Camille @ 1-Flowerhill Sentosa - A New Floral Landscaped Multi-concept Destination By 1-Group

A multi-concept destination by 1-Group, 1-Flowerhill at Sentosa is the brand's latest floral-landscaped lifestyle F&B project. Three concepts — Wildseed Café, Wildseed Bar & Grill, and a French-Japanese restaurant, Camille — are housed within the century-old hilltop conservation house.

Textures of Artichoke 4/5

We had dinner at Camille, starting with the Textures of Artichoke ($28). Drizzled with burnt leek dashi and dill oil, the sunchoke chawanmushi base was delectable, but the artichoke variations seemed to lose their textural individuality. I also found the dill oil slightly assertive in the overall flavours.

A5 Hokkaido Beef & Tuna Akami Tartare 4.5/5

The A5 Hokkaido Beef & Tuna Akami Tartare ($42) followed this. Assembled tableside, I witnessed the luxurious combination of cold-smoked A5 Hokkaido Beef and tuna akami being accented with wasabi and crispy rice alongside other condiments. Such thoughtful combination offered a texture and mouthfeel that was a true delight.

Heirloom Tomatoes 4.2/5

The Heirloom Tomatoes ($26) offered a refreshing counterpoint—beautiful Australian tomatoes dressed with light Hōjicha tomato consommé and goat cheese croquettes. The shiso sorbet complemented the tomato flavour profile. I like the idea of having a warm element in a cold dish, but the croquettes' assertive flavour slightly overpowered the dish. Even though the croquette mixture was already sweetened with honey and sugar, a final touch of honey drizzle could have balanced the profile.

Robbins Island Wagyu Flat Iron MBS 7 3/5

For mains, the Robbins Island Wagyu Flat Iron MBS 7 ($62) arrived with salt-baked celeriac and caramelized shallots. While the accompaniments were interesting, the wagyu itself could have benefited from a bit more rendering to unlock its full flavour profile.

Magret de Canard 3.8/5

The Magret de Canard ($46) fared better. The roasted duck breast, dressed in a tart and sweet ume shiso jus, provided an excellent contrast. The marinated plum and heirloom beetroot perfectly complemented the duck's richness.

Marseille Seafood Stewed Papilotte Style 3.8/5

The Marseille Seafood Stewed Papilotte Style ($45) offered a comforting seafood medley in a flavorful lobster bisque subtly infused with yuzu. While the bisque could have been richer, it delivered a satisfying depth of flavour.

Camille Garden 2.8/5

Unfortunately, the vegetarian option under Mains, Camille Garden ($32), fell short. While the menu description promised a lot more, I found the dish rather hollow, with what were essentially carrot sticks standing on celeriac and butternut pumpkin puree. This dish could have been more delightful with a more substantial and flavourful execution that truly showcases the quality of heirloom carrots.

Deconstructed Black Forest 4.5/5

Ending the meal on a high note with the Deconstructed Black Forest ($28). Theatrical preparation added to the experience as the chef assembled the dessert tableside. Crafted with Valrhona chocolate mousse, frozen chocolate clouds, and cherry elements, it offered a delightful play on textures and classic black forest flavours. This dessert was a perfect finale to a unique dining experience at Camille.

Photos and words 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.


Camille @ 1-Flowerhill
Sentosa
6 Imbiah Road
Singapore 099696
Tel: +65 9630 1008
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Nearest MRT: Harbourfont (CC, NE Line)

Opening Hours:
Tue–Sun: 6pm - 10pm
(Closed on Mon)

Direction:
1) Alight at Harbourfront MRT station. Take Exit E or C. Go to the top floor of Vivocity. Take the Sentosa Express to Sentosa. Alight at Imbiah Station. Walk to destination. Journey time about 12 minutes. [Map]

Firangi Superstar @ Craig Road - Indian Cuisine That Is Authentically Inauthentic

Firangi Superstar at Craig Road is born out of love and memories of the country India. Stepping into the restaurant is a cinematic journey, transporting diners to an Officer's Club, Old Railway Room, Elephant Palace and Jungle Lodge. Here, the food takes classic Indian cuisine in unexpected forms in Head Chef Thiru Gunasakaran's hand, giving it a modern approach.

Chutney & Raita 4/5

We started with some Chutney & Raita (2 for $10++/ 3 for $14++) served with papads and crackers. The house-made chutney and raita selection consist of Roasted Pistachio Chutney, Jackfruit Cucumber Raita, and Garlic Dried Chilli Chutney. It is a delightful starter to go along with some cocktails or drinks before moving to the diner proper.

