Binary @ Palais Renaissance - New Gastrobar Featuring Asian And Western Cuisines

Newly opened at Palais Renaissance is Binary, a gastrobar that offers both Asian and Western cuisines complemented by a remarkable selection of 60 wine labels and cocktails. The menu allows guests to choose from two culinary approaches or enjoy both styles on the same plate.

Home-made Kubaneh Bread 4.5/5

A crowd favourite with almost every diners that I know that has visited the gastrobar is the Home-made Kubaneh Bread ($14) served with garlic butter and kombu butter. The Jewish Yemeni pull-apart bread is so soft and fluffy that is addictive so good with the butter pairing. 

Tomato Bruschetta 3/5

The other bread item on the menu is the Tomato Bruschetta ($14) served with fresh tomato concasse and sour plum infused tomatoes. Tomato is served two ways incorporating both Asian and Western flavours. It is enjoyable but not something extraordinary.

Deep-fried Burrata 

It is my first time having a Deep-fried Burrata ($18). The whole burrata is coated in panko and deep-fried. It is paired with pesto alla genovese. It may be an interesting idea, but I didn't find it helps elevate the enjoyment. I still prefer the burrata in its original form.

Chicken Wings 4.5/5

I adore the "Nasi Lemak" style Chicken Wings ($18) served with sambal tumis. It is very flavourful and aromatic from the various spices marination. The accompanying sambal tumis is an excellent pairing for the delicious chicken wings.

Tiger Prawns 4.5/5

A beautiful dish on the menu is the classic Spanish tapas, Gambas Al Ajillo. The bouncy and crunchy tiger prawns are sauteed in olive oil, garlic, chilli flakes, parsley, lemon juice and white wine.

Octopus 4.5/5

The Grilled Octopus in Lao Gan Ma Chilli is a unique dish on the menu. It is an interesting combination that works for me. I have tried a local take using sambal, but Lao Gan Ma Chilli's version is even better.

Iberico Pluma 4.5/5

The Iberico Pluma ($38) is marinated with Korean Gochujang, served with fresh green coral lettuce, ssamjang sauce, chopped kimchi and sea salt. The best way to enjoy the tender meat is to eat it like a wrap, wrapping it with lettuce.

10 Veg Chopped Salad

Parmesan Bacon Cauliflower

You can also order some sides to go along with your mains such, as 10 Veg Chopped Salad ($14) and Parmesan Bacon Flower ($14).

Ice Jelly, Yuzu Sorbet

Warm Homemade Fudgey Brownie, Vanilla Ice Cream

Ending the night on a sweet note, we have the Ice Jelly, Yuzu Sorbet ($16) and Warm Homemade Fudgey Brownie, Vanilla Ice Cream ($16). I prefer the Aiyu Jelly as it is sweet and refreshing.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Binary
Palais Renaissance
390 Orchard Road
#01-01A
Singapore 238871
Tel: +65 93630101
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Nearest MRT: Orchard (NS Line, TE Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 1130am - 1030pm

Direction:
Alight at Orchard MRT station. Take Exit 4. Walk to Wheelock Place. Walk to traffic junction of Orchard Road and Angullia Park. Cross the road to Royal Thai Embassy. Turn left and continue down Orchard Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 8 minutes.  [Map]

Oishii Ristorante @ Frasers Tower - New Japanese-Italian Restaurant Offering Omakase Dinner As Cheap As $53/pax

Opened in June this year at Frasers Tower is Oishii Ristorante offering Italian pizza and pasta with a touch of Japanese ingenuity, alongside donburi and an array of classic Japanese dishes. The Japanese-Italian restaurant also has a splendid selection of Japanese sake, whisky, fine wines, champagne and beer to complement the dishes.

Truffle & Kombu Edamame 3.5/5

We started with Truffle & Kombu Edamame ($10), an ideal snack to munch on before the rest of the food is served.

