a dollop of savoury miso cream crowned with oscietre caviar. Both are table silencers.

Yes, they are all exceptional. More so when paired with the immaculate wines - part Australian, part-old world - some of which are Tetsuya’s exclusive house label.

In true Japanese fashion, the course meal ended with steamed rice in a chicken consommé bath studded with hirame fish slices. What more? You will also be rewarded with a gyokuro ceremony - Japan’s rarest and most expensive tea steeped ceremoniously before you. A treat for tea connoisseurs; I sheepishly asked for seconds.

Come dessert time, you are escorted to the Drawing Room for sweet nibbles and barista-brewed coffee with close by view of the nearby Marina Bay. And though the duo of grapefruit granite and chocolate mousse cake are a tad conservative relative to the fore courses, they are no less indulgent.

Still, it is abundantly clear that Wakuda is back in the playing field. Welcome home, sir!

Waku Ghin
10 Bayfront Ave., 2/F-03, Marina Bay Sands; 65-6688 8501

Also published on World 50 Best Blog

* For the record, this dinner started at 7.30pm and ended at 12.30pm

Bibikgourmand Rating: 16.5/20

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Champage toast to L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon Singapore @ Resorts World Sentosa

2011-05-31T15:54:00.010+08:00

Joel Robuchon - Photo courtesy of Resorts World Sentosa

L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon is one of those restaurants where one would go with, dare I say, unreasonably high expectations.

It is, after all, owned by Joel Robuchon, the much-feted French chef with a string of superlative accolades to his name. At last count, Robuchon has 26 Michelin stars - the highest in the planet – accorded to his stable of some 20 restaurants that spans 11 cities including, most recently, Beirut, Taipei and now Singapore. But Robuchon did not just peaked as a chef extraordinare; years before his restaurant empire blossomed around the globe, he was awarded “Chef of the Century” by Gault Millau and that was in year 1989.

However great Robuchon is in the world of Michelin, his only stake in the galaxy of San Pellegrino 2011 World 50 Best is a 14^th ranking by L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon Paris.

Ironic? Yes, perhaps.

But as Robuchon once said to The Independent, “Having the most stars doesn't necessarily mean you're the best chef, you've just got to have a lot of restaurants to have a lot of stars."

And more restaurants it will be for Robuchon in Singapore with the twin openings of L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon (L’Atelier Singapore) and Restaurant de Joël Robuchon at Resorts World Sentosa since late April.

But will these outlets deliver more stars when the stubby Michelin man lands in Singapore?

A month after their debut, I was on Sentosa Island to take measure of how L’Atelier Singapore fares in comparison to her stable mate in Hong Kong, which I reviewed for Gault Millau some 2 years ago. Incidentally, I gave L’Atelier Hong Kong the highest-ever rating of 17/20 of the 40 restaurants I reviewed for Gault Millau in both Singapore and Hong Kong; but the publication subsequently tapered this rating conservatively to 15/20.

For his maiden foray into the lion city, Robuchon has planted Diego Requena, a Spaniard and a L’Atelier veteran who’s done his rounds at L'Ateliers in Paris, Las Vegas and Tokyo, as Restaurant Manager. And helming the theatrical kitchen is the chief cast, Lorenz Hoja, Chef de Cuisine and a German national whose career with Robuchon took off at L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon London in 2006.

Interior of L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon - Photo courtesy of Resorts World Sentosa

Like other L’Ateliers, the Singapore salon’s 28-seater counter seats framing an open-concept kitchen against a backdrop of sensuous dark-and-red palette conspire to conjure an atmosphere that manages to be both glamorous and convivial. In the event these red-hot counter seats are taken, the elevated tables with red leather seats on metallic stilts in the colonnaded main dining area are up for grabs; less drama but equally stunning, nonetheless.

Befitting its stature as the hottest dining ticket in Singapore at the moment, the salon has been filling up with diners – mostly L’atelier junkies - by about 8pm daily since it’s debut. Never mind that, by virtue of its location in Sentosa, it’s a good 15-20 minutes drive from the city. They all come for the same thing: the laboratory of finely executed French creations proffered in 2 menus: an a la carte and the more popular petite-portions menu (some dishes are repeated in both).

