MOONBOW @ Dempsey Hill - A Dazzling New Addition That Specialises In Modern European Cuisine With An Asian Accent

The ever-changing dining scene at Dempsey Hill sees a dazzling new addition, MOONBOW. Chef Heman Tan and Dylan Soh opened the restaurant, which specialises in modern European cuisine with an Asian influence. The glass wall in the main dining hall separating the kitchen reminds me of Hell Kitchen's scene. Diners have a full view of the adrenaline rush in the kitchen.

Candy Floss 3.5/5

Our dinner begins with the complimentary Candy Floss. It is a playful starter to kick start the dinner.

Moonbow Oyster Bay 4/5

Next up is the Moonbow Oyster Bay ($10++/pc), serves with oyster leaves at the side. The purposes of the oyster leaves are to open up the palate. The briny Fine de Claire oyster is paired with yuzu gel, cucumber pearl and yuzu granita for a flavoured and refreshing finish.

Garden of Escargot 3.5/5

The Escargot ($23++) is plated like a garden as if the snails are roaming among the fields of edible flowers, fresh micro cress, truffle gelato, mashed edamame and mushroom soil. There are even lychee pearls representing raindrops.

Jerusalem Artichoke 4/5

The Jerusalem Artichoke ($25++) is a comforting and creamy soup that comes with a 64 °C Sous Vide Egg, Caviar and Sunchoke Chips to balance the earthiness of the artichoke.

Cauliflower Bloom 4/5

The Cauliflower Bloom ($25++) is a multi-textural enjoyment of the various forms of cauliflower. On the plate, you can find warm cauliflower floret, dehydrate cauliflower, cauliflower cous cous, cauliflower puree paired with nuts crumbs, garlic crumbs, cress and hollandaise.

Tomahawk de Swine 4.2/5

Moving to the mains, we tried a couple of items from their menu. First is the gigantic Tomahawk de Swine ($68++). The restaurant uses untrimmed 4 days aged young pork tomahawk chop paired with roasted garlic, caramelized lime and pineapple compote. The pork chop glazed with BBQ marinade is grilled to a beautiful tender with a hint of smokiness and sweetness. My favourite way of appreciating the beautiful pork is to spread the roasted garlic on it.

Black Silkie Poulet 4.2/5

My first thought when I see the Black Silkie Poulet ($38++) is that the restaurant has taken a big risk. It is an ingredient that is usually used in Chinese cuisine but not in European cuisine. The sight of a black chicken may turn some diners off. I love black chicken, so I was worried but internally delight to have the dish on the menu. The black chicken's leg is chargrilled and paired with garlicky crumb, wolfberry mashed, black garlic puree, ugly heirloom tomatoes and chives. I have to call out the accompanying bearnaise sauce that brightens the tender chicken.

Chef Heman’s Black Berry 4 Grain Healthy Rice With Roasted Pork Jowl “Ton Toro” 4/5

One can opt for Chef Heman's Black Berry 4 Grain Healthy Rice With Roasted Pork Jowl "Ton Toro" ($38++) for a healthy eat. I enjoyed the different textures of the rice, and what brightens up the dish is the addition of Chinese lap cheong sausage.

Fermented Red Yeast Wine 4.5/5

Another favourite dish of mine is the Fermented Red Yeast Wine ($38++). I applaud the creativity of incorporating fermented red glutinous rice wine with the barramundi fillet. I am usually sceptical of this type of East meets West creations, but this dish has won me over.

Treasure Drawer 4/5

To wrap up the dinner on a sweet note, you can try the Treasure Drawer ($32++), which comes in two trays of dessert. Diners can enjoy a sweet treat of pistachio chocolate souffle, mango passion mousse, petite apple crumble tartlets, financier raspberry, orange granita, yuzu star anise pate fruit and truffle cheese macaron. It will be a good choice as you can have a bit of everything.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


[CLOSED]
MOONBOW
Block 10 Dempsey Road
#01-21
Singapore 247700
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Orchard (NS Line), Holland Village (CC Line), Farrer Road (CC Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 1130am - 3pm, 6pm - 1030pm
Sat-Sun: 10am -3pm, 6pm - 1030pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Orchard MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to bus stop along Orchard Boulevard (Stop ID 09022). Take bus number 7, 77, 106, 123 or 174. Alight 7 stops later. Walk up to Dempsey Hill. Walk right to the back of the cluster. Walk to destination. Journey time 30 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Holland Village MRT station. Take Exit C. Walk to bus stop at Block 12 (Stop ID 11401). Take bus 106. Alight 4 stops later. Cross the road. Walk to Dempsey Road. Walk up to Dempsey Hill. Walk right to the back of the cluster. Walk to destination. Journey time 20 minutes. [Map]

