Morsels @ Dempsey Hill - Celebrates 10th Anniversary With A New Spring Menu

Morsels at Dempsey Hill celebrates its 10th anniversary with a renewed concept. Moving away from its small plates sharing menu concept, Morsels 2.0 offers a new fixed course tasting menu concept to showcase the season's best produces with Chef Petrina's fermented sauces.

Season Oyster 4.2/5

We had the 9-course Full Tasting Menu ($188++), starting with four snack items. Interestingly, Chef Petrina incorporates East and West influences into each snack. We kickstarted with the fresh Season Oyster (French + Japanese) paired with citron green tea kombucha vinaigrette and olive gel, brightening the taste profile of the shellfish.

Sanchoku Corned Beef Cream 4/5

Next is the Sanchoku Corned Beef Cream (British + Indian) that is presented in the form of a Pani Puri. The blended Sanchoku beef d-rump is mixed with crunchy cornichon stuffed inside a crispy pani puri shell. Bite into it and get an explosion of flavours.

Zucchini Pancake 4/5

The bite-size Zucchini Pancake (Korean + Spanish) coated in egg batter is pan-fried till golden brown and topped with ricotta cheese, red bell pepper and boquerones. I felt the soul of the dish come from the marinated anchovy fish, accentuating the whole dish.

Mushroom Garum Broth 3.8/5

Lastly is the Mushroom Garum Broth (Chinese + Indian), packed with the essence from the smoked willow tree mushrooms and blaze mushrooms, topped with burnt banana leaf oil. It even comes with a crispy light puffed pastry twist dusted with oregano, thyme and onion powder.

After the snacks, we had the bread course, in which a warm and fluffy Brioche is served together with seaweed herb butter.

Cured Stolt Farm Turbot Carpaccio 4.2/5

We moved on to the entree, starting with the Cured Stolt Farm Turbot Carpaccio. The sustainably sourced turbot is aged for 3-5 days, then thinly sliced and dressed in smoked zucchini dashi to enjoy the turbot. It is paired with crunchy ice plant, cucumber and crispy rice puff for texture, enhanced with 8 Gems caviar for popping brininess.

Toriyama A4 Japanese Wagyu Eye Round Tataki 4.2/5

Next is the Toriyama A4 Japanese Wagyu Eye Round Tataki paired with a spring salad. The wagyu eye round is cured overnight in Morsels's two years old corn miso and finished in the hibachi for a pleasant smokiness while retaining the tender and juiciness. Round up the enjoyment with the thick creamy sabayon and cured eye yolk.

Chinese Celery Tortellini 4/5

Another beautiful dish is the Chinese Celery Tortellini. The delectable texture of the pasta dough is stuffed with wild mushrooms and potato duxelles, served in a vibrant green pea sauce and preserved lemon foam. Lastly, the morsel is topped with charred fermented asparagus for texture.

Jeju Abalone & Sakura Chicken 3/5

The Jeju Abalone & Sakura Chicken is a rice dish. The bouncy abalone and tender chicken rested on a bed of multigrain risotto flavoured with Morsels's four year old doenjiang. I enjoyed the risotto texture comprising Koshihikari Japanese rice, Calrose Californian short grain rice, Cambodian brown rice, and barley. It felt like travelling to Jeju island with the beetroot stock surrounding the dish, poured at the tableside. However, there was a lack of sharpness in the flavour, and it was too earthy for my preference.

Fjord Trout 4/5

Still from the ocean, we had the Fjord Trout that is lightly cured and smoked, complemented by a delicious soy dashi stock, rhubarb compote and edamame cereal. Though cooked using Western techniques, each bite has flavours resembling our local fish soup.

Primrose Farm Pork Tenderloin 4.2/5

I have already lost count of the number of dishes I had, and we are just moving to the mains. For mains, there is a choice of Primrose Farm Pork Tenderloin or Rougie Magret Duck. The sous vide Primrose Farm Pork Tenderloin was tender and succulent, enlivened by the accompanying kumquat red pepper kosho. The other components on the plate are potato pave and grilled baby gem.

