Showing posts with label White Truffle. Show all posts
Showing posts with label White Truffle. Show all posts

Monday, November 4, 2024

Gunther's Modern French Dining - A Special Curated Degustation Menu Highlighting Chef's Signature Dishes and Culinary Artistry

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Established in 2007, Gunther's Restaurant is a renowned destination for Modern French dining in Singapore, which speaks to the consistency and quality of their food and service over the years. Their thoughtful approach in presenting the entire dining experience is evident, an example being their continued use of real silverware, which adds a touch of old-world sophistication and charm.

They have recently updated their à la carte menu and offered a curated degustation menu highlighting the chefs' signature dishes and culinary artistry. There is a choice of a 4-course ($158 per person) or 6-course Degustation Menu ($228 per person), with a further option to have wine accompaniment for either menu.

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We started our 4-course dinner with a freshly Baked Mini Baguette with Butter. The baguette was served warm and featured a crisp, golden crust and a soft interior, accompanied by a rich, creamy butter that melts beautifully when spread on the baguette.

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Tempura Prawn

Next, we were treated to a snack of Tempura Prawn that was light and crispy. This nice touch provided a little nibble as we waited for our first course.

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Cold Angel Hair Pasta topped with Oscietra Caviar 5/5

For our first course, we selected two different options- the first being their famous Cold Angel Hair Pasta topped with Oscietra caviar, and the second being the Tartare Flavoured Carpaccio of Saga Wagyu Striploin.

The Cold Angel Hair Pasta, topped with Oscietra caviar, is truly a dish that speaks for itself, and in my opinion, it's absolutely perfect. Every delicate, silky strand of chilled pasta is tossed with chives, kombu and truffle oil for a delicious taste. It is also luxuriously topped with Oscietra caviar for a briny pop of flavour. A standout choice, I would love to eat this again!

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Tartare Flavoured Carpaccio of Saga Wagyu Striploin 4.2/5

The second starter we tried was the Tartare Flavoured Carpaccio of Saga Wagyu Striploin, a dish that showcases the high quality of meat used. Thinly sliced, the carpaccio highlights the rich marbling and tenderness of the Saga Wagyu, known for its exceptionally buttery texture. It’s also sprinkled with some cheese shavings and crispy croutons.

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White Whole Truffle

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Gratinated Cevennes Onion 3.8 /5

Moving on to our second course, we also savoured two different options. I had the Gratinated Cevennes Onion with Seasonal White Truffle, lemon and black pepper, whilst my dining companion opted for the Roasted Spanish Carabinero Gambas with light spicy tomato-flavoured rice.

For the Gratinated Cevennes Onion dish, seasonal white truffles are shaved over the caramelised Cevennes onions and served elegantly in a silver bowl. The baked dish features a rich, buttery aroma that complements the distinctive sweetness of the onions, creating a comforting yet refined flavour profile. However, I found the portion size of this dish to be really small, and I finished it in two bites.

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Roasted Spanish Carabinero Gambas with Light Spicy Tomato Flavoured Rice 4.5/5

For a heartier second starter, consider the Roasted Spanish Carabinero Gambas. This dish has half of the Carabinero prawn roasted to perfection and bursting with flavour. It is served alongside a tangy tomato-flavoured rice with a bit of spiciness that makes it even more satisfying.

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Roasted Iberico Pork Jowl 4.8/5

Moving on to our main plate, we tried two delightful dishes: Roasted Iberico Pork Jowl and Grilled Wagyu Beef Sirloin.

Considering that pork is almost never my first choice for a main, I was thoroughly impressed with the Roasted Iberico Pork Jowl, which was accompanied by herbs, raspberries, and hibiscus sauce. The pork jowl was beautifully prepared—tender and juicy, with a perfect balance of fat and meat. The hibiscus sauce and raspberries complemented the pork wonderfully, adding a touch of tanginess without being overly sour. I would definitely pick this dish again!

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Grilled Wagyu Beef Sirloin 4.5/5

The Grilled Wagyu Beef Sirloin is also delicious; it comes with roasted sweet corn and a caramelised banana shallot that enhances the flavour of the dish, whilst crispy potato strips provide a nice crunch. Overall, this is a well-rounded dish showcasing the beef's high quality.

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Floating Island of Chocolate on Coffee Flavoured Parfait 4.2/5

Last but not least was the dessert course, and I selected the Floating Island of Chocolate on Coffee-Flavoured Parfait. It's a dense, warm chocolate cake with a rich, gooey centre. Paired with coffee-flavoured parfait, it's a timeless flavour combination that is quite irresistible.

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Fine Apple Tart “Aux Dragées”, Salted Caramel, Havana Rum Raisin Ice Cream 4.5/5

The Fine Apple Tart "Aux Dragées" features a delicate pastry base filled with sweet apple compote and some crunchy caramelised sugar. To elevate the experience, it is served alongside Havana rum raisin ice cream, which makes for an indulgent dessert. It is something quite special that I have not had before, and I enjoyed the crispy pastry paired with the ice cream very much.

