Iggy's

Iggy’s – Level 3, The Hilton Hotel, 581 Orchard Road, Singapore

Food is a very subjective area so simultaneously being The Miele Guide Asia’s Number One Restaurant (2010/11) and making it onto the S. Pellegrino list of the World's 50 Best Restaurants (2010) is about as close to objective excellence as Iggy's could possibly get.

I not only scored a lunch reservation for two at the Singapore Hilton's crown jewel but also no less than ringside bar seats at the open-concept patissier section. It would not be an exaggeration to describe restauranteur extraordinaire Ignatius Chan's fusion cuisine as a tingly, fuzzily pleasurable dream-like experience. It is profusion of flavours one struggles to sort and place amid a near-constant state of delirious ecstasy; sort of like being a gastronomic Alice in Wonderland. It did come at an equally surreal bill of $282.48 for two though.

I thoroughly enjoyed the Ceviche of Kiname with Ankimo Sauce and Ostrecia Caviar. The pleasantly pungent ceviche was amazing with the punchy flavour of the monkfish liver sauce while what appeared to be a half-cooked potato sliver was an ingenious and effective base for the marine brininess of the caviar.

At first, the amuse bouche of Eggplant Garlic Bread with Parmesan & Salt Smoked Butter actually looked disappointingly mundane. Even the bread itself had a simple crusty chew that was pleasant but did not set off any fireworks. However - like a sprinkling of fairy dust - the smoked butter made my eyes widen in amazement. The sweet butter base made a bold, gorgeously potent smokiness pop; that being the dominant flavour instead of a more subdued yet still distinct garlic accent. The occasional salt crystal provided just the hint of saline tang needed.

My first course was Duck Confit with Yukon Gold Potato, Mache and Alba Black Truffle which left me unsure of where to start with the numerous discs of black truffle littering it. The meat was superbly soft and not overly salty the way confits tend to be. Nevertheless, that truffle earthiness still went best with the potato purée. So sweet, silky smooth and creamy yet not in any way gummy, I initially mistook it for some sort of cream sauce; with a sliver of black truffle, it was a truffled mash unlike any I've had before.

My dining partner opted for the Kohada with Tomato, Clementine, Mango, Quinoa and Beet instead which had a creative blend of flavours from nutty quinoa, sweet beetroot and tart mango. Her only lament was that the raw fish was quite fishy.

My second course continued with more truffle decadence, this time the even more luxurious white variety; Spaghettini with Poultry Jus and Alba White Truffle Shavings. If I had to describe the Spaghettini in a single word, it would be intense. The jus was so incredibly concentrated that its wonderful umaminess had a mildly bitter edge, going magnificently with that heady truffle perfume. The noodles added a hint of bite and body to a dish that gives one an idea of what pure flavour might be. The three grams of Alba White Truffle came at a $45++ supplement.

My dining partner's second course was equally decadent; Gnocchi with Truffle Salsa and Poached Egg. The truffle salsa was lumpy with what appeared to be coarsely minced black truffle; it likely was if the generous earthy flavour was any guide. A mouthful of tiny, pliantly chewy gnocchi dripping with that rich, aromatic mush indemnified any unceremoniousness that came with piercing the poached egg and stirring that rich yellow goop into the thick mess.

My main course of Lamb with Baba Ganoush and Cornbread seemed like four dishes in one as I had the excruciating pleasure of choosing between savouring the meltingly tender meat nude, coated with sweet and crisp cornmeal, dabbed with creamy baba ganoush or with a pungent clove of roasted garlic.

My dining partner's main was a dramatically presented John Dory with Asparagus and Watermelon Radish. The flaky fish was coated in a deliciously crispy spicy Cajun batter to which smooth, creamy asparagus purée provided a juxtaposition of flavour and texture.

Her dessert of Soursop with Baby Tomato, Cherry and Mascarpone that followed was the ideal fruity, tangy, palate-cleansing close to the meal. The acidic sorbet went remarkably with the dense, sweet cake while the paper-thin sheet of crystallized watermelon sugar provided clean, fruity flavour in addition to aesthetic appeal.

My dessert of Cinnamon Ice Cream with Textures of Chocolate & Mandarin was breathtakingly assembled before our eyes at the bar. I have always adored pairing rich dark chocolate with refreshing citrus perfume but the added smoky spice of cinnamon transports things to an entirely different plane.

The mouthfeel of four different textures of chocolate was unlike anything I experienced before; velvety mousse, chewy brownie, coarse cookie rubble and the glorious snap of dark chocolate all in a single mouthful. The last was only possible through meticulous monitoring of the chocolate as it was tempered; with a nifty thermo-gun.

As a side point, I just adore their Coffee ($6) mugs.