Opus Bar & Grill

This month, Opus Bar & Grill is ready to beef up appetites with the new Angus T-Bone Steak from Rangers Valley!

With a marble score of 3+, the 1.2kg T-bone steak combines strip loin and tenderloin in one, priced at $120++ for two persons. Strip loin is known for its unsurpassed flavor that makes up almost three-quarters of the steak, leaving the tenderloin, one of the most tender cut of beef with one-quarter of the 1 to 1.5 inch thick cut, perfectly defined by the T-Bone right in the middle.

Well, that’s all alien language to me since I’m a pescetarian but K the carnivore adores it.

But before more meaty talk, let’s talk seafood first. Yes, I was pleasantly surprised that despite its name, Opus is not all about meat. Many of their seafood are from sustainable sources and they are even the first restaurant in Singapore to be awarded the MSC ecolabel.

Tartar of Bluefin Tuna ($17++)
avocado, chives, trout roe, extra virgin olive oil

For starters, definitely go for the bluefin tuna tartar. I love everything on the plate – from the superbly fresh cubes of tuna to the ripe creamy avocado and briny trout roe, it was an ocean party in the mouth! The Hokkaido scallops were plump and sweet too, but if I can only choose one (nooooo!!), it’s definitely tartar for me.

Hokkaido Scallops ($22++)
edamame, blood sausage, miso espuma

For my main course, it was an easy choice between the toothfish and wild sea bass. It was my first time trying a toothfish fillet and the silky moist and tender texture is very much like that of a cod or chilean sea bass. Needless to say, I enjoyed it very much and will be on the lookout for this fish at other restaurants too.

Glacier 51 Toothfish Fillet ($49++)
charred leek, brocolini, brown butter dashi

Of course, the stars of the show are the prime meat cuts that are dry-aged between 14 and 36 days in a specially commissioned Himalayan salt tile cabinet to create an intense depth of flavour whilst tenderizing beautifully.

220g Australian Wagyu ($92++)
kobe-cuisine, marble score 6, rib eye

Living up to Opus’s philosophy of letting the quality produce speak for itself, K’s steak was simply and briefly grilled as he asked for rare (they say the rarer the better ha)! Several sauces are available for pairing with the succulent and juicy steak – bearnaise (K chose this which I thought was so-so), garlic herb butter, green peppercorn sauce, bone marrow with red wine sauce, and black truffle mushroom sauce.

Take your pick from an extensive selection of side dishes – arugula salad, portobello mushroom, grilled asparagus, mac & cheese, garlic mash potato, truffle fries and our choice of the night – carb-heavy smoked risotto which is not really worth the calories, oops.

Smoked Risotto ($6++)
leek, pecorino

The concept of grilling also extends to the dessert menu! Both the charcoal grilled banana and honey grilled pineapple were lovely with a sweet caramelized and smoky flavor in every bite. The chocolate dome was a delightful bomb too; gosh it was the perfect decadent treat after a long day at work.

Grilled Honey Pineapple ($12++)
vanilla ice cream, crumble, rum sauce

For those who love to wine and dine, do not miss out on the attractive “Steak with Free Flow of Wine” special promo. With any order of prime cuts from the Opus beef selection at $58++ onwards, enjoy either a two-hour free flow of selected white and red wines from Sunday to Thursday or 50% off on wine by the bottle on Friday and Saturday. That’s such a good deal!

Chocolate Dome ($14++)
blueberry crumble, bailey ice cream, hot chocolate briolette

My thanks to Stephanie for the kind invitation!

Opus Bar & Grill
Lobby Level, Hilton Singapore
581 Orchard Road
Singapore 238883
+65 6730 3390

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Zott’s True Alps

You are not alone if you do not know what is Alpine cuisine. I thought it’s something Swiss, something German before my dinner at Zott’s True Alps where an education on Alpine cuisine awaits. To put it simply, Zott’s takes the best of European food, namely from the countries of Germany, France, Italy, Austria and Switzerland.

We took the best seats in the house – right in front of the open kitchen where we could see the chefs work their magic and also the ox Hieronymus setting the scene and keeping an eye on everything. Yes the bull is real and was once owned by the owner!

Traditional recipes have been transformed under the hands of Chef Lorenz-Maria Griesser and dishes turn out to be surprisingly light and healthy. Case in point, our first starter – amazingly thin swordfish carpaccio topped with crunchy chopped pistachio, briny pearls of ikura and a beautiful deconstructed “apple” of frozen Topaz apple mousse.