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Canelés, Cookies and Choc Truffle

We were presented with Petit Fours, featuring Canelés, a crisp Cookie, and a rolled Chocolate Truffle to conclude our meal. We also enjoyed warm, freshly baked mini financiers with delightfully crisp edges.

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Dinner at Gunther's was a memorable dining experience marked by high-quality ingredients and well-balanced, delicious flavours in each dish. The chef is very skilled and has many signature dishes which are well worth trying.

However, expect that portions are on the smaller side overall. Personally, it left me feeling satisfied but not uncomfortably full. However, for those with a larger appetite, the smaller portions might leave you wanting more.

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.


Gunther's Modern French Dining
36 Purvis Street
#01-03
Singapore 188613
Tel: +65 9010 3075
Facebook
Instagram
Website
Nearest MRT: Bugis (EW Line), City Hall (EW, NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 12pm - 230pm, 630pm - 1030pm
Sat: 630pm - 1030pm
(Closed on Sun)

Direction:
1) Alight at Bugis MRT station. Take Exit C. Walk to National Library Building (NLB) along North Bridge Road. At NLB, cross the road at the traffic junction of North Bridge Road and Middle Road. Walk further down North Bridge Road and turn left into Purvis Street. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at City Hall MRT station. Take Exit A. Cut through Raffles City Shopping Centre, walk to traffic junction of Bras Basah Road and North Bridge Road. Cross the road and walk down North Bridge Road. Turn right onto Purvis Street. Walk to destination. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]

Sunday, November 8, 2020

Buona Terra @ Scotts Road - Tranforming Italian Cuisine Into A Contemporary Work Of Art

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I am actually surprised that Buona Terra located at Scotts Road has been around since 2012. It has been 8 years, and I only knew of the restaurant when it was awarded its first one Michelin star in 2019. Having passed the beautiful black and white colonial bungalow along Scotts Road on many occasions, it never occurred to be the restaurant is actually located at the cosy wing of the bungalow, hidden from the urban jungle in Orchard area.

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Crispy Potato and Cod Fish Mousse 4/5

I had the Buona Terra Experience 5-course Menu ($178) for lunch. The lunch started with 3 snacks item and a basket of housemade bread which comprises of Onion Foccacia, Dried Tomato Soft Roll and Sourdough.

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Butter Cone with Scallop Tartare and Caviar 4.5/5

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Tomato Ball 4.2/5

The three snack items are Crispy Potato and Cod Fish Mousse, Butter Cone with Scallop Tartare and Caviar, and Tomato Ball. I was really impressed with what I see and taste so far. I was sharing with my dining companions, I didn't feel like I am dining in an Italian restaurant, it felt more like a French restaurant.

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Snail Ragu with Martini Sabayon 4/5

The amuse bouche is Snail Ragu with Martini Sabayon. The creamy sabayon is actually is a mixture of cream, egg yolk and four kinds of pepper (Jamaican, Javanese, Indian and Sarawak). It is even smoked with applewood chips just before servicing.

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Beef Carpaccio with Porcini Mushrooms 4.8/5

The Beef Carpaccio with Porcini Mushrooms uses Kagoshima Wagyu Sendai A5 Sirloin. A lot of prep work is behind the beautiful dish. The wagyu is coated in seasoning and chilled in the chiller for a couple of hours. The rub is then washed off, and the wagyu is then chargrilled and smoked with cherry wood before leaving it in the freezer. It is then thinly sliced for serving.

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Seared Scallop, Jerusalem Artichoke, Sea Asparagus and Anchovy Sauce 4/5

Next from the sea, we have the Seared Scallop paired with Jerusalem artichoke, sea asparagus and anchovy sauce. The live Hokkaido scallop is super huge, plump and sweet.

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Tagliolini with Crab and Caviar 4.5/5

A staple in Italian cuisine is their pasta. Made inhouse is the Tagliolini which has a firmer bite compare to others. The texture of the pasta really stands out for me. The texture reminds of the Chinese Ee Mian texture.

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Chargrilled Dry Aged Mieral Pigeon with Figs and Pumpkin, Amaretto and Moscato 4.2/5

The Chargrilled Pigeon is from Mieral, France dry-aged for 10 days and served in two ways. I am not sure whether it is due to the dry-ageing, I find that it has a deeper flavour. In fact, you don't get that liver-like taste which most diner may dislike.

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Salted Milk Ice Cream, Dulce De Leche, Italian White Truffle 5/5

Diners can choose to add on $50 for the pre-dessert with 5g of white truffles. The Salted Milk Ice Cream with dulce de leche is topped with shaved Italian white truffle. Ice cream and white truffle is an unusual pairing, but the combination tasted heavenly.

