Les Amis

Les Amis – 1 Scotts Road, #02-14/16, Shaw Centre, Singapore

In the third and final installment of Fatlittleboy’s Singapore grand finale, I visited Les Amis. The Les Amis group is synonymous with fine food in Singapore and the eatery that started it all has garnered a long list of accolades dating as far back as 1995. More recent achievements include The Miele Guide Asia’s 5^th (2009) and 11^th (2010) Best Restaurant as well as ranking 60^th (2009) and 78^th (2010) on the Restaurant Magazine UK’s World’s Top 100 Restaurants.

The service was among the best I’ve experienced with a perfect balance of warmth and professionalism. The wait staff really knows its material, volunteering recommendations and painting an almost poetic picture of your order as it arrives. One waiter blew me away by giving me a brief history of the culinary use of the Maitake mushrooms I asked about. Set lunches come in two forms, a 3-course (1 appetizer, 1 main, 1 dessert) for $60++ and a 4 course (2 appetizer, 1 main, 1 dessert) for $80++. My substituting to include two of the chef’s signatures resulted in my lunch for two amounting to $364.87.

The Wholemeal, White and Sourdough Breads with Bavarian Sweet Mustard Butter and Butter were exceptional. I adored the warm, olive-studded sourdough with unsalted butter as the rich flavour and brininess of the olives remained in perfect focus. What stole the show – however – was the lovely mustard butter. The combination of sugar and butter is crucial to baking but I never thought sugary butter could be so good on its own, especially when balanced by the subtle acidity of mustard.

Scottish Salmon Tarte Flambé was served compliments of the chef. A play on the traditional Alsatian flatbread, it substituted crème fraîche, onions and bacon with the lighter flavours of raw salmon, a sprinkling of salt and a hint of truffle oil. I clean forgot my camera when these treats arrived so here’s stock picture from the Les Amis site.

My starters were both chef signatures and seemed to have a marked Singaporean influence that began with Lightly Smoked Eel Tiede with Crispy Pork Crouton, Horseradish and Dijon Mustard Emulsion. Who knew that the delicate, tender chew of rich smoked eel and a crispy pork-infused wafer could perfectly replicate the mouthfeel and flavour profile of siew yoke, Chinese crisp-roasted fatty pork? Well it does, especially with sinus-clearing horseradish-mustard sauce on the side as I’ve always eaten the stuff with Coleman’s mustard. This dish takes gastronomic deconstruction to a whole new plane, transcending the usual rehashed alternate assembly of the same elements and instead sourcing near-identical flavour from the unlikeliest of sources. Absolute genius.

My second starter was not even on the lunch menu but they obliged – at a supplement of course – and I got to experience my second delicious mind-screw of the day. Shocking but true, the Homemade Pasta with Japanese Shrimp and Black Périgord Truffles ($20) perfectly emulated Hokkien Prawn Noodles. The noodles were cooked soft - beyond the al dente of the other pasta we ordered - to become an occidental doppelganger of yellow noodles. The pool of liquid that the mound of pasta rested in was a potent shrimp stock with that trademark combination of crustacean sweetness and umami found in its Hawker Centre muse. Of course there were a few additional bells and whistles thrown in, like the crunchy tiny shrimp usually encountered in Asian shrimp crackers. However, the black truffles were wasted in my opinion as their flavour was completely overpowered; perhaps sambal belacan instead?

My dining partner opted for Marinated Winter Vegetable Salad with Melba Toast and Fennel Pollen Vinaigrette which was good though not quite as groundbreaking as the other dishes. The mix of crisp fresh vegetables and soft boiled ones made for an interesting mouthfeel while the melba toast-wafer was a pleasant alternative to typical croutons, albeit a little oily.

She continued with a second starter of Homemade Smokey Mushroom Pasta with Japanese Snow Crab and Spring Onion that was a mixture of hits and misses. The sweet if chewy crab leg would have been better if it was not nestled in a fishy foam or espuma of some sort. The combination of mushrooms and a sweet seafood stock was a winner though, slurped up with good al dente noodles.

We opted for another chef signature for our main, at a sizable supplement. Our Baby Monkfish on the Bone with Maitake Mushrooms, Lettuce and Caper-Lime Jus ($170, serves two) was served with much flourish. Brought to our table whole, it was sliced and served before our eyes.