Le Crabe - Photo courtesy of Resorts World Sentosa

The Menu Decouverte (or the Discovery Menu), an ensemble of 8-courses from the petite-portions menu, is a great place to start for L’Atelier virgins – or if you fancy variety. Your dinner may include first rate L’Atelier fixtures like the L’Amuse bouche of satin-smooth tou fu-styled foie gras custard basking in sweet red Port wine reduction topped with a cloud of savoury parmesan foam; or the starter of Le Crab, literally art you can eat with a tastefully assembled mesh of sweet and sour sauce-laced king crab sandwiched between 2 lucid slivers of precisely-sliced turnips dusted with spices. And for main course, perhaps the popular La Caillie, beautifully caramelized foie gras-stuffed free-range quail on a bed of Robuchon’s notoriously buttery mashed potatoes (though the perfume of truffles are shockingly missing here); or the Le Burger, mini-burger stacked with beef, foie gras and fragrant caramelized bell peppers. But if you are in a carnivorous mood, the generous disc of chopped onions-flecked steak tartare with crispy crinkle-cut fries from the a la carte menu is textbook perfect – and a personal favourite.

La Caille - Photo courtesy of Resorts World Sentosa

For L’Atelier junkies who crave variety, a clutch of dishes - currently available in Singapore only (according to Chef Hoja) – are out to challenge the L’Atelier classics. There’s a creamy daikon (white radish) veloute with splashes of tart yuzu oil; or a roasted suckling pig prepared oriental style – with green cabbage and fresh ginger. And for desserts, the La Mangue, layers of passion fruit-studded mango cream and mango puree crowned with coconut sorbet, should go down as a staple in L’Atelier desserts menu worldwide

But the dinner was not without dull moments. The basket of heart-warming home-baked breads arrived without a slab of butter – hopefully, this teething problem will self-correct in the coming weeks. The pan-seared Kagoshima beef with black truffle shavings, a menu highlight at L’Atelier Hong Kong which we were hankering for, was nowhere to be found on Singapore’s menu. And neither was the refreshing tomato millefeuille interlaced with crab meat, avocado and green apples, another standout at L’Atelier HK; in this instance, we’d need to skip across to the chi chi Restaurant de Joël Robuchon next door for this crème de la crème tomato dish.

Not withstanding these, L’Atelier Singapore is going down in my books as one of the most coveted tables in town. My unreasonably high expectations were mostly matched and, quite often, exceeded.

8 Sentosa Gateway, Resorts World Sentosa; 65-6577 8888

Bibikgourmand Rating: 15.5/20

Also published in World 50 Best blog.

Buyan Russian Haute Cuisine & Caviar Bar

2011-05-27T11:36:00.003+08:00

Fine Dining Salon at Buyan - Photo courtesy of Buyan Russian Haute Cuisine

The dearth of Russian cuisine in Singapore has pretty much narrowed our Russian culinary vocabulary to ‘shashlik’ and ‘borscht soup’. And it doesn’t help that words like peasantry and rustic spring to mind when one think of Russian cuisine. But all that is set to change with the opening of Buyan.

Housed in an atmospheric triple-storey shophouse at the hip Duxton Hill enclave, Buyan offers a trio of experiences to woo Singaporeans to a whole new world of Russian dining. There’s the dark wood-swathed bar on level 1 that pours Russian beers, wines and beverages including mors (a beverage made from mashed berries native to Russian forests); a theatrical two-tiered fine dining salon with dome-shaped roof adorned by hand-painted murals on level two; as well as a bright and chirpy casual dining room on the third floor.

Borsch Soup - Photo courtesy of Buyan Russian Haute Cuisine

And befitting the array of dining experiences, the restaurant also serves up two different iPad-clad menus proffering casual dining and haute Russian cuisine. Be forewarned that perusing these menus can be a mind-boggling exercise – consider this: why would one place borscht soup in the fine dining category and lamb kharco, a Georgian lamb soup, into the casual menu? But here’s the deal: if you can feed your fancy – and appetite with variety, there’s no reason why you should settle for just one menu. And we did just that.

