Dining guide: Mar 5 to Mar 11
SET LUNCH AT CATALUNYA SINGAPORE. This newly launched menu (available Mondays to Saturdays) lets diners customise their three-course lunch for only S$38 per person. Pick from three options for each course — go with either soup, salad or tapa for appetiser; seafood, meat or rice dish for the main course; and cake, fruits, or ice cream for dessert. Standouts from the debut menu are the salmorejo (a traditional tomato-based soup originating from south of Spain), red snapper in salsa verde, roasted mushrooms and molten egg yolk as a vegetarian option, and the cultural dessert icon that is rice and milk. The selection changes to reflect the finest produce available. To complete this value deal, all red and white house pour wines are priced at S$10 a glass with the set lunch. Call 65340886 for details or to make a reservation.
SET LUNCH AT CATALUNYA SINGAPORE. This newly launched menu (available Mondays to Saturdays) lets diners customise their three-course lunch for only S$38 per person. Pick from three options for each course — go with either soup, salad or tapa for appetiser; seafood, meat or rice dish for the main course; and cake, fruits, or ice cream for dessert. Standouts from the debut menu are the salmorejo (a traditional tomato-based soup originating from south of Spain), red snapper in salsa verde, roasted mushrooms and molten egg yolk as a vegetarian option, and the cultural dessert icon that is rice and milk. The selection changes to reflect the finest produce available. To complete this value deal, all red and white house pour wines are priced at S$10 a glass with the set lunch. Call 65340886 for details or to make a reservation.
FRENCH FERVOUR AT KU DE TA. The restaurant is one of five in Singapore selected to participate in Gout de France (Good France), an international celebration of the influence of French gastronomy around the world. From Mar 18 to 22 March 2015, Executive Chef Frederic Faucheux will assemble a special menu to celebrate his French roots, infusing French influences with the restaurant’s signature modern Asian cuisine. The six-course tasting menu will include unique creations such as scallop carpaccio and lobster in rice wine jus, mushrooms and apple jelly, and a succulent turbot fillet in two types of ginger sauce, served with Jerusalem artichoke and truffle sorbet. Priced at S168 per person (minimum of two and max of 11 guests). Call 6688 7688 for details or to make a reservation.
NEW CHEF AND CUISINE AT SHANGRI-LA. In his new role, newly appointed chef de cuisine Marco De Vincentis will be responsible for transforming the former Waterfall Café into a southern Italian trattoria featuring handmade pasta and fresh seafood, overseeing all culinary operations for the 92-seat restaurant, which has been rechristened Waterfall Ristorante Italiano. The change will take effect from March 9, featuring a menu of classics and chef’s signature creations, such as his zuppa di pesce (traditional Italian seafood stew) and linguine allo scoglio (classic seafood pasta). For reservations and enquiries, call 6213 4138 or e-mail dining.sls [at] shangri-la.com.
ALVARO PALACIOS WINE DINNER AT RAFFLES GRILL. Inspired by a trip to the vineyards in Priorat, the southwest region of Catalonia, Raffles Singapore Wine Director Stephane Soret aims to recreate the experience by hosting an exclusive wine dinner at Raffles Grill on Saturday, 7 March at 7pm, featuring a carefully curated list of wines by Spanish producer Alvaro Palacios. Executive Sous Chef Mickael Le Calvez has created a menu to complement and highlight the featured wines, with dishes such as Alaskan king crab with pink radish remoulade and Azafran salsa paired with the Herencia Remondo Placet Rioja 2011 to start. There’s also the grilled octopus with Iberico chorizo, bomba rice and piperade sauce paired with the full-bodied and berry-nuanced Petalos Bierzo 2012, considered one of the most sought-after wines from its region. This five course dinner with paired wines is priced at S$198 per person. All wines featured will be available for direct purchase at a preferential price during the dinner. Call 6412 1816 to make a reservation.
LUNCH CELEBRATION AT MIKUNI. Returning for a third year, this special lunch set is created in celebration of Hina Matsuri (Doll’s Festival), which is celebrated in Japan on March 3 to mark the day when families wish their daughters success and happiness in life. Executive Chef Moon Kyung Soo beautifully presented lunch bento include Mikuni’s bara chirashi — raw and vinegar-marinated fish are artfully decorated atop sushi rice. This dish sits alongside a 65° onsen tamago served with an indulgent black truffle sauce and organic Japanese yam salad. The 8-course lunch bento also boasts grilled soy braised silver cod, accompanied by a selection of cooked vegetables, and organic fig tempura that is gently cooked with sesame salt. Priced at S$88 per person, the Hina Matsuri lunch bento is available from March 1 to 10. Call 6431 6156 to make a reservation.
