The Blue Ginger @ Great World City - Making Their Peranakan Food More Accessible To New And Younger Audience

With the revamped of Great World City, several new food establishments have opened at the shopping mall. One of these new restaurants is The Blue Ginger, an established Peranakan restaurant brands in Singapore with its flagship restaurant in Tanjong Pagar. This is only the brand's second outlet after being in the food scene for the past 25 years. The new restaurant strives to create a balance between contemporary and traditional, preserving the soul and heritage of Peranakan cuisine, while making their well-loved family recipes more accessible to a new and younger audience.

Kerabu Timun 4.2/5

Something new on the menu, at least for me is the Kerabu Timun ($8.50). I have not eaten this dish, whereby crunchy cucumber and chicken gizzards are tossed in a spicy dressing. I was told the chilli used is quite spicy, but I didn't feel it. This is probably balanced by the refreshing cucumber.

Kerabu Kacang Botol 4/5

Another refreshing starter is the Kerabu Kacang Botol ($11.50) in which crunch wing beans are tossed in a spicy, tangy dressing and topped with shallots and toasted grated coconut.

Beef Rendang 4.8/5

Not to be missed is their Beef Rendang ($20). The beef cubes which uses shin meat are cooked to fork-tender, infused with the aromatic and damn shiok rempah. You just have to enjoy this with a plate of steamed rice to savour the delicious gravy.

Ayam Panggang' Blue Ginger' 4/5

 Another delightful dish is the Ayam Panggang' Blue Ginger' ($16). The grilled boneless chicken thigh is cloaked in a rich sauce permeated with the nuances of lemongrass, galangal and coriander.

Terong Goreng Cili 4/5

The Terong Goreng Cili ($13) is cut into batonnets, deep-fried and crowned with fresh chilli paste. To balance the spiciness, sweet soya sauce is drizzled over it. I like that it still retains a soft interior, with contrasting crispiness on the exterior.

Pork Ribs Assam 4.2/5

Instead of the usual pork belly, Blue Ginger's rendition uses pork ribs instead. The Pork Ribs Assam ($16) is braised in a tamarind sauce with fall of the bone meat. The sweet and sour flavours are very appetising that will definitely whet up the appetite.

Sotong Keluak 4.8/5

The dish that got me all excited is the Sotong Keluak ($22). Unlike the usual sotong hitam that uses the squid's black ink sauce, Blue Ginger replaces it with buah keluak. The squid is stir-fried in the nutty black sauce further elevated by the addition of tamarind juice. Having tried buah keluak with chicken and pork ribs, I am surprised that sotong is my new favourite pairing. I hope more Peranakan restaurants will adopt this pairing in their menu.

Kerabu Laksa 3.8/5

Nonya Noodles 4/5

For diners looking for a quick meal, there are three one-dish meals to choose from. They are Kerabu Laksa, Nonya Noodles and Buah Keluak Fried Rice. All priced at $15 each. Probably new to a lot of people is the Nonya Noodles. It is not commonly served in restaurants as it is a treat customarily reserved for birthdays and special occasions. Quite similar to our local hokkien mee, the yellow noodles are cooked in a rich prawn and pork stock with bean sprouts, kang kong and garnished with omelette and cucumber julienne. What makes it different to the local hokkien mee is the addition of tau cheo (fermented soy bean paste) in the sauce which enhances the dish umami flavours.

Chendol or Durian Chendol 3.8/5

Not to forget to end your meal on a sweet note with a bowl of Chendol ($5). For durian lover, you may go for the Durian Chendol ($7). We thought the green rice flour jelly is a bit firm in texture as we prefer it to be softer. Hopefully, the restaurant will make that small adjustment.

Founded in 1995, The Blue Ginger is one of Singapore's oldest Peranakan restaurants, and one of the first to share the delights of Nonya cuisine outside the Peranakan home. It is great to see that they have opened a second restaurant after 25 years, making their delicious heritage food more accessible to the new and younger audience.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


The Blue Ginger
Great World City
1 Kim Seng Promenade
#01-106
Singapore 237994
Tel: +65 62357042
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Great World (TE Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 11am - 3pm, 6pm - 10pm
Sat-Sun, PH: 11am - 10pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Great World MRT station. Take Exit 2. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

Brasserie Les Saveurs @ St Regis Singapore - Unveiled New A La Carte Menu Under New Executive Chef

Brasserie Les Saveurs at St Regis Singapore welcomes new Executive Chef Thibault Chiumenti at the helm. With his appointment, he has revamped the a la carte menu to provide diners with an indelible French brasserie-style experience, with the familiar and rich flavours of traditional French cuisine.