Kamcharka Crab - Photo Courtesy of Buyan Russian Haute Cuisine

From the haute menu, heart-warming borscht soup ($16) was a calming beetroot-based consomme with a mound of shredded cabbages; the leg of kamchatka crab – the largest crab in the world – was served with timbale of corn kernels, rice and kamcharka crab shreds ($45); while the deconstructed beef stroganoff ($50) revealed itself as slices of fork-tender beef topped with creamy Isigny sauce and chopped-up sauteed chanterelle mushrooms. But you can’t say you’ve had haute Russian cuisine without savouring those tiny clumps of black pearls and Buyan offers a carefully curated list of caviar ranging from Sturia Vintage to the Karat Gold variety (priced from $6.50 to $10 per gram).......

The full article is available here:

InSing

'Must haves' at Buyan Russian Haute Cuisine include:

* Kamcharka crab
* Lamb Kharco

9/10 Duxton Hill; (65) 6223 7008

Bibikgourmand Rating: 12/20

The Smoke House

2011-05-16T11:59:00.004+08:00

Retail area - Photo courtesy of The Smoke House

The name Smokehouse says it all – they are obsessed with smoking. But this is no new fangled, nicotine-packed, smoker-luring concept store but a Louisiana-inspired restaurant tucked away in a double-storey shop house along Maju Avenue (in the Serangoon Gardens Estate).

Owned by the folks behind the hugely popular Greenwood Bistro, Smokehouse has fashioned a neighbourhood watering hole on the ground floor by way of an oyster bar that serves up freshly-shucked oysters alongside affordably-priced beers and house wines. Equally exciting is the adjacent retail area that sells, amongst other things, sweet potato mixes, teas, wines, dry condiments, cheeses, Lousiana-imported hot sauces and, in time to come, high-end meats and even freshly-baked gourmet breads.

Wood-smoked beef short ribs - Photo courtesy of The Smoke House

Our New Zealand greenlip mussels were smoked subtly and tossed in a riot of seasonal greens ($14) while red capcisums were slow-smoked and blended with onions to form an utterly addictive and subtly piquant homemade sauce that embraced succulent pan-seared king prawns ($19). But most riveting was the 150 days grain fed Australian beef short ribs ($32) which was first braised then smoked for a Southern barbeque tang and served in an aromatic butter veal sauce. Breaking the smoking trend are the desserts by the resident pastry chef who is equally adapt at conjuring locally-accented desserts like a refreshing plum sorbet and Lousiana-inspired ones such as the divine pecan pie..........

The full write-up is available here:

InSing

'Must haves' at Smoke House include:

* Pan-seared king prawns with smoked red capsicum sauce ($19)
* 150 days grain-fed Australian beef short ribs ($32)

The Smoke House

7 Maju Avenue; 65-6858-5670

Bibikgourmand Rating: 13/20

Sabio Tapas Bar & Restaurant

2011-05-09T22:43:00.009+08:00

Interior of Sabio Tapas Bar & Restaurant - Photo courtesy of Sabio Tapas Bar & Restaurant

Tapas bars are growing fast and furious in Singapore. In the last 12 months, at least 5 – including Octapas, Don Quijote @ Dempsey, Sabroso, The Club Tapas and Bilbao - have debuted throughout our little island.

The latest to join the fray, Sabio Tapas Bar & Restaurant (“Sabio”) at the up-and-coming Duxton Hill enclave, also happens to be one of the most authentic.

Credit goes to Olivier Bendel, an experienced F&B veteran, who also owns L’entrecote, a neighbouring bistro. Rumour has it that Bendel is a self-made millionare who made his hard-earned millions from selling nespresso machines in Asia. After selling his company to Nestle, Bendel opted to retire in Singapore, only to find himself charmed by the cobblestone-paved Duxton Hill and all fired-up to jumpstart an F&B empire in Singapore.

14-meter counter top - Photo courtesy of Sabio Tapas Bar & Restaurant

Yes, you guessed it. Bendel is no Spaniard – in fact, he’s French - but you can tell that the well-travelled Bendel knows exactly what he’s doing. From the 14 meter-long counter top, the Anis Del Mono (a Spanish alcohol brand) tiled mural backdrop to the 9 meter-long refrigerator case showcasing the extensive selection of cold tapas, he seems to have nailed it.

