Restaurant BORN @ Neil Road - Fine-Dining Restaurant of Contemporary Cuisine By Chef Zor Tan Based on the Circle of Life.

Restaurant BORN, located within the iconic Jinrikisha Station at the junction of Neil Road and Maxwell Road, is helmed by Chef Zor Tan. Cher Zor has bags of experience and awards under his belt working in well-awarded restaurants such as Restaurant Andre in Singapore, Restaurant Raw in Taiwan and Sichuan Moon in Macau.

Winter Melon with Purple Shiso Jus

The food at BORN celebrates the Circle of Life, drawing from Zor's journey, which distils into nine guiding principles that become the manifesto of his cooking. They are categorised into Birth, Roots, Memories, Craft, Relationship, Vicissitudes, Time, Progress, and Legacy.

Jellyfish pickled with Mountain Chilli

Pickled Japanese Daikon Skin

The dinner started with a selection of pickles and snacks for a multi-experience, multi-plate series embodying Chef Zor's philosophy. The frist series is a trio of pickles - Winter Melon with Purple Shiso Jus, Pickled Japanese Daikon Skin, and Jellyfish Pickled with Mountain Chilli.

Tomato, Smoked Plum, Basil

Abalone, Burnt Chilli Pesto, Garlic Crisps

Chicken Skin Mille Feuille, Eggplant, Caviar

Fish Bacon, Sweet & Sour Sauce, Homemade Chilli Oil

Taro Puff, Salted Egg Custard, Bottarga

The other snack items are Tomato, Abalone, Chicken Skin, Fish Bacon and Taro Puff. These are all Zor's childhood memories from the food he loves and his mum's cooking, giving them an elevated interpretation. While the items are exquisitely executed, there is a familiarity in the taste.

Japanese Yellowtail Tartare

We then moved into the meal proper with the first course, Japanese Yellowtail Tartare. The deliciously flavoured dish is inspired by Zor's early stint at a Japanese restaurant chain. The buri is cured in salt and Sichuan peppercorns, followed by preserving the fish in between layers of konbu, a time-honoured technique known as kobujime.

"Aged" Beef/ Oyster / Fried Bao

The next course is "Aged" Beef/ Oyster/ Fried Bao which attributes to Zor's time working at Restaurant DiverXo in Spain, where he witnessed the Spanish chef making "bao". The creative dish sees aged vintage Wagyu beef tartare marinated with Sichuan peppercorn and house-made Sichuan-style chilli oil enrobed in a light aerated batter. It uses the cooking method of oyster 'hao bing', flash-fried till golden brown, topped with bresaola and paired with Irish oyster emulsion..

Jerusalem Artichoke/ Lily Bulbs/ Caviar

Next is the Jerusalem Artichoke/ Lily Bulbs/ Caviar, a vegetable Zor was introduced to when working at Restaurant Andre, which became one of his favourite vegetables. The artichoke puree has a sweet and savoury profile, finished with caviar, fresh lily bulbs from China, extra virgin olive oil, and white chocolate shaved tableside. The Jerusalem artichoke skins did not go to waste. Instead, it is coated in maltose, dehydrated and served as a side.

Chicken Liver/ Smoked Oil/ Forest Mushroom

The Chicken Liver/ Smoked Oil/ Forest Mushroom is Zor's way of paying tribute to his mentor, Chef Andre Chiang. He presents his interpretation of the iconic Foie Gras Parfait at Andre, elevating the under-appreciated chicken liver into an indulgent flan. It is finished with forest mushrooms and blanched cubed celeriac.

Monkfish / Fermented Capsicum/ Chicken Fat

I enjoyed the Monkfish/ Fermented Capsicum/ Chicken Fat, which consists of seasonal white fish steamed, served with fermented imperial chilli, and crunchy jade fungus from Yunnan and finished in a velvety emulsified chicken fat accented with Sichuan peppercorn. The dish is inspired by the classic Sichuan 'Duo Jiao Yu Tou' on the Sichuan Moon restaurant menu during Zor's time in Macau.

Fish Maw/ Chinese cabbage/ Smoked Eel

The Fish Maw/ Chinese Cabbage/ Smoked Eel uses the classic French chou farci cooking technique, where fresh barramundi fish maw is filled with Chinese cabbage trimmings and smoked eel. The parcel is then wrapped in Chinese cabbage leaf and a layer of caul fat before pan-searing. Lastly, it is topped with julienned raw Chinese cabbage stem and fried local fish maw, finished in a light, refreshing broth made from smoked eel bones.

Alaskan King Crab/ Glutinous Rice/ Crab Bisque

The Alaskan King Crab/ Glutinous Rice/ Crab Bisque is a celebration of reunion featuring glutinous rice balls filled with crab miso. The green and red colouring come from beetroot and spinach juice. Alongside the glutinous rice ball is premium Alaskan king crabs brushed with fermented yellow soybean paste finished in rich crab roe sauce, crab bisque and butter.