Oishii Salad $12

Our salad of the day is an Heirloom of Tomatoes. I enjoyed the tomatoes' sweetness a lot, brightened by the ponzu-like sauce.

Truffle Mushroom & Seaweed Rigatoni 3.8/5

Pasta lovers will adore the Truffle Mushroom & Seaweed Rigatoni ($20) that has been perfectly cooked to a delightful al dente texture. Accompanying the beautiful dish are sauteed mushrooms in a miso truffle cream sauce, topped with nori seaweed.

Unagi & Corn Pizza 4/5

From the paste, we move to another Italian staple - pizza. We picked the Unagi & Corn Pizza ($22). The eight-inch white sauce pizza is topped with unagi, corn, tobiko and nori. The fusion combination works for me, giving the traditional pizza topping a new take.

Yuzu Miso Salmon & Ikura Don 4/5

From Italy, we moved to the Japanese's Donburi. We had the Yuzu Miso Salmon & Ikura Don ($28) brimming with fresh Atlantic salmon, ikura, onsen egg, tobiko, olives, pickled mustard greens and cucumbers. I appreciate the yuzu miso marination for the salmon and ikura. It enlivens the enjoyment of the rice bowl.

Salmon Tartare 4.2/5

It seems like the chef likes to use yuzu in his cooking. Yuzu is also used in the Salmon Tartare ($20), brightening the seasoned fresh diced salmon and served with tamago, tobiko and Pistachio nuts.

Ribeye & Pesto 4/5

Another beautiful dish on the menu is the Ribeye & Pesto ($18, 120g). On top of the char on the exterior of the binchotan grilled ribeye, I can taste a hint of sweetness to the medium-rare beef. It seems like it has been marinated in some sweet marinade, giving it the sweetness, paired with house-made pesto.

Yuzu Choc Tart 4.2/5

Wrapping up our dinner is Yuzu Choc Tart ($16). Another item on the menu shows the chef loves to work with yuzu. Usually, I have chocolate with orange, but yuzu is the first for me. I enjoy the yuzu curd and chocolate ganache combination more. The flavours are more prominent.

For those looking for a unique experience at Oishii Ristorante, you can go for the Japanese-Italian fusion omakase at an attractive price of $80/pax during lunch and dinner at $53/pax for 7 courses and $76/pax for 9 courses. It is not a typo error! The dinner omakase is cheaper than the lunch omakase!

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Oishii Ristorante
Frasers Tower
182 Cecil Street
#01-05
Singapore 069547
Tel: +65 62327890
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Nearest MRT: Tanjong Pagar (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Sat: 113am - 1030pm
(Closed on Sun)

Direction:
1) Alight at Tanjong Pagar MRT station. Take Exit G. Walk to destination. Journey time about 4 minutes. [Map]

NORTH Miznon @ Amoy Street - A Modern Israeli Dining Experience

First established in Tel Aviv, Israel, NORTH Mizon at Amoy Street is the concept's first Asia outpost. Founded by Chef Eyal Shani – a leading figure in the Israeli culinary scene and most famously known as a judge on MasterChef Israel, NORTH Mizon showcases modern Israeli flavours, with a daily-changing menu of sharing plates to reflect the multifaceted nature of Israeli cuisine.

Naked Heirloom tomatoes Mosaic 4.5/5

You will find interesting plant-forward dishes, such as the stunning Naked Heirloom Tomatoes Mosaic ($19) topped with olive oil and salt flowers. The specially sourced tomatoes are sliced paper-thin and drizzled with Greek extra-virgin oil with a generous sprinkle of sea salt, teasing the beautiful flavours of the produce.

Melting Baby Leeks, Parmesan 4.2/5

Melting Baby Leeks, Parmesan ($18) is another dish that highlights one of the key principles of Chef Eyal Shani. He strives to source the freshest, best, and, where possible, local ingredients to be served in his restaurant. Buttery, sweet and savoury with parmesan, these baby leeks were just as satiable as a plate of well-barbecued ribs.

