UNI Gallery by OosterBay @ The Plaza (Beach Road) - All Things Uni Here

Uni is an elusive ingredient. If you understand it, you will love it. Just as its nature, our very first uni specialised restaurant, UNI Gallery is located at a secluded spot at the basement of The Plaza at Beach Road. Out of sight, I literary had to hunt it down during my first visit. UNI Gallery's curated menu claims to serve the most expansive Uni Menu air-flown from Japan, USA and Canada.

Small space but is given another dimension by the specially commissioned wallpapers. Unlike the usual elegant ambience in a Japanese restaurant where you could have an intimate session with your divine food, the interior of this small space is being transformed into canvas for larger-than-life graphics, with uni motifs boldly illustrated. An exception, is the column facing the sashimi counter - a fish-motif wallpaper instead.

The Uni Bomb 4/5

Akin to degustation dish, The Uni Bomb ($99) features 3 different types of uni paired alongside condiments and served with a shot of Japanese gin or sake. Overlaying the the sweet kegani (hairy crab) meat is a slab of Aka Uni. Less assertive in taste, your palate will ease into it easily especially if it's your first attempt. Being bigger size and balance in flavour make it versatile, hence it is more commonly used in the market. The sweetness of the kegani heightened its subtle taste. Bafun Uni is smaller and more refine, firmer and brinier in taste but sweeter as well. Its creamy texture is lusciously desirable, like mayo with fries as you eat it with the cute crispy fried sawagani. Leave the Uni Shutou Yuzu to the last as it is much bolder in flavour. Enriched with yuzu, the Uni Shutou is umami-packed with a hint of citrus flavour. A little goes a long way in rendering bursts of piquancy to the wagyu beef and take that to a full swing with sips of sake or Japanese Gin in between.

Uni Oyster Shot 3/5

Another must try item includes Uni Oyster Shot ($25). Canadian Aka Uni with iIkura roe served on Canadian fresh oyster. I have my reservations when comes to pairing oysters with other ocean creatures which may tilt the level of mineral taste over. This is still acceptable and worth trying for oysters lovers.

Uni Tokusen Sashimi 4/5

Air-flown 4 times a week, the freshness and quality of UNI Gallery's sashimi are on par with its uni. Enjoy seasonal delicacies such as ankimo (monk fish liver), kinmeidai (golden eye snapper) and hirame (flounder). Uni Tokusen Sashimi platter priced at $38 onward, such as what we have here - Canadian Aka Uni, hirame, salmon belly, otoro, hamaji belly, tai, shima aji.

Uni Maki 3.5/5

Another way to appreciate uni is none other than having it over sushi rice, which lends a tinge of acidity and textural contrast. Uni Maki ($68), wrapped within are sweet snow crab and crunchy cucumber, and atop are creamy Canadian Aka uni and savoury tobiko roe and tamago bits. You get a balance of sweetness and savouriness in one bite.

Uni Ikura Chirashi 3.5/5

The lunch set here is highly recommended. For just $34.90, you get a bowl of Uni Ikura Chirashi with green tea and miso soup. The usual price is $68 for a la carte. Slabs of fresh uni and salmon roe on Japanese rice, I reckon such amount is enough to satisfy your craving. Though the texture of the uni is not as firm, it is a very affordable option if you just want a quick uni fix.

Can't get enough? Fresh raw Uni selection ranges from the house uni Canadian Aka Uni $20/portion to highly acclaimed Japanese Higashizawa Shiro Uni $180/portion and Japanese Hadate Shira Uni $180/portion.

Words and photos 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. Note: This is an invited tasting.


UNI Gallery by OosterBay
The Plaza
7500A Beach Road
#B1-310
Singapore 199591
Tel: +65 98388209
Facebook
Nearest MRT: Nicoll Highway (CC Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 1130am - 230pm, 6pm - 10pm

Direction: 
1) 1) Alight at Nicoll Highway MRT station. Take Exit A. Follow the overhead walkway all the way to The Concourse building. Take the exit down to Nicoll Highway and walk towards Parkroyal Serviced Residences. Cut through towards The Plaza at Parkroyal Hotel. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]

Audace Bar & Restaurant @ Wanderlust Hotel Singapore – Modern French Bistro Fare With A Contemporary Twist

Opened in May 2017, Audace Bar & Restaurant also short for "Audacity" is a whole new concept built on the idea of bistronomy (bistro fare with a contemporary twist). It is helmed by Chef Jeremy Gillon hailing from Le Montana in the French Alps where he was executive chef of a trio of restaurants and led French restaurant L'Epicurien to receive its first ever Michelin star in 2015. So, what makes Audace "audacious"? Its audacious demeanor begins with its locale in Little India, within the quirky Wanderlust Hotel. Rather than serving up audaciously bizarre concoctions on the menu that one may expect, the restaurant presents an ever-changing sensational offerings of French bistro fare with contemporary touches, working food alchemy magic with a combination of imported and Tekka market-sourced ingredients, as well as infusing components with wild herbs thoughtfully foraged from the French Alps. Here, Audace offers a more relaxed, casual and approachable fare to curate an unforgettable dining experience different from the traditional mould of Michelin star fine dining.