Swordfish Carpaccio ($28++)
topaz apple, pistachio

Another dish I particularly enjoyed is the rich and creamy parsnip soup paired with an intriguing bright green disk of chlorophyll! The plump langoustine was very fresh and I learnt from Chef that it’s imported from France.

Parsnip Soup ($26++)
langoustine, chlorophyll

Suckling Pig & Smoked Eel ($22++)
prunes, elderflower

Every component of our next dish was good on its own – fresh scallop, crab meat ravioli (love the striking zebra strips!) and shiitake mushroom – but as a whole, it reminded us of those Chinese braised dishes so will skip this next time.

Scallops ($46++)
crab meat ravioli, pak choy, shiitake mushroom, curry

Although the majority of the menu focuses on protein rich food (think beef, lamb and veal), I was happy to find that there are various elegant fish dishes too. For my main, Chef prepared a beautiful turbot, a flatfish said to be favored among discerning chefs. I don’t quite like turbot after having a tough one at The Tasting Room in Macau so there was a degree of apprehension when I took my first bite of the fish placed in front of me. But wow wow wow, this was so tasty and incredibly tender with a melt-in-the-mouth texture. Amazing!!

Turbot (off the menu)
peas, potatoes

Chef won my heart (and tummy) again for his rendition of the classic bouillabaisse. Like the parsnip soup, the broth was rich and bold in flavour. The use of rascasse, a small scorpionfish, is also rare and gives this a unique touch.

Rascasse ($46++)
fennel, bouillabaisse, fond

The meat chiller provides a choice of lamb, veal or beef cuts for guests to select. Many cuts are hormone and antibiotics free and animals are reared free range. Go for the signatures which include the sous-vide cooked venison with celeriac puree, peach and parsley. Although the meat should be the star, we were impressed by the sweet and fragrant slice of peach on the side!

Venison Loin ($56++)
celeriac, peach, parsley

Before I forget, the business lunch is of good value too – priced at $32++ for 2 courses and $36++ for 3 courses. With 4 starters, 4 main courses and 3 desserts to choose from, the menu changes on a regular basis, reflecting seasons of the year. For dinner, go on a “Journey through the Alps” with a carefully crafted selection of signature dishes (5 courses $98++ or 7 courses $138++) which I think is more value for money than going a la carte.

Pre-dessert Dessert
fresh berries, berry mousse

Sweet ending came in the forms of Toblerone® with fresh berries and an a la minute coffee souffle. While the Toblerone® sounded like my kind of dessert on paper, it lacks contrasting texture as it’s basically a chocolate mousse. We much prefer the soft wobbly souffle!

Toblerone® the ZOTT’S Way ($16++)
mousse, raspberries

My thanks to Chef and the team for taking such good care of us!

Zott’s True Alps
97 Amoy Street
6223 0913

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Portico Prime

I first knew Chef Nixon back in 2013 when he was the head chef of Petite Menu and have loved what he can whip up in the kitchen since then. He soon became my favourite local chef (and K’s too) and always have a sixth sense of what my palate likes best. Even his CNY fusion menu (which can be tricky and hard to nail) was a delight! When Petite Menu closed the following year, I lamented its loss. Then came along Portico not long after and I had my one of best meals there. I guess it’s telling how much K and I like Portico and the team when we chose to spend Christmas eve there last year (and maybe this year) 🙂

Fast forward one year, and Portico has a new sister restaurant – Portico Prime. Taking over what used to be Prime Society at Dempsey, Portico Prime is (not surprisingly) upmarket, and the tasteful design, classy ambiance and menu prices reflect that change in status. While I didn’t expect cheap prices, I feel that some of the dishes can be more reasonably priced. Honestly, $22++ for a soup (that was served cold in my case, ouch) or salad can be hard to stomach.

That aside, we were pretty impressed by the quality of most of the other dishes. The seared Hokkaido scallop with sous vide egg, pan-seared barramundi (extremely fresh as Portico works with Tiberias Harvest, which offers fish delivered within hours from its sea farm located off the north-eastern coast of Pulau Ubin) and the signature heirloom tomatoes with frozen honey melon dressing were excellent! K was all raves for his succulent wagyu steak from Tochigi Perfecture, exclusive to Portico Prime and cannot be found anywhere else in Singapore. And of course, desserts by Chef Charlene never fail to satisfy our sweet tooth! Her deconstructed blackforest is our must-order; the creme brulee and refreshing basil parfait are worth a try too!

