Season


Saint Pierre

Saint Pierre’s new “Adventure” menu featuring 20 miniature courses is ideal for those who have stomach space and time to spare (hint: do this for dinner). What you’ll get to experience is a procession of carefully executed small bites showcasing the best seasonal produce and techniques.

Highlights include the refined fine de claire dish partnered with crab and Oscietra caviar. The oyster is poached and cocooned in a wobbly jelly made with oyster jus, and the small dome is flanked by mellow cauliflower puree and a crisp tuile. You’ll get simple yet fresh flavours such as sweet Japanese corn – steamed in its husk and grilled on a Japanese barbecue until aromatic. The corn is kissed with lime oil, and finished with a touch of espelette pepper and fleur de sel.

For mains, the Rhug Estate lamb saddle lightly scented with ras el hanout spice is succulent, as is the well-executed pigeon dish served with a delicate nori and mushroom tartlet. Chef Emmanuel Stroobant has also updated his signature cod dish by serving the fish with an oxtail consomme, jerusalem artichoke and a sprinkling of chervil powder. Finish off with a range of refreshing summery desserts such as macerated raspberries with vanilla rice emulsion, or if you like, French cheeses – there are  about 20 to 25 types which you can pick from the trolley.

For a more manageable meal, there is the 13-course Discovery menu based on seasonal highlights that the chefs will carve out for you. Service here is top-notch, so leave it to the restaurant manager to recommend wines to match with your meal.

Where: 1 Fullerton Road, #02-02B One Fullerton, Singapore 049213. Tel: 6438 0887 www.saintpierre.com.sg

Jaan

Maintaining its one-Michelin-star in the second edition of the guide is Jaan, a popular spot perched on top of the Swissotel. Its spring-summer menu offers a series of well thought-out dishes by British Chef Kirk Westaway.

Kick off your meal with a range of snacks such as “Fish and Chips” – Westaway’s signature canapé featuring cod brandade (fish poached in milk and mixed with potatoes) presented in a deep-fried potato nest, and sprinkled with vinegar and salt. And munch on the rabbit spring roll minced rabbit meat is seasoned with garam masala mix, wrapped in a thin rice tuile, deep-fried till crispy, and topped with sweet coriander cream cheese.

One of the chef’s signatures is the fresh and light Alaskan king crab paired with a layer of pea panna cotta, and encircled with sweet slivers of sea urchin, glistening Oscietra caviar and lemon puree for a touch of acidity. The dish is heightened with a fromage blanc sorbet and delicate edible flowers. For mains, there’s the summery combination of sous vide cod paired with Norwegian langoustine, courgette, fresh Mousseron mushrooms, broad beans and fresh tomato basil sauce.

And for the last course, you’ll be served a pretty ‘Peach Melba’ creation – Westaway’s modern interpretation of the’s classic Peach Melba dessert. Poached yellow peaches are married with vanilla ice cream, peach chutney, fresh almonds, and white lemon verbena meringue. When the meal is over, linger a little longer, sip your Krug champagne, and soak in the stunning views.

Where: Level 70, Equinox Complex 2 Stamford Road, Singapore 178882. Tel: 6837 3322 www.jaan.com.sg


Whitegrass

Since it opened in 2016, diners have been raving about modern Australian restaurant Whitegrass’ exquisite menus crafted by Chef Sam Aisbett from Sydney. Whitegrass was presented Restaurant of the Year at the recent G Restaurant Awards 2017.

Aisbett changes his menu often, so you may get an Australian Black Angus beef partnered with unusual accompaniments like buah keluak puree, fried pumpernickel, fiddlehead fern and monks beard. Or chicken with sesame and ginger served with scallops sashimi, pickled Jerusalem artichoke and artichoke chips.

Still a highlight in the menu is his signature roasted and pickled beetroot with hamachi fish – thinly sliced, layered, shaped into a rose, and placed atop a bed of land caviar or tombori seeds. To flavour the stunning dish, he laces it with a smoked organic soy mirin dressing.

Other highly imaginative dishes served include a dessert of shredded milk with honey. The chef first dries up milk into thin layers, hand-shreds the sheets of milk, and scatters them over a refreshing Hokkaido milk jelly, milk ice cream and honey from Thailand.

Where: #01-26/27 Chijmes, S(187996). Tel: 6837-0402 whitegrass.com.sg

 

Restaurant Labyrinth

This Mod Sin (modern Singaporean) restaurant well known for deconstructing local signatures is awarded its first Michelin star this year. Chef-owner Han Liguang shares, “My new creations focuse on unique flavour pairings, heritage recipes and local or Asian produce yet still drawing inspiration from the streets and childhood flavours that I grew up with.”

One of the latest dishes created by Han is the Cristal De Chine Caviar with Kaya and Caramelised Toast. This dish draws inspiration from our local morning kaya butter toast served with soft boiled eggs. Han shares, “The caviar replicates the flavour of salted butter whilst the kaya ice cream is made from raw gula jawa sourced from Indonesia. The toast is sourced from Sin Hon Loong Bakery in Whampoa and the dish is finished with a soya-sauce cured egg yolk sauce.”  Another intriguing Labyrinth dish inspired by a Singaporean favourite noodle dish is the Hokkaido scallop bak chor mee – which comprises squid skin noodles, anchovy meat balls and Hokkaido scallop made to look like fish cake.

Where: #02-03 Esplanade Mall, 8 Raffles Avenue, S(039802) Tel: 6223 4098 labyrinth.com.sg