Focaccia 4/5

Hummus topped with Prawns in Beurre Noisette 4.5/5

Inspirations from French and Italian cuisines are reflected on the menu as well. For example, Hummus topped with Prawns in Beurre Noisette ($36) was lusciously creamy and rich. The prawns added a layer of texture and flavour to every bite. Thanks to the restaurant's signature Focaccia served on the house, I could mop up the humus on the plate. The focaccia itself is a great starter too. It comes with a trinity of sauces served at almost all Israeli meals; zhug – a fresh green chilli paste with garlic and olives, Maggie tomato salsa and sour cream.

Palamida Fillet 4/5

We also had Palamida Fillet ($34) roasted on plancha, served on a pretty-in-pink tomato cloud and tahini. Though the fish was very well done with firm and moist flesh, it was relatively underwhelming.

Roast Beef Carpaccio on the Rock 4/5

Talking about inventive ways to present dishes, Chef Eyal Shani's Sirloin Roast Beef Carpaccio on the Rock ($47) is served to us on a solid rock. Its sight will definitely excite your taste buds and your friends, and the portion makes it even more ideal for sharing.

The dessert selection features up to six glorious and utterly satisfying creations. A classic to try will be the Ants Nest Cake with Queen Hajar shiny glaze is a honeycomb cake with toasty caramel notes, and a touch of ginger. However, my personal favourite is the Semolina Cream Cake, which gave me a warm and fuzzy feeling for each bite. Each dessert is $20, or enjoy a cardboard comprising a mix of all desserts at $19 per person.

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.


NORTH Miznon
110 Amoy Street
#01-01
Singapore 069930
Tel: +65 80285204
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Nearest MRT: Tanjong Pagar (EW Line), Telok Ayer (DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Tue-Sun: 530pm – 12am
(Closed on Mon)

Direction:
1) Alight at Telok Ayer MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to Amoy Street. Turn left onto Amoy Street. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Tanjong Pagar MRT station. Take Exit G. Walk down Telok Ayer Street. Turn left onto Amoy Street. Walk to destination. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]

Ginza Shinto @ Mohamed Sultan Road - A New Contemporary Japanese Sushi & Omakase Establishment by Chef Ron Newton Leo

Ginza Shinto is a newly opened contemporary Japanese Sushi and Omakase restaurant, nestled in one of the shophouses on Mohamed Sultan Road. Helmed by Chef Ron who has over 30 years of sushi counter experience under his belt, he sources produce from Toyosu Fish Market in Tokyo to the markets in Hokkaido and Osaka depending on the season’s best. As such, the omakase menus change biweekly according to the seasonality of ingredients.

Sweet Cherry Tomatoes from Japan with crisp Ice Plant 3.5/5

Our dinner started off with Sweet Cherry Tomatoes from Japan accompanied by crisp ice plant with truffle oil. The ice plant gets its moniker from its cool frosted look, with crystalline beads covering its stems and leaves. Crisp and crunchy, it went really well with the juicy and sweet Cherry Tomato. With such fresh and delicate flavours, just a sprinkle of salt may do more justice to the ingredients than drizzling them with sesame sauce and truffle oil.

Amaebi topped with Uni, fresh Ikura and Caviar 4.2/5

2nd course was Amaebi topped with Uni, fresh Ikura and Caviar. The creamy uni was like a salted butter that melted over the sweet and almost crunchy amaebi, which was further flavoured with a burst of savouriness from fresh Ikura and Caviar. The herbaceous oba leaf not only added a dimension of aroma but also helped to balance out the brininess of the ingredients.

Flame-seared Hotate wrapped with Nori, and Botan-ebi 4.8/5

The next course was Flame-seared Hotate wrapped with Nori and Botan-ebi. The plumb and sweet Botan-ebi left a lasting impression on my taste buds that night. Its counterpart hotate echoed a similar satisfying crunch.