3) Alight at Farrer Road MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to bus stop opposite Farrer Road MRT station (Stop ID 11119). Take bus number 174 or 564. Alight 5 stops later. Walk up to Dempsey Hill. Walk right to the back of the cluster. Walk to destination. Walk to destination. Journey time 20 minutes. [Map]

Zafferano @ Ocean Financial Centre - Elevating The Italian Dining Experience

It has been a year since I last visited Zafferano at Ocean Financial Centre. During the year, the restaurant has welcomed new Head Chef, Andrea De Paola. Previously from ilLido Group, Chef Andrea incorporates innovative flavours and modern techniques to time-honoured classics, bring finesse to the plate.

Our dinner started with some amuse-bouche. The delicate bite-size snacks gave me a glimpse of the chef's culinary philosophy, balancing complex flavours in an elegant touch.

Scampi 4.8/5

I was impressed with what Chef Andrea is bringing to Zafferano right from the start of the first dish, the Scampi ($32++). The plating is more elegant and refines now. The langoustine is simply char-grilled with extra virgin olive oil till medium rare, and given a coat of sesame. Complementing the natural sweetness of the crustacean's flesh is the white miso and mirin sauce. The result is a plate of complex flavours but coming harmoniously together.

Carciofo 3.8/5

Next, I tried the Carciofo ($28++). The artichoke is poached and grilled over almond wood. Hence the tender texture with a hint of smokiness. This is paired with Caciocavallo cheese foam that has a smoky flavour, with a smoked Yamanashi egg yolk in the middle. I am not a big fan of artichoke, but I love the caciocavallo cheese foam, and I think it can go well with a lot of ingredients too.

Spaghetti 4.2/5

The Spaghetti ($30++ starter/ $42++ main) is Chef Andrea's interpretation of traditional spaghetti with bottarga, replacing the cured fish roe with razor clams and Oscietra caviar. It is a unique combination that I have not tried before. What blew me away is the sauce that brings the whole dish together, for a slurping good time.

Branzino 4.5/5

The dishes so far showcase how Chef Andrea combines different flavours to elevate the main ingredient. On the contrary, the Branzino ($48++) is bare naked to highlight the freshness of the seabass sourced from an open farm in the Mediterranean Sea off the Sardinian coast. The seabass fillet is lightly seasoned with just salt, and extra virgin oil finished in the oven and brushed with tarragon salmoriglio before serving. It is paired with young zucchini, spring herbs salad and zucchini cream on the side. Nothing fancy, just straight forward appreciation of the beautiful seabass.

Manzo 4.5/5

Besides the a la carte menu, Chef Andrea has also put together a 4-course Chef menu ($118++) and 5-course Chef menu ($148++). From the chef menu, I had the beef striploin grilled in the charcoal oven, paired with blue foot mushrooms which is a classic Italian combination. The Sanchoku wagyu striploin was cooked beautifully, locking in all the lovely jus with crispy chars at the edge.

Cioccolato 4.5/5

Also, from the Chef menu, I had the Cioccolato to wrap up dinner. It is a vegan dessert that comprises variations of chocolate forms. You may think this is going to be a very rich and heavy dessert, but it turns out otherwise. It is light, well-balanced harmony of flavours and textures.

I am glad that I have the opportunity to try Chef Andrea's food. With the new chef on board, I feel that it has elevated the food at Zafferano a notch. If the kitchen team maintains its consistency, and the chef's culinary philosophy, the star may not be far away.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Zafferano
Ocean Financial Centre
Level 43
10 Collyer Quay
Singapore 049315
Tel: +65 65091488
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Raffles Place (EW Line, NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Lunch
Mon-Fri: 1130am - 3pm
Brunch
Sat: 12pm - 3pm (last Sat of the month)
Dinner
Mon-Fri: 530pm till late
Sat: 630pm till late
(Closed on Sun)

Direction:
1) Alight at Raffles Place. Take Exit C. Walk to Ocean Financial Centre which is on the left. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]

Restaurant JAG @ Duxton Road - Herb Centric Dishes By Michelin Star Chef

Restaurant JAG at Duxton is a new kid on the block opened by Chef Jeremy Gillon and his partner Anant Tyagi. The French fine dining restaurant has a cosy and intimate space of 26 seats on level 1, which gets a full view of the open kitchen. On level 2, it housed a bar that makes one feel like stepping into one's home with its Chesterfield furniture. The cuisine is inspired and created from the 40 indigenous herbs that are exclusively flown into Singapore, to highlight the distinctive trait of each herb.

