Showing posts with label st regis. Show all posts
Showing posts with label st regis. Show all posts
Brasserie Les Saveurs: Au revoir mates
Labels:
food tasting,
french,
HGW,
hidden finds,
orchard,
st regis,
wines
·
One look at the French Chef de Cuisine, Antoine Bonnet, and I was picturing the glorious moments of sunset, the tangled manes of a horse, carefree, and a whisperer on its back, preened and glistening under the rays. No, I'm getting way ahead of myself. The feast he produced for us though was a real spectacle, refined french fare showcasing the authenticity of honestly good ingredients. The 'riding into the sunset' moment has to wait.
Dinner was at Brasserie Les Saveurs at the outskirts of the St. Regis Hotel main lobby, stowed away at the back of the entrance; almost like a secret enclave. Luxe materials drape the room and chandeliers illuminate the velvety interiors of the wide space. I, for one, was enchanted; but refused to judge the book by its covers.
Hence, the speculation began with the amuse bouche. Pan Seared Scallop with Potato Espuma with sesame oil. Brilliant sear on the scallop, the espuma delightfully seasoned, still I was expecting a bit more aeration in it. We trudge on. Dinner begins to look like a magical fairytale waiting to be unveiled.
The next dish that arrived at our tables did not tickle my fancy at all. Salad Nicoise ($36), a pedestrian dish uplifted only by the inclusion of more exquisite ingredients in there that possibly lead to its dismayed performance in my books. Blame me, I'm averse towards anchovies and artichokes.
Thank goodness for the Bouillabaisse Facon Les Saveurs($19)that followed closely. This resonated closely with me, mainly because Provencal French dishes are right up my alley. The rich broth flavored with Pernod (French made anise flavored liquer), saffron and star anise was a luscious shade of red, I greedily lapped up the lot. Snacking on the expertly prepared minuscule buffet of seafood. Served with garlic toasts with a saffron flavored mayonnaise dip, this was a combination delicious on its own and left me bewildered as to how to enjoy them simultaneously.
The Chillax Lobster, aka Le Homard Thermidor($75) was the next to grace the table, its idle posture, a contrast to the tedious work that went on behind the kitchen. Hailing from Brittany, the delicate flesh of the lobster was sauteed with white wine and cognac and served with sauteed spinach and lobster emulsion. Until this day, I dream about the pincers which have been fried in contrast to the rest of it's body. A technique that still managed to yield soft sweet crustacean flesh that was seductively crisp around the ages.
Nothing speaks haute cuisine quite like table side service. A rare and dying art, we were fortunate to be able to embrace that experience; even if it only meant the carving of a gargantuan roasted prime rib rack. On a fashion savvy trolley nonetheless, the chefs approach the table with stark professionalism and nimble fingers, presenting each diner with the Australian Prime Rib ($48), roasted potatoes and tomatoes on the side with either a wine reduction jus or horseradish sauce on the side. I adored the piquancy of the latter and how it complimented the raw flavors of the meat. I kid you not, since my portion was carved out of the middle section of the massive chunk, it leaned towards the rare side, the throbbing bluish red flesh a tad too under done for my liking. Could they have asked for a preference in doneness? Don't know how that's done with tableside service...
Dessert came in the form of chocolate bon bons (which we sneaked into our bellies before the main course even began, naughty...), some laced with alcohol and a variation of subtle flavors, this demonstrated the well-rounded skills of the in-house pastry chefs present in St Regis Hotel. However, our main dessert of Le Gateau A La Banane ($14) (despite it's sweet intentions), left much to be desired. From my guess, it featured an almond financier base, apricot jelly flavored with tea and banana mousse. The banana flavor in the mousse was not robust enough and the ginger as proclaimed in the ice cream was almost non-existent. The mango salsa on the other hand was divine, a titillating balance of sweet and acidity.
Well, that rounds off my last food review in Singapore for the past year. Work beckons for me in Australia and to my dearest foodie friends that I've left behind in Sunny Singapore, Thank You for all the well wishes! I shall be back for the occasional visits (or back for good if things don't work out for me. *Touch wood*). To those longing for a piece of greener grass, head on over to my Aussie version of my blog at SNAP EAT LOVE.
St Regis Hotel
Lobby Level
29 Tanglin Road
Singapore 297911
Tel: +65 65066860
Website: http://www.brasserielessaveurs.com/
Media Tasting: La Brezza @ the St Regis
Labels:
food tasting,
HGW,
italian,
orchard,
restaurants,
special occasion,
st regis
·
Stashed away beside the picturesque swimming pool of the St Regis Hotel, lies the little charmer La Brezza. All business with an airy ordinance during the day, the trattoria style Italian diner takes on a more romantic and magical aura once the night sets in.