This was my first taste of famed monkfish and I found that the tail flesh indeed lives up to its reputation of having a texture similar to lobster; though I’d say with a suggestion of firm fish like snapper. It had little inherent character though, relying on the caper sauce for oomph.

I was a little underwhelmed until I had my first taste of the toasted Maitake mushroom. The tender folds of flesh had a subtle earthy perfume with near-floral notes, infinitely more refined and delicate than the heady aroma of truffles. The waiter obliged with a little history lesson about its roots as a medicinal agent in ancient china.

Also dissected for us were monkfish cheeks, the choicest portion of the undeniably ugly fish with a texture firmer than the tail flesh. With a leaf of crisp baby romaine, a clove of bittersweet, wonderfully aromatic roast garlic, a chunk of meaty Maitake and caper sauce, it was phenomenal.

Our desserts promised another display of creativity, as evinced in my Pickled Hawaiian Papaya with Frozen Curry, Yogurt, Ginger and Lime; breathtakingly presented and in a manner that made it hard to tell what was what. I deliberated a fair while before nibbling a little white stuff that turned out to be a sugar confection similar to honey comb, tangy with the citrus punch of lime. Emboldened, I ventured into the blocks of gradually melting yellow stuff that revealed itself as turmeric frozen yogurt; good but quite odd. The orange discs of pickled papaya were quite pungent and the dots of yogurt had a beautifully strong ginger heat; not quite designed to be eaten on their own. Finally, after a lot of deft work, I maneuvered all the elements into a single spoon and was rewarded with a veritable explosion of flavour and texture.

My dining partner selected Char-Grilled Ciku with Palm Sugar and Thyme; the embodiment of warm, sweet tropical flavour. The first thing to hit us was the intense aroma from the caramelized ciku; the fruit’s naturally strong perfume gathers still more depth and character when the abundant sugars brown. As though dissatisfied with the beautifully nuanced palm sugar ice cream he created, the chef included chunks of the raw stuff to be sure. Definitely one for those with a sweet tooth.

To finish off, we had petit fours of Lemon Madeleines and Chocolate Fudge. Dainty and elegant, the madeleines were buttery, fluffy and sweet with a subtle lemon fragrance. On the other hand, the pistachio-studded fudge proved robust, it was very dense, very chewy and very, very sweet.

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.

Garibaldi

As Fatlittleboy nears its 10,000^th page view and as my time in Singapore draws to a close, I shall piece together a grand finale of sorts. Lined up over the next few weeks is a selection of Singapore’s definitive fine-dining establishments. These are the big players found in the Miele Guide and on the S. Pellegrino list, offering up ultimate decadence at – some might say – ultimate prices.

The scrimping and saving of military pittance wouldn’t have funded me through the door so a huge “thank you” must be given to my parents for an extremely generous and undeserved allowance as well as dining companions/financiers upon whose appetite and benevolence this was all possible.

Garibaldi – 36 Purvis Street #01-02, Singapore 188613

This 7-year-old eatery is one of the most decorated around, ranking 7^th in the Miele Guide of Asia’s Finest Restaurants 2008/2009, bagging both Restaurant AND Restauranteur (Chef Roberto Galetti) of the Year at the 2009 World Gourmet Summit as well as making it to both Singapore Tatler’s and Wine & Dine Magazine’s lists of top restaurants for 6 consecutive years. That’s just an excerpt from the lengthy list, mind you.

From my perspective, I found the food every bit as sensational as one could possibly expect and huddling in a comfy chair amidst diffused lighting on a drizzly day certainly scored for cozy ambience; but it was the spectacular service that really transported things. My agnolotti bordered on gastronomic nirvana yet it is the warm conversation and cheery smile of my waitress that would make me remember Garibaldi the next time I’m in town. An extravagant lunch with a full-blown seasonal degustation* for two and a 6-course a la carte selection for one amounted to $514.35.

The Sundried Tomato Foccacia amuse bouche was served hot enough to make you feel pleasantly warmed yet cool enough to be comfortably handled. What I remember the most was the mouth feel of remarkable crustiness and moist fluffiness in each bite without a gradient in between, this more so than the safe, classical flavour profile.

