Publico Ristorante @ InterContinental Robertson Quay - Christmas In The Elf Garden

This Christmas, Publico Ristorante at InterContinental Robertson Quay will be setting magical merriments in motion to bring the festive spirit back. Publico has put together a medley of delights and lavish feasts to celebrate the festive seasons from 1 December to 31 December 2021.

Publico Mulled Wine 4/5

Kick-starting the dinner, I have the Publico Mulled Wine ($25), a celebrative drink usually served during winter around Christmas. Usually, it is served hot or warm, but what I had is chilled, lighter and more refreshing.

Granchio Fritto 3.5/5

After the drink, I moved on to the Granchio Fritto ($22). The deep-fried soft shell crab with tomato aioli and tangy salsa verde rest on a bed of radicchio caesar salad. I enjoyed how the tanginess cut through the deep-fried softshell crab, giving it a freshening mouth bite.

Pizza Boscaiola 4/5

Customers can go for the wood-fired Pizza Boscaiola ($30) for something more traditional. The pizza is layered with thinly sliced house-made Porchetta and further topped with porcini mushroom mozzarella, grated parmesan and red wine glaze.

Manzo Arrosto 4.2/5

OAt every Christmas feast, it is a staple to have festive roasts. The same is at Publico too. Diners can look forward to the Manzo Arrosto ($48). The charcoal-grilled angus beef tenderloin is complemented with a harmonious mix of crispy purple potato, sweet bell pepper tartare, balsamic mustard seeds, spicy horseradish salsa and red wine jus.

Publico Tiramisu 4/5

Wrapping up the dinner is the Publico Tiramisu ($15) which comes in a pot of sweetness. It is not too rich, and I like how the sponge fingers are moist with espresso.

Publico will be launching the "Magical Elf Garden Fairies" social media contest where two lucky winners will stand a chance to win $200 worth of Publico vouchers. Just snap and post on your accounts and remember to tag us and be public so we can choose you! For more information or reservations, visit https://publico.sg/festive2021, email ciao@publico.sg or call +65 68265040.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Publico Ristorante
InterContinental Robertson Quay
Level 1
1 Nanson Road
Singapore 238909
Tel: +65 68265040
Facebook
Website
Nearest: Chinatown (DT Line, NE Line), Fort Canning (DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Thu: 12pm - 1030pm
Fri: 12pm - 11pm
Sat-Sun: 830am - 11pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Chinatown MRT station. Take Exit C. Walk to bus stop along Upper Cross Road, Opposite Subordinate Court (Stop ID 06171). Take bus number 51 or 186. Alight 2 stops later. Cross the road. Walk to Saiboo Street. Cross the river and walk to destination. Journey time about 12 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Fort Canning MRT station. Take Exit A. Walk to junction of River Valley Road and Clemenceau Avenue. Cross the road. Turn left and walk to the river. At the river, turn right and walk down the river. Walk to The Quayside and turn to Nanson Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 12 minutes. [Map]

Rempapa @ Park Place Residences at PLQ - Chef Damian D'Silva Opens All-Day Singapore Heritage Cuisine Restaurant

I have been following Chef Damian D'Silva heritage cooking when he had a stall at Timbre+ Ayer Rajah, followed by Folklore and Restaurant Kin. But, unfortunately, he didn't stay long at any one place. Hence I was glad to hear he is making a come back with a new restaurant - Rempapa at Park Place Residences at PLQ. Rempapa offers an all-day dining concept where the eclectic menu caters for different times of day - Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch, and Dinner.

Chickpea Curry with Roti/ String Hoppers 4.2/5

Available for both breakfast and brunch is the Chickpea Curry ($18) with either Roti or String Hoppers. Perked up by the addition of Kashmiri chilli powder and turmeric powder, it is an aromatic combo of Indian and Eurasian curry flavours. It's best to have it with the buttery crisp roti or let the string hoppers soak up the delicious curry.

Sri Lankan Chicken Curry with String Hoppers 4/5

I know Chef Damian can cook many cuisines, but Sri Lankan is new to me. The Sri Lankan Chicken Curry with String Hoppers ($16) is milder with tender kampong chicken thigh. Traditionally, Sri Lankan curry is a more watery kind of gravy that is perfect for the string hoppers, commonly known in Singapore as idiyappam or putu mayam, to soak up the curry.

