Showing posts with label wine pairing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label wine pairing. Show all posts
Botanico: Bon viveurs, we've got a game-changer on our hands
Labels:
botanic gardens,
date night,
european,
fusion,
hidden finds,
modern,
restaurants,
special occasion,
wine pairing,
winebar
·
Wine-lusters looking to up their game when it comes to food and wine pairings can now look to Botanico's revised wine program for sure-win epicurean dreams. Not that there's anything wrong with a medley of cheeses and cold cuts, but when occasion calls for a little bit of spice, Botanico steps up to the plate; literally, with Chef Sujatha Asokan visiting the spice pots often in an effort to match up to the burgeoning vino activities in the lush space.
[Tipsy Tuesday]: Newsletter for the Thirsty
Labels:
alcohol,
barolo,
brunch,
cocktails,
drinks,
events,
fine dining,
gin,
guest bartender,
mooncakes,
round up,
sunday brunch,
thebarawards,
truffle,
wine pairing,
worlds best bars
·
Pick your poison: from locally distilled gin from Mandai to epic wine pairings and alcoholic mooncakes. We round up our favourite drink-related events this autumn. All the better to prime your livers with before the holiday season.
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Wine Lust 2018, 10 Aug - 10 Sep
The much beloved oenophiles dream experience makes a comeback for a second edition this year from the 10 August to 10 September. The month long wine-filled celebration will feature a variety of wine events at 15 award-winning restaurants across the island.
Here are some of my top picks:
4-Hands Manjimup Truffle Dinner with Renato Barolo Wines
Monti
Monti
14 Aug, 7 - 10pm
Here's a match made in heaven - decadent fresh Manjimup black truffles from Australia meets the best Barolo wines from Renato Corino.
For one night only, tuck into a sensuous 6-course dinner featuring the peak produce of the winter truffle season in Australia. With Chef Christopher Millar from Stellar at 1-Altitude and Chef Felix Chong manning the stoves, rest assured that your palate is in for a treat. The cream on the cake: each guest will enjoy 30 grams of the prized fungi paired with the finest ingredients such as Black Onyx Angus beef and Live Jade Abalone.
Alan Blakers, the founding family member of Manjimup Truffles will be on location to further drive the inception of the delectable treat amongst the diners.
This indulgent truffle themed dinner will be beautifully complemented with barolo wines as is priced at $168++ per head.
Tickets available here:
https://goo.gl/PXCCU7
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Wine Lust Brunch Affair
Botanico
18 Aug, 12 - 3pm
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Wine Lust Brunch Affair
Botanico
18 Aug, 12 - 3pm
Free flow wines at brunch just found a whole new meaning with Botanico's Wine Lust Brunch Affair this coming Saturday. Besides the delectable food by Chef Sujatha Asokan, diners get a choice to top up $55++ per pax to enjoy a complimentary tasting of over 96 unique wines from around the globe. Guests can continue to enjoy their favourite tipple at home for a special price if they decide to purchase by the bottle or case.
Facebook event:
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Le Donne Del Vino
Botanico
30 Aug, 7 - 10pm
Tucked away in the heart of Botanical Gardens is Botanico, a spot of tranquil beauty and immaculate lush green surroundings. Escape the city buzz with Le Donne Del Vino (Women of Wine) on the 30 August where the contemporary bistro will be honouring three of Italy's finest female winemakers alongside home-grown powerhouse Chef Sujatha Asokan who will be fastidiously preparing a memorable six-course menu featuring recipes disclosed from the winemakers' families themselves.
Tickets are priced at $110++ per pax and are available via
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Barolo Wine Dinner with Giovanni Oliva
The Summerhouse
31 Aug, 6 - 10pm
If you've got a soft spot for the huge reds, this dinner might pique your interest. The full-bodied red from the historical Cordero di Montezemolo family winery will take centerstage in a five-course dinner in the cosy realms of The Summerhouse dining room.
Tickets are priced at $120++ per person and are available here:
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Celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival with Regent Hotel's NEW Whiskey-infused Snow Skin mooncakes
Summer Palace Dim Sum guru Chef Leong Kwok Sing partners with bar Manger Philip Bischoff of Manhattan, Asia's Best Bar to present an exquisite collection of perennial favourite alongside two new spirited snowskin variants: Barrel-aged Sazerac 6-year-old Rye with coffee and chocolate and Barrel-aged La Lousiane Cocktail with Yuzu and Green Bean Paste.
