The short and sharp of it:
GUUM
Where?
29 Keong Saik Road
Why?
It says on the wrapper bold contemporary Korean food and it delivers that in spades – and some.
From the grill, from the roast, from the bake, the food is sublime, the service better and the venue is everything you want a bustling energetic packed Korean gastronomy house to be – and some more.
Try the signature Yukhwae Jeon for starters – delicate beef tartare on a crispy potato pancake (yep, it works). Think your high quality old school beef tartare on the best possible potato cake from your local fish and chip joint.
The ‘new’ Nurungji Caesar Salad is fresh baby gem lettuce, with pork terrine and rice crackers. No anchovies, no croutons …no worries. Cracking modern twist on a classic.
Don’t leave without sampling their signature ‘KFC’ – not of the chicken variety but crispy tender fried cauliflower. Tasty, crispy, fun and perfect with a Korean beer – step aside Colonel!
For mains, the Black Angus hanging tender is the highlight. Cooked perfectly, eat with some of their assorted grilled veggies and heaven awaits.
Why not?
Can’t find a reason. The once booming Keong Saik Road hasn’t quite hit its pre-COVID halcyon days but it is still a mecca for the rich and famous Singapore style. Think Crazy Rich Asian fame – this place is as interesting as it is fun. Get along and finish across the road with a beer on the roof at Bar 1939 – ex Potato Head (same joint, different name).
What’s hot?
The food is great, but the service is memorable. Welcoming, attentive, relaxed and super informative. These guys know their stuff and some. Want a history on the durian King of Kings fruit? No problem. Want a tip on the best local bars and food? No problem. Quality class A service.
Rating
4/5
Mott 32
Where?
10 Bayfront Avenue B1-42-44 Galleria Level, The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands
Set amongst the myriad of restaurants and retail outlets at Marina Bay Sands sits award-winning restaurant Mott 32.
Born in Hong Kong, the restaurant takes its name from 32 Mott Street in New York, where the city’s first Chinese convenience store opened in 1891, spurring the growth of one of the world’s most vibrant Chinatowns.
Why?
Head chef Lam is a legend in Singapore’s Cantonese food scene with over four decades of cooking experience in Hong Kong and Singapore. Lam knows his stuff – and it shows.
Why not?
Dining in a shopping centre mall? For some it is fine, for others it just feels, well… tacky.
To be fair, the inside is hip and relaxed – New York style, dimly lit and moody. Don’t try wearing sandals or thongs though – this is a place that takes itself (very) seriously. Strangely, slippers are fine!
What’s hot?
The signature Barbecue Iberico Pork Glazed with Yellow Mountain Honey ($52), and the Iberico Pork with Soft Quail Egg and Black Truffle Siu Mai ($11) are the highlights.
The service is attentive, if not a tad tense for our liking. Well organised and focused but lacking the ‘feel’ required for great service and a relaxed environment.
Rating
3/54/5
Candlenut
Where?
17 Dempsey Rd
Why?
A Michelin Star rated icon in Dempsey Hill, this ain’t our first time to Candlenut.
We opted for the degustation menu (their unique take on a Japanese Omakase) which my learned colleague was reliably informed was the best of the best selected by various kitchen staff at Candlenut (nice idea).
It was truly a case of two drastically varying halves.
The first half was quite superb, on track for meal of the year to be exact.
The little openers were top shelf. A Kueh Pie Tee with lobster and turmeric was divine, matched by the accompanying beef cheek Kapitan curry, pepper puffed prata. Zingy, tasty, spicy and delicious.
The Soto Bakso Soup with the fun lion’s head meatball, deep fried snakehead fish, sprouts and sawtooth coriander was without doubt soup of the year. The broth had been allowed to simmer and soak for four hours and it tasted like more. Stunning.
The pork neck satay grilled and smoked to perfection over charcoal was delectable – soft, tasty and just sensational.
Unfortunately and surprisingly just as we muttered to ourselves how incredible the food was, and with heightened expectations for what was to come, the good times came to an end.
The mains were flat. At best. The Rojak Buah made up of an assortment of fruits with a homemade Rojak dressing didn’t work. The Buah Keluak Beef Rawon or beef rib for short, was tasty enough meat, but lacked depth and flavour in the sauce. The Tau Yu Bak or slow cooked Iberico pork jowl with a free-range soft-centred egg was the highlight – rich, but flavoursome.
Strangely, the temperature of the meal had dropped to about the same levels of the room. (Wear a jumper and long pants – it may be 35°C outside, but it is Antarctic-like conditions inside.)
We could only hope the desserts would liven the mood. They didn’t. The Pulut Inti (glutinous rice cake with coconut roasted with gula Melaka) was sweet and sickening. The glutinous rice ball with a red date sorbet was also misplaced, and the end to the meal of Musang King durian and gula Melaka cream with coconut was, quite simply, an abomination.
Perhaps durian, “king of fruits”, is an acquired taste – either way, does it work as an end to a degustation?
All we had left hours later was a taste of durian and a severe case of shock and disappointment at how the meal had reversed for the worse at the halfway mark!
Why?
A Michelin star restaurant with a massive reputation which we had visited successfully previously.
Why not?
Forget the degustation and go with the à la carte menu – the degustation starts brilliantly but fades away beyond belief.
What’s hot?
The Soto Bakso soup is a game changer. If not for the durian destroying taste buds at the end of the meal, I’d still be dreaming about it now!
Rating
3.5/5