Rougie Margret Duck 4.2/5

The other main is the Rougie Margret Duck presented in Western and Asian styles. The grilled duck breast grilled and glazed with ume bbq sauce is tender and comes with a hint of smokiness and sweetness. For the Asian style, it is served as a Japanese duck tsukune.

Palate Cleanser

After all the savoury dishes, we had a cup of refreshing beverage comprising a mixture of lemongrass, pear juice and yuzu juice as a palate cleanser.

Apple 4/5

Moving to desserts, we started with the Rice Whipped Panna Cotta, which is topped with sago and diced apple. The dessert, served chilled with shiso granita and apple lemon balm kombucha, provided the acidity for a light and refreshing finish.

Ang Butter 3.8/5

Morsels's version of Any Butter comes in the form of a polenta cake crowned with Amalfi lemon cream, sitting atop a bed of sweet red bean paste, paired with rosemary namelaka and kinako sable. It is richer in flavour than the first dessert, but the combination worked beautifully.

Petit Fours

Wrapping up the 9-course meal is the Petit Fours comprising of choux, nougat, and pear sour cherry pate de fruit.

Note: This is an invited tasting


Morsels
25 Dempsey Road
#01-04
Singapore 249670
Tel: +65 62663822
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Nearest MRT: Napier (TE Line)

Opening Hours:
Tue-Sat: 12pm - 3pm, 6pm - 10pm
Sun: 1130am - 3pm
(Closed on Sun dinner and Mon Full Day)

Direction: 
1) Alight at Napier MRT station. Take Exit 2. Walk to bus stop at Opposite Botanic Gardens (Stop ID 13011). Take bus number 7, 75, 77, 105, 106, 123 and 174. Alight 2 stops later. Take the flight of stairs up to Dempsey Hill. At Dempsey Road, turn left and walk to the open-air carpark in front of block 25. Walk to destination. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]

La Pizzaiola @ Sime Darby Centre (Dunearn Road) - Authentic Italian Pizza-maker Launches New Menu Of Fresh Flavours

Since reopening in 2012, La Pizzaiola has grown to 3 outlets strong, in King Albert Park, Jalan Riang and Kalidasa. It's been most known for dishing out homely authentic Italian classics such as wood-fired pizzas baked in a traditional oven crafted in Italy.

This time, it's ready to welcome diners with its brand new menu of fresh flavours, including new salads, appetisers and pasta. Alongside the new launch, enjoy free-flow filtered sparkling, still water at $1 and wine as low as $7.

Focaccia Aglio, Burro e Mozzarella 4/5

Served as our first appetiser, the warm and toasty Focaccia Aglio, Burro e Mozzarella ($16.90) was the perfect start. The freshly baked focaccia bread is lined with chopped garlic, butter and Mozzarella Fior di Latte. The subtle aroma of garlic with oozy mozzarella worked wonderfully together. My only gripe, I wished they had added more mozzarella near the ends of the focaccia!

Sardine Fritte 4/5

In a portion of Sardine Fritte ($20.90), you have four pieces of deep-fried breaded fresh sardines with a side of salad. The thickness of the batter was just nice with tender sardine meat.

Porchetta Salad 4/5

The last of our appetisers was the Porchetta Salad ($19.90). On thinly sliced roasted pork belly dressed with mustard honey sauce, it's further topped with tomatoes, rocket salad and balsamic vinaigrette.

Pancetta Affumicata e Funghi 4.2/5

Moving on to the wood-fired pizzas. The first on our table was the Pancetta Affumicata e Funghi ($23.90), which also ended up as our favourite dish of the night. Their pizza base was thin with a slight chew on its crust. The slices of crispy bacon gave a nice saltiness to the red onions, mushrooms and Mozzarella Flor di Latte.

Calzone 3.5/5

We were a little disappointed to cut open to a watery Calzone ($22.90). I wished they had used a thicker and punchier tomato sauce to better contrast the other fillings of cooked ham, button mushrooms and Mozzarella Flor di Latte.