The former combines the likes of rye-whiskey aged in 10 year old tawny port washed American oak barrel for 25 days, with coffee and chocolate paste for a play on nuttiness, chocolate earthiness and a risque sharpness. For those who like your cocktails a little less serious, the barrel-aged La Louisiane Cocktail with yuzu and green bean paste will hit the spot. Based on a classic Creole cocktail, the snowskin representation of is no less complex, perked up with notes of overripe oranges to awaken the senses.
Guests have the option to purchase the Manhattan Mid-Autumn box which comes with an assortment of Manhattan exclusive snow skin mooncakes and limited edition four-set whiskey tasting box (2 cl bottles of specially curated American whiskies and two exclusive barrel-aged blends from the Rickhouse in Manhattan) for $168. Definitely a gift worthy of any serious imbiber.
Enjoy early bird discounts till the Aug 19, where all 4 or 8-piece mooncake box purchases are entitled to 30% discount. Regular orders from 20 Aug to 24 Sep will enjoy a 15% discount with the use of the following credit cards: Bank of China, Citibank, Diners Club, HSBC, Maybank, OCBC and UOB.
~~~
Uniquely Singaporean: Tanglin Gin
The former combines the likes of rye-whiskey aged in 10 year old tawny port washed American oak barrel for 25 days, with coffee and chocolate paste for a play on nuttiness, chocolate earthiness and a risque sharpness. For those who like your cocktails a little less serious, the barrel-aged La Louisiane Cocktail with yuzu and green bean paste will hit the spot. Based on a classic Creole cocktail, the snowskin representation of is no less complex, perked up with notes of overripe oranges to awaken the senses.
Guests have the option to purchase the Manhattan Mid-Autumn box which comes with an assortment of Manhattan exclusive snow skin mooncakes and limited edition four-set whiskey tasting box (2 cl bottles of specially curated American whiskies and two exclusive barrel-aged blends from the Rickhouse in Manhattan) for $168. Definitely a gift worthy of any serious imbiber.
Enjoy early bird discounts till the Aug 19, where all 4 or 8-piece mooncake box purchases are entitled to 30% discount. Regular orders from 20 Aug to 24 Sep will enjoy a 15% discount with the use of the following credit cards: Bank of China, Citibank, Diners Club, HSBC, Maybank, OCBC and UOB.
~~~
Uniquely Singaporean: Tanglin Gin
It's about time that Singapore has its first Gin. Presenting to you, Tanglin Gin, Singapore's only handcrafted spirit, batch distilled in Singapore (Mandai, no less). The secret ingredient - Orchid; seemingly befitting since it's our national flower. The tipple heroes 11 botanicals, with some less usual suspects such as Amchoor (Indian Dried Green Mangoes) and Dendrobium Orchid. The result is a modern gin with a subtle floral fragrance and a slight citrus backdrop. Best enjoyed neat.
Find out more here:
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The Bar Awards
is back in Singapore for its 2018 edition this weekend and it beckons you to get your crazy on!
Origin Bar
16 Aug
6pm onwards
The weekend of debauchery is starting off with a bang at Shangri-La Hotel's Origin Bar. Eight esteemed bartenders from all around the region will be doing rotational shifts behind the bar, dishing out the cheekiest of concoctions. So, don't expect to be standing straight at the end of the night.
