Jam at Siri House @ Dempsey Hill - Monthly Tasting Table Feast

I am back at Jam at Siri House for the monthly Tasting Table. It is a monthly feast event whereby a sumptuous spread of over 20 small plates is offered tableside from roving trolleys. Similar to those traditional dim sum house, you just need to pick the dishes you want to try from the trolleys.

Osmanthus Jelly 4/5

Mee Sua 2.8/5

During my visit which falls in the Chinese New Year period, the Tasting Table incorporates a few Chinese New Year inspired dishes such as the Osmanthus Jelly ($6) and Mee Sua ($12). Osmanthus jelly is an interesting take of the Chinese dessert, making it into a savoury dish. The jelly block is actually made with osmanthus and bonito and then topped with smoked trout roe and Siberian caviar. As for the mee sua kueh, I thought it was a bit disappointing. This fell short of Swee Choon's version, which comes with a layer of crispy vermicelli.

Bufala 4/5

A light starter is the Bufala ($8). I enjoyed the addition of tangerine and yuzu dressing which gives the milky ciligini di bufala a lift in enjoyment, with the toasted watermelon seeds for texture.

Chawanmushi 4.2/5

At a glance, the Chawanmushi ($8) looks rather ordinary with the kani. It is not until I took a mouthful of it and my eyes brightened by the sharp flavours of Thai cuisine. The egg custard is steamed in tom yum broth and topped with fried lime leaf, injecting the bright flavours of Thai cuisine into the traditional Japanese chawanmushi.

Chicken 4.2/5

A hearty and delicious dish is the Grilled Chicken Oysters ($12) that is fragrant by the crab fat garlic butter. The char on the chicken gives it a further smoky bitterness, giving it an aromatic finishing. I like the touch of adding diced water chestnut for the extra textural bite.

Kingfish 4.5/5

For something clean and tasty, go for the Hiramasa Kingfish Carpaccio ($12) which is cleverly paired with umeboshi vinaigrette, pickled green chilli and lumpfish roe. It complemented the clean flavour of the fish while not stealing the limelight of the main ingredients.

Beef 3/5

I can understand what the chef is trying to do with the Wagyu Tri Tip MB 6/7 ($12), it is a twist to the local satay. It comes in the form of grilled wagyu skewer, pickled shallot and a glutinous rice ball, elevating the components of the traditional satay. Unfortunately, I thought the meat was a bit tough for my liking, but I adore the other support items on the dish.

Tiger Prawns 4.2/5

Grilled to perfection with crunchy texture is the Tiger Prawns ($12). It is paired with laksa anchovy emulsion to complement the sweetness of the deep sea tiger prawns.

Corn Dog 3.5/5

I find the Corn Dog ($6) is a fun and playful dish, bringing out the childhood in me. Instead of the usual sausage with cornmeal batter, it uses Taiwanese pork sausage coated with cornflake. It is best to enjoy with the accompanying Sriracha mustard sauce.

Grilled Pineapple 4/5

For dessert, I decided to go for the Grilled Pineapple ($8) since the dish sort of reminds me of the popular pineapple tart snack eaten during Chinese New Year period. Grilled pineapple is served on top sugee shortbread and paired with pineapple tarragon ice cream. A deconstructed form of the pineapple tart.

While I enjoyed the food at Jam in my previous visit, I mentioned that the price is on the steep side. The tasting table, on the contrary, is more reasonable with price ranging from $6 to $12 per dish. I also like the concept of roving trolleys, which injected charm and interaction into the whole experience. Their next Tasting Table is on 19 March 2020, you can Book via http://bit.ly/tastingtablemarch or call +65 96670533. Do check the website regularly for the next upcoming Tasting Table.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Jam at Siri House
Dempsey Hill
8D Dempsey Road
#01-02
Singapore 249672
Tel: +65 96670533
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Orchard (NS Line), Holland Village (CC Line), Farrer Road (CC Line)