La Pizzaiola Speciale 3.5/5

My dining companions sang praises of the La Pizzaiola Speciale ($27.90), which had toppings of roast beef slices, shaved parmesan, arugula salad, truffle oil and Mozzarella Flor di Latte. However, they shared the same sentiments about the tomato sauce used here.

Risotto ai Funghi Porcini e Tartufo 3.8/5

The Risotto ai Funghi Porcini e Tartufo ($26.90) is risotto with porcini mushrooms and truffle oil. Unfortunately, the earthy mushrooms we expected to be prominent didn't come through, as the cheesy flavours dominated it more.

Pollo Biologico alla Diavola 3.8/5

La Pizzaiola's Pollo Biologico alla Diavola ($33.90) features roasted organic spring chicken marinated with Italian herbs and spices, served with roasted potatoes and rocket leaves. Some parts of the chicken were tough, but the rest were primarily tender with crisp skin. The herbs and spices are very strong here, something good to note if you're not a fan of such flavours.

Panna Cotta 3.8/5

Unfortunately, the Panna Cotta ($10.90) was a tad too watered down, though we enjoyed the tangy sweet berry sauce.

Tiramisu 4/5

La Pizzaiola’s rendition of the Tiramisu ($11.90) was lovely. It wasn’t overly creamy and had a distinct kick of coffee and alcohol notes.

Creme Brulee 4/5

Our unanimous favourite of the desserts was the Creme Brulee ($12.90), which had a rich custard base and a thin and crisp caramelised layer on top.

Photos and words by Jo. A girl who loves her Mala (麻辣) at Da La (大辣), discovering hidden food gems and a good cup of matcha latte. Note: This is an invited tasting.



La Pizzaiola
Link@896
896 Dunearn Road
#01-10
Singapore 589472
Tel: +65 64848896
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Nearest MRT: King Albert Park (DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 1130am - 230pm, 530pm - 1030pm

Direction:
1) Alight at King Albert Park. Take Exit B around the road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]

Hanazen @ Chijmes - Eminent Chef Yusuke Takada Opens First Overseas Duo-Concept, Charcoal-Grilled Omakase And French Brasserie In Singapore

The founder of Two Michelin-starred and World's 50 Best Restaurant La Cime in Osaka, Chef Yusuke Takada, opened its first overseas duo-concept restaurant - HANAZEN, in Singapore on 12 March 2023. The duo concept comprises a charcoal-grilled Omakase and French brasserie. The French brasserie will be opened later, but as of now, it will focus on its charcoal-grilled Omakase dinner menu.

Hanazen's Daily Soup 3.5/5

I visited the restaurant and had its Hanazen 16-course Omakase Dinner Menu ($240). It comprises a selection of signature and seasonal dishes. We are welcomed with the Hanazen's Daily Soup, a clear and aromatic broth from boiling kombu dashi and chicken bones for 6 hours.

Singa-Dog 4/5

The Singa-Dog is a reinvention of La Cime's Boudin Dog dish. The Singapore version consists of chicken floss and chicken liver encased in a fried charcoal battered ball brushed with a punchy buah keluak sauce. Bite into the sphere for an explosion of flavours.

Beef & Tuna Tartlet 4/5

Delicately pieced together is the Beef & Tuna Tartlet. The crispy beetroot shell housed a medley of raw wagyu, akami and guacamole, garnished with julienned ginger flower and red amaranth leaves. It is a delightful tartare morsel that can be enjoyed in a bite.

Panna Cotta 4.5/5

While I am told that Singapore's kaya toast inspires the Panna Cotta dish, I could not associate the dish with it. However, this is a beautiful dish in terms of presentation and taste. Served chilled, the savoury pandan flan is stubbed with seasonal Hamaguri clams from Japan, layered with bread tuile and nanohana buds for textures, and finished with caviar for brininess.

Sea Foie Gras/ Choucroute/ Urui 4/5

Sea Foie Gras refers to the sake and cognac steamed monkfish liver (ankimo). It is served chilled with a refreshing, tangy Alsatian-style choucroute dressing similar to German sauerkraut. What excited me was a new produce I had not tried before, the young green shoots of urui. The crispy and grassy notes from the urui help to cleanse the palate after having the rich and fatty ankimo.