Featured bartenders include
- Aili Nguyen of Employees Only Hong Kong (The Rising Star, Hong Kong)
- Angel Ng of PS150 (The Ada Coleman Winner, Kuala Lumpur 2017)
- Backstage Cocktail Bar (Best Hospitality, Bangkok 2018)
- Coley Cocktail Bar (Bar of the Year and Best Hospitality Team, Bangkok 2018)
- Please Don't Tell (Best Hotel Bar, Hong Kong 2018)
- Ponn Kitiphum (Mekhong's Brand Ambassador)
- Vesper (Most Creative cocktail program, Bangkok 2018)
- Yes Please (Manila)
~~~
Other guestshifts worth looking out for:
PS150 (KL) at HRVST/ 17 Aug/ 6 - 10pm
Vesper (BKK) at Smoke and Mirrors/ 17 Aug/ 8pm - 12am
Coley (KL) at The Spiffy Dapper/ 17 Aug/ 8 - 12am
Backstage Cocktail Bar (BKK) at Tess Bar and Kitchen/ 17 Aug/ 8 - 12am
Waterloo Street Luau Party/ 17 Aug/ 7pm onwards **
Jigger and Pony Sneak Preview Pop-up at Gibson/ 18 Aug/ 6pm - 2am
Tropic like It's Hot Featuring Bali's Best Bars at Lucha Loco/ 18 Aug/ 6pm - 12am
Employees Only Hong Kong at Highball/ 18 Aug/ 9pm - 12am
Please Don't Tell Hong Kong at Native/ 18 Aug/ 6 - 10pm
Vesper at Origin Bar/ 18 Aug/ 8pm - 12am
Flagship Turns 3 ft. Satan's Whiskers/ 18 Aug/ 8pm - 1am
More details here
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[Messed up Mondays]: Newsletter for the Thirsty
Labels:
bar,
barolo,
bartender shifts,
cocktails,
drinks,
gin,
guest bartender,
round up,
tanjong pagar,
telok ayer,
wine pairing,
worlds best bars
·
As we are deep in the third quarter of 2018, new year resolutions start to wane, and you find yourself pressing against the gas pedal on the topic of 'debauchery'. Don't fret if you're haven't had the chance to indulge in all the good things the city has to offer - the rest of the year's wine and dine line-up is just around the corner.
Here are some of my favourite events of the season (mostly alcoholic related). So if you're on a pursuit of drinking pleasure, this might just be your shtick.
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Damilano Wine Dinner at Zafferano Italian Restaurant and Lounge
on 26 July from 7pm
"Not all grapes are destined to become Damilano wines", and to only represent the 'King of Wines and the Wine of Kings', Barolo, is to take it one step further in exclusivity.
On the 26th July and for one night only, experience the jewels of Barolo's terrior in a five-course dinner curated by Head Chef Emanuele Faggi at Zafferano together with wine pairings from Damilano Wine Company. You'll be placed in the good hands of Brand Manager, Thomas Cuni, who will guide you through the beautiful journey of heritage wines, which include the Barolo Lecinquevigne 2013 and the elegant Barolo Cannubi 2012.
Dinner highlights include delicate pillows of veal tongue Raviolo and the well-executed pan roasted venison served with oven baked quince apple and broccoli.
The Damilano Wine Dinner is available on 26 July 2018 from 7pm at $98++ per person
Events Page: Zafferano
Reservations: here
~~~
Tippling club launches its first ever Sons of Tippling Gin
The craft distillery boom has recently tainted the youngest, most talented minds in the Food and Beverage scene in Singapore. While some wait three years to distill their whisky, some are dabbling in gin - cue, the newest gin to grace the market, founded by three experts in the field, Ryan Clift, Joe Schofield(recently awarded International Bartender of the Year at the 12th annual Spirited Awards) and master distiller James Young.
Made from Botanical ingredients such as juniper, coriander seed, angelica root, liquorice, aniseed, cardamon, lemon and orange peel and lemon myrtle - this does sound like a typical modern gin with a crisp citrus edge, but when does Tippling Club ever the trod the path of the commoners?
Come Saturday 28 July, the inquisitive will be treated to a sneak preview of the small batch gin (limited quantities of 300 bottles only). Tippling club will be dishing it out in 3 signature cocktails priced at $22+ each. Peripheral activities included complimentary canapes and complimentary tattoos by Joe Wang from 8 Volts Tattoo.
~~~
Global Bartender Exchange: CK Kho of Coley guest shifting at Cin Cin
on 25 July from 7 - 11pm
Here's where you should go to get your midweek fix this week.
Gin specialist bar, Cin Cin will be playing host to CK Kho of Asia's Best 46th Bar 2018, Coley in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. From 7 to 11pm, be entertained with quirky mannerism (if you see him breaking out the angostura bitters, RUN!) and a quick show of hands stirring up two exclusive cocktails using Bulldog Gin - an English gin that advocates wanderlust in its global sourcing of botanicals.
