Cover Photo: Raffles Hotel
Photo: Raffles Hotel
1 / 1
The exclusive menu is only available from May 11 to May 14 so book soon
When three-Michelin-starred Chef Anne-Sophie Pic, the woman behind modern French restaurant La Dame De Pic, planned a trip to Singapore from May 9 to 14—her mission was two-fold.
Firstly, she wanted to deepen her knowledge about what Singapore had to offer in terms of botanicals (which she features heavily in her dishes). Secondly, she wanted to present a limited menu of Valence-inspired dishes to offer local diners a glimpse into who she is through her food.
Don’t miss: Raffles Courtyard Launches New Hawker Stories Series with Makansutra
Unfortunately, shortly before she was due to fly to Singapore for what would be her second visit to the Singapore restaurant since it opened in 2019, her mother fell ill and the trip had to be cancelled.
Of course, the show must go on and so it did with chef de cuisine Francesco Di Marzio, who worked closely with the famed French chef.
The first thing you have to understand about Pic’s Taste Of Valence menu is that it is a journey—and a highly emotional one at that. Pulling from some of her most notable dishes, ones that reflect her personal style and ones that honour family members, Pic serves up her heart on the plate with this menu.
The meal opens strong with the tomatoes, a beautiful show of an oxheart tomato that has been lightly confited. The dish surprises guests when they cut into them and find each piece filled with a creamy burrata smoked with masterwort root, basil and geranium vierge sauce.
Next up is the signature Berlingots, a matcha pasta parcel stuffed with bacon, mascarpone and brousse cheese to give it a creamy and savoury mouthfeel. The pasta is complemented with a bright green and rich vegetable broth that includes swiss chard for added texture.
After a decadent beetroot dish, we finally arrive at the fish dish—a sardine which has been butterflied, smoked and glazed with a mix of soy sauce, lemon juice, mirin, honey and whisky Nikka Coffey Grain, is paired with julienned zucchini and nasturtium coulis to elevate the taste.
The next dish is the Wild Sea Bass & Caviar 2.0, and is a clear favourite because of the flavours and the story behind it.
If you didn’t know, Pic is a third-generation chef and only one of four female chefs to have earned three Michelin stars. Her grandfather, Andre Pic, opened the restaurant initially and it was called Maison Pic. His son, Pic’s father, later took over the restaurant in 1959 and while the restaurant continued to do well, it, unfortunately, dipped when Pic’s father passed away in 1992.
His death left the restaurant without direction and within three years, it lost its second star.
In 1998, Pic decided to take over the kitchen after her brother decided to leave the helm. At that point, she only managed the front of the house. In a true show of talent, Pic very quickly got to work restoring the restaurant and by 2007, she had restored Maison Pic’s third Michelin star.
20 years after taking the helm, Pic decided to tackle one of her father’s most famous dishes. It was a sea bass and caviar dish that was created in 1971; it was so popular with guests that it remained on the menu for years to come.
With her update, Pic placed the piece of tender steamed sea bass in a champagne sauce that has sake, saké lees, a rose-infused cream, rose oil and jabara citrus. The end result is one of the most technically delicious dishes on the limited-edition menu that clearly retains much of her father’s vision while also remaining relevant to the times.
Don’t miss: Here Are the Health Benefits of High Society’s Luxurious Foods, From Caviar to Truffle
The sea bass is followed by a tender Aveyron Lamb that has been marinated sous-vide for 12 hours and served with sakura and mezcal gel. The dish is served alongside roasted and pressed figues that are served with genmaicha, butter, honey, lemon juice and mezcal.
After a selection of pre-desserts, the team finally presents its main dessert. The chocolate honeycomb is a work of technical art and showcases chocolate, bitter honey, bees wax and Hojicha cubeb delicately piped into thin strips of chocolate.
We were told to play around with the flavours and true enough, almost every bite was different yet somehow worked well together.
These dishes work together to showcase all of Pic’s strengths as well as her roots and the rich legacy of the French restaurant.
Available only from May 11 to May 14, book your table here.
NOW READ
9 of the Finest British Cheeses You Can Get in Singapore for a Weekend Treat
New Restaurant Alert: Chef Damian D’Silva Serves Up Long-Forgotten Local Dishes at Rempapa
Topics
Camillia Dass is the digital writer for Tatler Singapore.