Scared Samosa 4.2/5

The traditional samosa is given a luxurious touch in the Scared Samosa ($26++). The open-face samosa comprises familiar flavours but with a new perspective, replaced with wagyu beef tartare sandwiched between samosa chips.

This Is Not Aloo Gobi 4.2/5

This Is Not Aloo Gobi ($16++) is a modern, deconstructed version of the Aloo Gobi. It comes with cauliflower in three ways - cauliflower cous cous, cauliflower florets and cauliflower coriander puree. Crispy sliced potatoes are layered with melted ghee and salt in between each layer for a textural uplift with each mouthful.

Sothi Fresh 4.5/5

Sothi is a traditional yellow coconut curry usually cooked with fish. The Sothi Fresh ($22++) is an elevated form paired with ceviche cured in kokum dressing, coconut jelly and shallots. What you get is a firework of flavours.

Beirut Bhatura 4.2/5

The Beirut Bhatura ($12++) comes in a bowl of celeriac hummus topped with chickpea masala, pomegranate seeds and coriander cress, drizzled over with yellow curry oil. The best way to enjoy it is to tear the bhatura (deep-fried leavened bread) into pieces to smear it with the creamy celeriac hummus.

Prata Waffle 4/5

Inspired by chicken and waffle, the chef has created the Prate Waffle ($24++), incorporating the trendy cafe dish into Indian cuisine. Sitting on the base is waffle pressed prata topped with Madras-style fried chicken and fried curry leaves. Jaggery syrup is drizzled onto the crispy and tender fried chicken. Of course, the soul of the dish has to be the butter chicken sauce at the side, giving the dish the Indian identity.

Salvador Thali 4.5/5

The sweetness of the pumpkin is showcased in the Salvador Thali. The pumpkin is marinated in sambhar marinated, oven-roasted, then tandoor charred. Lime pickle, fried salted chilli flakes, quinoa and pumpkin seeds are smothered onto the roasted pumpkin complementing the sweetness and giving it extra texture contrast and enjoyment.

Indian Saddle 4.5/5

The beautiful Tandoori Lamb Saddle ($19++ per 100g) is marinated with spiced yoghurt before cooking in tandoori. It is served with an Indian-inspired chermoula, confit garlic and curry leaves. You don't get that gamey taste, and I probably think the tender lamb is beef if I am blindfolded.

Firangi Naan Basket 4.2/5

Cumin Carrots with Dhal Makhani 4.2/5, Anise-Ghee Rice 4/5

To complete the meal, you can also order some sides, rice and naan to complete your meal. We had the Firangi Naan Basket ($12++), Cumin Carrots with Dhal Makhani ($15++)  and Anise-Ghee Rice ($6++).

Mango Kesari 4/5

I don't usually enjoy Indian desserts as they are extremely sweet. However, at Firangi Superstar, it is well balanced and has textures. The Mango Kesari ($12++) is plated with alphonso mango mousse, cubes of alphonso mango, alphonso tea gel and cream cheese. The steamed semolina cake is then topped with puffed rice, raisins and cashews for that extra textural bite.

Chocolate Jamun 4.2/5

A bed of chocolate mousse sits at the bottom of the Chocolate Jamun ($15++), smothered with gulab jamun crumble and chocolate crunch. it is further dotted with rose patisserie and topped with pistachios, rose petals and house-made cardamon vanilla ice cream.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Firangi Superstar
20 Craig Road
#01-03
Singapore 089692
Tel: +65 63043022
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Website
Nearest MRT: Tanjong Pagar (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 12pm - 230pm, 530pm - 1030pm
Sat: 530pm - 103pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at Tanjong Pagar MRT station. Walk to Tanjong Pagar Road. Cross the road. Walk to Craig Road. Turn left and walk down Craig Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

The Nomads @ Telok Ayer Street - A Re-Imagination Of Central Asian Cuisine

The Nomads is a new contemporary Central Asian dining concept located along Telok Ayer Street. It features a chic dining area complete with a custom-built grill pit, a speakeasy-style private dining room and thoughtfully crafted menus that bring diners to a gastronomic trail along the Silk Road. Besides the a la carte menu, there are 3 tasting menus and an exclusive private dining room communal menu.

Smoked Herring 4.2/5

For my visit, I had The Odyssey of Fire Tasting Menus ($148) which comprises of 17 courses that highlight a wide range of signatures and seasonal items. The gastronomic journey started with the Smoked Herring. The smoked herring sits inside a delicate filo pastry filled with horseradish mash.

