foodieah's Reviews
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My full review with pictures can be found at: http://foodieah.blogspot.com/2009/04/absinthe.html
I had a look at the lunch menu, priced $38 for 3 courses, which was actually a bit disappointing due to the limited selection (It only had a couple of selections for each course). The fresh oysters ($12 each) came highly recommended, so I ordered a couple of them. They were in fact very fresh, with plenty of their own natural juice.
I decided to try a dish from the regular menu, and I chose the seared scallops with sea urchin emulsion ($24), as it looked most promising. The scallops were cooked and seasoned properly, although the dish overall didn't have anything special to communicate to my palate. In particular, the "sea urchin emulsion" didn't have the slightest flavour of sea urchin. I am a big fan of this ingredient, and I am generally able to detect its sweet and subtle flavour, but in this case I wondered if there was any sea urchin at all.
The rillette was quite nice, served as pictured with a slice of crispy bread, salad and a slice of fig.
The pan seared foie gras was also well prepared, served on top of a brioche and cranberry compote and topped by a thick and savoury sauce. Quite pleasant overall, as foie gras always is, in small amounts. I didn't particularly want to have foie gras, but given the fact that there were only two starters on the lunch menu, I had no choice.
Unfortunately, the main course was not as successful. The lamb was slightly undercooked. The 'demi glace' was almost certainly bought in, as it was too sticky and tasted like plastic. As it was poured all over the meat, it just spoiled the whole dish. This is where the touch of a skilled chef who cooks from fresh ingredients can be tasted, and Absinthe certainly failed the test.
The seared tuna was OK, but then again it was simply OK, not something I would want to order again. I just don't have much to say about this dish. I had better mains than these two at 7atenine, where I had a wider variety of dishes, and cheaper.
The dessert was also OK, not the kind of dessert I would choose, but given the limited selection I had no alternative. I can say that the ice cream was nicer than the cake.
At the end of the meal, and after paying the bill, we were offered 2 biscuits and 2 chocolates. Both biscuits and chocolates were nice and of good standard. The total bill was about $176, including sparkling water, oysters, scallops and set lunch for 2.
Overall, I see no reason to go to Absinthe. I tried signature dishes from the a-la-carte menu as well as the lunch menu, and I wasn't impressed by any of them. As I already mentioned, if you fancy this sort of food then go to 7atenine and get the variety, instead of having to choose between 2 starters and 2 mains. If you are ready to spend and you want to enjoy your food, then this is not the place for you.
I was impressed by the way the dining room was run, as the staff was well trained, professional and attentive, and Mr. Pau seemed to be doing a very good job at running the business. This is something I must acknowledge and I can admit that if you are looking for a French restaurant with a cozy ambiance where you want friendly but professional treatment, then Absinthe might be the place for you. On the other hand, if you are a foodie and you are looking for a cheap but good lunch menu or an expensive and stunningly well prepared a-la-carte selection, then there are plenty of other places where you can splash out your money and come out entirely satisfied of what you ingested and how your money was spent.
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We ordered a set lunch, which offers a very interesting menu, priced at only $58 per person for 3 courses, including a bottle of water. As a matter of fact, on the day I was served 5 courses as 2 complimentary dishes were served by the Chef.
We were first served an elegant version of assorted bread sticks with squid ink and Parmesan cheese. These were accompanied by butter and olive oil. They had an interesting texture and the Parmesan ones in particular were crispy and flavoursome.
Next, we were served our starters. That's when it became obvious that chef André has mastered the artistic skills of food presentation. The Panache De Fruit De Mer was not only stunning to look at, with its composition of vivid colours and assorted textures. It was described as a "Panaché of seafood in multi textures, toasted brioche and potatoes, tapenade de Provence". I felt like I was feeding from a Miro' painting. Every single element positioned on that plate was of superb quality in terms of texture, flavour, and it perfectly combined with the sauce. The mini calamari and salmon were of particular interest.
The second starter we ordered was a Tartine De Tourteau Effiloche, a "Citrus scented stone crab effiloché on Ratte potato confit and fresh herbs with Lukewarm potato mousse". This was presented on a large and beautiful plate, with the potato mousse in the middle of it, and the crab scattered around the plate. I was impressed by how the subtle flavour of the crab was brought out and combined with the rest of the ingredients. The 4th piece was actually a fish tartare, once again creating a contrasting but well paired flavour that added further depth to the dish.
We were then offered a complimentary dish. A seared tuna toro on tartare and potato. I am a big fan of toro in its rawest form. This dish actually served it in a fusion version, almost like a French Nigiri. The toro was served crossing the potato, which reminded of the rice base of a nigiri sushi. In between the two, a layer of fish tartare to provide a subtle level of acidity, and a basil sauce at the bottom to smoothen the texture of the roasted potato.