If you're one to inhale the peanut snackage when at bars, the Nutjob made to replicate that bar snack will be up your alley. Otherwise, Paradise Lost is set to tickle your palate with its effervescent mix of Strawberry and Ginger Shrub and Bulldog Gin finished with a healthy splash of sparkling wine for good measure.
~~~
Bartenders battle it out for the Black Cow Vodka Gold Top Cup
on 1st August from 6 30pm onwards at Fancy
Forget about conventional bartending competitions, the Black Cow Vodka Gold Top Cup finals is happening on the 1st August and you'll be able to get up close and personal with the ten finalists as they battle against each other for a chance to compete in the world finals where a trip to UK, home of the Black Cow Vodka is up for grabs.
The ten finalists are:
Michael Mendoza - 1864 Bar and Lounge Sofitel
Tim Chew - 1180
Leonard Lim - 1880
Bannie Kang - Anti:Dote
Russell Ong - Atlas
Dave Koh - Bar Stories
Sashi Satiyaseelen - Pollen
Nina Kong - Sugarhall
Yadhaven Santheran - The Guild Singapore
Don Henry Miranga - The World is Flat
The finalists will be shaking up a storm at a public event on August 1st at Fancy, 35 North Canal Road from 6 30pm. So come show some support!
~~~
The Last Shake: Farewell party for Sugarhall on Amoy Street
27th and 28th July (all night long)
If you follow my feed on @thedrinkseeker, you would know of my devote penchant for rum. And its with the heaviest of hearts that I have to bid farewell to my favourite bar in Singapore (Yes, I said it) If you haven't heard (which rock have you been hiding under?), Jigger and Pony as well as Sugarhall will be uprooting themselves from the Amoy street precinct as of this weekend. Come by, eat, drink and be merry. No tears allowed though. Afterall, it's not goodbye. It's farewell.
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Mikuni's "Doyo no Ushi no Hi" or Summer Unagi Festival Menu hopes to boost your vitality
Labels:
fairmont hotel,
japanese,
must go,
restaurants,
sake,
seasonal,
special occasion,
unagi,
will return,
wine pairing,
wines
·
A time-warp happened within the first few seconds of being seated in the darkened inner sanctums of Mikuni. Flashbacks to my last "Doyo no Ushi no Hi" menu in 2016 under the tutelage of Chef Moon Kyung Soo and that glistening coat of sticky glaze on charcoal grilled eel. I coo-ed. It was superb. However, a lot of things have changed over the last two years. One of the most major - Executive Chef Keisuke Uno taking over the reigns and breathing new life into the extensive menu of kaiseki, sushi and sashimi, teppanyaki and robatayi offerings. Another would the addition of outlet manager and sommelier Ryuta Yamada to the team. Fortunately, I was extremely blessed to be able to experience his prowess in wine and sake through a rather intriguing wine and sake pairing that was purposed to sing in harmony with the Summertime Unagi Treat.
Bacchanalia goes the Seasonal route with their New Menus
There isn't any fancy pleasures more profound than a good slice of sourdough in the affable company of room temperature butter. The new Bacchanalia and I, got off to a good start with the impressionable introduction that involved one, too many bubbly slices christened with a firm crispy crust, singing a resounding sour note to the salty harmony of seaweed butter. And this was no ordinary seaweed butter, it's textural landscape undulating with pops of umami, as if with the hum of sea grapes. If you're one to judge a fine-dining establishment by its complimentary bread, Bacchanalia will you make you very very happy.
Lerouy ft. Couvent des Jacobins St Emilion: A Love Story
Labels:
date night,
french,
new openings,
open kitchen,
special occasion,
tanjong pagar,
will return,
wine pairing,
wines
·
Tonight I consummate my love for alcohol, charging through a flight of Couvent des Jacobins St. Emilion vintages from the the stalwart 2009 down to a luscious 1989 tipple. Food and wine pairing, when done right, is a mutually beneficially relationship. So it makes me smile when the two come together in ways that are complementary and evocative. Suffice to say, by the end of the night, I had a silly grin plastered to my face - such is my simple story of the Sarment wine dinner at Lerouy.