Caviar & Kaya 4/5

A playfully take of the kueh pie tee is the Caviar & Kaya. Housed inside the crispy shell is poached Argentinean prawns and housemade kaya, crowned with glistening beads of Kristal caviar. Pop it inside the mouth to get that perfect burst of sweet and salty flavours.

Lamb Samsa Cones 4.2/5

The Lamb Samsa Cones is a modern take of the lamb samsa, traditionally served in Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan as a baked pastry filled with meat. The cone coated with coffee sugar is filled with lamb tartare of fresh Mottainai lamb short loin. A thoughtful creation allowing the sweetness of the coffee sugar to complement the light and naturally sweet meat, plus a little playful touch.

Nomads Nan with Hunter-Gatherers Butter 4.5/5

The Nomads Nan is a traditional Kazakhstan-style bread made using a secret family recipe whereby flour is fermented overnight with yoghurt to intensifies the flavour. This is best enjoyed with the seaweed butter and foie gras butter.

Maitake Mushrooms 3.5/5

You can smell the smokiness of the Maitake Mushrooms from a distance, seasoned with earthy Khmeli Suneli spices and grilled with tahini and sesame seeds.

Carrots in Soil 3.5/5

Bite into the different coloured Carrots in Soil that is sweet and crunchy. The charred heirloom carrots are coated with coffee crumble for a bittersweet finishing.

Salat 4.5/5

The Salat is an adaptation of the grilled fruit salad from Kazakhstan. It is light, crispy and fresh that comprises of juicy pears glazed with cherry vinaigrette, seasonal greens and crystallised walnuts, served with anchovy sauce and frozen raspberries.

Scallops 4/5

An interesting combination of koji cured Japanese Scallops, spiced burnt corn and crispy lentil crackers, is the Scallops dish. It is unusual to put the three ingredients together, and they complemented one another excellently.

Squid Laghman 4/5

The Squid Laghman is a native noodle dish from Xinjiang Uyghur. The squid noodles are lightly charcoal kissed to tender. It is paired with capsicum and pine nuts in the hearty bone marrow and Sichuan peppercorn sauce. Hence it is a little bit spicy.

Sturgeon 4/5

The lean and meaty Sturgeon which tasted like chicken breast is grilled with soy butter emulsion and dill oil and served with crunchy grains.

Beshbarmak 4.2/5

The Beshbarmak, a national dish of Kazakhstan, is literally translated to "five fingers" because it typically can be eaten with the hands. The modern version at The Nomads finds pieces of tender wagyu cheek in spiced broth, pickled shallots and garlic. On top of that, it replaces the noodles with dehydrated potato sheets.

Beef Tongue 4/5

The Beef Tongue is braised for 48 hours in a master broth until tender with a slight crunch, served on The Nomads Nan with a decadent burnt whole grain mustard cream, spiced beef jus and shaved almonds.

Pomegranate 4/5

Freshen up your palate in the Pomegranate which serves as a palate cleanser.

Foie in Ash 4.2/5

It is like having foie gras skewer in the Foie in Ash. The chunky foie gras is coated with charred breadcrumbs with a side of cherry gastrique.

Hunter's Plov 4.2/5

A staple along the Silk Road is the plov, a rice dish that is whipped up with whatever ingredients on-hand. The Hunter's Plov at The Nomads is inspired by the Uzbekistan version. It comes in a bowl of A4 wagyu striploin, bone marrow, pickled heirloom carrots, tea quail eggs, brandied raisins and Carnaroli risotto.

Almaty 4.2/5

Moving to the desserts, the Almaty comes in the form of a dainty tart of smoked apple ribbons with dollops of Gorgonzola cheese and cinnamon yoghurt and a scoop of celery sorbet.

Medovik 4/5

Last but not least, there was a second dessert to end the tasting menu on a sweet note. The soft and fluffy Honey Cake is paired with sour cream ganache, blood orange, rose crystals and refreshing yoghurt sorbet.

The 17-course tasting menu may sound a lot, but each serving is rather bit size portion. As for the gastronomic journey, the cuisine along the Silk Road is very foreign to me. While each individual dish is thoughtfully crafted, the diversity of the culinary influences may work either way. To some, it may be confusing without focus, for others, it may be an exploration adventure.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


The Nomads
70 Telok Ayer Street
Singapore 048458
Tel: +65 69777057
Facebook
Nearest MRT: Telok Ayer (DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 1130am - 230pm, 6pm - 930pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Telok Ayer MRT station. Take Exit B. Cross the road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]

Dearborn Supper Club @ Chai Chee Street - Private Dining Focusing On Greens, Grains And Seafood

Our private dining adventure brought us to Dearborn Supper Club in the East which has like 5 months of waiting list. We are quite lucky to score a session at the start of the year in January if not we will have to wait until June. Dearborn Supper Club is hosted by Chef Christopher Kong who has worked at Waku Chin and Guy Savoy, offering fine-modern American cuisine in a casual setting that focus on grains, greens and seafood at his cosy five room flat.