Seared Hokkaido Scallop ($28++)
cos lettuce, sous vide 63°C egg, dehydrated bacon, brown anchovy mayo, freshly shaved pecorino cheese

Collection of Heirloom Tomatoes ($24++)
jamon serrano slices, organic quinoa, marinated hijiki seaweed, frozen honey melon dressing

Caramelised Leek and Potato Soup ($22++)
lightly charred smoked eel, brown butter toasted brioche

Pan-Seared Pulau Ubin Barramundi ($38++)
ratte potatoes, carrot ginger puree, trout roe buerre blanc sauce

Miso Risotto (off the menu)
pan seared hokkaido scallop, mini crispy prawns

Tochigi Perfecture Wagyu Ribcap A4 ($58++ per 100g, minimum 200g)
roasted ratte potatoes, vine cherry tomatoes, truffle beef jus

Deconstructed Blackforest ($17++)
70% dark chocolate mousse, edible hazelnut soil, cherry coulis, caramel ice cream

“Naphung” Honey and Thyme Crème Brulee Coconut Tart ($15++)
grapefruit segments, cranberry biscotti

Our thanks to Chef Nixon for having us over!

Portico Prime
10 Dempsey Road, #01-20
6474 7427

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Violet Herbs

Violet Herbs is too… Purple.

Seriously, I’ve never seen a more purplish restaurant before.

Disturbing colour theme aside, the food is pretty good, and the affordable price tag is another plus. The Modern European menu offers easy-to-like choices – I couldn’t decide on the roasted chilean seabass or red miso cod so K suggested that I get both, score! The former is delicious with soft and fatty flaky meat; the latter can do with less miso but still very agreeable to my palate, all thanks to the lovely buttery texture and plump eggplant coated with almond on the side. My seafood choices fare better than K’s grilled tenderloin – slightly overcooked (errr, he eats it rare…) so that’s a shame. For dessert, get the decadent nutella bar! It’s as good as it sounds, only if you are a chocolate/nutella fan.

Roasted Chilean Seabass ($32++)
saffron mushroom ragout, truffle egg fluid, kabanyaki lobster sauce, shiso cress

Marinated Red Miso Cod ($33++)
roasted pumpkin puree, almond eggplant, mix herbs

Char Grilled Tenderloin ($42++)
grain fed 120 days, herb potatoes, sauteed baby spinach, onion thyme reduction

Nutella Bar ($12++)
strawberry coulis, nutella tuile, pearl chocolate, bailey ice cream

Violet Herbs
81 Tras Street
6221 3988

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Bread Street Kitchen

I sat down for dinner with minimum expectation as I had read mixed reviews about Bread Street Kitchen, the highly anticipated restaurant and bar by Gordon Ramsay at Marina Bay Sands. Offering classic British European fare, the signature dishes include pork belly, shepherd’s pie, roasted veal carpaccio, as well as the BSK burger with melted Monterey Jack cheese and spicy sriracha mayo in a brioche bun. Sound delicious on paper but we had none of those.

Instead, we chose what we know we will like – crispy flatbread topped with naturally sweet butternut squash (must try!), seared bouncy scallops, roasted black cod for me and a hearty slab of rare Irish rib-eye 28 days aged for K. Every dish was well-executed and thoroughly enjoyable! The only misses were the bland Alaskan king crab cocktail and Chinese/Korean-ish spicy tuna tartare which we would not recommend. Maybe the salmon ceviche next time?

Our last course was excellent – again, as with the savoury, we decided not to go for much-publicized-on-blogs sweets such as the treacle tart with crème fraiche ice-cream. We scored with the expertly prepared desserts – the chocolate fondant had an impressive flow of rich dark molten lava; the cheesecake was light and a perfect match with roasted balsamic strawberries; and the coffee white chocolate parfait? Simply lovely!

Pick wisely and I’m sure you will have a great time here.