Pigeon/ Grains/ Corn

The Pigeon dish comes with breast and leg dry-aged for 12 days, confit for 2 hours and bincho-grilled. On the side is risotto made by cooking barley in chicken stock, mixed with pearl corn. I find the sauce most interesting, a concoction of pigeon jus, fermented black beans and green Sichuan peppercorns.

Bird's Nest/ Osmanthus/ Chrysanthemum

Pre-dessert is the light and nourishing Double-boiled Bird's Nest served with osmanthus syrup, osmanthus sorbet, Japanese chrysanthemum jelly and petals. A refreshing idea for a palate cleanser.

Toasted Rice/ Chestnut/ Sable

Rice, the last dish of any Chinse feast, led to the creation of Toasted Rice/ Chestnut/ Sable as a dessert. The sweet ending comprises milk ice cream, toasted rice cream, puffed rice, caramel, black garlic, sable, French chestnut puree, and Chinese candied chestnuts.

Spicy Beef Fat Financier (Spicy)

Sea Buckthorn Jelly (Sour) and Buttergourd Bonbon (Bitter)

Ispahan Lotus (Sweet)

Completing our 9-course dinner experience is the Petite Fours. Each has a different sour, sweet, bitter and spicy (酸甜苦辣) profile, representing the key guiding principle of Vicissitudes, as Zor believes one does not taste sweetness without first knowing bitterness.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Restaurant BORN
1 Neil Road
Singapore 088804
Tel: +65 92708718
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Nearest MRT: Maxwell (TE Line)

Opening Hours:
Tue-Sat: 6pm - 11pm
(Closed on Sun, Mon)

Direction:
1) Alight at Maxwell MRT station. Take Exit 1, 2 or 3. Walk to junction of Neil Road, Maxwell Road and Tanjong Pagar Road. Cross the road and walk to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]

Racines @ Sofitel City Centre - Bask In The Joy Of Christmas And Celebrate Art de Noel At Sofitel City Centre

Sofitel Singapore City Centre celebrates Art de Noel this holiday season with a glistening ensemble of festive culinary delights and a magical dining experience. Diners can feast in style at Racines for its Christmas Joy A La Carte Semi-Buffet, available for dinner on Christmas Eve, 24 December and brunch on Christmas Day, 25 December. Diners can look forward to a variety of French and Asian highlights, specially curated for the season by Racines' brigade of Chefs and served individually as small plates specials.

We started our Christmas feast at Racines with some complimentary bread paired with Truffle Butter and Kaya spread.

Truffle Chicken Liver Pate 4.2/5

I love pate, and what's more fitting to start the dinner with the Truffle Chicken Liver Pate with Morel Mushrooms and Melba Toast. I enjoyed the chicken liver pate so much that I finished the whole bottle with the rest of the complimentary bread.

Baked Oyster Rockefeller 4/5

Next, we have the Baked Oyster Rockefeller with sauteed spinach and tarragon sabayon, whetting up the appetite.

Roasted Chestnut Veloute 4.2/5

I enjoyed the Roasted Chestnut Veloute. It is something different from the usual lobster bisque or mushroom soup.  It even comes with a spinach cheese ravioli and bacon creme in it.

Carpaccio Hokkaido Scallops 4.5/5

The surprise for the night has to be the Carpaccio Hokkaido Scallops served in a hot kombu broth, with baby vegetables, ikura and bonito. It is my first time having raw scallop done this way. I enjoyed how the kombu broth brightens the sweetness of the scallops.

Beef Pithivier 4.5/5

For our mains, we had the Beef Pithivier. The beautiful char-grilled beef tenderloin paired with mushroom paste is wrapped in a flaky puff pastry. It is tender and juicy, dressed in its natural jus to enjoy its lovely natural beefy flavour.

Roasted Whole Duck with Chestnut Stuffing 4.8/5

A medley of sweet and savoury goodies is available for takeaway to spread warmth and joy at your Christmas celebrations. I understand some people are not a fan of turkey. If you are not a fan, I will highly recommend the Roasted Whole Duck with Chestnut Stuffing. I enjoyed the duck so much that I had a second helping. I'm not sure whether it is the roasting technique; the duck has an enjoyable succulence unlike any I have eaten so far. It is available for takeaway. To order, visit our e-shop at https://sofitelsingaporecitycentre.oddle.me/en_SG

Wrapping up our dinner at Racines, we have a selection of desserts to ring in the festive seasons on a sweet note.

