Tiffin Room x Meatsmith Little India @ Raffles Hotel - Exclusive Collaboration Showcasing North Indian Flavours With Indian-Accented American Barbecue

It is a collaboration you should not miss. Tiffin Room and Meatsmith Little India are back again for the second time, with a specially curated four-hands menu from 14 to 28 July 2022. It guarantees you a treat by marrying Chef Kuldeep Negi's expertise in authentic North Indian flavours with Chef Edwin Tan's experimental take on modern Indian-accented American barbecue. You will see their skilful play on flavours, textures and spices come through distinctly right from the starters to the dessert.

The four-hand menu is available at Tiffin Room in Raffles Hotel for lunch and dinner. There are both Vegetarian ($98/pax) and Non-vegetarian ($108/pax) options, with the choice to add on for wine pairing ($78/pax).

Trio Starter 4/5

We had a delightful start to the meal with this trio starter - Papadum with Ikura and Creme Fraiche, Smoked Feta with Watermelon, Potato and Cheese Croquettes with Caviar and BBQ Mustard. Meatsmith’s Ikura Papadum has always been a crowd favourite. Pop it in a mouthful, and you get an explosion of briny ikura with rich and tangy creme fraiche on a crisp papadum.

Smoked King Salmon with Garden Tomato and Roquefort Salad 4.5/5

A pity that the Smoked King Salmon with Garden Tomato and Roquefort Salad was only available on the collaboration’s opening night of 14 July 2022. It made such a lasting impression! The lightly smoked cured salmon was of just the right level of saltiness, matched with fun bursts of flavours from the sweet oranges and tomatoes, as well as the sharper creamy blue cheese. Salmon was tender and flaky.

Hokkaido Scallop with Tandoori Black Cod 4.8/5

The Hokkaido Scallop with Tandoori Black Cod is a combined creation by both chefs. The plump seared scallop sits with a mildly sweet smoked carrot and orange purée, white wine reduction and caviar, paired with an aromatic and perfectly spiced Tandoori black cod. I thoroughly enjoyed how the seemingly different elements worked harmoniously together as a dish.

Signature Tiffin Box 4.2/5

For mains, a selection of North Indian dishes is presented in Tiffin Room's Signature Tiffin Box. Accompanying the fluffy and fragrant Jhinga Dum Biryani are three types of curries: Lamb Awadhi Korma (Lamb Chop Curry with Almond and Cashew Nut Gravy), Murgh Hara Pyaz (Boneless Chicken Leg with Spring Onion and Spinach Gravy) and Goan Fish Curry. Our favourite was the Goan Fish Curry, which features fresh red snapper. You can also enjoy the curries with three types of Naan: Garlic, Butter and Cranberry Cheese with sweet bits of cranberry encased within.

S’mores Tart and Smoked Coconut Ice Cream 4.2/5

I didn't think I would be a fan of this S'mores Tart because of how sinfully sweet it looks. Hence I was very pleasantly surprised to be proven otherwise. The torched marshmallow layer lends a little more sweetness to the decadent and smooth bittersweet chocolate base, paired with a scoop of cleverly well-smoked coconut ice cream and coconut flakes.

Anjeer Mawa Burfi and Pista Balushahi

We ended the meal with two classic Indian handmade sweets from Tiffin Room, the Anjeer Mawa Burfi and Pista Balushahi.

Papadum, Mint Chutney, Mango Chutney, Pickled Onion

Apart from the main dishes, you can snack on crunchy Papadum on the side. It’s served with three dips - Mint Chutney, Mango Chutney and Pickled Onion.

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.