[BALI EATS]: Urchin Grill & Raw Bar does poncey with major appeal
Labels:
Bali,
food tasting,
Indonesia,
must go,
omakase,
restaurants,
seafood,
special occasion,
travel,
travelling,
will visit,
wine pairing,
wines
·
On a weekday night during the off-peak season at Urchin, it's a silent, empty place of polished floorboards, stiff back chairs and mahogany wood stained atmosphere. Similar to other establishments winging the Seminyak stretch, the ill-fated predicament seems commonplace. A waiter appears and injects some life into the dry as dust persona, introducing us to the tasting menu we would be navigating. Albeit, alone in the expanse of the spacious dining room. Urchin defers from most other restaurants, no death-defying design stunts, devoid of tropical-vibe inducing paraphernalia.
I had no qualms, of course. Settling in prompting with a comp basket of sexy warm sourdough flanked by a small dish of Kombu butter that had seen too long a time in the freezer.
Morsels: Timeless cuisine fostered by Asian heralded techniques
Labels:
dempsey,
fusion,
hidden finds,
modern,
omakase,
restaurants,
romantic,
special occasion,
will return,
wine pairing
·
Areas like the lush Dempsey Hill have had its fair share of ups and down over the last decade. It spruced up nicely in its food and beverage conquest, attracting voracious appetites and roaring conversations in its hay-days with distinguished overseas brand backing. Think Jones the Grocer with its cool, softly lit gorgeous lofty interiors and fresh stacks of pancakes. However, the slowing economy took a huge hit and expatriates who were the majority denizens of Dempsey started making rarer appearances in the enclave. All of a sudden, things too a turn and these giants slowly moved out of the leaving a void to be filled. Not long after, new life style quarters Como Dempsey happened and the precinct teamed with life once again. Taking the plunge, was Petrina Loh, Chef/Owner of Morsels (previously located in Mayo Street) who moved her small plates restaurant into a more intimate 40-seater, 1000 sqf space just at stone's throw from Long Beach Seafood.
Having not patronise her previous outlet before, I was pleasantly surprised by the cottage like intimacy of the dining space adjoining the open kitchen. Wild ferns frame the bar while wicker chairs and wooden table tops up the 'rustic' quality one experiences once you slide pass those full length barnyard type doors. At the point, you'll wonder if you've inadvertently stepped into someone's home, lifting your eyes to look out for quilted corners.
Lewin Terrace: 500 Days of Summer
Labels:
fort canning,
french,
fusion,
hidden finds,
japanese,
modern,
restaurants,
romantic,
wine pairing,
wines
·
There's barely anything left to coincidence on the plates as presented by Chef Shinkai that night at Lewin Terrace. His well-flourished career that took him through the kitchens of 3 Michelin star restaurant L'Osier in Tokyo to the beloved 1 Michelin star Beni on local grounds erecting some high expectations at the white-linen lined tables. Sure, we do know that the Chef is well-versed in the unique fusion of Japanese-French cuisine, but a quick glimpse at the summer menu revealed baffling misplaced words such as 'laksa' and 'lemongrass' - would these prove to be feign attempts at pushing the envelope, or will they actuate as pure ingenuity? I was curious to find out.
Dehesa X Bodegas Comenge: #SwineWineDrink
Labels:
clarke quay,
dehesa,
must go,
north canal,
special occasion,
will return,
wine pairing,
wines
·
We all need a little spark of a reminder sometimes. A little confetti in the air. A little whipped cream on top (somewhere, anywhere). A little something-something, je ne sais quoi to end off the tidings of a Monday. For me, its a gratifying wine dinner, complete with swash buckles of fat-licked meaty delights and perhaps a swig of sweet sherry to come to terms with the dire fact that there's 4 more days to the weekend. The recent Dehesa X Bodegas winemaker dinner I attended was all that with side of jovial banter and amicable ruckus caused by a case of too much wine. Nothing that the Monday blues can't handle given the amount of turmoil its already been put through. Sod that, give me a good glass of red and you'll have me purring over plain vanilla ice cream.
It's the ease with which they do it, this slightly inebriated airy wave at the door and the boisterous call to attention for Alvaro Comenge's introduction speech, by the reps of Iconic Wines Singapore that makes you think - hey - if it only took them till 6pm on a Monday to reach this state of enlightenment, the wines ought to be good. There's no sales pitch better than permission marketing; and at this stage, surrounded by light banter and blissful smells, I wanted in on the magic.
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