Upper Place @ Wangz Hotel - European Small Plates with Asian Influences

Upper Place located at the roof top floor of WANGZ Hotel offers European small plates with Asian influences. This latest addition to the Tiong Bahru neighbourhood's bustling F&B scene is helmed by Chef Gregory Lau with more than 16 years of experience working in top-notch restaurants and hotels. The indoor area is rather small, sits up to only 26 guests. However, the simple furnishings makes it very comfortable. The 50-seater alfresco dining area, decorated with lush planters is just as conducive for a chill-out evening.

Yellow Fin Tuna Tartare Tart 4.2/5

Tuna tartare is one of my favourite all time appetisers and their Yellow Fin Tuna Tartare Tart ($14) goes beyond my expectation with a much different style of execution. The tuna was fatty and full of flavour in my mouth. The tangy avocado coulis gives a lift to its flavour while adding on to its creaminess. I like the textural contrast of the savoury tobiko, as well as the sweet, buttery and flaky pastry underneath, which itself is pretty tasty. The onion truffle compote sandwiched in between brings the details together. Indeed, it was like a garden full of mini delights, though some say it looks like our galaxy with the avocado coulis forming the milky way. What say you?

Lobster Kueh Pie Tee 4.2/5

Perhaps Chef is a gardener at heart, to be able to plant 3 pots of Lobster Kueh Pie Tee ($10) so elegantly on the rice bed. The smokey lobster chunks filling comes with tomato chipotle, which was complemented by the mango espuma atop, just like a mango salsa combination! I really enjoyed the 'fullness' of it as I find our usual kueh pie tee too airy - crispy shell with a few strands of shredded greens.

Slow Cooked Pork Belly Tacos 2.5/5

Slow Cooked Pork Belly Tacos ($10) was just as aesthetic. I could smelled its Thai-ness the moment it came. I was expecting the taste to be refreshing but the pork belly dressed in homemade barbecue sauce was too salty for my liking.

Short Ribs Congee, Veal Sweetbreads 4.5/5

I was told that Chef's Short Ribs Congee with Veal Sweetbreads ($17) is so good that he could possible open a congee shop. And I didn't expect it to be this good. The whiff of sesame oil exuding from the veal sweetbreads was comforting. An offal meat but these nuggets ain't intrusive, they add characters to the congee like cockles in laksa. Cooked with beef stock, the congee was smooth and flavourful but not beefy. I love the idea behind the short rib nest which is to replace the usual you tiao. The ribs cocooned in the crispy nest was tender and rich, and eating it with the egg lava adds on to the satisfaction. I even scooped out braised peanuts!

Reconstructed Laksa Risotto 4/5

Laksa is a popular local dish where chefs love to deconstruct it or fuse its characters into their dishes. Some failed terribly but Chef Gregory's Reconstructed Laksa Risotto ($27) revive the concept again. Using premium ingredients - Boston lobster, Hokkaido scallop, market catch (soft shell crab), which were both sweet and meaty, the tangy coconut foam dotted with laksa leaves somehow lit up my mind. The risotto was pearly and al dente, robust with laksa nuances.

Matcha Parfait 3/5

We end the evening with the Matcha Parfait ($8). Partnering with its soulmate, the red stew beans. What I find interesting is the drops of olive oil on the thin layer of black sesame coulis on top, which makes it even smoother while infusing a subtle flavour into it. It didn't delight me as much as the one from Sen of Japan though. The Vietnamese paper tuile also gives the dessert a funny aftertaste which I did not enjoy.

European or western dishes with Asian influences are not certainly not a new concept. In fact, rather overused at times. However I feel Chef Gregory is able to grasp the essence of it and execute it in his own words brilliantly. These fine food offerings are price tagged from as affordable as $8 onwards too. I do hope that Upper Place will be the next shining gem of Tiong Bahru.

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. Note: This is an invited tasting.


Upper Place
Wangz Hotel
Level R (Rooftop)
231 Outram Road
Singapore 169040
Tel: +65 65951380
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Nearest MRT: Tiong Bahru (EW Line), Outram (EW Line, NE Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 11am - 1030pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at Tiong Bahru MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to bus stop at Tiong Bahru Plaza (Stop ID 10169). Take bus number 33, 63 and 851. Alight at 2 stops later. Cross the road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Outram MRT station. Take Exit A. Cross the road towards Singapore General Hospital. Turn right and walk down Outram Road. Continue on Outram Road onto Tiong Bahru Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 15 minutes. [Map]

Sushi Murasaki @ Millenia Walk - Omakase Showcasing Seasonal Ingredients From Japan

Sushi Murasaki is located along the stretch of Japanese restaurants on level 2 of the Japanese Food Street at Millenia Walk. Sushi Murasaki specializes in omakase dining concept showcasing seasonal fish freshly flown directly from Japan's famous Tsukiji Fish Market. I had the Kumo Omakase ($180) which comes with 2 appetizers, 3 kind of sashimi, 6pc nigari sushi, mini premium don, signature soup and dessert.

