Another new kid on the block has opened at Chijmes, replacing the now-defunct El Mero Mero. The new restaurant, Casa Restaurant by Remy Lefebvre, offers contemporary woodfire gastronomy. Customers can look forward to dishes focusing on seafood and vegetables. You can also find aged fish and dry-aged beef on the menu for its intensified and improved texture.
There are 3 set courses on the menu, 4- Course Discovery Menu ($118++ per pax), 6-Course Experience Menu ($198++ per pax) and 8-Course Carte Blanche ($258++ per pax). We had some snacks before starting on the menu. We had the Bacon Tart and Eggplant Puree. I like the burst of flavours from bacon tart filled with pumpkin miso and topped with thinly sliced lardo bacon. It is a combination that I wasn't expecting but works beautifully.
Gambas 4.2/5
We started with the Gambas, a smoked Mediterranean prawn dish with Japanese influence. You can taste familiar Japanese flavours such as yuzu and wasabi, transporting the Gambero Rosso red prawns from the Mediterranean coast to the coast of Japan.
Palermo Pepper 4/5
Like Chef Remy, I'm not too fond of raw peppers. But, just like how he got converted after trying the Palermo Pepper back in Beirut, Lebanon, he has managed to convert me too. The organic sweet pepper from Sicily is charcoal grilled to bring out the sweetness of the organic sweet pepper with a coat of smokiness. It is paired with Muhamara, a classic Armenian condiment based on roasted pepper and walnut.
Blue Mussels 4.8/5
We are all familiar with Japan's chawanmushi dish, and Chef Remy elevates it in his Blue Mussels dish. He has transformed the chawanmushi into an international dish melding the seafood and seasonal peaches from France, smoked eel from Spanish and Madras curry from India. The combination is complex but harmoniously balanced, bringing a global of flavours together.
Perfect Egg 4.5/5
Chef Remy rendition of his version of Perfect Egg is inspired by the pepper crab he had in Penang, Malaysia. He recreates the pepper sauce using wild pepper from Madagascar. You can also find razor clams, sweet corn stew and salsa verde in the dish. Mixing everything in the plate together, its sweetness and peppery kick remind me of my local half-boiled egg breakfast.
Wagyu Dry-aged 4.2/5
The 40 days Wagyu Dry-aged is grilled on an open fire and finished in the charcoal oven. Seasoned with salt and pepper, the Wagyu Dry-aged is fork-tender and intensely flavoured. Carrot and Cafe de Paris (a plethora of herbs mixed together with the excess beef fat from the dry-aged wagyu) make up the sides.
Rock Bass 4/5
Kampot Rice 4/5
From the land, we moved to the sea. Shio Koji is brushed onto the Rock Bass fish's skin before being grilled, served with lemon puree, sauce verge and sauteed Kampot Rice with sofrito. The dry ageing process probably gives the sweet rock bass a firmer texture. The kampot rice reminds me of our local claypot rice with burnt bits.
Apricot 4.2/5
Wrapping up our dinner, we have the Apricot and Raspberry for dessert. The organic French Apricots are seasoned with olive oil and sugar and barbecued in a charcoal oven. The roasted apricot is paired with almond sorbet, miso frangipane and tarragon oil. The hot and cold combination and how the miso frangipane lends a touch of saltiness work for me.
Raspberry 4.2/5
As for the Raspberry, its Chef's reminiscent of a frozen strawberry cheesecake. The burrata sorbet is served with organic freeze-dried raspberries, raspberry puree, along with a gluten-free and dairy-free crumble breton. It is light and refreshing.
I tried Chef Remy's cooking when he was at Butcher's Block. Compared to his new home at Casa Restaurant, it seems he has more freedom to express his culinary journey over the years. As a result, the flavours are more exciting and vibrant, with a complex expression of global flavours.
Note: This is an invited tasting.
Casa Restaurant by Remy Lefebvre
Chijmes
30 Victoria Street
#01-20
Singapore 187996
Tel: +65 97228171
Website
Nearest MRT: City Hall (EW Line, NS Line), Bras Basah (CC Line)
Opening Hours:
Wed-Sat: 12pm - 2pm, 6pm - 1030pm
Direction:
1) Alight at City Hall MRT station. Take Exit A. Cut across Raffles City Shopping Centre to Bras Basah Road. At the junction of Bras Basah Road and North Bridge Road, cross the road to Chijmes. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]
2) Alight at Bras Basah MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk southwards towards Victoria Road. At the junction of Bras Basah Road and Victoria Road, cross the junction to Chijmes. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]
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