For Valentine's Day this year, instead of choosing a regular restaurant, perhaps, you can consider having some quiet time with your partner at historic tearoom Angelina, located at Capitol Galleria. I have heard quite a bit about their desserts, but little do I know that they have more than a century of heritage. What surprises me as much is their extensive range of dishes that is more than enough to give you a complete meal. Just for the upcoming Valentine's Day weekend, their chef has specially crafted a menu to entice couples with.
Amuse Bouche 3.5/5
A teaspoon on the plate but still looking as elegant as it can be, chef's colourful Amuse Bouche woke up my tired eyes. The distinct attributes of ingredients allow the individual taste of each amuse bouche to stand out - we have the light and refreshing avocado cold soup served with Hokkaido scallop, which was my favourite, the savoury sweet jamon Bellota and rock melon, as well as the tart, smokey Beetroot & feta ravioli with herring caviar.
White Onion Soup 3.8/5
For starters, you can either go for a warm, comforting White Onion Soup with truffle oil or a cold, fiery Tuna au Poivre. Of course the best is to have one of each. Creamy, sweet and earthy with the aroma of truffle in each mouthful, the soup sets your body craving for more.
Tuna au Poivre 3/5
Whereas for the Tuna au Poivre, the peppery crust of the yellow fin tuna was a little too intense, which overwhelmed the delicate flavour of the fish. However, I kinda like how the cream cheese underneath soothed that down, giving a overall creamy sweet-sharp taste. The sprinkle of the sweet buttery Angelia tea 'granite' would have added on to that effect, should it have not been lost amongst the towering ingredients. More of it would have been better.
Fjord Trout 4/5
For mains, you will have 3 choices - fish, chicken or beef. My favourite is definitely the pan-seared Fjord Trout - Crisp crust contrasted with a moist and flaky core, with some fatty parts barely-done. What supports it is cauliflower puree, which you might mistaken it to be mash potatoes. Intense in flavour, I appreciate how the garlicky squid ink aioli and the savoury, chewy baby squids illuminate the dish like spotlights, which is rare in a typical salmon dish.
If you have noticed, our trout was served on a Villeroy & Boch plate, which hails from the Old Luxembourg collection introduced in 1768. Timeless indeed. If you are keen to have a piece, it is available at $49.00.
Classic Chicken Supreme 3.8/5
The same goes for their Classic Chicken Supreme. The seemingly plain looking dish was given a florid complexion by a blood orange potato mash, which was flavoured and coloured by rich chorizo. Marinated with garlic and thyme, the chicken fillet was exceptionally moist and tender.
Beef Pot au Feu 3/5
The melt-in-your mouth texture of Beef Pot au Feu was impressive. I love the asparagus vol-au-vent (puff pastry with hollow centre) and the unique asparagus mousseline. The emulsion on top was actually hazelnut flavour, which I thought was interesting but its sweetness didn't quite work out in this dish. As much I would love to have more of it, but the meat was also too salty for my liking.
Tummy filled, we were then introduced to the tearoom’s signature Hot Chocolate. Made with a 110 years old recipe, the potency of this shot of hot chocolate is unimaginable. I definitely love it - the richness, the sweet-bitterness, and what I really find amazing is that I don't get the sick-in-the-throat sensation that one might get when drinking hot chocolate. That I would attribute to high level of sugar and unnatural sweetness. I felt nourished instead, with all the anti-oxidants in my body. If you are unable to handle its potency, the whipped cream at the side is to help you lighten it.
They have a selection of fine teas, in which I would recommend their Angelina's special flavoured tea. With China Oolong Tea as the base, it is really light and fragrant with fruity notes.
Your dessert would depend on the pastry created especially for the evening. We were lucky to have a go at some of their specials - Negresco, Mont-Blanc Framboise, Cheesecake Citron and Paris-New York. With a raspberry heart, the Mont-Blanc Framboise is a level up from their signature Mont-Blanc. Unfortunately, nobody has yet made a Mont-Blanc with a sweetness that doesn't make my face squint. What sit well with my palate are their bitter sweet Negresco and sweet tangy Cheesecake citron. Negresco is a cocoon of meringue, dark chocolate mousse, icing and shavings. The cheesecake mousse was extremely light and fluffy, with a tangy lemon-lime confit in between. One could easily finish the entire slice.
It had been a pleasant evening for us, with impeccable and personal service extended by the team. At $75++ per pax, well, heritage does come with a price. You can also drop by at their boutique and get a box of their limited edition chocolates to surprise your the other half. Happy Valentine's Day!
Photograph and written 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.
Angelina
Capitol Galleria
15 Stamford Road
#01-82
Singapore 178906
Tel: +65 63840481
Website
Nearest MRT: City Hall (EW Line, NS Line)
Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 11am - 10pm
Sat-Sun: 10am - 10pm
Direction:
1) Alight at City Hall MRT station. Take Exit B. Cross the road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]