Serpolet Potato 3.5/5 and Ortie Cauliflowers 3.8/5

My 5 Expression Menu ($108++) for lunch started with some canapes. I have the Serpolet Potato and Ortie Cauliflowers. The potato ball is served warm while the cauliflower puree is chilled. You simply pick them up with your hand and pop them into your mouth, allowing the ingredient and herb to interact with each other.

Bread with Three Types of Butter 4/5

Have some complimentary bread with three types of butter while waiting for the next course. The three selections of butter are Citrus, Herbs and Salted Butter.

Butternut Veloute 4/5

Next is the Butternut Veloute Soup, which is warm and comforting. It comes with a hint of smokiness with roasted seeds for texture.

Smoked Foie Gras & Mushroom 4.2/5

I love the play of cold and warm of the Smoked Foie Gras & Mushroom. Usually, foie gras is pan seared, hence smoking it, gives it a new form of appreciation. The combination seems unusual, but it works excellently, with the different flavours coming through harmoniously.

Romanesco and Whelk 4/5

Another beautiful dish I enjoyed is the Romanesco and Whelk. It showcases the different textures of the romanesco, which complement the slightly charred whelk. Yes not the other way wrong, as I was told that the chef conceptualises his dish with the vegetable first, followed by the meat. Which I can understand, as the natural sweetness and crunchiness of the romanesco stood out from the plate for me.

St. Vincent Asparagus and Grenoble White Trout 4/5

The clean tasting White Trout is paired with St. Vincent Asparagus. This is probably the least sophisticated dish allowing the freshness of the fish to shine too.

Purple Artichoke and Te Mana Lamb 3.8/5

For the last savoury dish, we have the Purple Artichoke and Te Mana Lamb. While the lamb was beautifully cooked to tender, what interests me more is the crunchy purple artichoke. The roasted buckwheat rounded the dish with an additional textural dimension.

Surreal Sorbet 4.2/5

For pre-dessert, we had the Surreal Sorbet with diced pineapple, which helped to freshen the palate.

Dark Chocolate Tart & Goat Milk Ice Cream 4/5

For our dessert, we are served a Dark Chocolate Tart with Goat Milk Ice Cream. The sweet and creamy goat milk ice cream helped to balance the richness of the dark chocolate. I can taste the thoughtfulness behind the dish.

Diners have the option to complement the meal with the Cheese Platter ($40 for 12 cheese / $4 per selection) which is an exclusive collection of 18 kinds of cheese from Normandy, Loire, Savoie, Corsica, Basque, Auvergne, Burgundy, Alsace and Pas-de-Calais. Each of the cheese on the menu is subject to seasonality and sourced directly from individual cheesemakers who boast a rich history of traditional cheesemaking not necessarily made for the commercial market.

Overall I have enjoyed the experience at Restaurant JAG with its unique pairing of its dishes. It definitely has the potential of getting a Michelin star. However, I thought some refinement would improve the whole experience. While it is a great story using the 40 indigenous herbs that have been flown in from France to create the dishes, it didn't quite distinctly reflect in the dishes. Just like how the staff brings out the different herbs used in each course to let diner smell them, I could not tell the difference after the first few. Maybe presenting them pre or post dinner as a flight of herbs, can be a better idea. Instead of disturbing the diner at each course.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Restaurant JAG
76 Duxton Road
Singapore 089535
Tel: +65 31388477
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Tanjong Pagar (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Tue-Fri: 12pm - 2pm, 6pm - 10pm
Sat: 6pm - 10pm
(Closed on Sun-Mon, PH)

Direction: 
1) Alight at Tanjong Pagar MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to Orchid Hotel. At Orchid Hotel turn right onto Tanjong Pagar Road. Cross the road to the opposite side of Tanjong Pagar Road. Walk along Tanjong Pagar Road to Duxton Hill. Turn left onto Duxton Hill and then turn right on Duxton Road. Journey time about 15 mins. [Map]

Moosehead Kitchen-Bar @ Telok Ayer Street - Refreshed Dinner Menu With Global Street Food Inspiration

Moosehead Kitchen-Bar at Telok Ayer Street introduces a refreshed dinner menu with add-ons inspired by global street food. Keeping its Mediterranean roots, Chef Seumas's dishes continues to showcase the characteristics of the produce while working closely with other local and global flavours.