Opening Hours:
Tue-Sun: 1130am - 230pm, 6pm - 10pm
(Closed on Mon)

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]

Bacchanalia by Vianney Massot @ Hong Kong Street - Probably Aiming For Its Second Star With Chef Vianney At The Helm

The wait is over as Bacchanalia, the one Michelin-starred restaurant reopens after a two-month revamp. Besides the refreshed interior, it also welcomes a new executive chef, Chef Vianney Massot previously from the now-defunct two Michelin-starred L'Atelier Joel Robuchon Singapore. In addition, Chef Vianney has also curated a brand new menu that showcases his French techniques with the use of Asian spices in his dishes.

There are only two menus for the time being, The restaurant offers a five-course lunch degustation ($158++) and seven-course dinner degustation ($298++). We started with some complimentary bread and butter before moving to the dishes.

Crispy Sphere of Young Comte Cheese 4/5

I am actually not sure whether the Crispy Sphere of Young Comte Cheese is part of the seven-course menu as I was told the Foie Gras Symphony is actually the amuse bouche. Probably this is a welcome snack or extra amuse bouche? Nevertheless, I enjoy the lightness of the crispy cheese which is pretty delightful for a bite.

Foie Gras Symphony 4.2/5

Foie Gras Symphony is probably the most generous amuse bouche I have ever encountered. It is actually a whole dish by itself. On the plate is a bed of foie gras cream cooked with port wine, with a layer of duck jelly on top. The yellow dots are corn puree topped with concentrated parsley. In the middle is crunchy popcorn sitting atop white truffle shavings. It is like having a plate of concentrated soup with the different combination coming together. A distinctly flavour I picked up is the pungent Sarawak pepper in the dish, giving it a peppery finishing.

Scallop Ravioli with Kumquat Emulsion 3.5/5

The Scallop Ravioli with Kumquat Emulsion is demonstrates Chef Vianney's culinary philosophy at Bacchanalia, incorporating Asian flavours in his French cooking techniques. The Hokkaido scallop is crowned with uni and imperial caviar, accompanied with stalk of young baby leek. The interplay of crunchy and creamy is a hit and miss for me. The hit is the delicious kumquat emulsion and the miss is actually the same thing as I can't really taste the kumquat in it.

Ceps Tartelette 4/5

Beautifully plated like a rose are slices of French porcini mushroom and eggplant that forms the Ceps Tartelette. Underneath the lovely rose petals is actually a thin circular crisp. What actually interests me more is the accompanying mushroom consomme that has chicken essence and ginger in it. Another interesting combination of incorporating Asian flavours with French techniques.

Alba White Truffle Tagliatelle 3.8/5

The pairing of pasta and uni is quite common but pasta with Shanghai hairy crab is a new to me. The Alba White Truffle Tagliatelle comes with ribbons of pasta coated in a creamy sauce made with Shanghai hair crab. You can also find bits of female crab roes in it. The jewel of the crown has to be the white truffle shavings. While the dish is excellent on its own, I felt that it didn't really showcases the umami flavour of the hairy crab roes.

Slow Cooked Bresse Chicken 4.2/5

I am really excited when I get to know that I am having Slow Cooked Bresse Chicken with Ivory Sauce. This is because I am having the most expensive chicken in the world - poulet de Bresse. Accordingly to an article in CNN Travel, the chicken can cost up to $40 Euro per kilogram which is around $63 Singapore dollar per kilogram. That is an expensive chicken.

I am not sure how the chicken was cooked but the chef definitely gives justice to the expensive ingredient. The chicken is sweet, moist and tender. Personally I thought the chicken skin was quite unique, it is not the jelly type we used to get from poached chicken but somewhat rubbery in a good way. It has a contrasting crunchy texture which I enjoyed. Not forgetting the luscious ivory sauce that complements the chicken excellently. In our local contexts, chicken comes with chicken rice. At Bacchanalia, the Bresse chicken is served alongside a creamy and cheesy plate of risotto.