Flatbread ($20++)
butternut squash, taleggio cheese, mushrooms, pine nuts, basil pesto

Alaskan King Crab Cocktail ($28++)
apple, pink peppercorn

Seared Scallops ($24++)
carrot purée, treacle cured bacon, apple, celery cress

Spicy Tuna Tartare ($19++)
chilli, garlic, sesame oil, wonton crisps

Roasted Black Cod ($44++)
crushed potatoes, salted capers, artichoke, red wine, lemon sauce

Irish Angus Rib-eye Steak ($68++)
12oz 28 days aged grass fed, green peppercorn sauce

Half Lobster (supplement $25++)
make your own surf and turf with any grill

Chocolate Fondant ($20++)
salted caramel, mint chocolate chip ice cream

Monkey Shoulder Cranachan Cheesecake ($18++)
roasted balsamic strawberries

Coffee and White Chocolate Parfait ($18++)
poached blackberries

My thanks to Philicia for arranging dinner!

Bread Street Kitchen
Bay Level, L1-81
The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands
+65 6688 5665

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New Menu at Ocean Restaurant by Cat Cora

It was such a privilege to meet Chef Cat Cora in person when she was in town to introduce the new seafood dinner set menu at Ocean Restaurant. Fangirl moment aside, I really did enjoy the new menu more than the previous one!

I’ve never cared for oysters so when the 6-course menu ($168++) started with the amuse bouche of fresh oyster, I wasn’t too excited. Luckily the sautéed langoustines which followed was perfect – firm juicy flesh served alongside crustacean cream and baby fennel, delicious! Likewise the torched brown trout which Chef de Cuisine Yew Eng Tong recreated from his win at the prestigious Bocuse d’Or Asian by pairing it with smoked eel and then rounding off with refreshing crunchy cucumber and caviar vinaigrette.

My favourite was hands down the charred corn soup – something different yet comforting. One of the restaurant’s signature ingredients, the blue swimmer crab was made into a crispy fritter and and the thick hearty soup had an alluring smokey flavour. Final main course was a moist slab of sustainable cod fillet from New Zealand – I still remember the layer of brittle scales! For dessert, the rocky grand cru chocolate was a dreamy chocolate creation. The elegantly plated dish had a base of bitter chocolate, passion fruit creme at the side, and various textures of chocolate in sponge and mousse forms, so good!

Fresh Oyster
passion fruit, watermelon salsa

Torched Brown Trout “Fabio”
smoked eel, crunchy cucumber, caviar vinaigrette

Sautéed Langoustine
crustacean cream, baby fennel, leek, soft herb

Charred Corn Soup
beignet of blue swimmer crab, bacon crumble

Cod Fish
chorizo, smoke potato

Rocky Grand Cru
bitter chocolate rock, passion fruit creme, textures of chocolate

Will never tire of this view!

Many thanks to Charmaine and Lavinia for hosting dinner!

Ocean Restaurant by Cat Cora
8 Sentosa Gateway
S.E.A. Aquarium, Level B1M
6577 6688

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P. Bistro

P. Bistro has come a long way. It began as a small shophouse space along Owen Road serving simple Asian-inspired Western fare and French classics, and gained enough loyal fans and regulars to open a second outlet at Palais Renaisaance. Don’t be put off by the atas location though; the bistro is still sticking to the basic values of offering tasty, wholesome food at reasonable prices.

K shocked me when he ordered two items which I absolutely will not order in a restaurant – garlic bread and chicken wings, omg!! Ha. To be fair, these are two of the most popular appetizers and light bites on the menu. Let me just say that both were very good – nothing beats freshly roasted garlic paste and well-marinated wings right?

Garlic Bread ($5++)
baked farm loaf bread, freshly roasted garlic paste

BBQ Chicken Wings ($12++; half portion show below)
fresh chicken wings, chef’s special homemade marinade, chilli sauce on the side

Salads here are substantial enough to be mains. I wanted to try the Thai-style pomelo salad but decided to go with the staff’s recommendation of prawn avocado mango salad. No regrets whatsoever! The colourful combination of juicy prawns, creamy avocado and tangy mango was a wonderful prelude to the real mains. Pomelo salad, next time!

Prawn Avocado Mango Salad ($20++)
cherry tomatoes, romaine rocket, japanese sesame dressing

One of the most noteworthy dishes is the dory fillet coated with a special nonya gravy (secret recipe!) and cooked on a banana leaf. Beautiful and flavourful! P.S. the spicy, sweet, sour and deliciously crunchy achar on the side was delish too.