Such a delicacy deserves two views. Beauty on a plate.
It was with our great pleasure that we were then served yet another complimentary dish! Unfortunately, I have no record of its official name as it was verbally announced, but I would describe it as a Foie Gras jelly topped chawanmushi. An egg custard topped with a jelly with an intense flavour of foie gras, enriched by a subtle but distinct aroma of truffles. This is an apparently simple dish that can easily go wrong. It was absolute perfection. Well dosed, brilliantly balanced flavours, elegantly presented in a coffee cup! Quite a statement.
With such an escalation of beautiful presented dishes, I was looking forward to the moment I would be staring, photographing and eating my main course. My Macaroni De Boeuf, a
"Thirty-six hour braised short rib, duxelle macaroni and crispy vitelotte chips and shallots", proved again an incredible attention to detail with a display of vivid, seasonal colours, shapes and textures. I would suppose that Chef André has been influenced by the most prominent French modern art in order to come up with such delightful arrangements.
I started by tasting the macaroni, filled with an aromatic cream of black mushrooms.
Gently poking the beef with my fork was sufficient to break it down into succulent layers of juicy meat. The long stewing process melted the fad throughout the beef, making it absolutely tender and penetrating the flavours. The sauce is also the result of a long and elaborate process that successfully brought out the flavour of the meat. I found the clove of garlic carefully positioned on top of the meat of particular interest. This must have been slowly roasted in its own skin for a very long time in order to achieve such a result. I could easily squeeze out the pulp by gently pushing with the side of the knife. The offensive flavour of the garlic was totally removed from the pureé, which worked particularly well with the meat. This is a classic example of how such basic ingredients can be prepared with simplicity and combined to create more complexity of flavour and textures.
The Joue De Kurobuta Grille, a "Char-grilled Kurobuta cheek and romaine, caramelized baby onion and smoked basil oil" was our second choice. The slices of pork were lightly flavoured, but balanced by the sweetness of the baby onions and the texture of crispy bacon sticks and a soft potato puree' enriched by thin juliennes of zucchini and a crumble on the side. Overall, I personally preferred the beef between the two mains, due to the tenderness of the meat and the uniqueness of the mushroom filled macaroni.
I chose a Chocolat as my dessert: a "Classic Ngyanbo chocolate palet, Tahiti vanilla ice cream “à la minute”". Once again, a three-dimensional painting, a sculpture that I would have probably left untouched if it wasn't that it's meant to be eaten! A mildly sweetened block of chocolate ganache with an inner layer of crunchiness and an outer dark chocolate skin, cleverly pierced by thin, crispy wafers, accompanied by a clear scoop of pure vanilla ice cream sitting on a variety of crumbles and nuts. The amount was perfectly calibrated to maintain interest throughout the dish, leaving me with a feeling of enjoyment and satisfaction until the end.
Finally, a dessert that had me puzzle since I first read through the menu: the Snickers. You would find it quite paradoxical to see such a name on a menu of this sort... the description simply states "Snickers bar version 2009", which left me with an even bigger enigma. This is obviously a snickers-inspired dessert, which is nothing like the well known version. A soft ball of chocolate is filled with contrasting textures just like the commercial version of this snack. Dusted with a fine crumble and decorated with bits of caramel jelly... Honestly, I could have had a few more of these. It's such a playful but elegant dessert, that any chocolate lover would appreciate without a doubt. Once again, the selection of the tableware and the composition were outstanding.
The bill for 2 people, including the complimentary dishes and a bottle of sparkling water, was only $136 in total. The staff were kind, attentive, unintrusive, and they had good knowledge of the menu.
When a stunning restaurant venue is complemented by an impeccable service, artistically beautiful and mouthwatering food, I can only be enthusiastic and return. I hope that the Singaporean dining crowd will have the culinary maturity to sustain excellence and reward it as it deserves. Having been to a number of French and fusion restaurants in Singapore, ranging from Saint Pierre to Iggy's, this is the first time I can say with confidence that if I was a food critique, I would not hesitate to award this place with a well deserved Michelin star.
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Coffee bar K is a place where making cocktails is a serious business. The Japanese bartenders are highly trained, and the selection of alcohol is surprising. There is a cover charge of $15 after 9pm which includes some snacks like wasabi chips and raw ham and a fruit platter, but don't be discouraged by that as you will get what you are paying for.
The menu includes a never ending list of spirits and cocktails, and some hot food is also served in case you need a quick bite.
If you are a 'Martini' lover, I absolutely recommend having one of those, either vodka or gin based. You will have a chance to taste a Martini at its purest. The Negroni (a Campari based cocktail) is also a house special, an excellent opening for those who find Martini's too dry.