Fresh Tropical Fruit 3.5/5

The palate cleanser is the Fresh Tropical Fruit in a medley of diced pineapple and passionfruit, topped with light coconut foam. The acidity of the diced fruits is harmonised by the sweetness of the coconut foam, for a refreshing finish.

Orange and Ctrus Marmalade 3.8/5

Dessert is Orange and Citrus Marmalade made from blood oranges. A round shaped bergamot sorbet rests atop slices of orange flesh and earl grey tea jelly. On the side are dollops of vanilla cream and crispy-dried oranges. It is a nice dessert but I was somehow expecting something more, probably more sophisticate and complex.

With the new Executive Chef at the helm, it probably signals the ambition of Bacchanalia to soar greater high in the Michelin recognition. After trying the dishes by Chef Vianney, I can clearly taste the message in his food, using French techniques with Asian flavours. As for the price point, I felt it is expensive for a one Michelin-starred restaurant.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Bacchanalia By Vianney Massot
39 Hong Kong Street
Singapore 059678
Tel: +65 69096360
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Clarke Quay (NE Line)

Opening Hours:
Tue: 630pm - 10pm
Wed-Sat: 12pm - 2pm, 630pm - 10pm
(closed on Sun-Mon)

Direction: 
1) Alight at Clark Quay MRT station. Take Exit E. Cross the road using the overhead bridge. Turn left and walk down New Bridge Road. Turn left onto Hong Kong Street. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

Wrap & Roll @ ION Orchard - First in Singapore Vietnamese Skewer Buffet

In Vietnamese cuisine, grilling forms a huge part of it, though it is not that pronounced over here in Singapore. However, you will get to experience that at Wrap & Roll latest offering at its Ion Orchard outlet - the very first Vietnamese Skewer Buffet in Singapore. The buffet is ala carte format. You get to choose from starters, deep fried & bites, meat & seafood, as well as vegetables. Drinks will be free flow at $2.90, beer at $5 a bottle.

After ordering our items, we were given some starters first while waiting - Butter corn with pork floss, brinjal with spring onion, spicy cucumber cubes and pickled carrot. The brinjal that comes with sweet sauce was quite likeable and my favourite is the pickled carrot. Repeated orders were made for that as it went really well with all the meat skewers.

It took a while for our food to come as all will be served at one go. There is a hot plate to keep the food warm but do be careful not to put your skewers on it for too long and it may burn your food. I would highly recommend the fried Spring Rolls with Pork & Seafood as they are really made of the Vienamese rice paper instead of our local popiah skin. Do eat it as soon as it is served. The stir fried noodles and fried rice are passable.

There are 4 signature meat and seafood skewers - Lemongrass Chicken, Hanoi Pork Skewer, Hanoi Tumeric Fish and Beef Wrapped with Cheese & Onion. The Hanoi Pork Skewer brought back fond memories of my trip to Vietnam. Pork slices held together by 2 charred sticks was how it is done back in Vietnam but with a much longer and thicker sticks. I enjoy the process of removing the meat, placing it onto the vegetables and in it goes into my mouth! Every grilled skewer has it own unique individual marinate. However, you may still spice up your skewers by dipping them into either of the 4 specialty Wrap & Roll sauces given. Among the beef skewers available, the recommended beef with cheese & onion is indeed a better one as it is much more tender and juicer. The Chicken with Lime Leaves is just as good as the Lemongrass Chicken. The meats were tender and the hint of the lemongrass and lime leaves elevates the flavours.

Don't neglect the vegetables skewers! They complement the meat and balance up the meal. It's so rare to find grilled pineapples on the menu but it is offered here. It goes so well with any grilled meat, just like that of burgers! Grilled shiitake mushrooms is of course always welcome, and the grilled capsicums is great with chicken.

The waiting time for the food can be quite long, perhaps the team has yet gotten the hang of the new launch. So do pace your ordering well, especially when the buffet is limited to 90 minutes. $22.90 on weekdays, $24.90 on weekends.

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.