Pio Tosini Parma Ham Prosciutto with Traditional Romagna Fried Dough ($25) wowed with the subtle pungency and robust porcine character of aged, dry-cured, spiced Italian ham sourced from an artisanal curing company with a 105 year history.

On top of that, one wraps the ham around crisp, buttery hollow dough puffs that were warm and sweet to juxtapose the meat’s cool saltiness.

It is not humanly possible to turn down Wagyu Beef Carpaccio with Parmigiano Cheese and Rocket Salad ($28), no offence to vegetarians. I daresay Carpaccio is the ultimate way to enjoy quality beef – flavours are most potent when enjoyed in the raw – especially wrapped around a shaving of sweet-salty Parmigiano and a forkful of astringent rocket.

Course one of the Menu Stagionale ($138) was a single Coffin Bay Oyster with Caviar and I appreciated how the incredibly creamy yet subtly-flavoured Australian Pacific variety formed the perfect decadent yet subdued platform for the marine salinity of black gold to take the spotlight.

The Pan Seared Hokkaido Scallop with Caponata & Liquorice that followed was another treat. I have yet to get over the magic of Hokkaido scallops since my brush with Absinthe’s Carpaccio of them that I savoured in July and this dish served to ignite rather than diminish my fascination. Firm and meaty with a crisp outer sear and a sweet, yieldingly chewy interior, I sliced off tiny fractions to make the shellfish last as long as possible; which still was a flash. The thick, stew-like vegetable caponata accompanying the scallops was brilliantly refreshing with its vibrant, sweet-sour mixture of tomato and aubergine too.

The Pumpkin soup with Truffle Mascarpone Cheese intrigued me as you sort of assemble your own truffled cream of pumpkin by stirring together the globules of aromatic truffle oil and creamy mascarpone suspended in the smooth pumpkin puree. The end result was sweet, smooth and brimming with that wonderful pungent earthiness I love about truffles.

As a comparison, the a la carte Soup of the Day ($16) was a lovely carrot soup with crab. Suffused with sweet crustacean flavour, it was incredibly aromatic and the tender crab provided a hint of bite to the smooth puree.

Course number four of the seasonal menu was perhaps my favourite of the lot, Ox-Tail Beef Agnolotti with Celery Root Purea & Pistachio. I have always liked stuffed pasta but while more common raviolis are filled with a paste of ricotta or a puree of pumpkin, Agnolotti takes things a step further with a fully solid filling; slivers of tender ox-tail in this case. The bold flavour of the meat was matched with a gorgeous herby, classical browned butter with sage. One particular agnolotti crowned with a sage leaf (visible below) was a veritable explosion of flavour on my tongue that left my taste buds in delicious shell shock.

After the splendour of the agnolotti, the dramatically presented Pan Fried Jumbo Prawns with San Marzano Tomatoes and Orange did not shine quite so brightly. The famed sauce tomatoes did make for a spectacular, rich sweetness in the gravy but I found the enormous, meaty shrimp a tad overdone. Still it was good, very good.

The Roasted Australian Lamb Rack with Caramelized Pearl Onion & Mustard Sauce was truly a work of carnivorous art; I paused for a long moment to revel in that wonderful aroma and breathtaking sight before tucking in with gusto. Pink, juicy and packing meaty, ovine punch; medium rare is lamb enjoyed at its prime state to me. The side of caramelized shallots was downright dreamy with a sugary sweetness worthy of dessert status.

The a la carte selection made at the table was for First Grade Angus Beef Tenderloin with Potato Gratin and Red Wine Sauce ($48). My dining companion ordered his tenderloin done medium well but it still managed to be superbly tender and moist, I was in awe. The halo of sweet carrot balls and crunchy zucchini lumps around the glorious hunk of beast certainly made for a pretty picture. Would I be wrong to think that Chef Roberto Galetti serves up authentic Italian fare with the aesthetic finesse normally found in the French?

My dessert was a Rhubarb Tart Amaretti and Chocolate Coulis that was certainly pleasing if not groundbreaking. I loved the tangy chunk of rhubarb I unearthed within that soft almond cookie as much as the wonderfully tart sorbet crowning it. The chocolate coulis was good on its own but seemed at odds with the other components to me.