That’s not all. Bendel single-handedly crafted the tapas menu too, steering closely to the real deal he has experienced in Spain.

Jamon - Photo courtesy of Sabio Tapas Bar & Restaurant

Like Santi at Marina Bay Sands, Sabio serves the the finest jamon cut - jamon iberico belotta - made from Iberian black pigs fed on acorns prior to slaighter. Savour the release of umami as each sliver of iberico belotta embraces your palate. At $20 per 50g and $38 for 100g, you and I know that it's a steal.

Now that you’re all warmed up, hop over to the chiller counter and take your pick of Spanish-imported produce. There’s the silvery sardines doused in olive oil ($13), marinated red capsicum ($13) and stuffed squid in it’s own savoury black ink ($18), just to name a few.

From the hot tapas menu, the dishes are equally alluring. Piping-hot fried potatoes with garlic-scented mayonnaise ($8), an all-time tapas classic, was a show-stealer as was the rarely seen salt cod ($18). As the name implies, salt cod is cod fish preserved in salt; while subtly salty, the flesh is moist and perfect when paired with a glass of sangria. Save for an insipid lamb stew ($18), my experience at Sabio would have been near-perfect.

Truth be told that Sabio has one of the most extensive desserts menu amongst tapas bars I’ve seen in Singapore. If you like it all hard and crunchy, the crunchy Spanish nougat ($6) is divine. But if you have sensitive teeth like me, the Catalan crème brulee-like custard ($8) and the soft Spanish nougat ($6) laced with finely-ground almonds blended with honey will hit the sweet spot on a gentler bite.

Sabio Tapas Bar & Restaurant

5 Duxton Hill; 65-6223 4645

Bibikgourmand rating: 14/20

A write-up on the opening of Sabio Tapas Bar & Restaurant will be published in InSing.com soon.

Overseas Restaurant

2011-05-04T11:39:00.002+08:00

Interior of Overseas Restaurant - Photo courtesy of Alex Ang

Fancy paying $70 for starters in a Cantonese restaurant? Well, it's not even for sharksfin.

We just did at Overseas Restaurant ("Overseas") - the Singapore outpost of KL's popular Cantonese restaurant - located at Beach Road.

For $70, we had a large serving of Overseas Restaurant's famed char siew ($50) and 2 servings of roast pork belly ($20).

Char siew - Photo courtesy of Alex Ang

Don't get me wrong; the char siew was perfectly grilled with a thick coat of caramelized malt sugar and honey on a well-marbled pork rib eye. And the roast pork belly was prepared like any experienced Hong Kong chef would - with a crisp crackling and a layer of succulent pork for that savory sensation.

But do these justify a $70 price tag?

You don't need to look far to know that this is a brazen rip-off. Even Crystal Jade Golden Palace - the fine dining arm of the popular Crystal Jade chain - charges just $44 per large serving for char siew and that was made with premium Kurobuta pork.

Deep fried soon hock - Photo courtesy of Alex Ang

And then there was the fried soon hock fish basking in a light soya broth, again cooked with absolute finesse to reveal a lovely crunch when it crumbled gently on our palate. But at $110 per 1kg, Overseas Restaurant's soon hock fish is priced 30% above the cost of $85 per 1kg for the same fish at Crystal Jade Golden Palace.

Price was not our biggest beef.

Towards the conclusion of our meal, a staff crept up to us to inform that 2 dishes - desserts (Shanghai pancake) and steamed bean curd with fish paste – were, “gulp”, unavailable.

Thankfully, we were nicely filled-up by then, having cleared our plates of wok-fried venison ($35) with ginger and onion slices as well as the signature fried rice ($18). Though these dishes were wallet-friendly and belly-rubbing good, they were not good enough to save the day.

100 Beach Road, #01-27 to #01-37 Shaw Leisure Gallery (6294 2638).

My review of Overseas Restaurant will also be published in InSing.com soon

Bibikgourmand rating: 13.5/20