Amuse @ Orchard Hotel

Never do we expect renowned Chef Armin Leitgeb to be back at Singapore F&B scene as a consultant for the latest dining concept, Amuse a casual eatery and bar that serves an array of international small bites and drinks by the Esmirada Group after he left Les Amis and went back to France.

Chef Armin creates the eclectic cosmopolitan menu of affordable small plates drawing inspiration from his experiences with food in his 20 years of travelling and working around the world, childhood memories and his understanding of Asian appetite in his 6 years stint in Singapore. Amuse is helmed by Chef Lee Chee Keong, the trusted righ hand man who has worked closely with Chef Armin in the past three years.

Amber Bowl 4/5

The great food at Amuse is matched by a great bar front by young Austrian whiz kid, Klaus Leopoid. I tried the Amber Bowl ($18) which is an elegant balance of Rhum Vieux du Pere Labat, apple juice, homemade vanilla syrup, Fee Brothers Orange Bitters and chilled with a classy ice ball that is moulded in house.

Beef Tartare Cone 4.2/5

What an innovative creation to serve beef tartare in a ice cream cone. The Beef Tartare Cone ($14) with horsedish mousse encased in filo pastry was fun, playful and exquisite.

Ciabatta Wrapped Crispy Egg 4.2/5

Putting a quirky spin to the local soft boiled egg and toast breakfast, the Ciabatta Wrapped Crispy Egg ($15) with prosciutto, spinach and mushroom ragout blown my mind with its tsunami of flavours and textures.

Crispy Pork Crouton with Lightly Smoked Eel 4.5/5

A signature item which Chef Armin brought over to Amuse is the Crispy Pork Crouton with Lightly Smoked Eel ($21). The pork croutons comprise a thin layer of homemade pork terrine spread deftly over a slim piece of ciabatta and toasted over the plancha. Complex but yet subtle.

Grilled Spanish Octopus 4.5/5

The Grilled Spanish Octopus ($19) is like a multi nation on a plate. The octopus is imported from Spain, the tomatoes from France and pumpkin seed oil from Austrian. This is my first encounter with Austrian pumpkin seed oil. It has an aromatic peanut/sesame similarity flavours that paired very well with the ingredients on the plate.

Tomato 'Bouchot' Mussel Risotto 4.2/5

The Tomato 'Bouchot' Mussel Risotto ($19) was packed with robust flavours. The rice grains which was aged for a year was beautifully cooked absorbing the flavours and had a slight crunchy bite to it.

Grilled Hamachi 'Kama' 4.5/5

Simply love the fatness of the Grilled Hamachi 'Kama' ($25) that had a nice grilled crisp to the skin and a moist interior. Dipping the fish meat with the lime salt lifted the flavour to a new dimension.

Spicy Lamb Burger 4.2/5

The Middle East influenced Spicy Lamb Burger ($16) with its special harissa spice blend, fennel pollen aioli and eggplant was juicy and tangy. Messy to eat but finger licking good.

Char Grilled Wagyu 'Cubes' Cooked in Hay 4.8/5

The Char Grilled Wagyu 'Cubes' Cooked in Hay ($39) is reminiscent of Chef Armin's childhood in Austria when he grew up on his grandparents' farm and hay was aplenty in the barn. The beef served with mushrooms, lettuce and Mignonette sauce was cooked perfectly, tender and succulent.

Amuse which replaced the Spanish tapas bar Bodega Y Tapas instead of just Spanish tapas, offers diners with an eclectic fusion of global small bites that uses quality ingredients prepared deftly with high end culinary techniques. Coupled with relaxing and vibrant ambience, Amuse will be a convivial and fun place. Price wise it can be quite sensitive to the wallet but it comes with full spectrum of global tastes of quality fare.


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Amuse
Orchard Hotel
442 Ochard Road
#01-29
Singapore 238879
Website: http://www.esmirada.com
Nearest MRT: Orchard (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 5pm - 1am
Sat: 12pm - 1am
Sun: 12pm - 11pm

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. Cross the road at the traffic light junction at Forum Shopping Mall and turn left to Orchard Hotel. Journey time about 15 minutes.

