Cover Chilli crab meat sauce topped with caviar at Jumbo Signatures
Chilli crab meat sauce topped with caviar at Jumbo Signatures
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From four-hands dinners to wood-fired delicacies, here are the buzziest places to eat this week
There’s always something special cooking up in Singapore’s dining scene, and this week is no different.
Chef Malcolm Lee is celebrating his landmark restaurant Candlenut’s 13th anniversary this week with a lavish feast that pays homage to Peranakan values of togetherness. Darling of Melbourne’s dining scene Nama is returning to Singapore at Low Tide with a family-style dinner to make good food and good memories. Riviera is back again with another four-hands dinner, this time with Birds of a Feather to present a Mediterranean-Sichuanese riot of flavours.
For more local flavours, head down to Jumbo Signatures for signatures like the elevated chilli mud crab. If not, Hua Ting is serving up elegant Cantonese delicacies at the Orchard Hotel to end your week with a balanced, refined palate.
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1. Low Tide
Above Signature ebi toast at Nama
Signature ebi toast at Nama
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Melbourne-based pop-up restaurant Nama is coming to Singapore on a special one-night takeover at Low Tide on April 18. From 4pm to midnight, see chefs Geoff Marett, Drew Thornton and Harry Thornton running a family-style feast with fresh and local produce.
Come with family and friends to share small plates, which include Nama’s signature ebi toast. It features a prawn mousseline with sesame, chives and Yarra Valley caviar over slices of crusty bread, but what makes it truly unique is Namamite, a house speciality spread made of shio kombi, nori paste, black vinegar and soy. The result is a deep umami punch reminiscent of Vegemite.
Don’t forget to order highballs to keep the night loose and easy, with an exciting Singapore debut of the Awa Awa Ume Ume canned umeshu highball. It’s a special concoction of the Japanese spirit made with Okinawa black sugar, Awamori (Okinawan rice spirit) and fresh ume plums, perfect for washing down Nama’s playful creations.
Low Tide, 98 Club Street, S(069467), +65 8952 1145
2. Riviera
Hot on the heels of Riviera’s four-hands dinner with Rhubarb is another collaboration that promises to set your taste buds ablaze. For one night only on April 21, see chef Rémy Carmignani of Riviera join hands with chef Eugene See of Birds of a Feather for an exciting blend of Mediterranean and Sichuanese flavours.
Here, seasonal Mediterranean produce like sole fish swimming in a lemon and pepper beurre blanc jostles shoulders with yu xiang eggplant, an aromatic dish seasoned with a fish fragrance sauce and sprinkled with spring onion crumbs. This fusion of cuisines culminates in the Sichuan vacherin, a dessert featuring a dark chocolate and Sichuan pepper ice cream with a Sicilian pistachio crumble. The numbing Sichuan peppers bring out the complex notes in the chocolate, complemented by the crunch of the premium Sicilian pistachios to round off an unforgettable dinner.
Riviera, 1 Fullerton Road, 02-06 One Fullerton, S(049213), +65 6690 7564
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3. Candlenut
Candlenut is celebrating its 13th anniversary on April 23 for a special, one-night-only dinner feast. Join notable chef-owner Malcolm Lee for a standing, cocktail-style dinner for an unlimited serving of more than 15 dishes, including brand-new dishes lovingly created by both kitchen and front-of-house staff specially for the night, as well as several Candlenut signatures.
Feast on offerings like the chargrilled pork lechon, a twist on the popular Filipino street snack served with achar and a homemade liver sauce that ignites the senses with its smoky char. Don’t forget dessert, which features a decadent cassava cake topped with caramel custard. Expect luxurious free-flow Taittinger Brut champagne, red and white wines, and beer to accompany bold Peranakan flavours on a night that celebrates kinship, close bonds, and fellowship.
Candlenut, 17A Dempsey Road, S(249676), +65 1800 304 2288
4. Jumbo Signatures
Above Signature fragrant rice in rich seafood broth at Jumbo Signatures
Signature fragrant rice in rich seafood broth at Jumbo Signatures
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Singaporean classics are elevated at Jumbo Signatures, which prides itself on the freshness of its seafood. No visit is complete without a taste of its award-winning chilli mud crab, with a luxuriant sauce made with over 10 Southeast Asian spices like turmeric, lemongrass and tau cheo (fermented soy bean paste). It’s best enjoyed with a deep-fried mantou to soak up the spicy, silky sauce. Other signatures include the white teat sea cucumber, which is lightly charred over charcoal for a smoky, crispy texture. It’s served with seasonal greens and shiitake mushrooms in an abalone sauce, making it the perfect delicacy to serve over rice.
If you’re looking for a more premium experience, opt for the tasting menu and wine pairing instead. You’ll get some of these signature dishes and more, with a wine selection curated by expert sommeliers to accentuate the bold flavours of Jumbo Signature’s refined Singaporean cuisine.
Jumbo Signatures, 2 Bayfront Avenue, B1- 01B The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands, S(018972), +65 6688 7023
5. Hua Ting
Above Braised Inaniwa noodles
Braised Inaniwa noodles
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An array of exquisite Cantonese delicacies and dim sum awaits you at Hua Ting, helmed by chef Chung Lap Fai who channels his Hong Kong heritage into award-winning dishes. This spring, Chung has cooked up set menus for lunch and dinner that’s full of delights such as the signature roasted duck, served with a sweet corn pancake and a wok-fried turnip cake with homemade XO sauce. It’s a crispy, juicy and savoury offering that’s nicely rounded off with the sweetness of the pancake and the spice of the XO sauce.
Don’t forget the braised Inaniwa noodles either, paired with a plump 6-head abalone and swimming in a premium abalone sauce that’s both comforting and satiating. A chilled osmanthus jelly with wolfberries ends the meal on a delightfully refreshing note.
Hua Ting, 442 Orchard Road, 2/F, S(238879), +65 6739 6666
Ethan Kan was Tatler Singapore’s dining writer.
