It’s that time of the year again when you’ll notice your friends flooding your Instagram feed with aesthetically pleasing food from upper-crust restaurants in Singapore. Fret not, because you can be a part of this action too, without breaking the bank.
Happening from the 24th October to 1st November, the illustrious Singapore Restaurant Week – an initiative that gives you the chance to dine at some of Singapore’s finest restaurants while keeping the price affordable – is back for its 11th edition.
Chefs from more than 100 restaurants will challenge themselves to create exclusive three-course meals around the theme “Sinfully Delectable”. Priced at $25 and $35 for lunch and dinner respectively, these full portion set menus are as economical as it gets.
This year’s three-course media preview whisked us from one restaurant to another, trying one course at each pit stop. After multiple glasses of booze, here’s our verdict.
Located on the first floor of Sofitel So Singapore in Tanjong Pagar, Xperience Restaurant & Bar was the first stop on our food trail. The upscale gastro-bar is the signature restaurant at this boutique hotel, with an open concept kitchen to boot.
We started off with their Truffle Pao with Short Ribs Stuffing, the ex-chef’s take on combining french ingredients with a Singaporean flavour. Braised with coriander and oyster sauce, the boneless ribs were juicy and flavourful with every mouthful. The generous portion of shredded short rib filling in each bun was a good enough reason for me to come back for more.
Unfortunately, the charcoal-infused buns were too doughy and chewy for my liking and there was hardly any truffle taste, though truffle oil was supposedly brushed on top of the gold flakes.
This fell flat for us, but we’ll be back to try their signature Lobster & Scallop Laksa Risotto – topped with lime foam and drizzled coconut to provide a refreshing twist to one of our favourite local delights.
Rating: 5.5/10
Our second stop for the main course was Violet Herbs – a seven-month-old mod European restaurant located at Tras Street. No surprise there – the interior had hints of violet too. Slightly cliche but it’s a refreshing decor that we girls fancied.
I’m not a fan of Duck Confit but this won me over! The moist duck leg was cleverly plated on a bed of sauteed spinach, along with some fried potatoes and foie gras duck jus. There were no complains about this dish. If the skin is crispy, the meat thoroughly cured and the sides complementary to the duck meat – it’s perfect to me.
Rating: 8.5/10
The Roasted Red Snapper was perhaps the most elaborate dish we tried that evening. Firstly, the red snapper itself was fresh, naturally sweet and its smooth slices of meat fell apart with just one touch.
The almond crust batter surrounding the fish provided a nice crisp crunch, and was a healthier alternative to the usual breadcrumbs. Small diced summer mushrooms were also used in the crustacean bisque, giving it a robust flavour and texture.
A pity the hearty flavour of the soup overpowered the natural sweetness of the fish, and it was like a battle of the flavours on our palate.
Rating: 7/10
Our third and most unconventional restaurant is KUVO. Derived from the French word “cuvee”, which means to blend, KUVO prides themselves on creating a cosy yet relaxed ambience within the 9000 sq ft space. Most of us usually stroll past this building beside 313 Somerset, and had no idea this place even existed!
What we were served here was an Instagrammable and #droolworthy dessert – a square of Rum Cocoa Mousse Bar topped with a slice of sugary chip. Alas, it didn’t taste like the mousse I’m used to. I was expecting a light and fluffy, melt-in-your-mouth sort. But instead, this had a much denser texture and it was like eating a full-blown chocolate cake.
Thankfully the bite-sized portion saved it, or it would have been too jelat to finish. Another saving grace for this dish was the toppings – I loved the alcoholic-infused raisins and the crunchy sugary chip.
Rating: 6.5/10
Now that you’ve seen some of the food Restaurant Week is dishing out, it’s time to throw out your gym regime and make plans to try as many restaurants as possible in a week.
Reservations are mandatory for Restaurant Week, especially so due to the high demand. For more information on the participating restaurants and their specially crafted menus, visit Restaurant Week’s website here.
And while you’re on your food adventure, don’t forget to hashtag #TSLmakan on your Instagram posts!
This post was brought to you by Dining City.
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