12 AT 12 LUNCH AT AH HOI’S KITCHEN. This special nasi padang set lunch promotion is a value set lunch that lets diners savour savour 12 nasi padang dishes including tahu telur, nangka masak lemak and ayam penyet, complete with rice, soup and a drink at S$12 per person. From noon, Mondays to Fridays (In a group of 12 persons, the 12th person dines free). Until April. Call 6831 4373 to make a reservation.
VIAGGIO ITALIANO AT BASILICO. Executive sous chef Angelo Ciccone invites guests to explore Italy’s finest via a year-long culinary adventure through the country’s regions. Every quarter will feature a unique menu line-up that has been specially curated to echo the nuances of a region’s cuisine, offering diners an authentic Italian dining experience. From now until March 31, diners can explore the flavours of Central Italy with Basilico’s Basilissimo dinner menu, comprising of an appetiser, an a la carte main course and the dessert buffet. Highlights include a taste of Lazio, known for its Roman culinary roots and rich and fertile hills that lend heavier flavours to the cuisine, encapsulated in Ciccone’s spaghetti in Amatriciana sauce with pork pancetta, red onions and Roman pecorino. There are also the Tuscan-style roasted lamb chop and grilled Angus beef tenderloin with braised artichokes to consider. Regent Singapore. Call 6725 3232/3 to enquire or make a reservation.
SQUID INK AND RAMEN. From now until mid-May, ramen lovers can indulge in Men-ichi Ramen’s Ikasumi Special, which features squid ink in the restaurant’s popular Sapporo miso tonkotsu soup. The Ikasumi Tonkotsu Ramen (S$14.90) offers a blend of springy home-made curly noodles, succulent char siew, minced pork, soft flavoured egg, crunchy bamboo shoots and seaweed served in its signature pork broth piqued with squid ink. For a richer, creamier broth, the Ikasumi Corn Butter Tonkotsu Ramen (S$15.90) is a similar mix, topped with butter and sweet corn. Squid ink also features in the Ikasumi Yakimeshi (S$8.90), a delicious combination of Japanese short-grain rice fried with squid ink, fresh tiger prawns, crab meat and egg. Available at Men-ichi Ramen outlets at Northpoint, Nex and Jurong Point.
VALUE LUNCHES AT IL LIDO. The il Lido Group’s latest offers feature two lunchtime treats. A 3-course weekday lunch menu at il Lido for instance celebrates fine Italian cuisine at just S$38 per person, featuring some of the best seasonal ingredients, while over at Latteria diners can dig in to a scrumptious selection of hearty and rustic Italian pastas for lunch, priced at S$15 per dish. The latter is available exclusively from Mondays to Fridays, noon to 2.30pm and includes linguine with calamari and tomato; penne with eggplant arrabbiata; and the classic spaghetti carbonara with Parma ham. Ongoing. Visit http://www.il-lido.com/ and http://www.latteriamb.com/ for details and to make a reservation.
SG50 LUNCH DEAL AT THE RITZ-CARLTON. In keeping with the year-long nationwide celebrations, the hotel’s international buffet lunch at Greenhouse is priced at S$50 (S$25 per child age six to 12) from Mondays to Saturdays. Available until March 28 (Mondays to Saturdays, noon to 2.30pm), diners can look forward to a delectable line-up featuring international flavours and authentic local favourites, from sushi and sashimi to Singapore rojak, roast duck, crispy pork belly and laksa. Call 6434 5288 to make a reservation.
AFFORDABLE LUNCH BUFFET AT AZUR. Drawing inspiration from his travels, childhood hawker haunts, visits to bustling food streets of Malaysia, and delicious fare from rustic traditional warungs in Indonesia, executive chef Andrew Tharm’s new weekday signature buffets (S$29.50 for lunch and S$39.50) for dinner is a smorgasbord of familiar favourites that include Singapore satay, rendang daging palembang and ayam panggang sereh, served with complimentary-flow of Asian beverages such as traditional barley and watercress and honey-date. Its new weekend international spread, complete with seafood on ice (from flower crabs to Boston lobster and sushi) is also affordable (priced at S$48 for brunch and S$58 for dinner). Ongoing. Call 6823 5354 to make a reservation.
OMAKASE AT PORTICO. Portico’s new addition to their regular menu — a bar tasting experience Omakase-style promises to surprise the discerning palate. Guests will not be given a menu — just provide your dietary preferences or restrictions when making a reservation (three days ahead of time). Conceptualised to create an interactive dining session, guests can expect a visual feast as they watch head chef Nixon Low prepare and plate each course. Chef will also explain each course and answer any culinary questions posed. The bar tasting menu starts from S$90 per head for a five-course experience. There is also a seven-course menu (S$110 per head); a nine-course menu (S$130); an 11-course menu (S$150) and a 13-course menu (S$170). A more petite experience created for dessert tasting starts with a three-course menu at S$45 per head. Ongoing. Call 6276 7337 to enquire or make a reservation.