Tartare de Boeuf au Couteau 4.5/5

We kick-started the dinner with the Tartare de Boeuf au Couteau ($42). The hand-cut beef is chopped to tender and mixed with cornichons, capers, shallots, mustard, mayonnaise, ketchup balsamic and tobasco, for flavours and textures. It also comes with a confit egg yolk on top the tartare and homemade fries at the side.

Salad de Crabe 4.8/5

The Salad de Crabe ($32) is one of the better crab meat salads that I have eaten. It uses succulent and sweet de-shelled Alaskan crab meat tossed in celeriac remoulade, dill and yoghurt dressing. The dots around the plate are paprika mayonnaise which lends a tinge of spice to the crab meat.

Pate en Croute 4.2/5

The Pate en Croute ($34) is a labour of love due to its lengthy preparation process. The terrine comes with a pastry encasing the terrine in it which comprises of pork and foie gras pate flavoured with pistachios, herbs and onion compote.

Escargots de Bourgogne 4/5

The Escargots de Bourgogne ($21) is sourced from France and poached in a court bouillon. They are then baked in garlic butter, allowing the buttery sauce to melt into the meat, elevating the whole enjoyment.

Foie Gras Poele 4/5

A delicacy in French cuisine is the foie gras. At Brasserie Les Saveurs, the Foie Gras Poele ($34) is paired with poached apple and gingerbread coulis. The simplicity of pan-searing the foie gras and showcasing it in its natural form allows the appreciation of its rich, buttery and delicate flavour.

Bisque de Homard 3.8/5

For something comforting, there is the Bisque de Homard ($22). The lobster bisque is creamy, but I felt it lacked the robustness from the crustacean's flavour. The bonus is that you get a whole lobster claw in it.

Noix de Saint Jacques 4.2/5

Moving to the mains, from the sea we have the Noix de Saint Jacques ($52) using scallops from Hokkaido. The beautiful dish with juicy and plump scallops came in a lentil ragout and paired with shimeji mushrooms and green asparagus for textures.

Steak Frites 4.5/5

Not to be missed is the classic Steak Frites ($68). The slab of grilled wagyu ribeye is huge and cooked to tender. Accompanying the beautiful steak is the homemade french frites and bearnaise sauce.

Cassoulet en Cocotte 4.2/5

The Cassoulet en Cocotte ($46) is like a treasure pot. Digging into the pot, not only will you find a whole confit duck leg, there are even pork sausages, pork belly, paimpol beans and carrot. The considerable portion probably is good for two.

Bar en Croute de Sel 4.5/5

For large dining group, diners can look forward to hearty sharing platters such as the Bar en Croute de Sel ($68). The whole sea bass is baked in salt crust to seal the moisture and natural sweetness of the fish. It is served with the tangy beurre blanc sauce to intensifies the flavour of each bite. Do note that this will take at least 30 minutes of preparation time. Be cautious of fish bones if this is shared with children.

Creme Brulee 4.2/5

Ending the dinner on a sweet note, we tried a couple of the desserts. First is the Creme Brulee ($18). The portion is quite huge with a creamy custard base that comes with a layer of crackling caramelised sugar top.

Tatin de Pommes 4.2/5

Another delightful dessert is the Tatin de Pommes ($22). I like the fact that it is not overly sweet with crunchy apple. The apple tarte tartin comes with honey fig ice cream, that brightens up the enjoyment.

Mille-Feuille Traditional Vanille 4.2/5

Last but not least, go for the Mille-Feuille Traditional Vanille ($18) if you prefer something lighter. Vanilla bean cream is sandwiched within layers of delicate Napoleon pastry sheets.

If I am not wrong, the new a la carte menu by Executive Chef Thibault Chiumenti is to bring things back to basic, showcasing the rich and familiar flavours of traditional French cuisine with culinary finesse.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Brasserie Les Saveurs
St Regis Hotel
Lobby Level
29 Tanglin Road
Singapore 247911
Tel: +65 65066860
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Orchard (NS Line)

Opening Hours: 
Breakfast (Daily): 630am - 1030am
Lunch (Monday - Saturday): 12pm - 2pm
Dinner (Daily): 7pm - 1030pm
Brunch (Sunday): 12pm - 3pm
Afternoon Tea (Monday - Saturday): 3pm - 5pm
Afternoon Tea (Sunday): 4pm - 6pm

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]