Stir-fried Chee Cheong Fun 3.5/5

Chee Cheong Fun is a trending dish in the food scene this year, with several hawker stalls selling it, but they all sell the steamed version. Over at Rempapa, there is the stir-fried version. The Stir-fried Chee Cheong Fun ($13) is fried together with prawn, egg, and yellow chive. It is similar to our local white carrot cake replaced with smooth and soft rice noodle roll.

Seafood Curry Mee 4.8/5

The Seafood Curry Mee ($18) available during lunch and brunch comprises yellow noodles, bee hoon, pig skin, boiled prawns, fish cake, fresh cockles (optional), long tau pok and beansprouts. According to Chef Damian, his interpretation is from a Hokkien hawker dish served during the 1920s and 1930s. He has used his own curry powder blend for more subtle spice flavours. Sand prawns and dry shrimps are used to make the stock instead of coconut milk, resulting in a rich and umami soup base which I drank to the last drop.

Fish Nasi Lemak 4.2/5

Fried Chicken 4.5/5

The Nasi Lemak ($17) comes with either Fish or Fried Chicken. The fragrant coconut rice is accompanied by sambal, silver fish, egg and cucumber. Customers who opted for the fish nasi lemak gets a whole selar fish which is enormous! I prefer the fried chicken nasi lemak, which is comparable to the popular fried chicken nasi lemak from The Coconut Club.

Fried Chicken Curry Rice 4/5

To introduce heritage cuisine to the younger generation, Chef Damian introduces them to heritage flavours by giving the dish a modern presentation. He believes the food needs to be accepted by them first before trying and learning more about heritage cuisine. Hence, he has come up with the Fried Chicken Curry Rice ($16), presented as a Japanese curry with kaarage, combing the essences of Eurasian, Peranakan, Indian, Malay and Chinese cuisines.

Kedongdong Salad 4.5/5

For the dinner menu, the dishes are more communal. The menu is different from the breakfast, lunch and brunch menus. We had the Kedongdong Salad ($15) to kick start our dinner. I am not strange to the wing bean salad as Chef has served it before in his previous restaurant. However, the new version is less spicy, and he has added more shrimp floss.

Baca Assam 4.8/5

The Baca Assam ($38) is a dish that Chef Damian's granddad cooked only on special occasions. It is a lost Eurasian heritage dish that is a mix of Peranakan and Indian flavours. Beef brisket is used, and I enjoyed the tenderness. The addition of tamarind gives the beef brisket the tanginess, which cuts the richness and whetted the appetite.

Lamb Leg Rendang 3/5

The Lamb Leg Rendang ($38) is a classic Minangkabau dish cooked in a mix of wet spice paste. Unfortunately, while I enjoyed the rempah, the boneless lamb leg came across on the dry side.

Slow-cooked Belly Pork with Ah Seng Sauce 4.2/5

It is not all about Chef Damian's family recipes at Rempapa. The restaurant also showcases heritage recipes shared by the younger chefs to motivate their immersion into heritage cuisine. The Slow-cooked Belly Pork with Ah Seng Sauce ($23) is a heritage Hokkien dish that hails from Penang. The soul has to be the mildly spicy sauce on top of the pork belly. It is like having mala xiang gou.

Kueh Platter 4.5/5

Not to be missed at Rempapa is the daily assortment of kuehs. The Kueh Platter ($6 for 4pc, $10 for 8pc, $15 for 12pc) includes favourites such as Kueh Kosui and Kueh Ku, Kueh Bengkah, Pulut Bengkah, Talam Keladi, Sago Ubi, Lapis Pulot, Rempah Udang and others available on the day.

Rempapa is unlike any of Chef Damian's previous restaurants. At the new restaurant, Chef Damian introduces his 'Singapore New Heritage Cuisine', in which recipes drawn from the soul of tradition are reinvented with elements of different ethnicities to create flavour profiles that resonate with today's diner. Rempapa is not just a restaurant. It is the place where Chef Damian elevates Singapore heritage food to a status among the world's great cuisines. And where 'cultural sustainability' is nurtured through engaging the next generation of diners and mentoring fresh talent, seeing them take pride in Singapore cuisine and driving it to the next level.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Rempapa
2 Paya Lebar Road
#01-01/02/03
Park Place Residences at PLQ
Singapore 409053
Tel: +65 94591603
Facebook
Nearest MRT: Paya Lebar (CC Line, EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 1030am - 1030pm
Sat-Sun, PH: 930am - 1030pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Paya Lebar MRT station. Take Exit E. Walk to Sims Avenue. Cross the road. Walk to Park Place Residences. Walk to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]