Whitegrass, a Michelin-starred restaurant located in the historic CHIJMES, offers a luxurious dining experience under the guidance of Chef Takuya Yamashita. Specialising in French-Japanese cuisine, the restaurant blends the refinement and complexity of French culinary techniques with the simplicity and balance of Japanese flavours. Using only the freshest seasonal ingredients, Whitegrass delivers a sophisticated dining experience that honours the finest qualities of each ingredient they place on your plate.
"Nature has and always will be my biggest inspiration."
– Chef Takuya Yamashita
We indulged in the Gastronomic Festive Menu ($318++ per person), which has 11 courses. For those looking to elevate their experience further, a Sommelier's pairing is available for $198++ per person. We opted for non-alcoholic drinks instead and enjoyed our festive gingerbread kombucha.
Amuse Bouche 4.5/5
To begin with, we were served the Amuse Bouche, which consists of four indulgent bites. The first was a bite-sized Turkey Pâté paired with foie gras purée and served on a spoon. The second was a delicate little dish of Red Radish and velvety parsnip purée crowned with luxurious Kaluga caviar.
Amuse Bouche
The third was an interesting Blue Cheese Mini Madeleine with Pineapple Jam. I am not usually a fan of blue cheese, but this was manageable and not too overpowering. The fourth was a crispy, deep-fried Lily Bulb Cake, complemented by caramelised onions and lily bulb paste and topped with shredded black truffle.
Bread with Bordier Butter
While waiting for our entrées to be served, we were treated to warm, freshly baked bread served alongside rich, smoked and salted Bordier butter. The bread was really light and fluffy, with a crisp exterior.
Octopus 4.8/5
For our first entrée, we were offered Octopus with green apple sauce and eggplant instead because we do not take oysters. To my surprise, the octopus was crispy and perfectly flavourful, and the green apple purée offered a slightly tangy accent. Both my dining companion and I agreed that this dish exceeded expectations.
Tachiuo 4.2/5
The next entrée featured Tachiuo, a beltfish found year-round off the coasts of Japan, served with a delicate daikon crust and topped with shredded macadamia nuts. The dish was enhanced with puréed apricots and sundried tomatoes, adding a contrasting acidity for balance.
Carabinero Prawn 4.2/5
The third entrée featured a Carabinero Prawn in vibrant, cheerful colours reminiscent of a beautiful garden. The large, juicy prawn rested on a bed of cauliflower, broccoli, and tamago (egg) salad, complemented by briny bursts of flavour from Ikura.
Hokkaido Scallop 4.5/5
The fourth entrée featured a plump Hokkaido Scallop, elegantly topped with rich Bafun uni and thinly sliced Japanese Kyuri (cucumber). Resting in an uni cream sauce, the dish was finished with a few drops of chilli oil. Scallops are one of my favourite seafood, and I greatly enjoyed the flavour and texture of this dish.
Mangalica Pork Collar 4.2/5
The fifth entrée brought us back to land with a hearty dish of Mangalica Pork Collar, served alongside winter cabbage and complemented by a rich Sauce Robert, made with chicken jus, white wine, and shallots. With its marbled fat, the pork was very tender and paired nicely with the savoury sauce.
Sesame Bread
After a series of exceptional entrées, we were served another type of bread, this time Sesame Bread. It was warm and crusty, with a light, airy crumb.
Japanese Market Fish- Amadai 5/5
Moving on to the Poisson (fish) course, seasonal Japanese market fish is served. For the evening, we savoured the Amadai, a fish renowned for its light, mild flavour and subtle sweet undertones. The skin is crisply cooked by pouring hot oil over its scales, creating a wonderfully light crunch that is highly prized in Japanese cuisine. This technique provides a crunchy contrast to its tender, flaky flesh. I've seen videos of this technique on social media and was pleased to try it for myself. It's really good! The fish is also served with a tasty gobo sauce (burdock root), diced gobo, fennel, and maitake mushrooms.