A selections of Gin and Tonic welcome us before we proceeded to our dinner. It is definitely a warm reception from the host.

Chickpeas with Lemon 4/5 and Carrot Tartare 4.2/5

Local Snapper Riclette 4/5

Edamame Hummus 4.2/5

With started with some bite-size amuse bouche. We have the Chickpea with Lemon, Carrot Tartare, Local Snapper Riclette and Edamame Hummus. I like the zest with the chickpea which is kind of a surprise combination to elevate the flavour. The edamame hummus is also a unique take of combining middle east and Japanese flavours that is well received by the dining group.

Hokkaido Scallops 4/5

Our first course is the Hokkaido Scallops that is paired with green apple, horse radish, celery and apple vinaigrette. The refreshing pairings allows the sweetness of the scallop to stand out in the dish. A clean and pleasing dish to kick start the dinner.

Agnolotti Pasta 4.2/5

Chef Christopher's dad used to run an Italian restaurant in Washington. Hence the Agnolotti Pasta is like remembering his root. The vegetarian pasta consists of elements like sunflower seeds, pea and pecorino cheese. These parcels of delight probably just got me converted to be a vegetarian. Well maybe just for the night.

Eggplant 3.8/5

The Eggplant is char-grilled and topped with tomato relish, jalapeno relish, quinoa and dressed in a chicken mayo jus. Eggplant can be quite one dimensional in taste but dearborn has smartly created firework in the dish with the pairings.

Squid Ink Fried Rice 4.5/5

The Squid Ink Fried Rice is done paella style, giving the short brown organic rice a crispy texture at the edges. One can find seafood such as squid and prawns in the fried rice, as well as anchovy for that lift in flavour. A very delicious and comforting dish that has more Asian and Spanish influences.

Sourdough 4.5/5

For the next course, we are called upon the kitchen table where Chef Christopher brought out 2 loaves of Sourdough. A weird flow of serving as bread is usually served at the beginning of dinner but once Chef Christopher cut into the sourdough, everyone just could not stop spreading the homemade butter onto their slices of bread. The time also allows us to have more interaction with the chef who has been busy cooking all night, which I really appreciate to complete the whole private dining experience.

Grilled Cauliflower Steak 4.5/5

For our main course, we have the Grilled Cauliflower Steak topped with pickled cauliflower and olives. Noteworthy is the eggyolk and sherry sauce that complements the cauliflower steak excellently. Even though there was no meat through out the dinner, at this point I was already feeling full. Some of us could not even finish the dish.

Seaweed Madeleine 5/5

The beautiful aroma of the Seaweed Madeleine was already making me drool when it is being baked in the oven. Served fresh and hot, these moist and fluffy seaweed madeleine had us asking for more but there is only one piece per person. I was told that Chef Christopher has made yuzu madeleine and pepper madeleine. We actually challenged him to make uni madeleine.

Coconut Ice Cream 4/5

Our dessert is all about coconut. The Coconut Ice Cream has a coconut meringue roof with edible white pandan flowers. On the base of plate is coconut crumbles for texture. There is also a bit of lime zest to balance the sweetness. A refreshing dessert that is not overly sweet, well balanced and of course coconuty.

Fortune Cookies 3.5/5

Last but not least, instead of the petite fours to go along with our coffee or tea, we are offered homemade Fortune Cookies in Chinese noodle takeaway box. We even get to take home a bottle of homemade granola. The private dining dinner cost us $128 per pax for 6-course but actually we have more than 6 courses. Also I noted that the have increased the price to $138 now. Private dinner is really getting more and more expensive.


Dearborn Supper Club
Blk 51 Chai Chee Street
Singapore 460051
Website
Nearest MRT: Kembangan (EW Line), Bedok (EW Line)

Direction:
1) Alight at Bedok MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to Bedok Bus Interchange (Stop ID 84009). Take bus number 26. Alight 2 stops later. Cross the road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Bedok MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to bus stop at Bedok MRT Station (Stop ID 84039). Take bus number 222. Alight 3 stops later. Cross the road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 10 minutes. [Map]

3) Alight at Kembangan MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to bus stop at Kembangan MRT station (Stop ID 83062). Take bus number 26. Alight 6 stops later. Walk to destination. Journey time about 15 minutes. [Map]