Cover Singaporean chef Yew Eng Tong
Singaporean chef Yew Eng Tong
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The weathered fine-dining restaurant embarks on a fresh new chapter with the recent appointment of Singaporean chef Yew Eng Tong at the helm
At the one-Michelin-starred kitchen, Yew Eng Tong is a soft-spoken chef who lets his cooking do the talking. His illustrious resume echoes a flourish of experience, including cutting his teeth alongside legendary three-Michelin-starred chef Christian Bau and opening Ocean restaurant at the Resorts World Sentosa in 2013 with American celebrity chef Cat Cora. On the global culinary stage, he is also a title-clinching veteran, leading the Singapore National Culinary Team at the Culinary Olympics 2014 to gold in Germany.
Alma means soul in Spanish and nourishing it is no easy feat. But Yew triumphs with a presentation of aesthetically pleasing plates, each showcasing modern European techniques with Asian accents while honouring a handful of Amador’s signatures. “It has always been my desire to apply the cooking techniques I’ve learnt and perfected during my course of culinary competitions to my dishes in a restaurant. However, it has not always been possible. At Alma by Juan Amador, I now can,” shares Yew. Every bite, lit with passion, is evocative of a man on a mission: to breathe new life into a weathered restaurant.
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Above Potato gratin takoyaki and cauliflower pie-tee tart
Potato gratin takoyaki and cauliflower pie-tee tart
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The culinary ballad begins with moreish snacks of takoyaki exploding with creamy potato gratin; a crisp cauliflower pie-tee tart bejewelled with a medley of white shoyu marinated seafood, teasing the season’s best catch. Next, the tuna tartare arrives in quirky fashion, sandwiched between crunchy potato crisps that bear resemblance to fish-bones. Textures of smoked mayonnaise, truffle parfait and an airy squid ink brioche, served in varying temperatures, promise a pleasurable two-biter.
Above Arctic char
Above Fried multiseed mantou with smoked Bordier butter and crab roe espuma
Arctic char
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For appetisers, Yew delights with a spotlight on Arctic char, an adaptation of his competition dish at Bocuse d’Or 2015. An enchanting roulade, consisting of neon orange strips of Arctic char, beautifully pickled radish and sushi vinegar jelly, is lavishly topped with a bump of N25 hybrid caviar. Accompaniments of watermelon and passionfruit salsa then help impart a contrasting layer of sweet and tart expressions into the umami mix.
When it comes to the spicy sweet yet savoury combination of Singaporean chilli crab, there are few and far between. Yew reinterprets that in his bread course, pairing a fried multiseed mantou with crab roe espuma and smoked Bordier butter, to capture the very essence of his local roots. Soon, you’re going to wish you had more bread. What follows is an ode to chef consultant Juan Amador’s signature purple curry which was a tad too toothsome, leaving much to be desired despite the faultless execution of the bincho-grilled blue lobster tail.
Toothfish
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But the blues didn't last long. Yew pulls out a stunning dish, spotlighting toothfish, for a taste of a dish that won him gold. Pan-seared until crisp on the outside, the meaty medallion is complemented with carrot puree, bursting with sweetness; tempura seaweed crumble, that is both addictive briny and crunchy; caviar vinaigrette, lifted with a touch of finger lime; crustacean cream, pulsating with a trinity of chive, carrot and prawn oil. A dish worthy of the wait.
The meal draws to a close with creative takes on a Thai red ruby dessert and poached pear as well as traditional petit fours. For wines, the list is thorough with a clear focus on American wines and the in-house sommelier is more than capable of making stellar recommendations to pair with each course. To whisky enthusiasts, ask and you shall receive, as you might stumble on some rare drams from what may be the largest whisky collection in a local restaurant—some of which come straight from owner Pota Lee’s private cache.
Alma by Juan Amador
Address: 22 Scotts Rd, Goodwood Park Hotel S(228221)
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Credits
Photography: Alma by Juan Amador