French Pigeon 4.5/5
For the plat principal, we were offered a choice of French Pigeon or Omi Wagyu (supplement $30). Since it's not something I come across so often, I had to try the French Pigeon. France has a long-standing culinary tradition of raising pigeons specifically for cooking, which dates back to the Middle Ages. The meat was indeed very tender. In terms of flavour, it has a subtly gamey taste, certainly stronger than chicken but milder than duck. The pigeon was served with a black mirin sauce and red carrots from Japan.
Omi Wagyu 4.8/5
For those opting for the Omi Wagyu, the A4 wagyu hails from Shiga Prefecture in Japan. True to its reputation, the marbling is exceptional, and the meat is incredibly juicy. It's accompanied by Kompot pepper from Cambodia, sweet potato purée, and a touch of orange marmalade. In terms of taste and execution, the dish is flawless. However, the portion seems somewhat small, especially considering that it requires an additional $30 supplement.
Avant Dessert- Japanese Cola Sorbet 4.2/5
Our pre-dessert was a simple yet delightful Sorbet made with premium spiced Japanese Cola. It was complemented by a sweet and smooth strawberry and basil oil sauce, refreshing but without any sourness that I sometimes expect from strawberries. The sorbet cleansed our palate after the heavier flavours of the Plat Principal, preparing our taste buds to fully savour the upcoming dessert.
La France Pear 4.8/5
I thoroughly enjoyed La France Pear, a whimsical and aromatic dessert featuring the sweet, natural flavours of the pear. A lovely Japanese pear sorbet and fresh pear cubes are assembled atop a light layer of almond sponge cake. The dish is finished with truffle foam, organic cacao crisp, and a dusting of sugarcane sugar. The flavours were perfect for me, and I found this very memorable.
Mignardise 4.8/5
As a final touch, we were presented with a box of Mignardise containing Brown Butter and Almond Financiers, as well as Japanese Mochi Daifuku filled with coconut and raspberry. Whilst mignardise may be an afterthought in some restaurants, Whitegrass delivers a very strong finale to their dining experience.
The Japanese Mochi Daifuku was silky and soft, with luscious coconut cream and fresh raspberry filling. I particularly appreciated how Whitegrass infused a local touch into this treat by using coconut.
Their Brown Butter and Almond Financier is likely one of the best financiers I've ever had. It is served warm and has a very crispy exterior while retaining a moist interior. It is delightfully fragrant, and the brown butter's rich, nutty aroma makes it irresistible.
At the end of the meal, we were offered a choice of coffee or tea and a thoughtful take-home gift of cake to enjoy later and reminisce about our wonderful dinner at Whitegrass. To add a personal touch, Chef Takuya Yamashita also came out to greet the diners, which was a lovely gesture.
I found the standard of the food to be consistently good across all 11 courses. Each course showcased careful attention to detail and a deep respect for the ingredients used. The Gastronomic dinner menu may be a splurge for some, but Whitegrass also offers two lunch menus and a more concise dinner menu option, which works well for those seeking a refined culinary experience at varying price points.
My only minor gripe was with the table arrangement in the main dining room I was in, which I found odd as the tables faced each other in a circular setup. Additionally, the acoustics of the room made the surrounding conversation louder than I would have preferred. For such an exquisite dinner, I would have enjoyed a quieter atmosphere to fully immerse myself in the experience and the conversation with my dining companion. That said, they have another dining space in the next room, which may be quieter than the one I was seated in.
Photographed and penned by Shermine. Through her pictures and stories, she shares her journey of savouring new flavours and experiences. Note: This is an invited tasting.
Whitegrass Restaurant
CHIJMES
30 Victoria Street
#01-26/27
Singapore 187996
Tel: +65 6837 0402
Website
Nearest MRT: City Hall (EW, NS Line), Bras Basah (CC Line)
Opening Hours:
Tue-Sat: 12pm - 230pm, 6pm - 1030pm
(Closed on Sun and Mon)
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]