1) Alight at Orchard MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk towards Shaw House via underpass. At the road level, walk along Orchard Road towards Royal Thai Embassy direction. Continue onwards to Orchard Towers. Cross the road at the traffic light junction at Orchard Towers and continue onwards to Orchard Hotel. Journey time about 15 minutes.

Backyard @ Dempsey

I am back at Backyard@Dempsey for their Christmas Menu food tasting. Backyard@Dempsey will be offering 4 Festive Sets from 21 Decemeber 2012 to 25 December 2012. Each set comes with a choice of starter, main, dessert and a drink (Carlsberg or Pierre Jean Chardonnay/Merlot). Book early and prepay to enjoy Early Bird Discount, 20% off for lunch and 10% for dinner.

Mediterranean Chicken Salad 3.8/5

For starter, there is a choice between the Mediterranean Chicken Salad or French Onion Soup. The Mediterranean Chicken Salad with its fresh greens and chunky chicken topped with delectable dressing tantalized the appetite. The tomatoes and grapes gave the salad a fruity and freshing touch.

French Onion Soup 3/5

The French Onion Soup was packed with flavours but all of us at the table agreed that it was a bit salty. I was also looking for more caramalized onions in the soup for that extra textures and sweetness. The flavours were all there, it just need a bit of fine tuning to make it better.

Chicken Ballotine 4/5

Christmas is about turkey but the meat can be quite tough and dry if it is not done properly. Hence I usually avoid turkey whenever it is possible. If you are like me, you can try the Chicken Ballotine Set ($39). The chicken stuffed with mushrooms and nuts was tender and flavourful. Just picking bones here, I thought brown sauce is a bit too classic. It will be good if we can have a sauce that is more contrasting and adds colour to the dish.

Guinness Battered Fish & Chips 4.2/5

When I visited Backyard @ Dempsey in August 2012, I was told that Guinness is the best beer for battered fish but the dark colour appearance is not very presentable so they have the Kronenbourg Beer Battered Fish on the menu instead. I was quite excited when I knew I am going to finally taste the Guinness Battered Fish and Chips Set ($34). The battered fish came with hint of beer flavour, nicely crisp on the exterior and moist inside.

Pork Roulade 4.2/5

The Pork Roulade Set ($42) was straight forward with its strong and intense flavours. Meat lover will adore this dish. Best to go with a bottle of beer.

Black Angus Ribeye 4.5/5

Among the 4 mains, the Black Angus Ribeye Set ($52) was my favourite for the evening. The meat was grilled to perfection, juicy and flavourful with a tad of smokiness.

Tiramisu 4/5

For the dessert there is a choice of Tiramisu or Creme Brulee. The Tiramisu here is without liqueur and on the cheesy side. I actually quite like this version as I love my cheese.

Creme Brulee 2.5/5

The Creme Brulee was unfortunately not up to expectation. The rich custard base was eggy and lacked the vanilla flavour. The layer of hard caramel sunk in instead of crackling when I dug my spoon into it.

Backyard@Dempsey is a casual and comfort restaurant and bar amidst the lush and mature greenery nature just off the Dempsey catchment of F&B establishments. The nook in the woods is a relaxing haven for the frazzled and for those seeking a brief respite from the everyday hustle of Singapore. It is conveniently located within walking distance from the bus stop opposite Gleneagles Hospital. For car owners, Backyard@Dempsey has plenty of free parking lots too.


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Backyard @ Dempsey
130E Minden Road
Singapore 248819
Tel: +65 64790388
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/backyardatdempsey
Website: http://www.backyardatdempsey.com
Nearest MRT: Orchard (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 11am to 12am

Direction:
1) Alight at Orchard MRT. Take Exit B. Cross the road and walk to bus stop at Boulevard Orchard opposite Orchard MRT (Stop ID 09022). Take bus no. 7, 77, 106, 123 or 174. Alight 5 stops later. Walk to Minden Road. Journey time about 20 minutes.