2am: dessertbar

2am: dessertbar – 21A Lorong Liput, Holland Village

I make a pilgrimage to this chic establishment once a month for I just can’t get enough of it! I mean what could possibly be better than dessert and booze right? The service here is truly top notch with detailed explanations of the gorgeous deserts from genius pâtissier duo Astoria and Derrick, personal wine recommendations from gregarious, charismatic manager Robert while Krystle – a recent addition to the wait staff – is my close friend of seven years and remains the sweetest and most dynamic girl I know. The fact that I get the yummy odds-and-ends left over from sculpting the latest gorgeous thing out of the kitchen because I’ve befriended the crew cements this place as my regular haunt for as long as I’m in town (ten months give-or-take).

In my latest visit, I started off with Nivasco Piemonte Brachetto 2008. The perfect aperitif, it intensified my already gnawing appetite tenfold. A bouquet of berries almost physically hits you in the nose while an alcopop sweet-sour accessibility delights the taste buds. Light, fizzy and fruity; playful would be the operative adjective to describe this elixir.

The Toffee Pudding ($14) came highly recommended by Krystle and thus naturally knocked me off my feet. The dense pudding was a delicious vessel for the surrounding flavours, essentially rendering it six desserts in one. While absolutely lovely by itself, a touch of warm toffee sauce left me with my eyes close in bliss. A smidgeon of jasmine rice ice-cream morphed it into a glorious harmony of hot and cold, solid and liquid amidst an intoxicating olfactory cocktail of floral perfume and spice. A smuckle of the boldest whisky jelly ever (you could probably get drunk on the stuff) turned it into a boozie’s wet dream, and was hence my favourite accompaniment of the lot. A comforting vanilla custard sauce was the classic foil to the seductively spiced cake while an almost savoury butterscotch sauce cast a whole new light on my rapidly diminishing pudding. A final dab of cassis coulis cut through all that glorious richness for a perfect finish that left me positively aching for more.

I’ll take a moment to eulogize the jasmine rice ice cream as it was an intriguing delight that left me furrowing my brow trying to pin down the flavours sending waves of pleasure through my entire nervous system. It was simultaneously creamy yet light with a subtle exotic scent of jasmine and a comforting aroma of freshly steamed rice.

I selected Caramello Crisps, 70% Truffle Chocolate Mousse with Truffle Salt and Lavender Gel paired with Pu-Erh Tea blend with Apple, Cherimoya and Caramel ($17.60) from a limited-edition menu featuring Gryphon tea pairings. It was beautifully presented in a martini glass so much so that I was hesitant to dig into it and thereby destroy its painstaking construction. It was composed of chocolate mousse, Sasafra (a relative of Sasparilla) chamomile ice cream, Lavender gel, Caramello and garnished with caramel paper as well as a dusting of truffle salt. The ice cream was very fragrant and floral which – together with the creaminess – was nothing short of amazing.

Truffle salt with chocolate mousse is something that really blows the senses to smithereens. I would have to say that it isn’t a very accessible taste combination as I am still unsure whether I like it or hate it. The two fabulous and strong flavours appear to be in pitched battle with the Truffle salt gaining an olfactory advantage (smell is 60% of taste) while the chocolate holds its own in the aspects of richness and bitterness. I guess it depends on the individual as to whether they clash or complement but the tea mellows everything for a good finish with a luxuriously strong caramel aroma and apple undercurrents.