Level 33 @ MBFC Tower 1 - A New Menu Inspired By The Craft Beers At The World's Highest Urban-Brewery

I am back at Level 33, the world's highest urban craft-brewery and modern European kitchen after my last visit more than 3 years back. I am checking out Executive Chef Jimi Tegerdine's new menu which is inspired by the craft beers and the brewing process at Level 33.

Japanese Deep Sea Crab 4/5

Our dinner started with the Japanese Deep Sea Crab ($28) which comes with crab legs and claw poached in butter. I enjoyed the acidity of the lime gel which somewhat accentuated the sweetness of the crab and lifted the enjoyment. I appreciated the use of grilled corn for the dish but the popcorn was a bit off for me.

Hokkaido Scallop 3.5/5

Next is the Hokkaido Scallop ($27) which is lightly poached before serving. It is dressed in a green dashi sauce and crowned with orange caviar and bonito flakes. I thought the sauce was a bit too intense throwing the balance slightly off and masking the sweetness of the scallop. I probably would enjoy more if there was some sear on the scallop.

Kangaroo 3.8/5

This is my first time having Kangaroo ($37) and I was not sure what to expect. The piece of red loin meat was sous vide and char grilled. It is then paired with beetroot and turnip puree. Texture wise its a bit muscular. Taste wise I thought it was quite similar to pig liver. While kangaroo meat is acceptable for me, I would prefer it to be more charred as to cut the richness of the kangaroo meat.

Truffled Kumara 3.5/5

The Truffled Kumara ($28) is a vegetarian dish on the menu. It comes in a trio of Kumara sweet potatoes, trumpet mushroom and sake-fermented leek and dressed with truffle oil. The dish looks appealing but I did not quite enjoy it. I felt the whole execution was a bit on the dry side, lacking a sauce to whole it together.

NY Strip 4/5

Spinach 4.2/5, Butternut Squash 4/5

Good for sharing is the NY Strip ($135). Cooked beautifully to medium rare is the 8 weeks dry-aged French Sirloin, served with mustard espuma. Level 33 is one of the 3 restaurants in Singapoe serving it. You can also order some dishes such as the Spinach ($11) and Butternut Squash ($15) to go with the tender piece of beef.

Strawberry 3.5/5

You can find a perfect harmony of sweet and sour in the Strawberry ($15). It comes with various textures of strawberry paired with meringue and sorrel ice cream in the light and refreshing dessert.

Cereal 3.8/5

Another light and delicious dessert on the menu is the Cereal ($13.50). Served in a jar, it comes with shaved macadamia, beer malt praline, almond milk mousse and lemon curd. Every spoonful of the dessert, you can a combination of sweet, sour and textures working delightfully on the palate.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Level 33
Marina Bay Financial Centre Tower 1
8 Marina Boulevard
#33-01
Singapore 018981
Tel: +65 68343133
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Downtown (DT Line), Raffles Place (EW Line, NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Thu: 1130am - 12midnight
Fri & Eve of PH: 1130am - 2am
Sat: 10am - 2am
Sun: 12pm - 12midnight

Direction:
1) Alight at Downtown MRT station. Take Exit. Walk to destination. Journey time about 6 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Raffles Place MRT station. Take Exit E or J. Follow the underground walkway towards Marina Link Mall. Continue onwards to Marina Bay Financial Centre Tower 1. Journey time about 12 minutes. [Map]

Tea Lounge @ Regent Hotel Singapore - Afternoon Tea In A Contemporary Colonial Garden

Tea Lounge at Regent Singapore has reopened and you will find yourself stepping into a contemporary colonial garden with lush tropical greens and warm sunlight piercing through the window binds. Having Afternoon Tea here is made even more tranquil than before. Along with the refurbishment, interactive elements are added to bring your food closer to your senses. Unlike the usual Three-tier Afternoon Tea set which comes with an assortment of savoury delights, scones and sweets, Gold culinary Olympian Pastry Chef Alex Chong and his team will be crafting and sculpting your sweets a la minute, prepared at the Chef's work table.

The Scones here are are the first to be savoured once the tier is served. Buttery, kind of spongy and yet with a crusty exterior. Traditional lemon curd is served as well. What I had was a lemony, creamy and buttery scone as I slathered the Devonshire clotted cream all over. It would have been perfect if its house-made strawberry preserve is a lot less sugary and more tart.

With the scone craving satisfied, we moved on to its seasonal Quiches. The quiche is also a hot favourite here. Within the thin and buttery crust is a creamy and eggy filling loaded with ham.

Moving to the top tier that is filled with petite savoury finger food. made extravagant with ingredients such as Perigold black truffle, Alaskan king crab and foie gras. Right in the middle is a open sandwich Roasted Wagyu Beef and Lancashire cheese on rye bread crowned with Perigold black truffle. One could easily engulf it at one go but it's worth savouring the richness and flavour in smaller bites.

The Alaskan king crab stands out with its green colour watercress crepes. The crab meat was firm and sweet. Though there isn't much taste contributed from the watercress crepes, I enjoyed its fluffy texture. Another small yet rich in flavour is the Duck Breast and Lavender infused Foie Gras Terrine on tart. It is almost like eating bone marrrow on crostini with complementary sweetness lent from Spanish black figs.

There are 4 options for the plated desserts and I chose the Dark Chocolate Forest. The Chef's work table gave me a reason to exercise a bit while waiting for the dessert to get ready. You get to see the chefs putting together the various desserts, especially for the Golden Apple, in which the Chef got to create a fairytale green apple out of sugar. While it is a good effort to engage the guests, it would have been more meaningful if the effect could be more theatrical. My adorable dessert may look monotonous but it is filled with textures and complementing flavours from caramel cream, banana chocolate gelato, pecan brownie, chocolate choux puff, banana coulis and a crunchy chocolate crumble.

Along with my dessert, i ordered a Pour Over Coffee. Highly recommended for coffee enthusiasts and coffee lovers alike. With a newly introduced tableside trolley service, the well versed staff will bring the coffee over and prepare it infront of you. I love the part where i got to breath in the aroma as the staff poured the hot water which has been brought up specifically to a few degrees shy from boiling point, over the freshly ground coffee. Teas here are also a lot more exciting than the usual TWG. Each category comes with a romantic background and infusions are blended with quality tea leaves, flowers and herbs.

I enjoy the intimacy that one gets at this newly refurbished space at Tea Lounge, with the custom made partitions, mixed of warm and natural lights surrounding it. The new plush lounge seating makes it even harder for me to leave at the end of the session.

The Weekday Three-tier Afternoon Tea is priced starting from $48 per person and available from Monday to Friday from 12pm to 5pm.

Words and photos 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.


Tea Lounge
Regent Hotel Singapore
Lobby
1 Cuscaden Road
Singapore 249715
Tel: +65 67253245
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Orchard MRT (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Weekday Afternoon Tea: 12pm - 5pm

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. Continue walking down Tanglin Road. Turn left onto Tomlinson Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 18 minutes. [Map]