Kanpachi, Toro and Dashi-rolled Hirame 4.2/5

For Sashimi course, we had Kanpachi, Toro and Dashi-rolled Hirame with fresh Hanaho. The toro here was one of the finest I had tried. But other than the fresh ingredients, what I appreciate is that Chef Ron actually took the effort to teach his diners how to appreciate Hanaho. I always find it a pity to see people chucking it, and oba leaves aside as simply garnishes.

Miyazaki A5 Wagyu 4.5/5

Next up we had Miyazaki A5 Wagyu with a raw quail egg yolk and homemade beef sauce (consume by mixing the egg yolk in the beef sauce before dipping the beef in). Mine had been seared to perfection, rendering just enough fats to release its flavours.

Kanpachi Aburi with Bonito Flakes 4.2/5

The Sushi course reflected Chef Ron's creative take in contemporary Japanese dining. Kanpachi Aburi with Bonito Flakes was flavourful on its own without any dipping sauce, thanks to the savoury Bonito Flakes that was made in house. This extra touch also added an interesting dimension to the bite.

Aburi Amaebi with Foie Gras 4.5/5

Next sushi was my favourite of the evening - Aburi Amaebi with Foie Gras, sprinkled with grated yuzu zest. Torching the foie gras which melted over the amaebi, what surprised me was the hint of pepperiness exuding from the foie gras spread, which sang in harmony to the sweetness of the amaebi. The Aaburi amaebi had taken on a firmer texture, which made the sushi even more luscious and mouth-filling along with the fats lent from the foie gras.

“Forget Me Not” 3.8/5

“Forget Me Not” Nigiri Sushi is one of the restaurant's signatures. Focusing on textural contrast, in between the sushi rice and the top layer of fatty negitoro and creamy uni, Chef Ron inserted a layer of mini roasted, crisp rice puffs. That not only gives that desirable crunch, but they also release a nutty aroma to the sushi. However, I find the ingredients rather separated as the ingredients were gone much faster than the sushi rice itself.

Mini Ikura Uni Don 3.8/5

We also had a Mini Ikura Uni Don. What stood out other than the fine ingredients is the rice underneath, which has mini rice puffs mixed into it to provide that nutty flavour and textural contrast. However, with Ikura as the main ingredient, it got quite saltish towards the end. In conjunction with the grand opening, there is a Lunch Special, featuring a more luxurious version - $35 Negitoro Ikura Uni Don (U.P. $55). Each rice bowl will be served with a side of chawanmushi and miso soup. The Grand Opening Special is only available for dine-in during lunch from 12 October 2020 onward, while stocks last.

Botanebi Miso Soup 3/5

Dinner ended with a bowl of Botanebi Miso Soup with seaweed, tofu & egg. It was quite saltish, but the addition of fluffy egg helped to ease that out a little.

There are three omakase menu selections for dinner with a 5-course ‘Gin’ Menu at $150, 8-course ‘Ginza’ Menu at $220 and 9-course ‘Shinto’ Menu at $300. Otherwise, you can also go for Chef’s luxe tasting menu for lunch with the 7-course Mini Kaiseki menu ($65) that comprises of an appetiser, sashimi, yakimono, mushimono, sushi, soup and dessert.

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.


Ginza Shinto
5 Mohamed Sultan Road
#01-01
Singapore 239014
Tel: +65 89388355/ +65 69708355
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Nearest MRT: Fort Canning (DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Sat: 12 - 230pm, 6 - 11pm
(Closed on Sun)

Direction:
1) Alight at Fort Canning MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk down River Valley Road to Mohammed Sultan Road. Turn left onto Mohammed Sultan Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]

La Dame de Pic @ Raffles Hotel Singapore - Re-opens After The Circuit Breaker With A New Summer Menu

I have the pleasure of dining at La Dame de Pic by Chef Anne-Sophie Pic when it first opened at Raffles Hotel Singapore. Unfortunately with the COVID-19 pandemic and the circuit breaker measure taken by the government, the restaurant was temporarily closed for dining. Great news for diners looking forward to dining in one of the world's top female chefs' restaurant, having a total of seven Michelin stars under her belt, you will be glad to know that La Dame de Pic has reopened!