Fried Artichokes 3/5

Fried artichokes ($12) features Taramasalata, a Greek meze made from tarama (salted and cured fish roe). Bread is being ground into a starchy base and mixed with olive oil, lemon juice to form an emulsion. Looking very much like hummus but with a finer texture. with a hint of brininess. I'm not that enthused towards the fried artichokes, which has been stripped of its natural flavours. You may however, be delighted by its airiness. I reckon substituting with something else to enjoy the moreish dip will be just as satisfying or more.

INKA Fried Eggs 3/5

INKA Fried Eggs ($12) is a comfort food tagged with a fancy name and style. Compacted like a pan-pizza and studded with highly flavoured diced chorizo, it was like having a big breakfast without having to go through the trouble of cutting out the sausages. The best part is when you slice through the pan-eggs and seeing the half-set egg yolks oozing out. Wasting none of that, this is when the charcoal-toasted sourdough comes in, while loading the dish with another layer of smokiness. The chorizo can get a tad too salty at some point but the aioli alleviates that with its tangy sweetness.

Burrata 3.5/5

Deviating from its Italian self (green, white, red), Burrata ($21) takes on a new all-green look (which I really love) with a notable Southeast Asian identity. To highlight the subtle milkiness of the burrata, the acidity comes from home pickling the zucchini and intensifying the Genovese-style pesto with Thai basil, which creates a stronger juxtaposition of flavours. The creaminess of the cheese came through fully as I bit through the sharp sautéed curry leaves.

Octopus 3/5

The Octopus ($30) with fried potato, red pepper puree and paprika serves as a more playful dish compared to being served in its original form, which is the entire tentacle as presented previously. Street food it is, as you can conveniently scoop it into your mouth with a spoon. The firm and chewy texture of the diced octopus mingles well with the fried potato, which is a star in its own right with its crispy edges and a texture that's very much like potato tots. What binds the ingredients together is the stunning orange-red red pepper puree, that adds zing and complexity to the entire dish with its blend of spices, capers and Semillon vinegar, along with a hint of smokiness that permeates throughout.

Hokkaido Scallop Crudo 4.5/5

My favourite of that evening is none other than Hokkaido Scallop Crudo ($21). An outlier I called it. Ponzu-marinated, the muscles of the Japanese scallops seemingly had relaxed and softened as they almost melted in my mouth. Paired with apples pickled in housemade verjus, which is less acidic than vinegar, and sweet and tart like white wine, the savoury and sweet flavours of the scallops come right through. Wonderfully refreshing, an apt dish to be served just right before my main.

O’Connor Beef Sirloin 3/5

Our main is a sharing portion of O’Connor Beef Sirloin ($62). A hefty 300 grams of meat served with mushroom ketchup and roast spring onions. What's notable in this dish is the mushroom ketchup, which is a result of a rather painstaking process before getting that limited amount of mushroom reduction onto your plate.

Chocolate Mousse 3/5

My taste buds felt overwhelmed after a while. Personally I do find some of the dishes too heavily salted. Fortunately, the desserts that were being served brought my senses back. The Chocolate Mousse ($10), dark and dense, is complemented with a scoop of mellow vanilla ice cream. What makes it delightful is not just the salted caramel drizzle which everybody likes but also the addition of crunchy peanut clusters that are being buried in the crumbly chocolate soil, delivering sweet-savoury notes that builds on the creamy-crunchy textures.

Banana Ice Cream 3.8/5

I was more intrigued by the Banana Ice Cream ($10) made with Inka-roasted bananas blended into a housemade egg-based ice cream. I love the idea of churning the salted caramel into a foam, which allows its flavour to be spread evenly across.

I didn't quite feel Moosehead has made a statement as much as my very first visit. But the complexity of the dishes still shines, not to forget the upbeat ambience of this small space. Perhaps that explains the crowd day in and out.

Words and photos by Si An. A girl who is allured by travelling, loves the feel of freedom, smell of the rain and the aroma of fine coffee and food. Note: This is an invited tasting.