Tiffin Room
Raffles Hotel
1 Beach Road
Singapore 189673
Tel: +65 63371886
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Nearest MRT: City Hall (EW Line, NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Lunch: 12pm - 145pm
Dinner: 630pm - 845pm

Direction:
1) Alight at City Hall MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to Junction of North Bridge Road and Bras Basah Road. Cross the road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Esplanade MRT station. Take Exit F. Cross the road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]

Cook & Tras Social Library @ Six Senses Maxwell - New Progressive Menu Melds Tradition And Modernity

Cook & Tras at Six Senses Maxwell is a Social Library restaurant and bar that houses more than 3,000 titles on topics curated by the United Kingdom’s Ultimate Library. Even before settling in, you may find yourself wandering from 'room' to 'room', partitioned by the shelves of books, which cover topics ranging from wellness and nutrition to climate change and sustainability, even natural history. You are invited to pick up any of these books to accompany your time at Cook & Tras. While the books nourish your mind, the brand new Straits Heritage and Southern European menu shall take care of your soul. Align with Eat With Six Senses programme, Executive Chef Ian Mancais takes extra care in creating dishes that are healthy and clean, using sustainable and organic ingredients, including local produce.

Vine Tomatoes & Mixed Melon (sharing portion) 3.5/5

A great way to wake up the palate is this Vine Tomatoes & Mixed Melon ($22), featuring homemade citrus granite, burrata and lemon balm vinaigrette. The sweet vine tomatoes soaked up the lemon balm vinaigrette really well, which was really sour at some bites. It was this level of acidity that worked with the tangy granite, the sweet melon and creamy burrata.

Lean Green Kale 3/5

Too green for some, but I love the crunch in this Lean Green Kale ($18), showcasing the beauty of simply vegetables by tossing the various vegetables in mustard seed dressing.

Steak Chimichurri 2.8/5

Librarian’s Signatures include the Steak Chimichurri, available in Tenderloin ($65), Rib Eye ($55) or Sirloin ($45) cut. It is served with roasted garlic puree and house-made chimichurri sauce. While the chimichurri sauce cut the richness of the meat, the combination with the pickled onions was too acidic.

Baked Barramundi 4.5/5

I very much preferred the Baked Barramundi ($28), served with natural yogurt, pickled pineapple achar, shredded iced leek and lemon olive oil. An interesting element on this dish was the addition of dark soy sauce, which lent a dark, sweet flavour to the dish. The barramundi was baked till perfection. It was so moist and tender, a texture that I would expect from a fresh catch.

Iberico Pork Sate 4/5

If you manage to get some time off between 11 am to 3pm, drop by for its $9 Hawker Fare Express. Although using premium ingredients do not always equate to better execution of the dish, but this Iberico Pork Sate ($9) has all the elements done right. Using Iberico pork, the skewers were naturally tender, and the tumeric rub gave them the sate's its characteristic colour and flavours. The Peanut sauce was robust, and the ketupat had a slight fluffiness to it. I love the achar too, which was pickled with bay leaves for its health benefits.

Red & Keep Popping ($16) serves as a palate cleanser before desserts. Pop it into your mouth like an oyster and outburst the sour concoction of sour plum, hibiscus, osmanthus.

Black on Black 4.2/5

Black on Black ($22) is one of my favourite dishes of the night. Using 72% Single Origin Araguni chocolate, all the different textural chocolate elements on the dish were bittersweet, with the tuile extra dark and bitter. But this dessert wouldn't be completed without the classic pairing with sour cherry, which was discreetly made into Bamboo Charcoal Cherry sorbet served at the side.

Camp Fire S’mores 2.5/5

The Camp Fire S’mores ($20) made quite an entrance with smoke hovering over the cute torched marshmallow. The smoke seemed to coat every component on the dish, and not all were palatable.

Cook & Tras's new menu is extensive not just on food, but beverages as well, which includes Kombucha and special tonics. The mirrored ceiling and the custom-designed European furnishings may seem rather opulent at first glance, but the surrounding dark-wood shelvings and warm lights provide an intimate and cosy ambience. Alone or with a group, I believe there will be an ideal spot for you.

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.


Cook & Tras Social Library
Six Senses Maxwell
20 Cook Street
Singapore 078857
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Nearest MRT: Tanjong Pagar (EW Line)

Opening Hours
Mon-Sun: 630am - 12midnight

Direction:
1) Alight at Tanjong Pagar MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to Tras Street. Turn right onto Tras Street. Walk down Tras Street. Walk to destination. Journey time about 6 minutes [Map]

Jam at Siri House @ Dempsey Hill - Transports One To A Luxurious Home Dining Experience

A new kid on the block at Dempsey Hill is Jam at Siri House. The new restaurant is a partnership with luxury property developer, Sansiri. The space houses a Sales Gallery, Art Space, Retail as well as the restaurant Jam at Siri House which elevates home dining and drinking experience with exquisite food to share and cocktails to match.

