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FOOD & WINE
Taste: Nostalgia & Provenance
by Anton D. Javier
05 Nov 2020
05 Nov 2020
Decadent dining experiences inspired by a trip down memory lane or heading straight to the source
- AVENUE 87
- SOLO RISTORANTE
- RESTAURANT JAG
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Octopus -
Pisang No Goreng -
Avenue 87 dining room
Friendship and memories seem to be the jumping off point for the delicious ideas brewing at Avenue 87, a new Modern Asian restaurant at Amoy Street. Run by Chefs Glen Tay and Alex Phan, the dining destination is the result of shared experiences, lessons learned from their professional careers, as well as the dishes they love to eat.
In addition to lunch, Avenue 87 offers two tasting menus for dinner (4- and 6-course) that feature well-known dishes transformed by the memories, travels, and professional discourse of the two young chefs. Local and artisanal ingredients take center stage here, shining brightly when the diner opts for the full 6-course experience.
Like most tasting menus, the journey starts with snacks featuring chicken chips and a meatless interpretation of kueh pie tee. This is followed by the sashimi-inspired first course comprised of salmon, ponzu pickled wakame, dill oil, and sour cream. What follows is a contemporary take on a hawker favorite – fish soup. It features freshly poached sea bass, compressed bitter gourd, semi-dried cherry tomatoes, and deep-fried egg floss. The flavors are at once new and familiar; rich yet delicate, with a broth you can’t help but greedily slurp up.
As for the mains, the octopus is a standout with its moreish, sambal stingray flavor profile. The chili packs a punch, offering an addictive heat that harmonizes with the char from the octopus and the creaminess of the confit egg yolk. Where dessert is concerned, the “Pisang No Goreng” is a brilliant riff of the deep fried banana fritter where coconut custard is envolped in a golden shell and paired with banana ice cream and gula melaka.
Visit Avenue 87 at 47 Amoy Street, Tel: 9838 8401
For more information, click here
- AVENUE 87
- SOLO RISTORANTE
- RESTAURANT JAG
Solo Ristorante
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Wagyu Carpaccio -
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Melanzana alla Parmigiana -
Uni Tagliolini
When an Italian chef heads the kitchen, you know you’re getting the real deal. Such is the case at Solo Ristorante, which recently welcomed its new Chef/Partner Simone Fraternali in March 2020. The Northern Italian is no stranger to the treasures of the Emilia-Romagna region like balsamic vinegar, gnocchi, and parmigiano reggiano, and counts his nonna’s kitchen, as well as Michelin Star restaurants as his training ground.
At Solo Ristorante, Chef Fraternali presents a tight, concise menu. No endless menu flipping here because everything is laid out in one spread – from antipasti to dolci. To start off, the Baked Eggplant alla Parmigiana is a good choice where layers of fried, tender eggplant is layered with mozzarella cheese, light tomato sauce, and punctuated with briny olives. The Wagyu Carpaccio is also a must, where Grade 5 Australian wagyu is crowned with pickled artichoke and aged balsamic vinegar.
As for pastas, Solo Ristorante’s Gnocchi with Angus Beef Ragout is a pillowy delight, which has more of a gooey, melt-in-your mouth consistency, blanketed in a robust Bolognese sauce. For something more indulgent, the Tagliolini with Sea Urchin is it – homemade noodles tossed in a smoky uni sauce, tarragon, and lemon zest. For the Secondi course, Chef Fraternali gives us a taste of his Sunday roast lunches at home with the Guinea Fowl Sous Vide Breast, Extra Virgin Olive Oil Confit Leg, Oven Baked Banana Shallot and Natural Jus. It is a seemingly simple dish, but elevated through a refined treatment of various cooking techniques that brings out the best flavor of each cut.
The Torta Al Limone is the perfect choice for a fabulous finish, pleasantly cutting through the meal’s overall richness. Here, Amalfi lemon meets white chocolate curd and topped with a generous dollop of strawberry basil sorbet.
Visit Solo Ristorante at 45 Amoy Street, Tel: 6260 0762
For more information, click here
- AVENUE 87
- SOLO RISTORANTE
- RESTAURANT JAG
Restaurant JAG
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Coucou, French Heirloom Tomato, Honey Vinegar Foam -
Sapin, Kohlrabi, Mackerel -
Frênes, Purple Artichoke, Futari Wagyu
Looking at the way things currently are, to say that something good came out of the COVID-19 pandemic might seem like a joke. But that’s actually the case for One Michelin-Starred Restaurant JAG. It has used the pandemic to re-evaluate its operations and dining services, scaling back to a mere five tables, allowing for safe distancing for both diners and kitchen staff.
With necessary safe distancing measures in place, Chef Jeremy Gillon is afforded the time to interact with his guests more, personally speaking to them, and understanding their flavor and dietary preferences, which results in a meal that can be described as a French Omakase concept.
Chef Jeremy shares, “There is a heightened awareness around food safety and because of our intimate size, we are able to assure our diners about the provenance of our ingredients and elevate our Savoie herb-led culinary philosophy.” Assuming that you have no dietary restrictions and are open to entrusting your journey to Chef Jeremy, the Opulent Indulgence – The True JAG Omakase Experience is the way to go. The immersive journey finds up to 15 Savoie herbs and seasonal vegetables to be the star, starting with the canapés like the Bouleau, White Chocolate, Pea Tartlette and Achillée, Radish, and Cashew Nut Butter.
A beautiful parade of dishes soon follow, where luxurious, seasonal ingredients like heirloom tomatoes, shellfish, smoked mackerel, summer truffle, langoustine, and pigeon are transformed into plated masterpieces by Chef Jeremy and his capable team. As with any Omakase meal, the element of surprise that accompanies each course makes this meal at Restaurant JAG truly unforgettable.
Visit Restaurant JAG at 76 Duxton Road, Tel: 3138 8477
For more information, click here
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