Shang Palace @ Shangri-La Hotel Singapore - New Chef At The Helm With A Revitalised Menu Comprising His Signature Creations

Shang Palace, the one Michelin-starred restaurant at Shangri-La Hotel Singapore, welcomes new Executive Chinese Chef Daniel Cheung from Hong Kong. With 37 years in top-level Cantonese cooking, Chef Daniel Cheng combines traditional Cantonese cuisine with contemporary creativity. His latest stint was at Shang Palace Kowloon, another Michelin-starred restaurant within the group, with bags of experience working at Spring Moon and The Jockey Club..

We are given a glimpse of the new menu, starting with a quad of small bites. We had Chilled Fresh Abalone marinated with Japanese Sake, Chilled Tomato with Plum, Barbecued Pork Pastry and Scallop Siew Mai on the plate.

Applewood Smoked Beancurd Rolls 4.5/5

With Chef Daniel on the helm, he also brought some of his signature dishes from Hong Kong and introduced them to the new menu. One of them is the Apple Smoked Beancurd Rolls ($18) stuffed with Shitake Mushroom, Carrot and Green Mustard. Meticulously wrapped together, the vegetarian dish is packed with delightful textural enjoyment infused with applewood aroma.

Fried Rice with Kagoshima Wagyu Beef served in Whole Tomato 4.8/5

A favourite of his signature dishes is the Fried Rice with Kagoshima Wagyu served in Whole Tomato ($28). A whole tomato is used as a bowl for the fragrant fried rice. The chef advised us to have the fried rice together with the tomato. The highlight and what holds the dish together for a lovely finish is the sweet and vinegary sauce.

Steamed Spotted Garoupa fillet in Egg White Sauce 4/5

Another of Chef Daniel's signature dishes is the Steamed Spotted Garoupa fillet in Egg White Sauce ($48) topped with crispy parma ham. It is a light and hearty dish with a drinkable egg white sauce that comprises broccoli and carrot in superior broth.

Cantonese Style Crispy Chicken served with Spicy Salt 4.2/5

The Cantonese Style Crispy Chicken served with Spicy Salt is another dish on the signature menu. The air-dried chicken is slow cooked in lukewarm oil for 25-40 minutes, drip-dry and then bathed in very hot oil to achieve the crispy skin.

Baked Live Prawns with Garlic and Sarawak White Pepper 4.5/5

Another highlight of Chef Daniel's signature dishes is the Baked Live Prawns with Garlic and Sarawak White Pepper ($58). Chef Daniel used to make this in Hong Kong and brought it to Singapore with a little tweak to localise it by using local prawns and Sarawak peppercorn.

Boneless Quail filled with Bird's Nest in Superior Broth 4.5/5

A time-honoured dish on Shang Palace's menu is the Boneless Quail filled with Bird's Nest in Superior Broth ($98). Traditionally it used to be stuffed with shark's fin but now is replaced with bird's nest. I enjoyed this version, as the bird's nest give it an extra crunch.

Stewed Shrimp Pomelo Peel 3.5/5

The Stewed Shrimp Pomelo Peel ($28) is an uncommon nostalgic dish. I never knew we could eat pomelo peel. It is cooked to a soft spongy texture. It tasted bland on its own, lifted by the shrimp roe sauce, which is very delicious.

Double-boiled Snow Pear with Peach Resin, Mandarin Peel and Chuanbei 4.2/5

Wrapping up our dinner is the Double-boiled Snow Pear with Peach Resin, Mandarin Peel and Chuanbei. A light and refreshing dessert after all the richly flavoured dishes.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Shang Palace
Shangri-La Hotel
22 Orange Grove Road
Lobby Level
Singapore 258350
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Orchard Road (NS Line, TE Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 12pm - 230pm, 6pm - 1000pm
Sat, Sun & PH: 11am - 3pm, 6pm - 1000pm

Direction: 
Alight at Orchard MRT station. Take Exit 4. 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. At Orchard Parade Hotel traffic junction, cross the road. Walk towards Orchard Hotel. Continue walking on Orange Grove Road until destination. Journey time about 30 minutes. [Map]

IKO Restaurant & Bar @ Neil Road - Unique Modern-Japanese Bistronomy

Opening the doors to IKO Restaurant & Bar, you'll immediately be greeted by an eclectic playlist put together by IKO's new Chef-Owner, Dylan Ong. It goes hand in hand with the vibrant vibes, quirky decor and brand new modern Japanese menu to bring a whole new dining experience. Marrying Chef Dylan's love for Japanese cuisine and knowledge of European cooking techniques, you can look forward to a refreshed menu every couple of months.

Oysters 4.2/5

We had an appetising start to our meal with fresh, plump Oysters ($21 for 3pc) served with wasabi lychee granita and sake. It was extra refreshing and zesty with the dash of lime juice added.