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Pear and Ricotta Cheesecake 4/5

Dessert is Pear and Ricotta Cheesecake which is beautifully presented with a scoop of pear sorbet. What I enjoyed is the multi-textural and flavours in each bite.

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Fruit Gelee

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Baci di Dama

Wrapping up the 5-course meal is a trio of Fruit Gelee, Baci di Dama and Cannolo. The fruit gelee reminds me of my childhood day. My favourite goes to the cannolo for its delightful crunch and nuttiness.

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Cannolo

As this is the white truffle season, diner can choose to add them to enhance any dish at $88 for 10g or $10 per gram. For wine lovers, Buona Terra boasts a collection of over 250 labels include vintages and limited bottles that are rarely available commercially, earning the restaurant recognition among the 5 top wine lists for Italian wines in Singapore.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Buona Terra
29 Scotts Road
Singapore 2282244
Tel: +65 67330209
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Orchard (NS Line), Newton (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri & PH: 12pm - 3pm, 6pm - 1030pm
Sat & PH: 6pm - 1030pm
(Closed on Sun)

Direction:
1) Alight at Newton MRT station. Take Exit A. Turn right onto Scotts Road. Walk down Scotts Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 12 mins. [Map]

2) Alight at Orchard MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to bus stop opposite Orchard Road (Stop ID 09023). Take bus number 124, 143, 162, 167 or 972. Alight 2 stops later. Walk to destination. Journey time about 12 mins. [Map]

Friday, November 8, 2019

LaBrezza @ The St. Regis Singapore - A White Truffle Gastronomy

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Hailing from Piedmont, the highly prized white truffles has arrived at LaBrezza at The St. Regis Singapore. Only available during this short winter season between 15 October - 30 November 2019, Executive Sous Chef Fabio Granata has crafted a special menu to incorporate this delicacy into Italian classics.

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Organic Poached Egg, Spinach, Tre Latti Cheese Fondue, Alba Truffle Shavings 4.5/5

The strength of white truffles, as you will realise as you go along with the dishes, lies with their aroma. The most ideal way to treat white truffles is to slice them thinly only a finished pasta, eggs etc, allowing heat to release its aroma and flavors, rather than cooking or infusing them into other ingredients as we would with black truffles. I learnt that ingredients such as cream, milk, eggs, cheese harmonize and accentuate the characteristics of white truffles. That explains why Uovo Affogato, Spinaci, Uovo Fonduta E Tartufo ($56) is so imperative in the entire gastronomic experience. The garlicky scent wafting out from the warmed Alba truffle shavings teased my senses the moment this dish was served. While the green element can be interchanged with other vegetables, the cheese fondue and the poached egg are essential to this Italian signature. Made with sheep milk cheese, cow milk cheese and goat milk cheese, the cheese fondue was sharp but not too pungent, rich and creamy, and the egg yolk lava thickened its consistency even further. Accented with earthy nuances from the white truffle shavings, the way to balance the assertiveness of the dish, is to tear the toasted brioche served at the side, dip it in and then deliver the decadent goodness straight into your mouth. The toasty sweetness of the brioche coming through will bring all the elements together in harmony.

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(Half portion) Traditional Egg Tagliolini, Butter-Parmigiano Emulsion, Alba Truffle Shavings 4.8/5

Along the same pairing principle, Tajarin Al Tartufo ($60) allows the delicate truffle shavings to soften and release their aroma and flavours into the pasta, and the earthy, garlicky notes of the truffle were even more pronounced in this dish. Coated with Butter-Parmigiano Emulsion, the pasta inherited an almost creamy texture. Carrying just a light saltiness from the cheese, the pasta was able to drew much flavours out from the earthy truffle shavings.

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Braised Guinea Fowl, Soft Polenta, Brussel Sprouts, Alba Truffle Shavings 3/5

Just when I thought the experience would get even better with a meat pairing, the choice of lean meat in Faraona Con Panna E Tartufo ($70) didn't quite work with the truffles. Perhaps it lacks the fats and body to meld with the latter, I'm actually quite happy with just the brussel sprouts and polenta to mingle with the fungus.

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Zeppole Puff, Chantilly Cream, Hazelnut Nougat, Alba Truffle Shavings 3.8/5

Complete this annual gastronomic journey with Zeppole, Nocciole E Tartufo ($49). If you find it disconcerting about this dessert idea at first, it all makes sense as you appreciate its profile through the various savoury dishes.

Additional shavings of Alba White Truffle is available at market price.

Written and photography 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.


LaBrezza
St Regis Singapore Hotel
Level 2
29 Tanglin Road
Singapore 247911
Tel: +65 65066884
Website
Nearest MRT: Orchard (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 12pm - 3pm, 7pm - 10pm

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 onwards to Forum Shopping Mall. Walk further down to Orchard Parade Hotel. Turn left onto Tanglin Road. St Regis is just beside Tanglin Shopping Centre. Journey time about 15 minutes. [Map]