Moosehead Kitchen - Bar
110 Telok Ayer Street
Singapore 068579
Tel: +65 66368055
Facebook
Nearest MRT: Telok Ayer (DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 12pm - 230pm, 6pm - 1030pm
Sat: 6pm - 1030pm
(Closed on Sun)

Direction:
1) Aligh at Telok Ayer MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to Telok Ayer Street. Journey time about 1 minutes. [Map]

Moosehead Kitchen-Bar @ Telok Ayer Street - New Head Chef Seumas SmithTakes The Helm

One of my favourite restaurants, Mooseead Kitchen-Bar is into its third year and at the same time welcomes its new head chef, Chef Seumas Smith who is only 24 years old. He maybe young but under his belt, he has worked at 1-Michelin star Lords of the Manor and 2-Michelin star Dinner by Heston and Esquina in Singapore.

Beetroot 4.2/5

Some people may no t like the earthly flavour of the Beetroot ($14) but you would not get it here. The clever use of spicy ponzu, feta and sumac yoghurt help to balance and mask off the earthly taste. The addition of pomegranate and crushed almonds provided the extra crunch to the dish.

Fried Artichokes 3.5/5

The Fried Artichokes ($15) comes with house made ricotta, garlic aioli, almonds, radishio salad, water cress and pickled lemons. It is a good dish and I like the play of flavours coming together but I was just slightly confused which is the star, the artichokes or ricotta? Cause I remembered I was wiping clean the ricotta with the pickled lemons, enjoying how the chemistry of the two ingredients come together.

Cauliflower 4.2/5

The Grilled Cauliflower ($14) or what we called the vegetarian steak is charcoal grilled via Inka oven to a robust smokey flavour. What mae the dish even more enjoyable is the garlic miso dressing that elevated the whole dimension rounded of with some sesame seeds and spring onions.

Roasted Asparagus 4/5

Topped with shaved parmesan, the Roasted Asparagus ($20) is once again grilled in the Inka oven for a delectable crunchiness with the toasted buckwheat providing the extra texture, finished with a light mushroom dashi puree.

Chargrilled Broccolini 3.8/5

Another vegetable dish on the menu is the Chargrilled Broccolini ($9). What stole my heart on this dish is the delicious hoisin mayo. I could not really describe it but it is one of those thing that you know it will work well with almost any ingredients. I was secretly hoping that our Chinese cuisine could learnt a thing or two in the sauce and use it in our dishes. It will bring a new taste to the dining table.

Bone Marrow, Anchovy, Sourdough 4/5

Some people may find Bone Marrow a bit fatty and dislike the creamy texture. The version at Moosehead is spread over a piece of sourdough together with the savoury anchovy mixed with chopped capers, baby gherkins, diced shallot, pickled lemon and parsley. The combination worked beautifully together, customers will not be able to tell that they are having bone marrow.

Pork Belly 3.5/5

The slow cooked Pork Belly ($31) is brushed with spiced caramel (szechuan pepper, star anise, cinnamon) and chargrilled before being served with baby turnips and kale. While I don't have complain with the slab of pork belly, I felt the dish lack the multi senses experience as compared to the other dishes I have tried.

Beef Cheek 4.2/5

While the pork belly did not quite satisfy me, the Beef Cheek ($32) was the opposite. I was blown away by how flavourful and tender the braised beef cheek was, it literally melted in the mouth. The wild mushrooms and the mash, played the role of supporting actors excellently too.

Bone Marrow Mash Potato 4.5/5

You know you should not eat too much of it but I was not able to control myself to go back for more of it. The Bone Marrow Mash Potato ($9) was very addictive. Besides butter, bone marrow was added into the recipe for the unami result.

Almond Cake 4/5

The Almond Cake ($10) comes with yuzu creme fraiche. What I like about the cake is the nutty crunchy bits that comes with each bite of the moist cake.

Roasted White Pear 4.5/5

The Roasted White Pear ($12) is one of my favourite dessert in the new menu. The roasted nashi pears was poached in syrup, cinnamon, star anise and vanilla. The sweetness of the poached pear paired with the tangy citrus yoghurt harmoniously for a perfect ending to a lovely night.


Moosehead Kitchen - Bar
110 Telok Ayer Street
Singapore 068579
Tel: +65 66368055
Facebook
Nearest MRT: Telok Ayer (DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 12pm - 230pm, 6pm - 1030pm
Sat: 6pm - 1030pm
(Closed on Sun)

Direction:
1) Aligh at Telok Ayer MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to Telok Ayer Street. Journey time about 1 minutes. [Map]