The dessert my companion chose a la carte was a Lava Cake that was certainly good as he’s quite a connoisseur of this confection and it’s his standard order here.

* A second degustation menu's also available for $98++ but it was much more tame.

Imperial Treasure Teochew Cuisine

Imperial Treasure Teochew Cuisine – 391 Orchard Road, Ngee Ann City, #04-20A

The more I visit Chinese restaurants, the more I begin to think that service is a Western ideal. Forget about them noticing that one of my party was clearly very Indian and spoke not a word of Chinese, every member of the wait staff simply rattled away in mandarin. Do not even expect thought to be put into your pace of eating when dishes are served for everything is dumped on your table at once; too bad if much of it grows cold before you manage to get round to it or if you lack room to move. Yet, these places manage to draw snaking queues because the food miraculously redeems all that with its variety and scrumptiousness. My party of three racked up a massive $115.93 bill and polished off every last morsel.

Our order of Marinated Duck's Tongue ($8) had a most curious texture midway between crunch and gelatinousness. While rather fussy going with a central shard of bone, it was excellent with a sharp white vinegar dip.

Vermicelli Soup with Roast Goose ($8) had a mixed reception for the jury's still out on whether the roast goose was pleasantly moist or soggy.

However, the thick, milky vermicelli soup with wonderful springy noodles found a fan in me for it seemed to have drawn inspiration from sliced fish noodles, one of my favourite comfort foods.

The Deep Fried Pig's Intestines ($8.40) were absolutely sensational. Extremely crisp on the outside, luxuriously soft and creamy on the inside while managing to remain not the least bit oily; it bordered on perfection.

Alas, the Pig's Trotters with Egg and Black Vinegar ($5.50) was proof that some things are best left to home cooks. The ginger sections were unpeeled, leaving a chewy, unappetizing layer of skin to ruin the mouthfeel of the tender young roots. Furthermore, the meat was not braised nearly long enough for the fat to be emulsified by the vinegar so the trotters were still tough and fatty rather than melt-in-your-mouth with little visible marbling. By cutting corners and saving time, all that remained noteworthy in this simple dish was a pleasantly syrupy sauce.

The Stewed Pig's Shank with Peanuts ($5) fared much better with its thick, rich gravy, generous chunks of gelatinous tendon and soft, delicate layer of skin.

The Steamed Teochew Dumplings ($3.30) were one of the more unusual dim sum offerings. Stuffed with turnip slices, black fungus and peanuts, they had a wonderful combination of textures.

I had to try a steamer of Har Kau ($4.40) which had delightfully soft skins stuffed till the verge of bursting with deliciously crunchy shrimp.

The Siew Mai ($4) were a touch too salty though but otherwise aced the combination of tender, juicy chicken stuffing and still more springy shrimp.

I loved the strong, grassy pungency of chives in the Pan Fried Chive Dumplings ($3.50) but they could have been far less greasy.

The Steamed Chicken with Fish Maw ($4.80) presented a gorgeous amalgam of flavours and textures with spongy fish maw, chewy shiitake, meaty ham chunks and juicy chicken pieces.

Shanghai Steamed Pork Dumplings ($3.60) are my perennial favourite but - as always - featured skins that were way too fragile. Nevertheless, I enjoyed whatever dribble of thickened meat broth and marinated mince that reached my mouth.

The Fish Maw Soup with Pearl Leaves ($9) was decidedly average though I always marvel at how a swim bladder can even be rendered edible. The crunchy fungus and small bits of mince provided the bulk of the texture and flavour though.

I much preferred the Minced Beef with Vegetables in Thickened Soup ($8) as the beef was not overcooked to toughness and flavoured the eggdrop-thickened soup generously.

A Chinese restaurant meal is never complete without a Mango Pudding ($4) and this one was a princely specimen with actual mango chunks embedded in the gelatinized mango purée, no chemical aftertaste detected.

The Walnut Cream ($4) was another winner with a pleasant viscosity and that bittersweetness I adore.

Less remarkable were the Egg Tarts ($3) which were a little too flaky but the custard struck a good balance of firmness and moistness.