Showing posts with label fine dining. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fine dining. Show all posts
[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.
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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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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.
Rang Mahal: Indian Fine Dining With Modern Sensibilities
Labels:
desserts,
family friendly,
fine dining,
Indian food,
promenade,
will go
·
Every so often, I wake up to an unexpected invite that doesn't involve the latest incipient opening. Rang Mahal, is one such example of a fine dining institution that has paved its way to success, with deep-rooted beginnings initiating from 1971. Fortunately for me, my latest relationship endeavour with a British-born Indian and the integration with his family has got me dwelling on the topic of Indian food. Gujarati cuisine, primarily vegetarian with a distaste for the allures of alcohol, is opening my eyes to the multifariousness of Indian food. It represents the essence of Indian food, and its diversity traversing state lines, uprooting false impressions that dining 'Indian' could only mean butter chicken with a side of naan. I plead guilty.
SPRMRKT goes Vietnamese: From Street Food to Fine Dining
Labels:
bahn mi,
brunch,
cafe,
fine dining,
four hands dinner,
noodle,
pho,
robertson quay,
street food,
vietnamese,
will return
·
Just 10 more days to get your hands on some of the specials at SPRMRKT (both McCallum Street and Robertson Quay outlets) as the kitchen folks pay tribute to the 45th year of harmonious Singapore-Vietname diplomatic rapport, with their debut cultural showcase "SPRMRKT Vietnam". Dedicated to showcasing the best of what Vietnam has to offer, the kitchen have dished out fresh interpretations of Vietnamese classics, Bahn Mi? Beef Pho? Banh Xeo? Yes, if you can't afford the trip up North, the daily specials is as close as you can get to actually living the sun, sea and dusty street-life of Vietnam and all its glory.
FORT by Maison Ikkoku: 12-course omakase and a bevy of cocktails. What diet?
Labels:
affordable,
barfood,
cocktails,
fine dining,
fusion,
hidden finds,
japanese,
might return,
omakase,
romantic,
special occasion
·
It's been awhile friends since I last penned down my biased thoughts and discrimination. Here's one to roll off the short week...
Maison Ikkoku, as I've touted before, is an institution. And even more so now that it has occupied the grounds at the Singapore Pinacotheque De Paris; a luscious sprawling minimalistic cocktail den splayed in cool colors of violet and blues to lure the passive drinkers. Here at FORT, Executive Chef and Senior Master Mixologist, Ethan Leslie Leong applies his cocktail (perceptibly expensive as I've noted in 2013 : read here) techniques with a balanced selection of food, delicate soups, salads, maki and other signature dishes made from scratch within the same fundamental grounds. A pretty impressive feat if you've take a look at the make-shift bar counter doubling up as a fully functional kitchen.
For just $68++, one can sink your teeth into a progressive 12-course omakase with no obligations of cocktails at all, though one must admit, the lures are evident, especially when only bar-seats are available. And if you should choose to, trust that you'll be in safe hands with resident mixologist Matteo Cadeddu working his magic behind the bar - his dabble in alcoholic libations fuelled by memories and inspirations from his homestead; Italy. Take for example the Bloody Memory he fixed me, fortified with bottarga - a salted. cured fish roe, shaved over the fiery concoction. Eccentric but oh, so good!
Bacchanalia @ Hong Kong Street: $48 Set Lunches
Labels:
clarke quay,
expensive,
fine dining,
lunch,
modern,
must go,
setlunch,
special occasion
·
Award winning restaurant, Bacchanalia has since 'cleaned up its act' after moving from the mysterious and moody hangout in a Masonic hall in Coleman street to Hong Kong Street in July 2015. Sporting drastically modern vibes, for a change, with the kitchen transported into the dining room, the connection between chef's work and diner's gluttony for excellent fare is further strengthened.
Still, looking past the metamorphosis, the same tenacity lies in the skills of the chefs; and no doubt, Bacchanalia would be your best bet for a special occasion meal. In fact, my birthday privileges scored me a lovely Gin and Tonic inspired sorbet dessert complimentary from Chef Ivan Brehm after pleasantries were exchanged at the end.
But rewinding back to lunch, you'll be pleasantly surprised by the affable price tag of their 3-course set lunch. At $48 per pop, this buys you a remarkable insight into innovative top-notch food, in the running for a Michelin star (I hope). Book ahead and maybe, just perhaps you'll be granted a Chef's table, right alongside all the tussle in the kitchen. Otherwise, there's always the tables straddling the busy service counter and kitchen pass or the larger, more aloof unit in the deeper end.
Grand Mandarina: Top notch dining in the Orients
Labels:
affordable,
chinese food,
dim sum,
dinner,
family friendly,
fine dining,
large groups,
lunch,
must go,
restaurants,
will return
·
Call me despicable, call me a desperado, but when one puts a plate of that ridiculously succulent honey glazed roast pork in front of my nose; gastronomical success is almost guaranteed.
Of course, it helps that Grand Mandarina's new inventive ala carte menu is successful on so many levels. Giving the conventional Cantonese cuisine a real booster in the fine dining direction with the use of seasonal ingredients employed in cutting-edge techniques. Take for example the Duo of combination of foie gras with slice peking duck and scallop with salted egg yolk
($26 per person); in usual circumstances, one would expect to find a slab of pan seared goose liver; but here, the precious mother-load is rolled into a tight roulade and braised in 乳水 for that slight Asian infusion and served alongside crispy fingers of cucumber and silvers of uber crunchy duck skin, Send a slice of toast over and I would happily smear the heavenly pate all over it. Then there's the scallop, a parcel of perfect succulence underneath a sheath of golden brown, smothered in salted egg yolk sauce; the crunch of edamame beans below helping to bring harmony to the tumultuous world of dangerous flavors on the plate.
[Fresh off the Press] La Ventana: Michelin Starred Catalan fare in Dempsey
Labels:
dempsey,
fine dining,
hidden finds,
spanish,
special occasion,
tapas
·
Have you heard of the new La Ventana by Chef Carles Gaig in Dempsey Hill? Because it is an impressive operation with equally extraordinary accolades under its belt. Chef Gaig originally from Taberna d'en Gaig established in 1869, cleverly unifies tradition and innovation to create high quality cuisine that speaks to the heart; for doing so, his restaurant in the Horta district of Barcelona has been distinguished with a Michelin star since 1993.
In a private chat with Chef Gaig, who maintained an amicable grandfatherly-like mannerism, and abetted by the lovely Ms Nuria Gilbert (Chef Gaig's daughter) in translation purposes, we got to have an insight into the mind of this gifted yet humble chef.
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