Thursday, August 2, 2018

SKIRT @ W Singapore - More Than Just A Steakhouse Here

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SKIRT at W Singapore is not known only as a steakhouse for its prime cuts of meat but it now offers an expanded menu that includes European dishes with a touch of Asian influences, under the new leadership of Head Chef, Justin Dingle Garciyya. It is moving away from its steakhouse label, with more variety on the menu.

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Focaccia 4.5/5

Our dinner started with some warm house-baked Focaccia that is served with duck fat butter and smoked salt. I would have stuffed myself with the fluffy bread if not for the reason that I am saving my stomach for the rest of the new menu.

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Sir Lankan Crab & Caviar 4/5

The Sri Lankan Crab & Caviar ($32) comes with luxe shreds of crab meat crowned with caviar. This is served in a creamy shellfish bisque. The bisque has that familiar curry flavour probably from the addition of lemongrass in it.

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Truffled Beef Tartare 4.2/5

Having the beef tartare alone can be a bit surfeit for some. Hence I like the idea of the rice crispies that is paired with the Truffled Beef Tartare ($28). It gives the dish an enjoyable texture, so that one will not feel heavy eating it.

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Veal Sweetbread & Foie Gras 4.2/5

I didn't thought I would enjoy the Veal Sweetbread & Foie Gras ($38) with mushroom which has been cooked in a red wine jus but I just could not help going back for more. Besides the fatty foie gras, the red wine jus definitely plays a part in elevating the taste of the the veal sweetbread and mushroom.

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Bone Marrow 4.5/5

These Bone Marrow ($45) is a two-in-one dish with plump escargot inside the bone marrow, oven roasted with cafe de skirt butter.

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Cape Grim Sirloin 4.5/5

A visit to Skirt is not complete without trying the steak. We had the Cape Grim Sirloin that is grilled to medium rare and dressed in sun choke foam. The beautiful pink piece of meat is tender and juicy, while the sauce did not steal the limelight from the beef, instead complementing it.

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Brocollini 4/5

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Beets & Blunts 4.2/5

You can also order a number of sides such as the Brocollini, Beets & Blunts, Lobster Mac & Cheese and Pommes Anna to go with the steak. I like the pickled roots from the beets & blunts which helps to cut the richness.

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Lobster Mac & Cheese 4.2/5

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Pommes Anna 4.5/5

I would recommend going for the Lobster Mac & Cheese which is a luxurious upgrade from the classic with pieces of lobster meat. The Pommes Anna with thin layers of potato slices in melted butter, will get you savouring for more.

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Banana Pizza 4.2/5

I would strongly recommend you to save a space for the Banana Pizza ($18). The combination of the sweetness of the banana and nutty caramelized pistachios, topped with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream gives an enjoyable contrast that will delight the sweet tooth.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


SKIRT
W Singapore
21 Ocean Way
Singapore 098374
Tel: +65 68087278
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Harbourfront (CC Line, NE Line)

Opening Hours:
Sun-Thu: 6pm - 1130pm
Fri-Sat, Eve of PH  and PH: 6pm - 12midnight

Direction:
1) Alight at Harbour Front MRT station. Exit station to Vivocity Shopping Mall. Go to Sentosa Express Station at Level 3 of Vivocity. Take Sentosa Express Train to Beach station. Alight at Beach station and transfer to Sentosa Bus B. [Map]

Wednesday, August 1, 2018

The RANCH Steakhouse by ASTONS @ Clarke Quay - Great Steak, Humbly Priced Dry Aged & Premium Beef

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The RANCH Steakhouse is an ASTON’s chain that opened at Clarke Quay, specialising in dry aged steaks served table side. Upon entering the restaurant, you’ll be greeted with huge portions of steaks aging in the glass fridges. It was great how you can take a look at the steaks being aged and even see how many days they’ve been aged for. You can also feel free to watch your meals being prepared at the open concept kitchen.

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Beef Tartar 4/5

Start of with their wide range of cold or hot starters. We had the Beef Tartar ($18/100g, $34/200g) which was a generous amount of hand cut beef tenderloin mixed with onions, caper, gherkin, tomato and spices to musk the raw taste of beef. A smooth quail egg will be cracked in the centre, then laced with XO Cognac. Enjoy this tender beef with toasted rye bread.

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Crab Cake 4/5

A hot starter that is a must try was the Homemade Crab Cake ($18). They use premium crab meat in the patty and was accompanied with a really interesting and refreshing avocado ice cream. One of my favourite elements on this dish was the roasted red capsicum ketchup that went so well with the crab cake.

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French Onion Soup 4/5

If you’re a soup person like me, the French Onion Soup ($12) and the Classic Lobster Bisque with X.O. Hennessy ($16) were so hearty. We personally liked the Lobster Bisque more as it had more complex flavours and was so rich and creamy, with real bits of lobster in it. Pair your soup with The RANCH Artisan Bread Basket ($7) that comes with the most fragrant truffle butter.

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Signature USDA Prime 30 Days Dry Aged Steak 4.5/5

Now to the mains we’ve all been waiting for - the Signature USDA Prime 30 Days Dry Aged Steak. This 700g of Porterhouse T-Bone ($15/100g, min. order 700g) was enough to feed about 2-4 pax and came with a choice of one sauce - Bearnaise, Perigord Truffle, Red Wine or Twin Peppercorn. Honestly, the steak was already so amazing on it’s own but I do recommend the Perigord Truffle sauce.

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Whip out your phones as they will serve your choice of steak table side and cut it right in front of you. The difference between a regular steak and a dry aged steak is that it is more firm and compact, giving you a lot of flavour in every bite. Along with your steaks, feel free to order any of their side dishes for $8 each. I recommend The RANCH Homemade Fries which were so well made I was so addicted to them.

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Chocolate Paradise 4/5

End of your meal with a comforting dessert like the Chocolate Paradise ($12). This was a sight to behold as it featured a hazelnut chantilly, feuilletine tuiles and a salted crumble. Paired with a swiss chocolate ice cream, this dessert was like a deconstructed and elevated ferrero rocher.

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Creme Brulee 4.5/5

My winning dessert was the Creme Brulee ($12) as it was my first time having a sour creme brulee which was so refreshing. The tanginess from the passionfruit went so well with the heavy creme brulee, I couldn’t have asked for a better combination.

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The RANCH Open Burger 4.5/5

The RANCH Steakhouse is also offering a 2 Course Set Lunch at $15 that is not only affordable but so value for money. It comes with a soup of the day and a main course which you can choose from The RANCH Open Burger, Mushroom Linguine and Corn-Fed French Spatchcock. The RANCH Open Burger was one of the best burgers I’ve had and I wasn’t surprised since it was made with premium beef patties and topped with a sous vide egg, crispy bacon and a toasted brioche. It was juicy, so packed with flavour and was enjoyable with every bite.

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Photos and words by Vanessa Chia. A girl who has a passion for taking photos. Determined to always get better at what I am doing. Note: This is an invited tasting.


The RANCH Steakhouse by ASTONS
The Foundry, Clarke Quay
3 River Valley Road
Block B, #01-15
Singapore 179021
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Clarke Quay (NE Line), Fort Canning (DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 12pm - 3pm, 5pm - 12midnight

Direction: 
1) Alight at Fort Canning MRT Station. Take Exit A. Turn right and down River Valley Road. Turn right onto Tan Tye Place. Walk to the end of the road. Turn left onto Clark Quay. Walk to destination. Journey time bout 5 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Clarke Quay MRT station. Take Exit C or G. Walk to the river front. Turn left and walk down the river. Cross the bridge. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]