Prawns and Chicken Tail, Porcini Sauce 4/5

Moving on to the grill, we started with the Prawns and Chicken Tail with Porcini Sauce. We are told to have the Gambero Rosso first, followed by a piece of the fatty chicken tail. Then, lastly, have both the prawn and chicken tail together.

Chicken Heart, Mustard and Olive Sauce 4/5

I am an innard person; hence I really enjoyed the Chicken Heart grilled to a delightful tender, smartly paired with tangy whole grain mustard and olive leaf sauce.

Nodoguro, Fukinoto Miso Sauce, Grilled Turnip 4.2/5

Next is the Nodoguro (blackthroat seaperch), known for its buttery, sweet flesh in Fukinoto miso sauce. It is paired with grilled turnip, another feature of spring vegetables. It is also a timely break from the grilled items.

Abalone, Chicken Gizzard, Gyoja-Ninniku Butter 4/5

Back to the grilled items, we continued with the Abalone, served with chicken gizzards dressed in gyoja-ninniku butter. The Awabi abalone is sou vide for 12 hours to achieve a tender, yet bouncy texture, finished with caramelisation from the bincho tan.

Chicken Liver, Raisin Sauce 3.5/5

I love Chicken Liver, which is a side dish I will order whenever I have chicken rice. Hence I was looking forward to savouring the creamy chicken liver served with raisin sauce, topped with julienned oba leaf and flowers for a contrasting freshness. However, the raisin sauce is too sweet, throwing the balance off. I would prefer having the chicken liver without the sauce.

Chicken Wing, Konbu Furikake 3/5

Next is the grilled deboned Chicken Wing, lightly seasoned with furikake that allows one to appreciate the flavour of the chicken.

Lamb, Yoghurt Sauce 4.2/5

Baby lamb shoulder is used for the Lamb skewer for its tender and mild profile. Its natural flavour is accentuated by the kiss of the grill, complemented by the creamy herbed yoghurt sauce.

Chicken Skin, Spice Mix

Back to the chicken part, we had the Chicken Skin dusted with a spice mix. It is slowly grilled at a low temperature to achieve the ideal crispiness.

Wagyu Ribeye, Perigueux Sauce 4/5

To be frank, I was delighted that we have moved on from the yakitori items with the Wagyu Ribeye. The yakitori items are good, but I expected more regarding ingredients and produces for the price tag for the omakase menu. The beautiful red meat is paired with perigueux sauce, a rich French classic Madeira and truffle sauce that lifts the enjoyment.

Soumen, Warabi, Dashi 4.2/5

The last savoury dish is the Soumen in a rich dashi and chicken broth, garnished with coriander and the stalk of wild Japanese fern. The slurping goodness is elevated by adding chicken oil, adding depth and richness to the dish.

Kyoto Uji Matcha Ice Cream, Fermented Banana

Hanazen Financier

Moving to dessert, we had the Kyoto Uji Matcha Ice Cream. Combining matcha ice cream with fermented banana cream may sound weird, but surprisingly it works! Accompanying the ice cream is the Hanazen Financier. The bite-size treat closes the 16-course omakase menu with a mildly sweet finish.

While I enjoyed the food, I did not find the 16-course menu to be value for money. The price of $240 and being served chicken parts such as the chicken tail, chicken heart, chicken liver, chicken wing and chicken skin will raise some eyebrows for some customers. The restaurant tried to supplement with premium and imported ingredients/produces throughout the course, but it was insufficient to convince the paying customers.

Note: This is another invited tasting.


Hanazen by Yusuke Takada
Chijmes
30 Victoria Street
#01-21/22
Singapore 187996
Tel: +65 98202963
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Nearest MRT: City Hall (EW, NS Line), Bras Basah (CC Line)

Opening Hours:
Tue-Sun: 6pm - 11pm
(Closed on 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]