Belinjo Crackers Crab Fat Crema 3/5

Before starting the lunch proper, we started with some bar bites. One of the specials for the week was the Belinjo Crackers Crab Fat Crema ($13). I thought it was quite a bold decision to use belinjo cracker as not many people like the bitter aftertaste. I have to say the kitchen smartly balanced it with the crab fat crema, giving it a touch of acidity. On a culinary angle, I applaud the team for turning simple ingredients and elevating them into a delicious dish. As a consumer, I may think twice about the price as I can buy a packet of belinjo crackers and enjoy them in the comfort of my sofa.

Chicken in a Biscuit 3.5/5

A fun dish to be eaten by hand is the Chicken in a Biscuit ($12). This is inspired by the popular children's snack, Chicken in a Biskit but given face lift using the chicken fat to make the cookies. Even the chicken skin is turned into golden crispy crumbs and placed on top the cream cheese for that extra texture crunch.

Beef Fat Popcorn 4.2/5

A very dangerous snack on the menu is the Beef Fat Popcorn. Coated and perfumed by the layer of beef fat, this is addictive dangerous. I could not stop going back for more.

Scallop 4.5/5

The Scallop ($30) which has been dressed with yuzu, extra virgin olive oil and black truffle is sweet, savoury and briny in taste. Something unique from similar scallop dishes is the addition of flash fried crispy kombu that gives it an enjoyable contrast in texture.

Spicy Potatoes 4.8/5

A must order at restaurant Jam is the Spicy Potatoes ($16). I have never know potato can taste so good until now. The Hasselback potatoes is baked and fried to a fluffy interior and crispy exterior. It is paired with mala mayonnaise that simply transformed it into a delicacy. Not only that, it is further fueled by the crispy beef lardons and parmesan with a drizzle of mala oil.

Broccolini 4/5

A simple and clean vegetable dish is the Broccolini ($25) that is adorned with fresh burrata, sumac and pickled onions. I enjoyed how the char gives the broccolini a layer of smokiness with a slight crisp exterior.

Cod 4.2/5

The Cod ($38) is beautiful cooked to a nice crisp on the skin while the flesh is firm and moist. It is paired with mushroom dashi and asari clams that have been smoked in the restaurant's charcoal oven. Lastly the cod is topped with ginger and coriander that have been fried in hot oil till golden and fragrant before pouring on top of it. Just like how the Chinese cooked their fish.

Pappardelle 4.5/5

Featuring homemade fresh egg pasta is the Pappardelle ($33) that has been tossed in a rich and concentrated bisque like sauce, extracted from the prawn and lobster heads that has been roasted with butter and cooked down with cream and mirepoix. It is accompanied with mussels smoked in the charcoal oven and pan roasted tiger prawns.

Apple and Ice Cream 4.2/5

The Apple and Ice Cream ($17) is the pastry chef's take of the apple crumble. Infused in rosemary caramel, the apples are browned in butter deglazed with calvados and the same caramel sauce they have been infusing in. They are then laid on a bed of crumb made from brown sugar, oats, butter and flour, paired with cinnamon and clove ice cream, and garnished with apple chips. What I also like about this dessert, is that it is not overly sweet.

S'mores 4/5

S'mores ($18) usually are very sweet so I was glad that the rendition here is not so. Sandwiched in between the graham cinnamon biscuits is raspberry ganache and marshmallow, sprinkled with sea salt. Pick it up with your hand and bite into the rich and intense filling with a hint of sourish from the raspberry to cut that sweetness.

Overall I like and enjoyed the food at restaurant Jam, there is a lot of thoughts in elevating simple ingredients into a beautiful dish with plays of flavours and textures. However it may also be an issue as diners may feel overpaying for a dish, which can be a reality especially when the portion is rather small too.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Jam at Siri House
Dempsey Hill
8D Dempsey Road
#01-02
Singapore 249672
Tel: +65 96670533
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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]