Nonya Dory ($18++)
chef’s signature nonya, dory fillet cooked on banana leaf, fragrant duo jasmine rice, fried egg

K’s best burger to-date is Kua ‘Aina in Tokyo (even President Barack Obama likes it!) and the P.Bistro beef burger may be his second favourite so far.

P.Bistro Beef Burger ($22++)
open-faced burger, beef patty, pickles, caramelized onions

Served open-faced, the generous slab of beef patty was tender and juicy – but surprisingly not greasy at all. We did think that an addition of avocado will make this a killer burger!

When the salmon was served, I cringed inwardly because it looked overcooked. Wow, not only was I wrong, the fish was so moist and still pinkish in the middle! Lesson learnt, don’t judge a fish by its cover.

42° Sous-vide Salmon ($22++)
pan-seared 42° sous-vide salmon, crushed purple potato, seasonal greens

The homemade desserts selection looked very tempting. The croissants baked with original Lurpak butter and Elle et Vire dry butter were already sold out by dinnertime so we turned our attention to the cakes. Matcha azuki dome had weak green tea flavour so I didn’t enjoy it as much as I thought I would. Luckily the chocolate mont blanc (love the strands of chestnut mousse with a dark chocolate core!) and light pistachio chiffon cake made with organic coconut oil were as gorgeous to look at as they were delightful to eat!

Desserts ($6-8.50++)
matcha azuki entremet; chocolate mont blanc, pistachio chiffon cake

Special thanks to Pang for introducing P. Bistro to us!

P. Bistro
#B1-06, Palais Renaisaance
390 Orchard Road
6734 9268

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Cocktails & Tapas at Anti:dote

Not too long ago, Anti:dote revamped its menu with new handcrafted cocktails paired with a collection of contemporary tapas.

The range of new cocktails at Anti:dote is largely inspired by talented Head Craftsman, Tom Hogan’s daily interactions with guests and people he meets, and every cocktail has a story of its own. There’s The Tragedy of Tom Dooley – a whimsically named concoction of tequila, aperol, lime juice, lavender syrup and egg white; Seger Seelbach – a blend of bourbon, hum, Peychaud’s and Angostura bitters, topped with champagne; as well as the refreshing Aqua Fresca, comprising mezcal, parsley, sweet turnip syrup, lime juice and Suze liqueur (all $23++ per glass).

If you are at the bar, you must talk to Tom who’s a firm believer in educating customers of their beverage choices. Expect not just great tasting cocktails, but also an interactive session on the origins of ingredients used as well as the processes and inspirations behind each cocktail. My head was spinning with all the details mentioned – definitely info overload for an amateur drinker like me ha.

Oysters ($16++)
warm ginger sauce, red curry, celery cress

Cocktails with tapas is a given, of course.

Carlos Montobbio, Head Chef of Anti:dote, will continue to present his own creative style of European tapas with Asian influences. The tapas selection, which introduces something new every two months, now includes delicious little balls of braised eel croquettes with teriyaki sauce and kimchi mayonnaise (my favourite out of all!), succulent oysters doused with warm ginger sauce and red curry, ingenious tuna sashimi draped over salted cod brandade to resemble sushi, and cute little pop-in-the-mouth tender octopus topped with grilled soft eggplant and crispy paprika rice.

From top left, clockwise:
crispy suckling pig, cherry miso caramel, sherry soaked Kyoho grapes ($16);
baked chocolate mousse, extra virgin olive oil ice cream , crispy bread, maldon salt ($12++);
tuna sashimi, salted cod brandade, sesame oil pearls ($16);
assorted petit fours (from $3++);
braised beef cannelloni, spanish onion, black truffle, cèpes béchamel ($16++); and
spanish octopus skewers, charcoal grilled eggplant, crispy paprika rice, confit lemon skin ($16++)

From top left, clockwise:
scrambled eggs, japanese sea urchin, oscietra caviar ($24++);
kalamata olive spheres, rosemary breadcrumbs ($8++);
black truffle bao, braised veal cheek, foie gras, caramelised shallots with madeira ($20++);
braised eel croquettes, teriyaki sauce, kimchi mayo ($14++);
artisanal potato chips, white truffle and potato purée ($12++); and
hokkaido scallop tartar, peanut tofu, spring onion, chilled tom yum broth ($16++)

New tapas may be good, but I’m so glad that old signatures such as the super addictive crisp parmesan pizza with olive oil caviar pesto and creamy scrambled eggs with uni are still on the menu! Black truffle bao with braised veal cheek, foie gras and caramelised shallot remains too, if you miss your dim sum or wanna try a 10bucks bao.