Open throughout the day from Tuesday to Sunday, Audace provides a continental breakfast spread and an afternoon tea selection of sweet treats. On Sundays, it offers a communal brunch, consisting of 6 Appetisers, 5 Main Courses, 5 Side dishes and 5 Desserts placed in the centre of your table for sharing. We tried the 16-dish Sunday Brunch menu rolled out by Audace. Do note that dishes on the menu are subject to changes due to the seasonality of the ingredients used.

Arugula Salad, Parmesan, Lemon And Olive Oil Dressing 3.8/5

For the appetisers, we had the Arugula Salad with Parmesan, Lemon and Olive Oil Dressing. The argula salad boasts a crunchy texture while its accompaniments, an abundance of parmesan pieces atop and olive oil dressing bring a lift to its taste.

Shark Rillette 4/5

The Shark Rillette comes in a small bowl and an accompanying side of crusted bread. Creamy with a slight crunchiness in between bites, the shark rillette may be a tad too salty when eaten on its own. It acts as a spread on the bread provided to prevent it from being too overpowering.

Asparagus Salad Chorizo Iberico 4/5

The Asparagus Salad Chorizo Iberico features two stalks of asparagus with a nice crunchiness and subtle sweetness, while the thin slices of fresh chorizos add a rich savouriness in accompaniment, resulting in an appetiser that is refreshing and light on the palate.

Focaccia With Cooked Ham & Mascarpone Black Pepper 4/5

For a more carb-loaded appetiser, the Focaccia with Cooked Ham & Mascarpone Black Pepper features small pieces of mildly salted cooked ham garnished with mascarpone black pepper sitting atop slices of focaccia bread, which is essentially flat oven-baked Italian bread with a crisp texture.

Salmon Gravlax Beetroot 4.2/5

The Salmon Gravlax Beetroot comes in slices of fresh smoked salmon. Paired well with the thinly sliced beetroot and puree on the side for a refreshing combination.

Duck Terrine & Pickles 3.8/5

The Duck Terrine & Pickles is slightly heavier on the palate and stronger in taste with its tender duck terrine meat, which imparts a mild saltiness and paired with sourish pickles that has a harder tart texture to complement the soft duck terrine.

Grilled White Tuna, Origan 4.2/5

Moving on to the mains, we had the Grilled White Tuna, Origan. The white tuna had a perfect grilled crisp skin which reveals the meat within with a softness and tenderness that just melts in the mouth. It sits on a bed of Origan mash which complements the tuna well with a subtle herb fragrance.

Red Snapper with Kafir & Orange Paste Dressing 4.2/5

The Red Snapper with Kafir & Orange Paste Dressing left an impression with its tender meat that breaks easily in the mouth, with accompaniments of kafir and orange pasta dressing which adds a citrusy note to the dish.

Braised Pork Belly 4/5

The Braised Pork Belly features a perfectly crisp skin with an almost half-half ratio of fats-meat within. It results in a sublime slice of pork perfect for pork belly lovers who perhaps prefer a greater proportion of fats in their braised pork belly meat. The crunchiness of the accompanying chestnut slices and crispy crackers add a texture to the dish though the flavours in the combination are too fleeting to leave much of an impact.

Smoked Breast Duck 4.2/5

The Smoked Breast Duck is presented in neat slices of duck breast meat. Tender, juicy with a slight smokiness in its taste, the chestnut mash smeared on the side is a nice touch to the duck breast meat.

Skewer Flank Beef 4.2/5

The Skewer Flank Beef comes in glistening cubes of beef stacked neatly on a skewer, with some bits slightly tougher but the rest of it is enjoyable with a smoky taste, almost to the point of being tender yet retaining a resilient bite.

Creamy Polenta 4/5

The Creamy Polenta served as a side dish – creamy textured and buttery tasting, is a perfect complement to the mains served.

Orange Cream Tartelette & Candied Berce, Macaron Speculoos Cookies 4/5

The Orange Cream Tartelette comes in dollops of smooth orange cream with a mildly sourish taste, Speculoos Macarons stuffed with a subtly sweet speculoos cream, and Cookies that boast a nice crunchiness and chocolatey flavour. Overall, a platter of desserts that features a contrast in textures and flavours that keep the palate from getting bored.

Dark Chocolate Mousse With Salted Caramel 4.2/5

The Dark Chocolate Mousse with Salted Caramel features a smooth creamy chocolate mousse with a dark and intense flavour, subtle saltiness with the salted caramel, and served with roasted pecans for an additional crunch and nutty undertone.

Calamansi Sorbet 3.8/5

The last desserts dish we had is the Calamansi Sorbet, which features a refreshingly light and smooth calamansi sorbet, though its sourness is further augmented by the bed of pomelo flesh below. The candied berce and orange slices give a crunchy contrast to the smoothness of the sorbet, yet add a citusy note with just a subtle sweetness to the otherwise overwhelmingly sour dish.

Audace tries to push boundaries and challenge the norm with continuous pursuit of innovative dishes. The food overall fares quite excellently with never ending elements of surprise when the menu changes very week.

Words and photos by Crystal. A girl who likes to eat, photograph, and write about food, and dreams about travelling around the world one day. Note: This is an invited tasting.


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Audace Bar & Restaurant
Wanderlust Hotel
2 Dickson Road
Singapore 209494
Tel: +65 62981188
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Jalan Besar (DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Tue-Sat: 1130am - 2pm, 2pm - 6pm, 630pm - 12midnight
Sun: 1130am - 4pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Jalan Besar MRT Station. Take Exit A. Cross the road. Walk to Dickson Road. Walk to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]