The grasshopper is a minty cocktail with a dash of milk, superbly shaken into a foam that makes it so light you will finish it without even realising. I would particularly recommend it for the ladies.
The peach Bellini is made with real peach puree', not peach liqueur or flavourings as other bars do. It does taste like the original version of this classic Venetian cocktail.
This Yuzu based cocktail was designed for me by the bartender. The floating layer of crystals adds texture to the sharp tangy flavour of this mixer. A real delicacy for Yuzu lovers.
Whether you like your cocktails or you are looking for a good selection of whiskies or Vodkas, whether you are out with a client or a date, Coffee Bar K will be a special experience. It is a place where drinking is as religious as eating at a Michelin rated restaurant.
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30 Oct 2009 at 11:52 pm
My full review with pictures can be found at: http://foodieah.blogspot.com/2008/08/wahiro.html
Sushi is highly recommended at Wahiro. I find that the quality of their sushi is consistent and really good value for money. It is in fact at the same level of other very expensive establishments, without hurting your wallet as much. The fish selection is usually quite limited, but what they have is not only fresh, it's also well selected. It's always worth having a chat with the Sushi Chef to find out what's the fish of the day and what he recommends. Sometimes they have new delicacies that you might not have had the opportunity to try elsewhere. I do not recommend having the sushi moriawase. It won't give you a good indication of the quality of the sushi, as they won't be made in the same way as the a-la-carte sushi. The fish slice is smaller, and the cut from a cheaper part. If you want the best, order a-la-carte, and if you would like to try something new, you could also ask for the special: tiny tasty decorations placed on each sushi slice. Yuzu skin (Japanese lime), katzuobushi (dried fish flakes), Sakura (cherry blossom) or other decorations can add interesting tones to the firm texture of your sushi.
I ordered a whole "sanma" from the sushi counter. As in the best Japanese tradition, no part of your fish or seafood is thrown away. Some of it was served as sashimi (with fresh ginger and spring onion), some of it as sushi, while the rest was grilled. The spine was served deep fried.
The same applies to the scallop that was served with my sushi. the "spare parts" of the scallop that were pulled out of the shell, were nicely served in punzu sauce.
Buta Kakuni was pretty good, although I usually prefer it when some Daikon served is with it. The meat was tasty, tender and juicy.
Kushiyaki is quite good at Wahiro. Besides the standard types of kushiyaki, they have a couple of interesting combinations. My favourite is "mochi buta bara maki" (pork belly rolled around rice cake / top-left). I love the crispiness of the bacon and the cheesy chewish texture of the rice cake within it. I also like "tori ume" (chicken with plum sauce) and "tori mentaiko" (chicken with cod roe / bottom-right).
Finally, a Yuzu sorbet will help clear-up your mouth with it's tangy flavour. It's rich in bits and pulp of real Yuzu!
Wahiro is one of those restaurants that perhaps don't offer the trendiest atmosphere, but focus more on authenticity and quality of food. They also have a menu tasting "Wahiro" course that looks interesting, although I have only tried 3 of the dishes that come with it. The set lunch is a real bargain. For only $15 dollars you are served a full 4 course lunch including soup, sushi, appetiser, side dish and fruit. Although all the above is recommended, I have not had a bad dish at Wahiro, and was never disappointed.
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I started with a fish carpaccio, which they served with 2 types of raw fish (tuna and yellow tail). This is creativity at its best. I haven't eaten such a fish carpaccio anywhere else before. The raw fish slices are cured with a gentle balance of spices that enhances their freshness and texture. What they have created here is an unique dish you can't have anywhere else in Singapore. The dusted bottarga on top adds an extra layer of flavour to this already perfect combination.
I am usually not a huge fan of fish pasta with tomato sauces. I generally prefer to enjoy the subtle flavour of fish with the classic oil based sauce. This spaghetti ai frutti di mare is a Sicilian classic and it is not on the menu (but you can request it as a special). They persuaded me to try it, and thankfully I did! The two outstanding characteristics that hit me as I had the first mouthful of pasta were the intense taste of the sea infused into the sauce and the creaminess of it. The richness is achieved without the use of butter, as other restaurants do. The sauce is enriched with pieces of yellow tail, baby squids, clams, prawns... these flavours all come together and they are distinct at the same time!
The classic spaghetti alle vongole is a typical dish that you can find in most Italian restaurants. Cugini's recipe takes this dish to a different level altogether. First of all, the clams are shelled so you can enjoy their tender juiciness in combination with the pasta without having to get your hands dirty. But more noticeably, the unique combination of oils and parsley bring the flavours together, making this a memorable pasta. Once again, this dish is not on the menu, but you know what to ask for!
I am still thinking of this pasta, I will be back to Cugini's tomorrow. It's touching. It's an addiction.
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