Christmas Eve À la Carte Semi-Buffet Dinner
Friday, 24th December 2021
5:30pm - 10:00pm
$138++ per adult*, $68++ per child

Christmas À la Carte Semi-Buffet Brunch
Saturday, 25th December 2021
12:00pm - 3:30pm $138++ per adult*, $68++ per child**
**6 - 11 years old, children aged 5 years old and below dine free

Early-bird Promotions
Accor Plus – Early Bird 20% savings for reservations placed before 15 December 2021
Selected Credit Cards - Early Bird 10% Savings for reservations placed before 15 December 2021

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Racines
Sofitel City Centre
9 Wallich Street
5th floor
Singapore 078885
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Nearest MRT: Tanjong Pagar (EW Line)

Direction: 
1) Alight at Tanjong Pagar MRT Station. Take Exit A. Turn left and walk to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]

Miznon @ Stanley Street - Highly Acclaimed Casual Eatery By Chef Eyal Shani Unveiled Its First Outlet In Asia

I have nil knowledge about Israeli cuisine; hence I was really looking forward to the opening of Miznon at Stanley Street. The contemporary casual eatery by Chef Eyal Shani has an international footprint of 10 outlets across the cities of Vienna, Paris, New York, and Melbourne. Singapore is their first outlet in Asia.

Upon placing your order at the cashier, you can help yourself to the complimentary pita bread. It gives you a glimpse of the original taste of the soft and fluffy pita bread.

Intimate 4.2/5

Besides the variety of Pita on the menu, there are other non-pita items too that you can order to complement your meal. The Intimate ($24) is so hearty and comforting with melt-in-mouth beef short ribs, roots stew, tahini, onion, pickles and chilli. I would recommend saving some of the complimentary pita bread to wipe up any leftovers.

Batata 3.5/5

The Batata ($12) may not be as exciting as the other items on the menu, but the grilled sweet potato is really sweet. 

Hraime 4.5/5

Not to be missed is the Hraime ($26) that has a whole barramundi swimming in a spicy Moroccan stew, together with tahini, chilli and cilantro. I regret asking you to save some of the complimentary pita bread for the Intimate, you will need more of them to fully appreciate the stew.

Steak & Egg  4.5/5

There is a variety of Pita on the menu stuffed with different fillings. The texture of the pita bread is exactly much softer and fluffier than those that I have eaten so far. As I am sharing them with my friends, we get to try a couple of them. We started with the Steak & Egg ($21) which is stuffed with tender beef, fried egg, sour cream, tomato, onion and Japanese cucumber. A friend of mine shared with me that her husband refused to share with her after having a bite. That just shows how good it is.

Chicken Liver 4.5/5

One of my favourite pitas is the Chicken Liver ($18) which comes stuffed to the brim with seared chicken liver, tahini, spring onion, salsa and chilli. I know some diners may not enjoy the chicken innard, but the creaminess for the chicken liver is like foie gras to me. 

Abu Kebab 3.5/5

Something more Middle Eastern is the Abu Kebab ($24) with lamb and beef meatballs, tahini, chilli, salsa, pickles, onion and parsley. I find the meatballs slightly on the dry side, which is somewhat less appetising compared to the other pitas I tried.

ERotisserie 3.5/5

For a healthier choice, one may go for the ERotisserie ($18) that consists of pulled roasted chicken, chilli, spring onion and baba ganoush. 

Ratatouille 3.5/5

There is even a vegetarian version of the pita. The Ratatouille ($17) comprises of tahini, chilli and hard-boiled egg.

The pita bread by itself is already very substantial and filling. Unless you go down in a group, you may need to make a few trips to try the different pitas in the menu. By the way, Miznon does not take reservation for lunch, but for dinner, you can do so.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Miznon
6 Stanley Street
#01-01
Singapore 068725
Tel: +65 62230716
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Nearest: Tanjong Pagar (EW Line), Telok Ayer (DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Sat: 11am - 11pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Tanjong Pagar MRT station. Take Exit G. Walk along the covered walkway until the junction of Mccallum Street and Telok Ayer Street. Turn right onto Mccallum Street and then left onto Stanley Street. Journey time is about 5 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Telok Ayer MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to junction of Telok Ayer Street and Upper Cross Street. Turn left onto Telok Ayer Street. Turn left again onto Boon Tat Street and make a right onto Stanley Street. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

Sinfonia Ristorante @ Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall - Rebranded with Contemporary Italian Cuisine

With its high ceiling and towering Corinthian columns, embedding a history of 150 years, Sinfonia Ristorante at Victoria Concert Hall is immense at first glance. To conquer such a space, perhaps only Sardinian-born Chef Simone Depalmas with his big personality and infectious laughter, is able to do that, in his illuminating green chef coat. Formerly FOO’D By Davide Oldani, the restaurant is rebranded to mean 'symphony' in Italian, giving Chef Simone the autonomy to design the menu himself. You can expect bold, yet delicate flavours that are inspired from different regions of Italy and put together based on his 21 years of culinary experience.