Wrap & Roll
ION Orchard
2 Orchard Turn
#B3-19
Singapore 238801
Tel: +65 65091555
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Orchard (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 10am - 10pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Orchard MRT station. Take Exit E. Walk to destination. Journey time about 3 mins. [Map]

Pyxiemoss @ North Canal Road - Inventive Small Plates In Adventurous Ways

Pyxiemoss is a new modern European cuisine restaurant spearheaded by Chef Tim Ross-Watson that has taken over the defunct D'Bell at North Canal Road. Pyxiemoss is derived from Pixie Moss, the only flowering moss over 12,000 species. It alludes the restaurant's aspiration to blossom and flourish in the competitive F&B industry. The cuisine here offers a flair of British with Asian influenced, using both traditional and modern cooking techniques to transform simple daily ingredients into novel dishes.

Pigaroon 3/5

The restaurant is kind enough to give a glimpse of the bar snacks offering which are only available after 10pm. We tried both the Pigaroon ($3) and Carrot Dog ($5/pc). The pigaroon is interestingly presented in a flower pot. What is on the plate is actually ethereal beetroot macaron swirl paired with pickledpig skin with cream cheese encased in pork belly and smoked bacon on a stick.

Carrot Dog 4/5

Carrot Dog sounds like a weird dish but the vegetarian interpretation of the hot dog actually works. The char grilled baby carrot is sandwiched between the soft and pillowy focaccia, and topped with achar and curry leaves. The whole combination of sweet and sour worked harmoniously for a delightful bite.

Seaviche 3.5/5

The Seaviche ($8) is an interesting twist substituting raw seafood with fresh sea coconut. Give the dish a good toss and have it together with the hickory-smoked corn chips. Even with the squeeze of the lime, I still find it lacked the punch that you get from the traditional ceviche, missing that strong tangy and spicy burst of flavours.

The Tribbiani 4.5/5

One of my favourite dish at the new Pyxiemoss is The Tribbiani ($15). The yellow dome shape thing on the plate is actually duck liver mousse. The silky and creamy duck liver mousse is paired with crunchy focaccia chips and pedro ximenez soaked medjool date jam. A luscious dish which is truly an indulgent.

Cofflee Lox 4.2/5

A light and refreshing dish on the menu is the Cofflee Lox ($18). The thinly sliced Norwegian salmon is cured using upcycled coffee grinds. This is perfectly matched with fresh chervil, cucumber, refreshing green apple sorbet and freeze dried grapefruit for acidity. A well thought and balanced dish.

Rad-ish 4/5

This may sounds simple but the Rad-ish ($8) is actually braised thrice before serving to the table. It is first braised in salt water, then miso water and lastly onion broth to expel its bitterness. A robust onion consomme is pour over the radish wheel at table which is topped with yuzu miso and pickled red radish. You can choose to have chopped wagyu beef for an additional $4.

Not Just The Tip 4.8/5

A dish that I never thought I would enjoy is Not Just The Tip ($14). A smart dish which makes use every part of the celery, not just the tip. A rift on the Waldorf salad, the dish uses the root, leaves, stem and the tip of the celery for different textural enjoyment of the whole celery. It is further paried with barley risotto, green apple, candied walnuts and stilton cheese to bring the dish together.

Mother's Lamb 4.2/5

The Mother's Lamb ($18) demonstrates Chef Tim's bold approach to food, upcycling usually-discarded parts of select produce. On the plate, is tandoor oven cooked lamb hearts and neck, with two sinful slabs of lamb bacon. The touch of having carbonated green and purple champagne grapes is very thoughtful, which helps to cut through the richness perfectly.

Pina Colada 4.2/5

Ending the meal on a sweet note, we have the Pina Colada ($10) and Snickerz ($10). The Pina Colada is a deconstructed rendition of the popular cocoktail's key ingredients. In the bowl, the components consider of fermented young coconut cake, coconut granola, salted coconut cream, compressed pineapples in extra virgin olive and a creamy caramelised pineapple ice cream. A light and refreshing dessert that suit my palate.

