Singapore, October 2017 – There are very few restaurants that Mr. King & I both adore and keep returning to. We found the most exquisite experiences at El Celler de Can Roca, Tickets, Narisawa and of course, Restaurant ANDRE (#14 World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2017, #2 Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2017, Micheln 2-stars).
We decided to celebrate our wedding anniversary a little earlier as we couldn’t wait to return to ANDRE. The 5-course lunch Menu du Moment was simply sublime. Chef André Chiang never ceases to surprise us with new elements, themes and delicate, thoughtful presentations. The service team led by Chef André’s wife (Pam) was impeccable, with detailed explanation of each dish and their good humor.
The Menu du Moment comprised of 3 snackings…light bites that were quite playful.
Snacking #1 : The freshest milk in Singapore crushed black pepper tart curd & whey. The cheese tart was actually not heavy, but refreshing. Whey was a good digestive.
Snacking # 2: Air Baguette Century Egg and Spice Cured Lardo Lentil Hummus. Mr. King especially liked the crispiness of the air baguette.
Snacking #3: Backed Onion Petal Venison Tartar Caramelized Onion. I enjoyed this “sushi-like” snack, with so many flavors going on.
Before our lunch began…the servers informed us that today’s lunch menu was created based on ingredients that Chef André hasn’t used before. So it was a departure from his already very innovative repertoire of dishes.
Burnt Baby Zucchini with Wild Flowers Finger Lime Vinaigrette Lobster Tartine.
The lobster was flavored beautifully, and Mr. King absolutely adored the burnt baby zucchini adorned with mirco greens.
Pan-Roast Kohlrabi, Herring and Condiments, Potato and Horseradish Emulsion.
The herring was garnished with caviar, chives and pickles. I adored these flavors. The kohlrabi was exquisite, and so buttery. The potato emulsion was airy and light.
Wellington 1888
Chef André found the vintage recipe for Wellington, and he gave it a twist – using turkey wing stuffed with mushrooms, served with a cherry sauce and a light salad. The popcorn topping gave the unexpected texture and whimsical touch. This was “André on a Plate”.
Degustation of Corn 20-Day Dry Aged Challans Duck Sauce Perigeux.
Our server warned us, “The star is not the duck, but the corn. The duck was smoked with corn leaves.” Corn in 3 different textures were present on our plates. The marriage between the smoked duck (loved the crispy skin) and the corn was perfect!
Jewish Plum Pickles Feijoa Sorbet and Nata de Coco, Verbana Marshmallow.
Another first for us…since we haven’t seen this fruit – Feijoa before. The sweetness of the sorbet and the sourness of Feijoa complimented each other. I absolutely loved the marshmallow with its burnt topping and fresh verbena leaves.
Mirabelle Fresh and Seared Wood Sorrel Fromage Blanc, Wheatgrass Granite.
This dessert reminded me of another one of Chef Andre’s creations using thinly sliced grapes, but at the same time, the tastes here were completely different.
Today, I had a tough time deciding which were my favorite dishes, because there were so many brilliant and delicious courses. For its creativity – it had to be Wellington 1888. I simply loved the smokiness found in each course…it was as if this smoky flavor lingered on throughout the meal, even the verbana marshmallow had it!
I almost forgot – “Happy Anniversary, Mr. King!”
Mr. King and I were delighted to meet Chef André again, at the end of our lunch. He is very personable and has a gentle demeanor. He is one of the few chefs who is always present at his restaurant. It just shows that his cuisine has a lot of him in it. For us, Restaurant ANDRE is the best and most innovative restaurant in Singapore.
Next on our list of restaurants to visit – Chef André’s creation RAW in Taipei !
Other articles you may be interested in:
More Surprises at Restaurant ANDRE
Restaurant André where Art & Food Collide
Michelin Guide Singapore is Here!
Restaurant André – please visit http://restaurantandre.com
All photos were taken by Mrs. King.
Mrs. King LIFESTYLE 