During my last visit, we got to taste the new menu yet to be launched, designed by La Brezza's new chef, Stefano Arrigoni, previously of Ochre at Orchard Central. Gregarious with a slightly cheeky smile at hand, Chef Stefano hosted the table with ease, guiding us through his vision with a delightful Amuse Bouche to start. The Carosello "LaBrezza" Special was a sight for sore eyes and lovely introduction to the night ahead, the langoustine tartare being the most memorable.
Kick starting the night, the Pan Seared Hokkaido Scallops wrapped in Pancetta with Truffled Angel Hair Pasta and Caviar sauce($32). Despite it being a bit uninspiring, it was tell tale signs that it was back to basics with Chef Stefano, his style translating into a well executed scallop dish. The truffled angel hair pasta serving as a dreamy bed to the perfectly seared plump scallop.
Next up, we dived into the shallow dish of Tuscany style tomato soup with king crab and basil foam($18), check out that generous serving of shredded king crab flesh! Cooked with a light handed amount of dried spices, this version proved to be a little more tangy and aromatic as compared to the usual robust tomato soup I've had, thus serving as an excellent compliment to the delicate crab.
Now what is an Italian joint without a good pizza at hand? La Brezza does a very mean version of the Proscuitto Pizza ($38), topped with caramelised onions, sun dried tomatoes, mozzarella cheese and more cheesy goodness in the form of stracciatella (another soft cheese); it's as if the whole mountain of ingredients in perfect ratio to each other formed a perfect amalgamation of flavors condensed into a compact package, a thin slither of blissful union. The sweetness of the caramelised onion exalting the smoky savouriness of the aged proscuitto used.
Graduating to the mains, we were served a Slow cooked Australian Lamb Rack ($48) , crusted with Kalamata Olives and served with a vincotto sauce. Firstly, I walloped the Vegetable Caponata with gusto, Sicilian in origins with a delightful mishmash of aubergine and celery, it reminded me so much of ratatouille. The lamb in all honesty was a little too well done for my liking. Despite it's less than pink complexion, it was undeniably tender; probably attributed to the fact that the lamb was slow cooked for long hours on ends using the sous vide technique before seeing the light of the charcoal barbecue.
The pasta selection at La Brezza is exceptionally liberal in its use of indulgent ingredients. Take for example the taglionlini with Boston Lobster, Sun-dried tomato, Italian Basil, served with white wine and tomato sauce ($48), you get an entire lobster perched on the side of the plate, one that has decidingly been murdered back in the kitchens and poached with much dignity once your ticket reached the fly. *dang*. Despite it's incredulous expense, I did not fancy the dish. The second pasta however fared a tad better in my books, the Homemade whole grain pappardelle with Ragout of slow cooked Venision and Pecorino ($40), was more robust in flavor, the tender venision ragout coating the pappardelle in a glistening christening of meaty juices.
But nothing spoke as loudly to me that night as the Barolo Wine and Pecorino Risotto, sous vide Oxtail and sweet saba reduction ($38). Slightly purplish in tone due to the use of Sweet Saba (grape juices) reduction used to cook the risotto rice in, this perfectly tranquil dish of tender grains combined with the delicate oxtail flesh and finally finished off with paper thin shavings of Pecorino cheese over the top. Blissful gratification with every spoonful.
Our mandatory Italian get-away dessert, Tiramisu was a bit of a hustle, the creamy lusciousness of the mascarpone cheese ruined by the large amounts of air incorporated into it's make-up, the use of the siphon largely abused in this case. Disappointing in this case albeit for the good mix of flavors within the soaked sponge fingers.
La Brezza offers up a truly Italian gastronomical experience with a variety of dishes spanning across the geographical map of Italy. Despite it's slightly wallet-unfriendly prices, quality made it justifiable. Definitely a place you can consider for a special occasion dinner. For those sussing out a good deal, La Brezza does deliver an extremely value for money Prosecco Brunch available every Sunday from 12noon to 3pm. Read more over here
Thanks to Jesmine, Senior Marketing Communication Manager of St Regis Singapore and the Hungrygowhere team for organising the tasting.
29 Tanglin Road
The St. Regis
Tel: 65066888
Website:http://www.labrezzarestaurant.com/
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