Snickerz 3/5

The other dessert, Snickerz ($10) is a rich and heavy glutinous rice brownie which comes with pavlova-like salted gula melaka cream . It is both chocolatey and chewy. I did not quite like the texture of the brownie. However the nuggets of caramelised peanuts rolled in homemade Snickers-inspired powder got my attention.

Overall, I have enjoyed my dining experience at Pyxiemoss. I find Chef Tim has brought something fresh to the table. You never know, the pixie moss may actually blossom and flourish into one of the best new restaurants this year.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Pyxiemoss 
43 North Canal Road
Singapore 059299
Tel: +65 65322171
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Clarke Quay (NE Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Sat: 5pm - 12midnight
(Closed on Sun)

Direction: 
1) Alight at Clarke Quay MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk towards the traffic junction of North Bridge Road and North Canal Road. Cross the road and turn right onto North Canal Road. Walk along the shophouses to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

Opus Bar & Grill @ Hilton Hotel Singapore - Letting Quality Ingredients Speak For Themselves

Some things do come better with age. Dry-aged beef, is what I'm inferring to, which is also the star of Opus Bar & Grill at Hilton Hotel Singapore. Many may perceived restaurants in hotels to be less exciting than what we have today, perhaps due to their strong corporate identities. However, Opus Bar & Grill identifies itself strongly to us as an independent restaurant with something more to offer than what its predecessor Checkers Brasserie used to be. It continues to provide hearty buffets by day, however, by night, it will close its specially designed dividers to form a more cosy and intimate dining space. The tables for the buffet are also customised to be used as tables for food preparation.

Using a specially commissioned Himalayan salt tile cabinet and charcoals, the Opus culinary team seeks to deliver some of the best meats that you might ever tasted in Singapore. The fresh, marbleized meats are aged between 14 and 36 days to create a rich depth of flavour. 'Letting quality ingredients speak for themselves' is the philosophy behind Opus, which is reflected by their adoption of simple cooking techniques combined with the purity of grilling.

Onion Cheese Bread 4/5

To get our engine started, we were first served a warm Onion Cheese Bread. Sweet & savoury works for me always, which is why I even kept some aside to accompany my dinner throughout.

Hokkaido Scallops 4/5

For starters, we have the recommended Hokkaido Scallops ($22.00) and Tartar of Bluefin Tuna ($17.00). The fresh green colour somehow eased my tired eyes. The edamame puree was smooth and its delicate taste balanced that of the smokey-savoury blood sausage. As tiny as the blood sausage may seem, it imparted whole of flavour to the scallop.

Tartar of Bluefin Tuna 4/5

Tuna Tartar has always been my favourite and theirs just affirm my liking for this dish. Fatty and creamy with abit of zest, I could easily wipe the plate clean.

Halloumi with Eggplant and Squash 3.5/5

King Prawn Skewer 2.8/5

With charcoal grills, there is skewers. We had 2 of them, Halloumi ($16.00/$22.00) and King Prawn skewer ($20.00/$30.00). Halloumi a Cypriot semi-hard, unripened brined cheese. Due to its high melting point, it is very suitable for grilling. It looks like Dougan, doesn't it? But it is much firmer, with a rubbery texture. It is mild and a little savoury which I quite like. I can imagine having it with something sweet and crunchy, rather than grilled eggplants and squash. The latter pales in comparison to Halloumi for its lack of novelty and average taste. The green chilli at the side, however, manages to up the taste by a notch.

Himalayan Salt Dry-Aged OP Rib 800g 4/5

The mains was the reason behind all the wait. What are on the menu is a premium selection of hand-selected Australian Prime Cuts of marble score 4 to 6. Sitting on top of the list is their Opus signature Himalayan Salt Dry-Aged OP Rib ($110 for 2 pax), the slab of meat that people come for. Juicy, bloody you called it, there are people who just love it. OP rib, even before it is being dry-aged, is known for its intense flavour and richness. After being dry-aged, it is even more so. Aging harnesses the microbes and enzymes present in the meat itself to behave in a certain manner, giving you a steak that is more tender, coupled with a more intensified flavour due to loss of water. In particular, the steak will gain a 'blue cheese characteristic'. Given my untrained palate, I miss out on that. Hence, do take an extra second to savour its taste.