Iko-Bee 3.8/5

Next was a fun snack, the Iko-Bee ($15). Inspired by Calbee and shaker fries, you pour sour cream and bottarga powders into a bag of homemade hand-sliced chips. Shake it all up thoroughly and pour them out to enjoy. The crisp chips were good to go with our sake drinks.

Negitoro Ice Cream 4/5 & Salmon Ice Cream 4.2/5

These are an innovative twist to your usual ice creams. The Negitoro Ice Cream ($18 for 2pc) has mini seaweed cones filled with negitoro, menegi and a surprise centre of cured egg yolk. Have this in a mouthful, and you'll get that oozy burst of yolk.

The Salmon Ice Cream ($18 for 2pc) uses the same crunchy seaweed cone, but it's packed with a richer mix of raw salmon, smoked salmon, crème fraiche and ikura. Similar to the negitoro, I would recommend enjoying this in a single bite to get the different layers of flavours.

Lil Basket 4/5

Adorably presented in a dim sum basket, these vibrant pink beetroot ‘baskets’ are stuffed with sweet Hokkaido snow crab, topped with slightly spicy avocado mousse and lime gel. This Lil Basket ($20) pays tribute to the local favourite kueh pie tee, transformed with Chef Dylan’s unique touch.

Hay Smoked Hamachi 4/5

Moving on to starters, the Hay Smoked Hamachi ($24) features hamachi seasoned in ponzu brown butter, served with scallion garlic oil, crunchy trio sesame, elephant stem and compressed green grapes. The distinctly tangy-sweet grapes were a clever addition to the nutty and richly seasoned hamachi.

Dope You Up Bowl

The indulgent Dope You Up Bowl ($42) was quickly wiped clean by my dining companions. You have a bed of ume shiso rice topped with A4 wagyu buri, bafun uni, lightly cured egg yolk, wagyu fat emulsion and a generous portion of ikura.

A4 Wagyu “Sukiyaki”

Another IKO signature that features A4 wagyu is the A4 Wagyu “Sukiyaki” ($28). Slices of A4 wagyu with shiitake mushroom, leek, scallion, egg yolk and fried perilla are served with white sukiyaki sauce to bring them all together.

The High SES Somen 4.5/5

As its name clearly describes, The High SES Somen ($38) has a luxurious combination of chutoro, Hokkaido snow crab, bafun uni and kaviari caviar, finished with clam sauce and chives. It's served chilled, and we enjoyed the exceedingly fresh and sweet seafood used. We had their starter portion, but you can also opt for it as a main at $48.

8 Hrs Braised Abalone 4/5

Here in the 8 Hrs Braised Abalone ($28), you are served a base of pearl barley cooked in rich abalone liver sauce, underneath slices of tender abalone alternating with shiitake mushrooms, paired with elephant stem and asparagus.

Miso Black Cod 4.5/5

The highlight of the Miso Black Cod ($36) is the black cod, which was marinated in miso for three nights before it was grilled to a lovely buttery texture. The sides are intricately put together with sweet pumpkin puree, Manila clams, umami grilled firefly squids, carrots, pickled daikon and roasted nectarines, finished with a creamy clam emulsion. There are many components here, but they complement each other well.

Hay Smoked Guinea Fowl 4/5

The Hay Smoked Guinea Fowl ($32 for Single) sits on up to 15 seasonal Japanese vegetables prepared in various ways, tied together with a flavourful homemade sake ume sauce. The medley of vegetables which included morel mushrooms and brussel sprouts provided varying textures alongside the tender fowl.

Yuzu Semi Freddo 4.2/5

For dessert, we had Yuzu Semi Freddo ($15). Fluffy soft pieces of mint sponge are accompanied by zesty yuzu curds, miso-caramel honeycomb and Hokkaido milk ice cream, drizzled with miso caramel. It was sweet and slightly tangy, just the right choice to end the night!

Photos and words by Jo. A girl who loves her Mala (麻辣) at Da La (大辣), discovering hidden food gems and a good cup of matcha latte. Note: This is an invited tasting.


IKO Restaurant & Bar
65 Neil Road
Singapore 088897
Tel: +65 88665218
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Outram Park (EW, NE, TE Line), Maxwell (TE line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Thu: 12pm - 3pm, 530pm - 1130pm
Fri-Sat: 12pm - 3pm, 530pm - 1am
(Closed on Sun)

Direction:
1) Alight at Outram Park MRT station. Take Exit 4. Walk to Duxton Plain Park. Walk along the park to Neil Road. Cross the tunnel and take the staircase to Neil Road. Walk to junction of Neil Road and Craig Road. Cross the road and walk down Neil Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Maxwell MRT station. Take Exit 3. Cross the road. Turn right and walk down Neil Road. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]