Hairy Crab Meat 4/5

The omakase dinner started with the seasonal Hairy Crab known for its sweet flesh and rich creamy roes. The crab meat has been de-shelled and topped with its roes and black vinegar jelly. Give it a good mix for the different components to come together.

Smoked Spanish Mackerel 4.2/5

The Smoked Spanish Mackerel is lightly torched on its skin, filling the air with a nice smokey aroma. It is then topped with onion and ginger. A memorable enjoyment with the smokiness and saltiness complementing each other.

Sashimi 4.5/5

You can't really complain much when the Otoro and Chutoro are freshly flown from Japan and served in its original form. Fatty and melted in the mouth, this is simply heavenly.

Tilefish 4/5

Another seasonal item we tried is the Tilefish. The dish showcases both texture and flavour. The deep fried skin and scales provide the crispy texture while the meat itself has a subtle sweetness.

Lobster with Truffle 4/5

Initially I thought I was being served a bowl of soup until I lifted the lid. Inside the bowl, there are chunky pieces of Lobster meat in a mushroom based broth and topped with shaved truffle. It is a rather interesting combination using the earthy truffle to pair with the sweetness of the lobster meat. It took me a while to appreciate the combination.

Shimaaji Sushi 4.2/5

Moving on to the sushi, we started with the Shimaaji Sushi. The chef glazed the sashimi with soy sauce and then topped with roes and wasabi. He even squeeze a bit of lime juice onto the sushi before serving. I enjoyed the lime part, I thought it help to liven up the sushi for a refreshing finishing.

Kinmedai Sushi 4.2/5

The Kinmedai Sushi is again glazed with soy sauce before topping with some yuzu shaving. I realized the chef likes to incorporate other elements onto the sushi to lift the flavour. It is a detour from the tradition way of appreciating sushi, which I think is a good approach while still preserving the basic.

Otoro Sushi 4.5/5

As I was seated at the counter, I could see how painstaking and delicately the chef prepared the Otoro Sushi which is topped with chopped tuna and edible gold leaf. A luxurious piece of sushi that brought me to seventh heaven for its melted in the mouth texture and beautiful flavours.

Foie Gras and Uni Sushi 4/5

Creamy and creamier is how I would describe the Foie Gras and Uni Sushi. Never would I imagine the bold approach of the chef to substitute the tradition use of fish with foie gras and even adorned it with the premium uni. This is a heavenly combination that works perfectly. My only request is to reduce the sauce so as to allow the ingredients themselves to shine.

Uni Sushi 4.2/5

It seems like the previous dish was just a teaser as I was served a whole parcel of Uni. Among all the sushi, the Uni Sushi is the most traditional of all. Just the main ingredient which is the uni and sushi rice, without other elements to boost the flavours.

Wagyu Don 4.8/5

This is definitely the ultimate beef bowl. The Wagyu Don comes with uni, truffle, wagyu, onsen egg, foie gras and fish roes. You may think that this is just too much and too rich to be really enjoyed. The clever part is the bowl is served with garlic fried rice instead of white rice. The garlic fried rice played an important role of cutting through all the richness, providing the much needed balance.

If you have realized, the dishes at Sushi Murasaki is actually quite rich in taste. It is fitting that a bowl of soup is served right at the end to cleanse the palate. The kombu and bonito soup comes with tofu and grilled golden eye snapper fish cheek. A smoothing ending to the dinner before dessert.

Milk Tea Creme Brulee 4.2/5

Wrapping up the dinner is the Milk Tea Creme Brulee. Another interesting twist from the normal creme brulee. The bitter sweet of the caramelized sugar with the creamy custard work harmoniously for a delightful end to the night.

Overall I have enjoyed my omakase experience at Sushi Murasaki. At Sushi Murasaki, the approach in handling the freshly flown ingredients from Japan is towards modern fusion technique, incorporating other elements to elevate the whole experience of Japanese cuisine.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Sushi Murasaki
Millenia Walk
9 Raffles Boulevard
#02-08
Singapore 039596
Tel:+65 63419668
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Website
Nearest MRT: Promenade (CC Line, DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 12pm - 230pm, 6pm - 1030pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at Promenade MRT station. Take Exit A or B. Walk to level two of Millenia Walk. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]