Australian Tajima Wagyu, 220g Sirloin 4/5

For something more ladylike, you can opt for Tajima Wagyu ($88.00). It is still flavourful and fatty, and give you more spaces to try the rest.

A few personal touches to note from the Team. Customers get to choose their respective steak knife from the collection, according to the color of the handle that caught their eyes. It was quite a delight when I was approached with their collection. 3 different types of salt were given, and a list of sauces to choose from. The recommended ones are Bone marrow with red wine sauce, as well as Black truffle & mushroom sauce.

Smoke Risotto, Leek & Pecorino 3.8/5

We also had a few sides to accompany our steaks. What I find more interesting is their Smoke Risotto, Leek & Pecorino ($6.00). It is one of the most mildly flavoured risotto I have tried, akin to a thick white porridge but grainier and creamier. Half of it was gone, fast.

36-hours Pork Belly 2.5/5

36-hours Pork Belly ($36.00) is one of their new hot items. It came elegantly glazed and garnished with pickled beets and I couldn't wait to dig my fork into its tender fats-flesh. However, what really happened was that my fork couldn't seem to find an opening to penetrate it. It seems that all the fats and muscles had seized up to form a wall. A pity.

Glacier 51 Toothfish Fillet 4.2/5

Their Toothfish Fillet ($49.00) picked me up from my disappointment with my highly anticipated pork belly. High in fat, this particular fish boosts rich flavour and sweetness, which is well complimented by the savoury dashi and the sweet-smokey leeks. The charred broccoli nuances the dish with its hints of bitterness and crunchy texture. You will enjoy this dish even more, knowing that it was sustainably caught. The same goes to a few other seafood dishes as labelled in the menu. Opus prides itself for being environmentally friendly having achieved the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)'s Chain of custody certification prior to opening.

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Charcoal Grilled Banana with Smoked Salted Caramel, Coconut & Calamasi Ice Cream 4.2/5

Do leave space for their signature desserts - Charcoal Grilled Banana and Grilled Honey Pineapple dessert ($12.00 each).

Charcoal Grilled Banana was better than expected. I appreciate the fact that the banana was caramelised with its skin attached, hence retaining its firmness. Given its mealy texture and savoury sweetness with the salted caramel, pairing it with sweet and sour coconut ice cream couldn't have been a much better choice.

Grilled Honey Pineapple with Vanilla Ice Cream, crumble & Rum Sauce 4.5/5 

You can see the excitement in my eyes when I heard about their Charcoal Grilled Honey Pineapple. I first got acquainted with it when I was at FYR. Served as a juice, the smokey sweet taste of the pineapple acquires the taste of a rainforest. As for this, coupled with homemade vanilla ice cream and crumble, this is a much more luscious version of your usual apple crumble.

From 18 Jan to 31 Mar, enjoy special beverage offers with any order of Opus Beef Selection (Prime Cuts from $58++ only). Free flow of sparkling, white & red wines from 7pm to 9pm (Mon to Thu), 50% off on wine by the bottle (Fri to Sun).

Nature has a lot to share, so long we know how to harness it in a responsible way. Basic ingredients can form fine dishes, so long they are in good hands. That is what I see in Opus.

Photograph and written 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.


Opus Bar & Grill
Hilton Hotel Singapore
581 Orchard Road
Singapore 238883
Tel: +65 67303390
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Orchard (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 630pm - 1030pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at Orchard MRT station. Take Exit E. Walk towards Wheelock Place via ION. Exit Wheelock Place and turn left towards Liat Tower. Continue walking along Orchard Road. Journey time is about 8 minutes. [Map]