Before commencing on our dinner, we receive a number of amuse bouche to kick start our dinner. We have the Olive-green Chocolate Truffle infused with yuzu. You get an explosion of flavour when you bite into it.

Then there is the Marshmellow coated with Peanut which tastes like our local muah chee. There is also the Honeycomb Cracker with a delightfully crispy texture.

Last but not least, the Corn Taco and Milk Yoghurt to round up the amuse bouche surprises. We already have 5 dishes before starting on the courses.

I have to warn that you need to control yourself in eating too much of the freshly baked bread. It is so good that my dining companions had 3 servings. You probably do not want to get yourself full before even starting on the courses.

Tomato Myriad

Starting the 5-course meal is the refreshing Tomato Myriad paired with a scoop of burrata ice cream. The sweetness of the colourful tomatoes is lifted with the tomato consomme lightly infused with elderflower, tasting of summer with each bite of the sweet and tangy fruit.

Berlingots 4.5/5

An iconic dish in every Anne-Sophie Pic restaurant is the Berlingots which incorporates local elements. In Singapore, the restaurant has infused the broth with the herb of grace, a local ingredient used in Chinese medicine and cooking. The flavour of the pasta parcel also changes with seasons. In my previous visit, I had green Matcha pasta parcel filled with French cheese fondue. This time it is beet pasta parcel filled with French cheese fondue.

Turbot from Brittany 4/5

Next is the Fish dish - Turbot from Brittany. The fish is cooked elegantly with a delicate, lightly sweet flavour. Simple but yet will get you craving for more.

The Pigeon from Bresse 4.2/5

Saga Wagyu Beef 4.2/5

For the mains, the diner can choose between the Saga Wagyu Beef and The Pigeon. As I have already tried the Saga Wagyu Beef in my earlier visit, I decided to go for The Pigeon. The bird was beautifully roasted on its chest, complemented by the lightly smoked broth infused with Madagascan vanilla, roasted barley, Phu Quoc pepper and kumquat.

Brie de Meaux Cheese with Vanilla 4/5

The Brie de Meaux Cheese with Vanilla is a pre-dessert which is like have a bowl of cheese soup with a thin cracker film.

White Mille-feuille

For dessert, diners have 3 choices. If you are dining here for the first, I would highly recommend you to go for the White Mille-feuille. This is another iconic dish that they have kept it in their new menu.

Alpaco Chocolate

Gariguette Strawberry

The other 2 desserts on the menu are the Alpaco Chocolate and Gariguette Strawberry. They are the new dessert creations for the new summer menu. I had the Alpaco Chocolate which comes with Hojicha and cubeb pepper light mousse paired with beeswax honey ice cream. It is rich but yet not heavy to wrap up the dinner.

Last but at least the whole dinner experience is wrapped up with the Petite Four. The menu I had is the 5-course Experience Menu at $238 per pax with an additional $158 for wine and sake pairing. I realised the restaurant has increased its price since my visit last year. Maybe it has to do with the increased ingredients' price due to the significant reduction in overseas freight flights in the aviation market.

Note: this is an invited tasting.


La Dame de Pic
Raffles Hotel Singapore
1 Beach Road
Singapore 189673
Tel: +65 63371886
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: City Hall (EW Line, NS Line), Esplanade (CC Line)

Opening Hours:
Tue-Sat: 12pm - 2pm, 7pm - 930pm
(Closed on Sun and Mon)

Direction:
1) Alight at Esplanade MRT station. Take Exit F. Walk to the junction of Beach Road and Bras Basah Road. Cross the road. Walk to destination. Journey time is about 3 minutes. [Map]

2) 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]