Crisp Parmesan Pizza ($12++)
tomato flakes, fresh pesto, olive oil caviar, sweet basil cress

If I have to use one word to describe Anti:dote, it’d be “fun”! Just be adventurous and order the ibérica “shabu-shabu”. You will know exactly what I mean!

Paleta Ibérica Joselito ($18++)
italian burrata, cristal bread, tomato essence shabu-shabu

Many thanks to Ruth for hosting dinner!

Anti:dote
Level 1, Fairmont Singapore
80 Bras Basah Road
6431 5315

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The Royal Mail

Serving contemporary British cuisine, The Royal Mail is celebrating her 3rd birthday with a revamped menu featuring brand new dishes.

For starters, the flavourful bouillabaisse boasts a bright tangy broth brimming with seafood goodness – red snapper, langoustine and blue mussels are the key ingredients that make this stew tick. Skip the unexciting trio of tomatoes; I’d rather you try the refreshingly light duo of scallop carpaccio and lightly-seared tuna. Mains and roasts of the menu see additions such as the whole roasted Japanese yellow sea bream, which is specially flown in from Japan and huge enough for 2 pax! K’s honey glazed kurobuta pork was juicy and succulent while my miso black cod was equally enjoyable – tender and fatty (though I’d prefer it to be less sweet). The only main which I didn’t like was the porcini and bacon risotto – such a heavy dish; I don’t know how anyone can finish it at one go. Among all the desserts, the bergamot earl grey jelly was my favourite. Lots of different textures and flavours in the parfait from the soft jelly to the smooth frozen yoghurt and tangy passion fruit coulis. Other worthy-to-try options include the classic eton mess and cutely presented peanut butter jelly!

I’m glad that The Royal Mail is under the Palate Card program so yes, I’ll definitely be back again!

Scallop Carpaccio and Tuna ($26++)
hokkaido scallop carpaccio, lightly-seared tuna, capers, olive, coriander, preserved lemon, fresh vegetables ribbon

Trio of Tomatoes ($18++)
cherry tomato confit, semi-dried tomato, fresh yellow cherry tomato, bocconcini, pesto

Seafood Bouillabaisse ($28++)
red malabar snapper, whole langoustine, blue mussel, bouillabaisse broth

Honey Glazed Kurobuta Pork ($56++)
mesclun salad, white wine apple, apple butter sauce

Porcini & Bacon Risotto ($32++)
aged parmesan cheese

Miso Black Cod ($42++)
leek fondue, seaweed butter, sesame tuille, bonito flakes

Roasted Whole Japanese Yellow Sea Bream ($78++)
lemon, garlic confit, scallion

Chocolate Fondant ($24++)
molten chocolate cake, tahitian vanilla ice-cream

Peanut Butter Jelly ($18++)
toasted brioche, cranberry jelly, chocolate ganache, caramelised banana

Eton Mess ($18++)
strawberries, meringue, hazelnut crunch, salted caramel, devon cream

Enhanced Bergamot Earl Grey Jelly ($15++)
frozen yoghurt, passionfruit coulis, macerated berries

Many thanks to Amanda and Jaslyn for the invitation!

The Royal Mail Restaurant & Bar
Ascott Raffles Place Singapore
2 Finlayson Green
6509 3589

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CÉ LA VI (Formerly KU DÉ TA)

Have you heard, have you heard??

The well-known KU DÉ TA in Singapore is now known as CÉ LA VI, after a rebranding exercise led by L Capital Asia, the Asian private equity business sponsored by LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton. Abbreviated from the French phrase, ‘C’est La Vie’ (‘This is life’), the newly launched CÉ LA VI at Marina Bay Sands Skypark will undergo a significant renovation this summer and I’m so thankful that I went for dinner a couple of weeks prior to the official announcement!

I must admit that I went with quite a low expectation of the food because the venue itself is already larger than life – iconic rooftop location commanding breathtaking views in a spectacular setting (go in the evening to catch the sunset!) – and will not have any problem attracting diners even if the cuisine is mediocre. But how wrong I was! True, I still think it’s a “to see and be seen” type of dining location but the Modern Asian cuisine churned out by the kitchen was impressive and I’d say 80% of the dishes we ordered were above average, cross my heart.

