Restaurant

Arbor

Sumptuous flavours, refined techniques, creative presentations and quality ingredients—Arbor has all the elements for an excellent fine-dining experience in spades. The menu spotlights seasonality in the form of top-drawer Asian produce and it’s a testament to chef Eric Räty’s skill that he knows exactly what to pair together to create sophisticated, stylish dishes that let each ingredient’s natural flavours sing. Divinely buttery, beautifully cooked wagyu beef is expertly enhanced with crunchy dried soy flakes, a gorgeously rich jus and an earthy bell pepper coulis; meanwhile, sweet, plump botan ebi shrimp plays delicately against fresh juicy tomato and crunchy seaweed crackers. Räty handles dessert with equal aplomb, and the multiple textures, layers and tastes of his Citrus finale are a vibrant delight on the palate. Service is top-notch, too, with staff able to explain the complex ingredients and techniques behind each plate; this extends to the well-curated wine pairing, carefully chosen from the restaurant’s vast wine list. The ambience is suitably plush but not overly ostentatious, with comfortable banquette seating and an inviting blush-pink interior. It’s a joy that Arbor’s exquisitely crafted tasting menus change as often as they do, because it gives us plenty of reasons to revisit and discover the latest evolutions of Räty’s culinary journey.

What to order

• The botan ebi is a symphony of fresh, clean, delicate flavours, including sweet plump shrimp, juicy tomato and crunchy seaweed crackers.
• The wagyu beef A4 is beautifully cooked and divinely buttery, with crunchy dried soy flakes, a gorgeously rich jus and earthy bell pepper coulis that all enhance the meat’s wonderful natural flavour.
• The “citrus” dessert is a vibrant play of different tastes and textures – creamy panna cotta, lemon sake syrup-soaked sponge, lemon curd, crushed honey crumb, frozen grapefruit, and a winningly tart lemon osmanthus sorbet.

Tatler Tip

Don’t forget to save room for Arbor’s signature fresh-from-the-oven madeleines and a “surprise” mini dessert at the end of the meal – they’re too delicious to be full for.