Truffle Chicken Liver Brulee 4/5

Truffle Chicken Liver Brulee ($26) is what I meant by bold. To balance the rich flavours of the liver, Chef uses several different wines, including Madeira wine, Port wine, Marsala wine and even Chinese wine. It kind of reminds me of red wine chicken when wine is used to work magic with the beautiful juices seeping out from the skin and meat. Adorning the mousse are black truffle from umbria, leek mousse and minty local herbs. The idea of presenting it like a crème brulee is baffling but as you crack the sugar coat, spread it on the roasted focaccia and you know it works.

Smoked Mackerel 3.8/5

Smoked Mackerel (Available in Lunch Menu) comes in bite size served on roasted polenta. The polenta is dense but soft. This tartine is full in texture and flavour-packed with savoury and smokey nuances. Topped with dill sauce and avocado gazpacho, they infuse a lift to the dish, while the plumy black garlic sauce adds a layer to the taste and draws the components together into a piece of artwork.

Rice Roll 3.8/5

Soon you will see the dishes here are just as aesthetically pleasing as the surroundings, such as this Rice Roll. Sardinia is all about the sea and here you have a rice roll wrapping Hokkaido sea urchin, Alaskan king crab, Japanese rice (Available in Lunch Menu with a top up of $10) accompanied with tomato crumble, piquant sea urchin sauce and clam foam. Nothing is too empowering, allowing the sweet and delicate flavours to seep through and bind with another.

Mushroom Soup 4/5

Easing the stomach before the mains was the Mushroom Soup ($18) made with a blend of 6 different mushroom varieties. No cream and butter, what you are savouring is the taste of nature. Rich in taste and mouth fill, the sautéed sliced mushrooms elevate the taste while adding some texture and bite. And just before it gets too much, the candied pine nuts pulls it back with its nutty sweetness.

Porcini Risotto 3.8/5

If that level of shroom intensity is not enough, Porcini Risotto ($28, Available in 5-course & 7-course Degustation Menu) made using fresh Porcini mushrooms from Italy may seal the deal. The rice I had was evenly cooked with a nice chewiness. Just look at its color and you know it's truly a gourmet mushroom dish.

Squid Ink Tagliolini 3/5

Hand-made Squid Ink Tagliolini ($34) again showcases the flavours of the Mediterranean sea. Freshly made in the kitchen daily with real squid ink, the tagliolini is loose and light. The lobster sauce is so welcoming on the palate that even without the king prawn and bottarga, I believe one could easily finish off the pasta.

Frog Leg 3/5

I always thought that frog leg dish is a very Asian food, till I came across this Frog Leg ($36) in Italian tempura style. Apparently, frog legs are very popular in French cuisine and the French species are fleshier as compared to her counterparts. The refreshing sauce made from milk, vinegar and lemon brightens up the dish, along with the tangy berry and passionfruit sauces that add tartness to it. How much more elegant can it get to consume frog legs in such a manner!

Beef Short Ribs 3.8/5

One may easily mistaken this Beef Short Ribs (Available in 5-course & 7-course Degustation Menu) as beef cheek. Marinated for 6 hours, then slow-cooked for another 12 hours, the USDA Wagyu Beef is soft and fork tender. I love the sweet chestnut at the side which I find rather appetizing to have it in between the meat.

Cod Fish 3.5/5

Served on the artsy beautiful pattered plate is Cod Fish ($44). The fish is rich and buttery, with the top seared to a slight crisp. The smoked caviar atop teases out its sweetness and milky flavor. While the butter lemon sauce doesn't quite complement the meaty fish, the tart berry drops in the sauce manage to lend a level of zest to the dish.

Passionfruit, Raspberry Meringue, Rose Lychee Sorbet 3/5

Summing up the meal were two desserts, both equally delightful. The first is the Passionfruit, Raspberry Meringue and Rose Lychee Sorbet ($18). Its essentially passionfruit curd paired with raspberry meringue, accompanied by a rose lychee sorbet with chocolate crumble at the bottom. The rose flavor adds a depth to the lychee sorbet, be it colour, fragrant or taste.

The Mandarin 3.5/5

The Mandarin  ($18) is simply a 'orange' filled with mascarpone cheese and fresh orange juice, delivering a joy far beyond its 2 ingredients.

To be free from the reins of previous branding, it must have been a joy and relief to Chef Simone. To be able to allow his creativity to flow and eventually get translated onto the table, with each and every dish exuding his personality and thoughts.

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. Note: This is an invited tasting.


Sinfonia Ristorante
Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall
11 Empress Place
#01-01
Singapore 179558
Tel: +65 63855588
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Nearest MRT: Raffles Place (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Sun-Mon: 12pm - 3pm
Tue-Sat: 12pm - 3pm, 6pm - 11pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Raffles Place MRT station. Take Exit H. Walk towards the river. Cross the bridge. Walk to Empress Place road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 6 minutes. [Map]