To kick start dinner, the crispy-sticky baby squid is a must-try! It was literally that – fried to a crisp with a thin sticky batter and this addictive bar bite disappeared from our table very quickly!

Crispy-Sticky Baby Squid ($19++)
black pepper, lime drizzle

Personally sourced by Executive Chef Frederic Faucheux, the swordfish is imported fresh from South Africa, where he was based for four years to help pioneer the highly lauded opening of Nobu in Cape Town. The firm and meaty texture of the swordfish made this a delightful starter.

Line Caught Wild Snapper Sashimi and Fresh Summer Truffle ($42++)
alba oil, roasted shallot, truffle salt

I’ll never say no to fatty melt-in-the-mouth chutoro (upper tuna belly section)! So fresh!

Sliced ‘Chūtoro’ Semi-Fatty Southern Bluefin Tuna ($48++)
wasabi soy, hajikame, lime

To balance the rich and sinful food to come, the grilled prawn salad was competently assembled though not particularly outstanding.

Grilled Prawn Salad ($22++)
baby spinach, parmesan, dried miso, truffle oil

The spicy tuna roll features prawn tempura atop maguro tuna and asparagus sushi. This was pretty normal and I prefer to get my fix of maki elsewhere!

Spicy Tuna Roll ($23++)
maguro tuna, prawn tempura, asparagus, spicy dressing

Miso eggplant is a love-it-or-hate-it kind of vegetable. Luckily for me, two of my dining companions didn’t like it which means all the more for me, yay! The grilled eggplant here is thick and heavily coated with the dark sweet-salty miso dressing.

Aubergine ($12++)
den miso, bonito shavings, sesame seed

Background: Pan Seared Hokkaido Scallops ($36++)
edamame, cauliflower purée, soy emulsion

An exceptional seafood option would be the signature roasted black cod (you gotta remember Chef used to be from Nobu!), expertly cooked to a tender succulent texture served with shishito, pickled red onions and lemon. The pan seared jumbo Hokkaido scallops matched with delicate flavours of cauliflower puree, soy emulsion and tempura edamame were also excellent!

Roasted Black Cod ($56++)
shishito, pickled red onions, lemon

For meat lovers, K highly recommends the Prime ‘Brandt Beef’ ribeye accompanied by homemade wasabi salsa, spinach and sesame dressing. I kept stealing bites of the blanched spinach on the side because of the fragrant sesame sauce! Honestly, it’s so delicious that it deserves a spot on the a la carte menu as a side dish.

U.S. Prime ‘Brandt Beef’ Ribeye ($54++)
wasabi salsa, spinach, goma dressing

Desserts at CÉ LA VI are difficult to pass on with the group’s Global Executive Pastry Chef and recent Iron Chef Thailand champion, Jason Licker’s philosophy to craft inspired Modern Asian desserts that’s irresistible even after a heavy meal!

Toasted Citrus Gateau ($18++)
kalamansi curd, blood orange, guava sorbet

If I can only pick one dessert (I hope this won’t ever happen!), it will definitely be the goma cake. I’m naturally inclined towards anything black sesame and with green tea in the mix? Just take my money! I love how the various components gel together and this is one beautiful dessert that is hard to forget!

Goma Cake ($18++)
black sesame cake, apricot, raspberry, matcha ganaché

Although it’s said to be an all-time favourite and signature dessert, I didn’t take to the white chocolate-junmai, with different elements and textures of yuzu scented fruits, salted toffee and white chocolate-sake cream. Can’t appreciate this, somewhat too complex to me.

White Chocolate-Junmai ($18++)
yuzu scented fruits, salted toffee, white chocolate-saké cream

#2 in my heart after the goma cake is the tropical coconut-pandan verrine since – yes, you guessed right – I’m also biased towards anything coconut and pandan! Love how refreshing it is, though I do wish there’s more of coconut sorbet in it.

Coconut-Pandan Verrine ($18++)
tropical fruit cream, coconut sorbet, pandan foam

My special thanks to Francesca and Megan for hosting dinner with such a fab view!

CÉ LA VI (Formerly KU DÉ TA)
SkyPark at Marina Bay Sands, Tower 3
1 Bayfront Avenue
6688 7688

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